d4sanjose.com • (408) 535-4904 • district4@sanjoseca.gov

This week's newsletter is packed with resources and updates! With lots of Holiday activities and events, some updates on our efforts in City Hall to solve some of San Jose's most pressing issues, and some calls for volunteers in our parks, creeks and trails! I hope you're having a great Holiday Season!

-Councilmember David Cohen

Highlight: Santa Visits Alviso Foundation

Santa Visits Alviso Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on raising funds for their Judy Santiago Honorary Scholarship Award, which is given each year to students who may not otherwise have the means to continue their education at the college and trade school levels.

The Santa Visits Alviso Foundation has awarded $124,500 in scholarships this year with a grand total of $1,000,580 ​awarded since the program’s beginning in 2006!

In 2022, SVAF helped 24 students with educational scholarships empowering local youth to find their futures. Students are working for degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Graphic Design, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Biology, Finance, Public Health, Electrical Engineering, Criminology, Kinesiology, Business, and other fields.

Many scholarship recipients are the first in their families to attend institutions of higher learning. Santa Visits Alviso foundation not only funds these students, they also require copies of registrations, class schedules, receipts for all expenses and transcripts at the end of each grading period.

The Santa Visits Alviso Foundation is an all volunteer organization with no paid employees. Without your donations, the Santa Visits Alviso Foundation would be unable to provide these educational scholarships to these worthy students. Your generosity of time, talent, and monetary donations make all of these programs possible. SVAF operates all year long supporting various programs in the community of Alviso.

This year's scholarship event will be held this Saturday afternoon.

See the Santa Visits Alviso video from last year!

Over 40 SVAF Scholarship Recipients Have Graduated!

Since its inception in 2006, more than 40 students from the Alviso Community, who otherwise may not have been able to attend college, have received the Santa Visits Alviso Foundation's Judy Santiago Honorary Scholarship and went on to attend great schools like San Jose State, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, UC Berkeley, as well as some amazing trade schools like College of San Mateo's Fire Academy, the Culinary Institute of Campbell, and De Anza Trucking School. Read more about the Judy Santiago Honorary Scholarship Fund here.

Wishing You a Happy Hanukkah

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness. In these times of difficulty and uncertainty, it’s my hope that we’ll find comfort and inspiration in the symbolism of Hanukkah, viewing the lighting of candles as a metaphor for hope and resilience.

North San José Dumpster Day Fun!

This weekend’s Dumpster Day was another huge success! Our amazing team of volunteers made up of members of my team, Mayor Mahan’s office, and members of the North San Jose community helped residents dispose of over 20 tons of garbage and debris. We’re keeping our neighborhoods clean and having fun doing it! thank you to the An Ton Meditation Center, Latter Day Saints of San Jose, D4 Youth Advisory Commission, Seven Trees Neighborhood Association, Boy Scouts of America Troop 41 of St. Victor Parish, and all the other folks from around District 4 who came out to volunteer their time and hard work! If you're interested in signing up to help at our next event, get in touch with our team by visiting d4sanjose.com

If you've got junk to get rid of, don't wait for our next Dumpster Day Event, use the city's FREE Junk Removal Service! It's simple to make an appointment, then just move your junk to the curb and watch our Environmental Services Department come and take it all away! Watch the video for more information or click here to get started!

Breakfast With Santa At Berryessa Community Center

Join us for Breakfast With Santa, Saturday, December 9th from 9am-Noon at the Berryessa Community Center.

Vine Church Winter Wonderland

Don't miss Vine Church's Winter Wonderland! Fun for the whole family, with games, food, presents, and more. See video from last year's event below:

Councilmember Cohen at Penitencia Neighborhood Association

December 2, 2023: Councilmember David Cohen joined Association president Mike Kraus and neighborhood residents at the Penitencia Neighborhood Association meeting to discuss progress at City Hall, addressing topics such as • Planting trees in District 4 • Construction progress being made on the district's first dog park to be located on Piedmont Road on the site of the old fire station • Construction progress being made on two new parks at Mercado • Curbing catalytic converter theft by closing loopholes in our laws and going after the buyers of stolen converters • Stopping the flow of incoming illegal fireworks from out of state smugglers • Installing 50 new speed cameras on San Jose roadways, and more...

Accessibility Sunday with Santa

Christmas in the Park and San Andreas Regional Center are partnering to host several Special Day’s at Santa’s House for individuals with differing abilities.

Sunday, November 26th 9:00am - 12:00pm

Saturday, December 2nd 9:00am - 12:00pm

Saturday, December 9th 9:00am - 12:00pm

Sunday, December 10th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Visit this link Accessible Sunday for more information on Sensory Santa 

Sunday, December 17th from 9:00am - 12:00pm

Santa’s House is located at the North End of Plaza De Ceasar Chavez in Downtown San José.

For more information contact Francisco Valenzuela with San Andreas Regional Center at: Fvalenzuela@sarc.org or at: 408-341-3809

League of Cities Board Meeting

Councilmember Cohen had a productive time at the California League of Cities Board meeting in Carlsbad, networking with other city leaders from across the state. He worked to elevate climate change in the Leagues’ priorities and spoke about the need for state support on homelessness solutions. He is also working to get the 2027 League of Cities annual convention to come to San Jose!

Penitencia Creek Community Day

Come join SJ Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) the morning of December 9th at Penitencia Creek Park for a Community Day! We'll be doing our part to help Penitencia Creek Park clean and safe for everyone in our neighborhood!

Don't Miss D4 Night in the Park!

Mark your calendars! Tuesday, December 14th from 6pm - 8pm! It's District 4 Night at Christmas in the Park, featuring music and dance performances from community members from across the district! Get there early and enjoy some hot chocolate, check out all of the Christmas trees, especially the Councilmember David Cohen District 4 Tree!

Performing on the Christmas in the Park Community Stage:

Piedmont Hills High School Vietnamese Student Association

Piedmont Hills High School Las Mariposas

Orchard School Band

Check out our video from last year's District 4 Night at Christmas in the Park!

Join the Alum Rock Park Trail Crew

Love to hike? Want to learn more about trail and restoration work? Then come join us every second Saturday, for Alum Rock Trail Crew!

Volunteer Service Agreement forms must be filled out and are available here.

All persons under 17 must have a parent signature.

Volunteers will meet in the Youth Science Institute parking lot, at the farthest end of the park. Follow the yellow "Volunteer Event" signs and register at the lime green volunteer truck and trailer.

Trail crew starts PROMPTLY at 9 a.m. Give yourself sufficient time to reach the destination. It is a winding 2 mile road from the main gate to the end of the park.

All tools are provided! Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants, sturdy closed toe shoes and to bring water and snacks. 

Mark Your Calendar! Vote March 5th!

The following is a list of contests for the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary ballot:

Nonpartisan Offices

• City of San José Mayor and City Council Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
• Judge of the Superior Court, Offices 1-25
• Board of Supervisors, Districts 2, 3 and 5
• County Central Committee
• Democratic Party (AD 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29)
• Republican Party (SD 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Peace & Freedom Party (SD 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Green Party
• City Contest

Partisan Office

• United States President Voter-Nominated Offices
• United States Senator
• United States Senator Partial/Unexpired Term
• United States Representative in Congress, Districts 16, 17, 18 and 19
• State Senator, Districts 13 and 15
• Member of the Assembly, Districts 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29

Curbing Catalytic Converter Theft

Thursday, December 7th, Mayor Matt Mahan, Councilmember Pam Foley, and Councilmember David Cohen held a press conference to outline new policies being brought to the City Council in the new year which aim to curb the theft of catalytic converters in San Jose by giving police the power to cite individuals found to be in possession of catalytic converters when they cannot prove legal ownership of the very expensive and often stolen items. New city policies would also address closing the loophole which currently allows for the sale and purchase of catalytic converters without proper documentation of legal ownership such as a bill of sale, transaction history, or other accept forms of proof. The Council as a whole will vote on the proposal in early 2024. While the number of catalytic converter thefts reported in San Jose this year declined by nearly half compared to last year, there is still more we can do to make our communities safer and get that number down to zero.

Get Flood Ready

With winter fast approaching, it's important to be ready for the possibility of storms causing flooding in your neighborhood. Do what you can to prepare before the rain comes by checking out Valley Water's Flood Ready Website.

SJFD Wants You To Have A Safe Holiday

San Jose Fire Department urges you to be safe this holiday season by following a few safety guidelines to minimize the risk of Christmas tree fires. Get more information here.

Donate A Gift Card For The Holidays!

Giving $25 can provide one child from a low-income family with a gift of their choice!

AACI is collecting gift cards and monetary donations through December 15, 2023, to provide holiday gifts to children of our most marginalized clients, including children of refugees and survivors of domestic violence. Every $25 will provide a child with a gift card to purchase the gift of their choice this holiday season!

This year, there are over 800 children on our list, and you can help guarantee that every child receives a gift this holiday season. Your gift enables the families we serve to feel the magic of the holidays with their little ones amidst these difficult times.

Annual District 4 Pajama Giveaway

Help us keep kids warm by donating for our Third Annual District 4 Pajama Giveaway

The District 4 tradition continues this year as we once again partner with local schools to deliver warm pajamas to kids for the holidays. We had an incredible response to our request for donations during our pajama drives during the last two years, delivered pajamas to nearly 150 kids last year, and are asking for your help through pajama donations this year. 

Pajamas are a way for kids to express themselves, keep them cozy and warm, make them feel secure, and even lower risk of cold or flu. Donating a pair of pajamas will make a world of difference for a child in your neighborhood during the frigid winter months.

We request new with tags or new in package pajamas in any kids’ size 5-18, or adult sizes small through XXL for older kids. They can be footy pajamas, night gowns, two-piece pajamas, flannel, plaid, plain, with popular characters, for boys or girls or gender neutral.

Please bring or have your donations shipped to the Berryessa Union School District office, c/o District 4 Pajama Program, 981 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131.

E-commerce sites such as amazon.com, target.com and Costco.com make it simple to purchase and have pajamas delivered directly, but you can personally drop off if you prefer. Feel free to attach a holiday greeting note to your gift for the recipient.

You may also contact the Council District 4 office at 408-535-4904 if you need guidance with your donation or if you want to make a cash or gift card donation to the District 4 Pajama Program instead.

How To Report A Crime Anonymously

Reporting crimes, regardless of their magnitude, is vital for maintaining public safety and promoting a secure community. By reporting both minor and major crimes, individuals contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the local crime landscape. This valuable information assists the police department in strategically allocating resources and determining where to increase patrols or improve surveillance. Detecting patterns of criminal activity becomes more feasible with a higher volume of reported incidents, enabling law enforcement to respond effectively and implement proactive measures to deter crime. Ultimately, reporting crimes empowers communities to actively participate in making their neighborhoods safer and more resilient against criminal activities.

Click the link below to report a crime. Hopefully you don't have a crime to report right now, but you might want to click the button and bookmark the page it takes you to.

Volunteer In Your Community

Volunteer Opportunities: 

If you are interested in volunteering, we are always in need of volunteers for a wide array of events that take place in District 4! Please consider helping out your community and joining us!

Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Angela Pedrigal, at angela.pedrigal@sanjoseca.gov for more information. 

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Easily Access City Services

San Jose 311 is your gateway to City Services from vehicle blight abatement, graffiti removal, reporting fireworks, illegal dumping, pot holes, and more.

click here to get started.

Rebates up to 90% for Your Building Upgrades!

Through the San José Energy Efficient Business Program, your business can receive rebates when you make certain energy-saving upgrades. These significant rebates (80-90% off!) help make the projects more affordable, and when you combine the rebates with your lower monthly energy costs, the upgrades can quickly pay for themselves.

click here to get started.