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This year, I was invited to be part of Mayor Sam Liccardo's 2022-23 Budget Brown Act, which gave me a unique and in-depth look into our city's budget process. I was grateful for the opportunity to shape the Budget Message.
The priorities we established for the City Road Map and the 2022-2023 Fiscal Year Budget are:
- Homelessness and Affordable Housing
- Public Safety
- Battling Blight
- Climate and Seismic Resilience
- Equitable Economic Recovery
- Fiscal Sustainability
Below are some of the highlights and notable items from the process.
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1000 Trees Initiative
Allocate funding for city staff to identify locations on public lands in District 4 that can support tree plantings. With the help of both public and private partnerships, the goal is to replenish the tree canopy in District 4, which is currently the lowest in the city.
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Improve Pedestrian Safety on Cropley Ave
Cropley Avenue is a major street in District 4 that results in a separation between neighborhoods and their local schools and parks. There are currently no activated crosswalks for pedestrians to cross Cropley between Morrill Ave and Piedmont Road.
Staff will conduct a crosswalk study to determine the most appropriate location and install a Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB), bulb outs and a median island to shorten the crossing distance. My office will partner with the Department of Transportation for community outreach to ensure any community concerns regarding parking removal and/or safety devices adjacent to homes are mitigated prior to design and construction.
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New Park Facilities Supervisor for Alum Rock Park
Currently there is only one Park Facilities Supervisor (PFS) serving a large area that includes high needs communities and important facilities. The area includes Alum Rock Park, Overfelt Gardens, all District 4 parks, most District 5 parks, and some tough trail segments, and scores the lowest in the city-wide parks needs assessment. By adding a second dedicated PFS there will be more capacity to address maintenance needs in District 4 parks. Additionally, the dedicated PFS for Alum Rock Park will provide much needed capacity to manage emergency preparations including wildfire prevention.
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Agnews Park: A Tale of Two Cities (and the County and a School District) | |
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For the better part of 2 decades, the decision over what to do with Agnews Park has loomed heavily over the City of San Jose. Legal challenges, contamination and a host of other difficulties have contributed to significant delays in the further development of the site.
After the completion of the new K-12 campus built by Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) on the Agnews site, our office facilitated the settlement of a lawsuit with SCUSD. The settlement provides funding to develop the plan for a public park at the city-owned parcel. We can now begin prioritizing the multi-phase development of Agnews Park for the North San José community.
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Alviso Community Garden Irrigation
While staff was in the process of renovating the Alviso Community Garden, they discovered that there was insufficient water pressure to supply the revitalized Alviso Community Garden. Since the repair of the bathrooms at the swim center and the pool would use the same water line as the garden, there would not be enough water pressure to be able to support the 25 plots in the community garden. Additional water lines will be created to address the water needs of the park.
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The Council unanimously approved the Mayor's Budget Message, which allowed us to push forward on the following initiatives:
● Add more police officers to the San Jose Police Department, continuing our half-decade-long efforts to rebuild a department that has grown by more than 220 officers since 2017. Those additions will enable, for the first time in more than two decades, deployment of regularly scheduled walking beats in Downtown and high-need neighborhoods.
● Commit resources to combat blight in our City through Beautify San José initiatives, including employment of our unhoused in cleanup efforts (San José Bridge), encampment management (SOAR and Cash for Trash), graffiti response, and abandoned vehicle abatement.
● Launch the City’s first comprehensive resilience initiative, to bring resources and management focus to better prepare our City for the inevitable local impacts of climate change, drought, earthquake, wildfires, and other inevitable, imminent threats.
● Restore services to pre-pandemic levels in our low-resource neighborhoods, and open 13 libraries on Sundays. Sunday hour locations will be determined by the City Librarian.
● Invest $40 million for the construction and operation of quick-build apartment communities, with the goal of getting 1,000 pandemic-era units under development, and another 300 motel rooms converted for transitional housing.
● Enhance public safety by accelerating police hiring, launch automated red-light running enforcement, and implement various neighborhood traffic safety improvements.
● Fund important cultural and community priorities, including the launch of development of the African American Cultural Center, and the purchase of Cesar Chavez’s historic home, and increasing support of our small businesses.
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Homelessness and Affordable Housing
Homeless Outreach
Identify one-time funding to pilot a two-year expansion of the BeautifySJ encampment management team to include therapeutic specialists who can coordinate behavioral health and other services for unhoused residents and respond effectively to their crises.
Mobile Home Park Protections
- Implementing a new mobile home park-specific designation to “protect” the only two mobile home parks with a designation allowing high- or mid-density residential development.
- Revising the Zoning Code from 2016 and 2017 to require all conversions to come to City Council for initial decision-making.
- Require a program of relocation and purchase assistance, including but not limited to compensation to residents, purchase price for the existing mobile homes, relocation impact reports, and relocation benefits.
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Public Safety
Rebuilding the San José Police Department
Dedicate ongoing funding for up to 15 sworn positions and come forward during next year's the budget process with a recommendation to integrate gradual increases in budgeted sworn positions.
Addressing Mental Illness on Our Streets
Add sworn and unsworn positions with ongoing dollars to continue funding Mobile Crisis Assessment Team.
Police Sworn Hire Ahead Program
Use one-time funding to again implement a “hire ahead” program to maintain current levels of staffing.
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Battling Blight
Beautify San José
Commit ongoing funding to make the onetime investments in BeautifySJ permanent, with emphasis on maintaining or expanding programs that empower the unhoused to become part of the BeautifySJ solution, such as San José Bridge and Cash for Trash.
Illegal Dumping on Trails
Design and install deterrents along trails to deter illegal dumping from vehicles.
Abandoned Vehicles
- Allocate ongoing funding to continue the hybrid vehicle abatement model
- Add onetime funding to boost parking enforcement for two years
- Consider and return to Council with the evaluation of a more flexible standard for abating problem vehicles
- Emphasize enforcement within small business corridors where parking scarcity threatens the survival of small businesses the most.
Parks Rehabilitation Strike Team
Continue funding the Parks Maintenance Strike Team on an ongoing basis. Prioritize parks using an equity lens, and to prioritize investments in irrigation modernization, to save water and operating dollars in the years ahead.
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Climate and Seismic Resilience
Resilience Planning and Management
Create a team within the City Manager’s Office to drive results on key resilience objectives to demonstrate the City’s commitment to accelerating outcomes.
Mitigating Sea Level Rise
Work with State and Federal partners to continue progress on Construction of an Army Corps of Engineers levee project aimed at protecting Alviso and areas of North San Jose.
Urban Forest
The City Manager is directed to guide the successful growth and management of our urban forest to reduce heat islands and create a greener, more beautiful city, with a priority on those neighborhoods with the sparsest canopy, such as those in Districts 4, 5, and 7.
Electrification of our Local Economy
In 2019, San José became the largest city in the nation to require all-electric utilities in new commercial and residential development, and our metropolitan area has the highest utilization of electric vehicles of any major city metro in the U.S. To achieve our climate goals, however, we must do much more, including the rapid build-out of vehicle-charging infrastructure, and the retrofit of our existing housing stock, prioritizing the reduction of utility costs for struggling residents.
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Equitable Economic Recovery
Al Fresco/ Storefronts Activation Grants
San José Al Fresco kept many struggling small businesses viable during the pandemic, in addition to activating our streetscape to take full advantage of our sunny climate. Using one-time funding, extend the duration of activation grants that will help more cafes, restaurants, exercise studios, and other small businesses conduct commerce outdoors.
Waiving Fees on Small Commercial Tenant Improvements
Empty storefronts can drag down an entire block or business district, attracting blight, and repelling foot traffic that might otherwise support neighboring businesses. Set aside one-time funding to enable 50 businesses to waive up to $10,000 in city fees and permit costs per business to fill vacant storefronts, prioritizing neighborhood business districts and Downtown.
San Jose Abierto and the Cultural Funding Portfolio
Allocate one-time funding to extend the San José Abierto grant program to support arts and cultural organizations focused on activating and convening our community in the Downtown and neighborhood business corridors.
- Support existing contracts with the San José Jazz, the San José Downtown Association, the School of Arts and Culture, and Filco for the distribution of grant funding
- Prioritize funding events that support multiple cultural groups, or attract a critical mass of attendees, such as Music in the Park, San José Symphony, and the Urban Vibrancy Institute
- Allow greater flexibility of ticket pricing for those organizations hosting larger events, to enable them to secure acts likely to attract greater public attendance.
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Fiscal Sustainability
Building Our Reserves
Despite signs of a faster than expected economic recovery, we must be cautious. High inflation will prompt rising interest rates. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has only begun to ripple through financial markets. The historic surge in the stock market has already waned and a correction appears imminent. Buffering the impacts of an economic downturn on our residents, we need to deploy discipline to build reserves.
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I appreciate the input and participation. Please continue to send my staff and I your questions, concerns and ideas and we'll keep them in mind as we head into next year's budget process. | |
- FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL
- JOIN THE RESILIENCE CORPS
- JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS COMMISSION
- COVID 19 INFORMATION
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ROSE, WHITE AND BLUE PARADE | |
REGISTER YOUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT TODAY! | |
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National Night Out is fast approaching on Tuesday, August 2nd and registrations are coming in daily!
There are currently over 50 registrations, but many groups have not yet registered and are waiting until after the 4th of July. This should be fine, however due to the early date for NNO this year, the deadline for local registrations is earlier than years past. The deadline to register locally is Sunday, July 17th.
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If you have any neighborhood associations or individuals with questions regarding NNO, along with those that have reached out to you but need verification if they have registered please send them my way at sjpdnno@sanjoseca.gov. | |
FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS EVENTS | |
Our fire department wants to remind residents that fireworks are illegal, dangerous and can result in fires and injuries that are easily preventable. Fines will be issued to anyone using, possessing, storing, or selling illegal fireworks. San Jose's ‘social host’ Fireworks Ordinance holds property owners responsible for the illegal use of fireworks on their property. Take advantage of one of the South Bay's free fireworks shows to celebrate safely on July 4th! | |
TOOLS TO REPORT ILLEGAL FIREWORKS | |
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All fireworks, even those labeled ‘safe and sane’ are dangerous and illegal to own, sell or use in San José. Fines for using illegal fireworks now begin at $1,000 and the sale of fireworks can cost up to $50,000 plus jail time, depending on the quantity. Under San José’s Social Host Ordinance, property owners and individuals hosting gatherings where illegal fireworks are used will be held responsible for emergency response costs resulting from the use of illegal fireworks. It’s not worth it!
My office has created a lawn sign to share reporting tools for those who are looking to report illegal fireworks incidents. Sign up below if you'd like to help us get the word out. A member of my staff will deliver one to your house.
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As the 4th of July holiday approaches, we need your help to keep our community safe and prevent injuries and fires caused by illegal fireworks. If you see illegal firework activity:
1. Snap: Take a photo or video of the person using illegal fireworks if you can safely do so
2. Click: www.sanjoseca.gov/fireworks or visit the 311 mobile app on your smartphone
3. Report: Complete the online report in as much detail as possible to assist the City with taking enforcement action.
Please help avoid injuries and damage caused by illegal fireworks use this 4th of July.
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JOIN THE RESILIENCE CORPS | |
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We are hiring professional, reliable, and passionate people who want to gain experience in the expanded learning field working with students in grades K-8.
These are part-time positions for the academic year 2022/2023. Financial compensation, training, and professional development opportunities for Resilience Corps Associates will be provided and coordinated by the San José Public Library Foundation.
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APPLY TO BE A NEIGHBORHOODS COMMISSIONER | |
My office is currently looking for residents of District 4 who are interested in applying for the Neighborhoods Commission. The purpose of the Neighborhoods Commission is to integrate the voice of neighborhoods into the City’s decision-making processes; study issues, courses of action, policies, and programs that affect neighborhood quality of life; make recommendations to council and redevelopment agency; and empower neighborhoods. The commission will make regular reports to the San José City Council, City staff, and neighborhood groups. | |
The Neighborhoods Commission work plan will be developed in coordination with, and approved by, the Neighborhood Services and Education Committee. Annual reports will be provided by commissioners at the yearly Neighborhood Caucus by council district. The Neighborhoods Commission is advisory to the City Council regarding San José neighborhoods and works with both City and, when applicable, Redevelopment Agency staff, and when appropriate, collaborate with other commissions and boards. | |
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MUSIC SERIES | |
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We are excited to announce that the Wednesday Night Music Series is back at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds! Come out every Wednesday from July 13th through September 28th for some incredible live music, food, and drinks.
Click the button for the weekly lineups, full schedule, and everything you need to know before you go. Also, check out our contest below to find out how you can win free food and drinks at the event.
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Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests for Everyone: Every home in the U.S., regardless of their insurance status, is eligible for a third round of EIGHT free at-home COVID-19 tests. Orders ship in 7-12 days. Order free at-home tests at www.covidtests.gov.
Need help placing an order for your at-home tests? Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).
Avoid Fake COVID-19 Tests: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Division of Consumer and Business Education recently issued guidance on how to avoid purchasing fake COVID-19 tests. For more information, visit the FTC webpage.
CDC Recommends First Booster for Ages 5-11: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the eligibility of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older. CDC now recommends that this age group receive a booster shot five months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series.
CDC Recommends COVID-19 Tests Before Flying: The CDC recently updated their COVID-19 guidance to recommend all travelers test for COVID-19 in the days before flying for summer vacations internationally or within the U.S. People traveling outside of the U.S. are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than one day before returning to the states. Before returning home after traveling within the U.S., the CDC advises getting tested “if your trip involved situations with greater risk of exposure” to COVID-19.
How to Protect Yourself and Others From COVID-19: With COVID-19 cases on the rise, it is important to follow CDC guidelines to prevent illness. Most importantly, stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, wear a well-fitting mask, avoid poorly ventilated areas and crowds, and take precautions when you travel.
Free Masks Available: Each adult can get three free N95 masks at pharmacies and community health centers. For help finding a location, call 800-232-0233.
Resident Resources: The City of San José’s Virtual Local Assistance Center is a one-stop for information on Food Assistance, Housing, Employment, Health & Wellness, Utilities, and Immigrant Resources.
Current Vaccination/Booster Sites: The full list of vaccine sites, and testing sites are available on the County of Santa Clara COVID-19 website. Please note that vaccination sites are a combination of drop-in and by appointment only. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment, where possible. All sites have boosters available.
Vaccination Sites
- North East Medical Services (NEMS) (1870 Lundy Ave., San José 95131)
- Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, Expo Hall (2542 Monterey Hwy., Gate D, San José 95111)
- Sun Pharmacy (2559 S. King Rd., San José 95122)
- Advance SJ Pharmacy (2331 Montpelier Dr., Suite A-10, San José 95116)
- Dan Hopner MD/Rom Romero PA (2060 Aborn Rd., Suite 100, San José 95121)
- Mexican Consulate (302 Enzo Dr. #200, San José 95138)
Testing Sites
- Santa Clara County Office of Education (OptumServe) (1290 Ridder Park Dr., San José 95131)
- Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (OptumServe) (3990 Zanker Rd., San José 95134)
- Valley Water (OptumServe/CDPH Bus) (5750 Almaden Expy., San José 95118)
- County Fairgrounds, Parking Lot A (Across from Gate B) (344 Tully Rd., San José 95111)
- Costco Business Center (OptumServe/CDPH Bus) (2376 S. Evergreen Loop, San José 95122)
- Grand Century Mall (OptumServe/CDPH Bus) (1111 Story Rd., San José 95122)
- Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (OptumServe) (2240 South 7th St., San José 95112)
- Central YMCA (1717 The Alameda, San José 95126)
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