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

A Deal To Build Thousands of New Homes

Earlier this year my colleagues and I, along with city staff, were concerned the "builder's remedy" project proposed by developers at the site of the Berryessa Flea Market would have reduced the number of housing units built on the site from the originally planned 3,400 high density units, to a paltry 900 townhomes. This fell short of the expectation for this project, given the billions of dollars in public investment into the BART station and surrounding infrastructure.

After weeks of deliberation, I'm excited to announce the city and developers have reached a new agreement to move forward with the original plan for the site. The number of housing units will remain as zoned by the City Council and we will continue to work for a vibrant mixed use Urban Village. San José is suffering through a shortage of available housing and we need to build tens of thousands of new units over the next decade. The units planned for this site will be a significant portion of the city’s overall goal. I'd like to thank the Bumb Family, Erik Schoennauer, Office of Economic Development, San Jose Planning Department and Mayor Matt Mahan for their help in preserving these much needed housing units.

From San José Spotlight:

“I think both parties agree it’s in everyone’s best interest not to go down an adversarial litigation path,” District 4 Councilmember David Cohen, who helped broker the deal, told San José Spotlight. “My primary objective has always been that we don’t sacrifice what’s really important at this key transit hub, having an urban village there with density and commercial space.”

News Coverage on this Huge Win for Housing in San José

San Jose Mercury News • Spotlight • BizJournals • Telemundo

Save The Date • Berryessa Art Festival '24!

District 4's favorite event is just around the corner! The 47th Annual Berryessa Art Festival is happening Saturday, May 11th at Penitenica Creek Park, in the meadow behind Berryessa Community Center, from 10AM to 5PM. Spend the day shopping at booths filled with local vendors, artists, crafters, makers, and musicians! For information on Vendor Booth Sign Ups, Volunteering, and more, email my staff!

Celebrating Black History Month

Public Feedback Requested

Let us know your thoughts on the design concepts for King Road!

During the summer of 2023, more than 600 of your neighbors shared ideas about making the 6-mile street safer and more convenient for people who walk, bike, roll, ride public transit, or use a mobility aid.

We are ready to share these proposed improvements with you! 

Please comment on the first round of design concepts by March 15, 2024. Together, we can help make King Road safer for everyone.

https://bit.ly/king-road-project

Thank you and please share with your friends and neighbors, 

Wilson Tam

Transportation Planning Manager

wilson.tam@sanjoseca.gov

SBYC Crab Feed

The freshest tastiest crab in all of Northern California is coming to the South Bay Yacht Club in north San Jose / Alviso, Saturday Feb 24th 4pm - to go orders ready if you want to eat at home 5pm - dinner is served if you want to join us for fun in the clubhouse.

Tickets available now:

Order online:

https://www.regathon.com/sbyc

BUSD Schools Get New Safety Vests

My office recently donated brand new safety patrol vests to all Berryessa Union School District schools ensuring our students can carry out their safety duties with pride and enhanced visibility!

Join Us for Litter Pick Up Event

email Hugo Jimenez to RSVP

VOTEchella at PHHS

On Friday Piedmont Hills High School held their amazing VOTEchella event, drawing hundreds of students to learn about the upcoming election and register to vote! Seeing young people interested in civic engagement fills me with hope and pride!

KCCB iNaturalist Training, March 13th

The 5th installment of the Naturalist Training series will focus on

iNaturalist projects - how to create them, how to use them, and why! We will give examples of some of our favorite projects, and hopefully entice you to upgrade the way you use iNaturalist. Also, we will create a project together and add some observations!

Serpentine grasslands - Our main topic will be serpentine grasslands and the soil they form on. We will have a guest expert joining us for this section, Paul Heiple, who is a geologist and a plant expert. He will discuss the characteristics of serpentine soil and how only certain plants can grow on it, forming our serpentine grassland habitat that is home to many endemic plants.

Presenters

Merav Vonshak, PhD, is an ecologist and an entomologist. She has been involved in community science for over 10 years, organizing BioBlitz events, leading a road ecology team, and teaching. She has founded the BioBlitz.club and has been organizing public events for 5 years.

Paul Heiple is a champion of restoring local ecosystems. For over 20 years, he’s been building a legacy of stewardship by educating others about the natural world.

Co-hosted with BioBlitz Club

Register: https://240313-naturalist.eventbrite.com/?aff=cm

Don't Wait, VOTE Now!

The next big election is March 5th, but you don't have to wait for March to vote! Check the ROV website for information on Early Voting, Voting by Mail, find a Vote Center near your home, work, or school. You don't have to go to a specific precinct polling place anymore, now you pick any Vote Center that's most convenient for you!

The primary election is important because it's how voters decide which candidates will move on to the November General Election, but in primary races where there are only two candidates, the primary election actually decides the race and means the winner of that contest doesn't have to compete in the November General. Get more information about the upcoming March 5th Primary Election HERE.

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

VTA / BART Extension Meeting

Calling all Artists!

The 2024 North San Jose / Alviso Art Show at the historic South Bay Yacht Club is open for FREE table space to display your best art!

Saturday March 30, 2024, 4pm-9pm

At the South Bay Yacht Club, 1491 Hope Street, San Jose / Alviso

Awesome FREE FOOD to all attendees, both to exhibitors as well as to Artists.

Sell art if you would like. No charge, though if you sell, we ask you to consider a tax-deductible donation to CompassPoint Mentorship, the 501(c)3 nonprofit host of the event.

Sign up for free table space online:

https://www.regathon.com/artshow

Help Us Plant Some Trees Feb. 24th!

Community Tree Planting at Noble Park & Penitencia Creek Trailhead

Saturday, February 24, 9AM-Noon Collete Drive in front of the Berryessa Branch Library.

Join us for for some tree planting fun as we add another 22 trees to the Noble Park and Penitencia Creek region! Planting trees is a rewarding way to give back to your community, all while helping our environment and adding shade and shelter for recreation and wildlife to enjoy!

Supplies will be provided. If you are interested in volunteering, please RSVP here.

Free Junk Pick Up!

We could all use a little extra space around the house this time of year, if you've got junk and clutter in your garage or yard, take advantage of this great FREE service from the City of San José! Make an appointment to get rid of old appliances and furniture, mattresses, and more. It's easy, just fill out a short form online, move your stuff to the curb, and a truck will come and take it all away!

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. 

Let's Be Friends!

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We post everything from emergency notifications and district specific updates to council meeting breakdowns and inside looks at life at City Hall. Got recommendations for businesses, schools, or local heroes we might want to highlight? Send us a DM!

We welcome all your feedback as comments on our posts, direct messages in our inbox, phone calls to the office. Click the links above or the icons below to connect with us.

Nominate a District 4 Star!

Our annual District 4 Stars Gala is our way of honoring members of our community who've worked hard to make a positive impact in District 4. Small businesses, public servants, local leaders, and more. If you know someone you think is a Star in District 4, nominate them by clicking the button below.

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.