Greetings, D4 residents -
I hope that everyone enjoyed a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving holiday. It was my immense joy to have all of my adult children in town for the long weekend; something that rarely happens these days!
You may notice that we recently made a few changes to my monthly newsletter! It still contains all the great content you need to stay informed about action taken at the Board of Supervisors meetings, the work I am doing as your District 4 Supervisor, civic engagement and volunteer opportunities, and more.
What we have added is a landing page for more in-depth explanations of initiatives on which I have led or votes I have taken on the Board which I suspect residents may want to understand in greater detail. This link will take you to my brand new Medium page. This month's post covers affordable housing.
Project Homekey
At the Nov. 2 meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved plans to acquire two hotels to be used as affordable housing through Project Homekey. By utilizing $33 million of Project HomeKey funding provided by the state of California, over 120 units of housing will be created at The Crestview Hotel in Mountain View and the Bella Vista Inn in Santa Clara.
Redistricting
Thank you to all of those who have participated in the redistricting process. You can read more about the process, which was intended to allow for all communities of interest to be heard and represented.
Jail Report
The Board also agreed to resume discussions on alternatives to incarceration in January pending further clarification on a report back from administration. Calls from the community to explore alternatives to a new jail facility have been heard, and I will do my part to make sure that all options receive consideration so that we do not miss an opportunity to improve the outcomes of the criminal justice system.
Grant Opportunities
The Divison of Equity and Social Justice is currently accepting applications for $2,500 mini-grants to support new or existing projects that center on culture, history, education, or art to address the hate and violence our communities are experiencing. You can visit their website for more information and to apply.
The City of San Jose will also be awarding up to $500,000 in grants to community organizations that propose programs to advance digital equity in San Jose by providing devices, internet access, and digital literacy skills. Application window closes February 1, 2022. You can learn more and submit an application here.
As we go back to in-person gatherings, please feel free to send an invitation to my office for me to attend your community events. I miss being out in the community with residents and look forward to seeing you all soon.
I and my team are here for you.
Be well,
Susan
