OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
& CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Quarterly Report - November 2022
The following items reflect blog posts, activities and
communications by the department over the previous quarter.
HOLIDAY SAN JOSE
SUPPORTS
MERCHANTS
On November 18, 2022, we
launched Holiday San José, the
City of San José's six-week
promotion supporting merchants,
retailers, food and beverage
locations and business associations
in a selection of shopping areas
around our large city.
OEDCA Deputy Director Blage
Zelalich unveiled the Holiday San
José map at a news conference
that was also attended by
representatives of many of the city’s
business district associations.
Blage recognized the associations
serving the businesses in Alum
Rock, Alum Rock Village, East
Santa Clara, The Alameda, Tully
and Story Roads, Downtown,
Japantown, Willow Glen,
Winchester, West San Carolos and
the San Jose Berryessa Flea
Market. The associations that
represent the merchants in these
areas helped select the map’s
highlighted locations, and are
distributing flyers, posters and
stickers for the campaign in their
districts.
Blogpost
“We designed the map to highlight
just some of San José's diverse,
rich neighborhoods,” Blage
explained. ”Our local small
businesses have taken a lot of hits
since the beginning of the
pandemic, and I think we’re all
ready to get out and explore and
celebrate a little!”
QUETZAL GARDENS
SMALL BUSINESS
CENTER OPENS
On Thursday September 8th, the
Latino Business Foundation of
Silicon Valley (LBFSV) invited San
José Mayor Liccardo, District 5 City
Councilmember Magdalena
Carrasco, Santa Clara County
Supervisor Cindy Chavez and
Mexican Consul General Alejandra
Bologna Zubikarai to join with
community members and business
course graduates to celebrate the
opening of the Small Business
Resource Center, located at Quetzal
Gardens 1695 Alum Rock Ave., in
East San José.
The Small Business Resource
Center is on the ground floor of La
Esquina de Quetzal Gardens, a new
affordable housing complex located
at the intersection of Alum Rock Ave.
and King Rd. Quetzal Gardens brings
71 units of new affordable housing
closely aligning with the community’s
vision of development without
displacement.
Critically, the inauguration of the
Small Business Resource Center is a
partnership effort. LBFSV is sharing
the ground floor space with SOMOS
Mayfair, a-not-for-profit focused on
holistic family needs, as well as
Excite Credit Union which specializes
in serving unbanked and
underbanked residents and
businesses.
The event also brought together key
funders such as Sobrato
Philanthropies and the City of San
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José that share LBFSV’s vision of a
thriving business mosaic as rich,
diverse and unique as the city itself.
OEDCA HOLDS SECOND
FLEA MARKET VENDOR
MEETING
On October19, 2022, the City of San
José’s Office of Economic
Development & Cultural Affairs
(OEDCA) held an informational
meeting with the Berryessa Flea
Market vendors to provide an update
on the next steps in the future
development of the Flea Market. This
is the second meeting in the ongoing
program.
At the first vendor meeting in
February 2022, OEDCA and the
Berryessa Vendors Association
jointly presented to the vendors the
steps the City planned to take to
support the vendors who may be
forced to vacate their business
location in July 2024, if the property
owners choose to exercise their
option to close the Flea Market. The
earliest the owners can announce
closure is July 1, 2023, with closure
effective one year later.
Almost 200 vendors attended the
recent October 19 meeting, which
was held in the Community Room of
the Berryessa Library. The meeting
was presented in three languages,
with simultaneous interpreters
communicating directly with Spanish
and Vietnamese speakers via
wireless headsets.
Two consultant companies were
introduced to the vendors – Estolano
Advisors and Baird + Driskell.
OEDCA conducted a competitive
procurement process and hired the
two agencies to provide expertise
and manpower to supplement staff
resources, and they are just initiating
their work for the City and the
vendors.
For updates on the Flea Market
process, please continue to visit our
Blogpost
website.
SAN JOSE GETS
CREATIVE IN OCTOBER
In October, the City of San José
Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA)
invited all San Joséans to join a
month-long creative challenge to
build public awareness and support
for the arts. Every day in October, a
“creativity challenge prompt” was
released through email, social media,
and the website. Prompts were
designed to inspire people to create
on their own and to attend events
around San José.
Weekly themes were presented
throughout October, such as “Let it
Ride”, which prompted participants
to share how they creatively “get
around'' the city and featured a
specially decorated VTA Light Rail
car inviting riders to cruise with an
artistic flare.
The 2022 campaign launched on
October 8 with “Show n’ Shine,” a
#WeCreate408 creative showcase
led by San José Creative
Ambassador Ricardo Cortez, also
known as Tijuana Rick. The event
featured young artists, lowriders, and
other creative ambassadors and
artists from Local Color San José.
“Show n’ Shine” was held Saturday,
October 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 20
Barack Obama Blvd.
Participants shared their creative
responses on social media using the
#WeCreate408 hashtag to help
spread their unique talents and ideas
far and wide. Everyone was welcome
to participate. Visit the Wall of
Creativity to see examples of San
Joséans’ self-expression.
News
Release
SAN JOSE MANUFACTURING
WEEK 2022
Guest blogpost, Natalia Rey, Santa
Clara University Fellow, 2022-23
Blogpost
The SIATech Charter student asked a
question about the machine that was
engaged in rapid prototyping of an
aluminum part for a client in the
medical industry. Jaime Nevarez
explained how the machine is
controlled by a computer program.
This was just one moment in a series
of manufacturing facility tours taken
during California Manufacturing
Week, October 4-11,
2022. Participating manufacturers
included Bestronics, Vander-Bend
Manufacturing, Acosta Sheet Metal
and GAF Energy.
Schools that participated in sending
students to take a close-up view of
San José’s vibrant manufacturing
sites included Independence High
School, Yerba Buena, SIATech
Charter, Goodwill of Silicon Valley,
William C. Overfelt, and Piedmont
Hills High School.
WORKFORCE PROGRAM
HOSTS JOB FAIR IN SAN
JOSE
Two of San José’s most powerful
workforce initiatives - work2future
and San José Works - hosted a
major job fair on Friday, Sept. 23,
2022, in the South Hall of McEnery
Convention Center, 435 S. Market
Street, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The
Career Expo was open to anyone
over the age of 16, and there was no
charge to attend. With hundreds of
jobs to fill, 75 major area employers
were able meet and accept
applications from both entry-level and
highly skilled candidates.
The employers were offering
opportunities for seasonal work, a
first job, and even the next step in
someone's career. Employers with
hiring teams at the Career Expo
include Farmers Insurance, VTA,
Bloom Energy, Safeway, Homecare
California, Hertz International,
Southwest Airlines, San José Police
Department, and Teledyne. Hundreds
of job-seekers arrived with multiple
copies of their resumes, and the
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hiring teams were kept busy for the
whole event.
The Career Expo also featured
organizations that provide support to
job-seekers, including the California
Employment Development
Department, JobTrain and the Trades
Orientation Program.
VISIT SAN JOSÉ WINS
TOURISM MARKETING
AWARD
Visit San José, the official destination
marketing organization for the City of
San José, has been recognized with
a 2022 Silver Magellan Award from
Travel Weekly in the category of
“Marketing - Promotions with
Purpose.”
Visit San José was recognized for
their “San José Love” campaign and
their collective efforts to stimulate
COVID-19 recovery while cultivating
an authentic brand voice and digital
brand presence. During the
pandemic, Visit San José turned their
marketing efforts (and dollars) instate to drive regional exploration, local spending and destination
awareness during unprecedented
times and a historic changing cultural
landscape. Messages of hometown
pride, resiliency and the importance
of visitor spending to the local
economy were channeled through
website development, original
content creation, digital marketing
strategy, earned media and
partnerships with local artists and
influencers.
The Magellan Awards honor the best
in the international travel industry and
acknowledges the tourism
professionals behind the work. The
Magellan Awards are presented by
Travel Weekly, a leading travel trade
publication of news, research and
analysis in North America. For a
complete list of silver and gold
winners, please visit
www.travelweeklyawards.com.
Blogpost
For the latest on Visit San José, go to
www.sanJosé.org or follow
@visitsanJosé on social media.
SPEED LIMITS LOWERED IN
SAN JOSÉ BUSINESS AREAS
Guest Blogpost – Colin Heyne,
Public Information Manager,
Transportation Department
Thanks to California State
Assembly Bill 43 (AB 43), the City
of San José has reduced speed limits
on some streets in business activity
districts. Speeding is the top known
cause of fatal and severe injury
crashes in San José and we are
using all tools at our disposal to bring
speeds down.
New signs reflecting the reduced
speed limits have been installed in
parts of Downtown, Calle Willow, and
Evergreen Village Square.
Lowering speeds in business activity
districts is the first step allowed under
the new law. Over the next year and
a half, AB 43 provisions will also
allow cities to start adjusting speed
limits on other, larger streets. By
June 2024, local jurisdictions will be
able to reduce speed limits by an
additional 5 mph beyond current law
on higher-speed streets that meet
certain criteria based on safety
needs. Caltrans is still developing
criteria for those faster streets. When
they are announced, we will assess
our high-injury streets, including our
Vision Zero Priority Safety Corridors,
and reduce speed limits where
appropriate.
Blogpost
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
REBATE PROGRAM FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES
ANNOUNCED
Guest Blogpost - Zach Struyk,
Assistant Director, San José Clean
Energy
Blogpost
The City of San José invites local
companies to reinvigorate their
business, save money, and support
community-wide conservation efforts
through a new program from San
José Clean Energy, the local clean
electricity provider operated by the
City of San José.
The San José Energy Efficient
Business Program has unlocked
several rebates to San José business
owners for qualifying projects. These
rebates, totaling up to 80–90% off the
project cost, will make renovations to
your small business more affordable
and kickstarting these upgrades so
much easier! All business customers
with an active San José Clean
Energy account are invited to
participate.
For details and to find a participating
contractor visit the San Jose Clean
Energy/Business website.
San Jose Office of Economic Development | 200 East Santa Clara St., 17th Floor, [email protected],
San Jose, CA 95113 www.sjeconomy.com
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