Attachment D – State and Federal Earmark Update
FY23 Federal Budget: Earmarked Funding for Emergency Housing Operations The City’s federal delegation is championing three earmark requests for inclusion in the FY23 federal budget related to homelessness funding. The requests would provide a combined $7,000,000 in one-time operations funding for the City’s emergency housing sites. Those requests are as follows:
• Evan's Lane Site Operations -- $3,000,000. Evan’s Lane Emergency Housing Site serves an especially vulnerable population--homeless families with children. The site provides 49 safe and private prefabricated modular sleeping units (121 beds) with shower and restroom facilities within each unit, shared kitchen and laundry, and office space for staff to provide individualized services to the families with the goal of transitioning to permanent housing, employment and self-sufficiency. Evans Lane also provides a perimeter fence, onsite security, pet accommodations, communal gardens, onsite parking, full ADA accommodations, a small basketball court and a play area for the children. $3,000,000 would fully fund Evan’s Lane operations for another year. Sen. Padilla is championing this earmark request.
• SureStay Project HomeKey Site -- $2,500,000. In October 2020, the City purchased the SureStay Motel through California’s Project HomeKey program operating the 76- room motel as a non-congregate shelter for homeless residents vulnerable to COVID-
19. SureStay residents receive supportive services, including individualized case management and long-term housing planning. $2,500,000 would fully fund the SureStay site’s operations for another year. Rep. Eshoo and Rep. Khanna are championing a combined $3,250,000 million earmark request. • Mabury Site Operations -- $1,500,000. The Bridge Housing Community (BHC) on Mabury Road was San Jose's first emergency interim housing project.
The Mabury BHC provides private temporary housing in the form of 40 single occupancy sleeping cabins, and includes shared restrooms, showers and laundry, a communal kitchen, and office facilities to work with participants on their housing, employment and life goals. The Mabury BHC also provides a perimeter fence, onsite security, pet accommodations, onsite parking, and full accommodations for residents with disabilities. $1,500,000 would fully fund the Mabury site’s operations for another year. Rep. Lofgren is championing this request at $750,000.
IGR is also monitoring two other FY23 federal budget earmark requests related to homelessness funding in San José being championed by Members of Congress. Those requests are as follows:
• CityTeam San José -- Grace Village Community Center -- $1,000,000. The proposed community center would provide services to formerly homeless women and children.
Sen. Feinstein is championing this request.
• Guadalupe River Park Conservancy – Urban Agriculture Garden in Guadalupe Gardens -- $1,700,000. The Urban Agriculture Garden aims to bring a new urban farm and enhance the community gardening capacity at Guadalupe Gardens in downtown San José The project, which is part of a larger development concept, Prototype Park, would provide greater access to open space, increase economic opportunity, and promote health Attachment D – State and Federal Earmark Update
equity through food systems resilience. The objectives of the Garden are to foster environment and farming programs, promote civic engagement that highlights the agricultural history of San José, facilitate economic empowerment of area residents, and increase food security. This will be done through food production, propagation of seedlings in greenhouses, and public and school programs around farming, healthy living, and the environment. Sen. Feinstein is championing this request.
All federal earmark requests remain tentative until the FY23 federal budget is finalized. IGR will continue to monitor and advocate for these requests.
2022-23 State Budget: Earmarked Funding for Low-Income Housing State Assemblymember Kalra successfully secured one earmark request for inclusion in the 2022-23 state budget related to homelessness funding and low-income housing assistance. That request is as follows:
• Responsible Landlord Engagement Initiative (RLEI) -- $785,000. This initiative will revitalize disadvantaged communities by focusing on eradicating chronic blight and eliminating hazardous living conditions in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. RLEI facilitates collaboration among tenants, landlords, law enforcement and community-based organizations to identify specific issues related to the problem property, actively seek solutions to improve the identified issues, and coordinate communication with the property owner to remedy the outlined concerns. $785,000 would fund this program's operating expenses for two years.
This state earmark request was confirmed at $800,000 with the finalization of the 2022-23 state budget.
2022-23 State Budget: Earmarked Funding for Vision Zero Safety Improvements State Assemblymember Kalra successfully championed one earmark request for inclusion in the 2022-23 state budget related to the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan. That request is as follows:
• East San José Corridor Safety Improvement Project -- $10,000,000. This proposed project would advance the City of San Jose’s Vision Zero strategy, a traffic safety initiative to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on roadways. This project will implement pedestrian, transit, and cycling improvements on Senter Road between Story Road and Monterey Road--one of the five most dangerous corridors in the city, with 37 people killed or severely injured on the corridor between 2016-2020. Senter Road serves as a major arterial for many of the city’s most underserved communities and was the subject of a comprehensive safety study in 2020. This shovel-ready project provides comprehensive safety upgrades, including a concrete buffer between cyclists and vehicles, and a new traffic signal at one of the most dangerous intersections. Urgent investment is needed to prevent further injuries and fatalities from occurring on this dangerous corridor. A $10,000,000 state investment will enable this project and help provide safer transportation access for all City residents.
Attachment D – State and Federal Earmark Update
This state earmark request was confirmed with the finalization of the 2022-23 state budget. 2022-23 State Budget: Earmarked Funding for Infrastructure Projects IGR sent a letter of support for a 2022-2023 state budget earmark request for the City’s partner, Valley Water. This earmark aligns with the Shoreline Levee entry on the City’s Strategic Project List.
That request is as follows:
Valley Water -- Shoreline Levee Project -- $10,000,000. This project would construct a continuous series of seawalls along the San Francisco Bay’s southern shore, protecting homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in low-lying parts of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and San José from rising sea levels. The project will also restore 25 square miles of rare coastal wetland habitat for threatened and endangered species.
Though this project previously secured federal funding, in November 2020 the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reinterpreted its agreement and partially withdrew financial support, creating a substantial funding gap. Should this project remain stalled, rising sea levels could flood the disadvantaged Alviso neighborhood and the San José- Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility—which serves over 1.5 million Bay Area residents and 20,000 businesses—leading to catastrophic environmental disaster and failure of essential services. Representative Khanna is championing this request.
This earmark project was not included in the final budget bill language. However, funding for this project may be included in an August 2022 Energy and Climate package.
FY23 Federal Budget: Earmarked Funding for Infrastructure Projects Senator Padilla is championing one earmark request for inclusion in the FY23 federal budget related to City infrastructure projects. This earmark aligns with the Airport Connector entry on the City’s Strategic Project List. That request is as follows:
Airport Connector Project -- $1,500,000. The Airport Connector project would create a transit link between Diridon Station and the San José International Airport, providing a direct, carbon-free connection from the South Bay’s primary mass transit hub to hundreds of destinations across the world. The City is pursuing public-private partnerships for this project, seeking to employ emerging technologies to deliver a cost-effective, innovative transit link. Sen. Padilla is championing this request.
All federal earmark requests remain tentative until the FY23 federal budget is finalized. IGR will continue to monitor and advocate for these requests.