Roberto Gonzalez, President
Community and Economic
Development Committee
Item d(1)
April 25, 2022
Expected Outcomes/Goals
● The 5-acre market to be co-operated and managed with vendors. ● In addition to the 5-acre market, we are seeking a firm relocation plan and site to build out a new market that is co-run by vendors. ○ In achieving this goal, there should be a strategic shift in the City’s current goals/vision for the market.
What we can do TOGETHER
● Continuation of the collaboration with OEDCA
● Trust-Building
● Learning from the past:
○ Exclusion/neglect of vendors
○ Keeping vendors at the table
● Ensuring that The Flea Market that is currently a community benefit and economic engine for small businesses is not erased from our city.
Changes at the market since the Council Vote
on June 2021
● Changing time of free entry up 1 hour from 9am to 8am- September 8, 2021
● Requiring 6 month license agreements be paid in full upfront. ● Updating terms and conditions & policies without letting vendors know in a timely manner and allowing time to review the document. ● $300 deposit for every vendor.
● Increasing parking and walk-in prices of nearly 40%
○ From $3,$7,$15 to $5,$10,$20 for Friday, Saturday, Sunday Our Definition of Displacement
● Although the Property Owners quarterly Reports do not list any vendors as being “displaced”, we dispute this.
● By raising parking rates, by instituting walk-in charges, and other actions, the owners are accelerating the rate at which vendors cannot afford to stay in business.
● A vendor that is driven to close their stall due to economic factors should be considered DISPLACED.
Continuing Our Organizing Efforts
● The BFVA has continued to operate and grow. While we have been halted from our organizing efforts inside the market, we have been able to grow into an organization that represents over 200 vendors and employees ● We are having monthly meetings with vendors to discuss our goals and relay information from our collaboration with OEDCA.
● We continue to support vendors with finding resources for their small businesses and connecting them with outside organizations for technical and personal assistance.
Vision of the future
● A 5 acre market that is operated by vendors with the help of partners.
● A new relocated market to accommodate all existing vendors and new vendors that is also democratically run by vendors. ● For the City of San Jose to fully support and invest in a new market and in so change its expected outcomes and vision for La Pulga and all vendors.