Letters from the Public 2 of 4 — San Jose City Council, May 16, 2023

350 W. Julian Street, Building 5, San José, CA 95110
www.svathome.org •

TRANSMITTED VIA EMAIL

May 12, 2023

San Jose City Council
San Jose City Hall
200 E Santa Clara St

Re: Measure E Expenditure Plan and the 2023-2024 Budget

Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Kamei and members of the San Jose City Council.

We are writing to you as the Board of Directors of SV@Home, to express our concern with the proposed changes to the Measure E expenditure plan, as it proposes a significant step away from the City’s long-standing commitment to affordable housing as the cornerstone of a comprehensive approach to the current housing affordability crisis. These changes would be a violation of the trust of the voters who supported Measure E as a commitment to a balanced response to the housing needs of San Jose.

The homelessness crisis that our communities are experiencing is a symptom of an overwhelming shortage of homes that people can afford. Utilizing Measure E to singularly fund emergency interim housing and homelessness services will significantly disrupt the city’s growing pipeline of affordable housing developments and have a dramatic impact on the city’s commitments to expanding affordable housing opportunities in key development areas throughout the city. While the proposal is being described as a one-time reallocation of resources, the city’s overcommitment to emergency interim shelters is deeply irresponsible, creating massive unfunded obligations that will continue to drain resources away from affordable housing production and preservation, including the creation of permanent homes for the formerly unhoused.

SV@Home’s vision is a diverse and equitable Silicon Valley where everyone has access to a safe, stable, and affordable home. This is why we joined with other housing organizations in partnership with Mayor Sam Liccardo and a broad-based coalition of philanthropy, health care, public education, community service, labor and environmental justice groups to ensure the successful passage of Measure E in the City of San Jose. SV@Home has committed to the Community Plan to End Homelessness in Santa Clara County and supported City Council’s reallocation of 15% of Measure E funds from affordable housing production to emergency interim shelter as an important innovation. But, we know from decades of experience that shelters are only effective when there are sufficient permanent homes for community members to transition into.

Board of Directors

Kevin Zwick, Chair
United Way Bay Area

Shiloh Ballard, Vice Chair
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

Candice Gonzalez, Secretary
Sand Hill Property Company

Andrea Osgood, Treasurer
Eden Housing

Bob Brownstein
Working Partnerships USA

Amie Fishman
Non-Profit Housing
Association of Northern CA

Aubrey Merriman
LifeMoves

Randy Tsuda
Alta Housing

Nevada Merriman
MidPen

Steven Yang
Northern CA LIIF

Javier Gonzalez
Google

Poncho Guevara
Sacred Heart Community
Service

Jennifer Loving
Destination: Home

Chris Neale
The Core Companies

Staff
Regina Celestin Williams
Executive Director

May 12, 2023
Re: Measure E Expenditure Plan

Page 2 of 2 ends

, Building 5, San José, CA 95110
• www.svathome.org •
As experienced community and institutional leaders, we understand the frustration of confronting intractable challenges and the need for innovative solutions. As housers, we know the weight of the human costs of housing instability and homelessness. We also know the tremendous pressure placed on civic leaders by their constituents to solve problems faster. This is a moment when leadership means maintaining our commitments and being accountable for the long-term investment in the permanent homes we all know our communities so desperately need.

In Service,
Kevin Zwick, Chair
United Way Bay Area

Shiloh Ballard, Vice Chair
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

Candice Gonzalez, Secretary
Sand Hill Property Company

Andrea Osgood, Treasurer
Eden Housing

Bob Brownstein
Working Partnerships USA

Amie Fishman
Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern CA

Aubrey Merriman
LifeMoves

Randy Tsuda
Alta Housing

Nevada Merriman
MidPen Housing Corporation

Steven Yang
Northern CA LIIF

Poncho Guevara
Sacred Heart Community Service

Jennifer Loving
Destination: Home

Chris Neale
The Core Companies

Regina Celestin Williams
Executive Director

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To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Item 3.3
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 10:08:44 AM

From: Bill or Rhonda Lakatos <
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 9:59 AM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Item 3.3

Message to Mayor Mahan and City Council Members,
As a voter in
District 6 and a person of faith I ask you please to Support maintaining the current Measure E expenditure plan.

The proposed changes provide for temporary shelter housing that does not meet the long term needs of families or individuals who cannot afford housing in our city.

With limits on
stays and problems with safety residents of our city will be back on the street without hope of gaining permanent housing.

The Mayor’s plan would zero out funding for affordable housing next year and
use the funds received in prior years as well.

This would create a massive long
term budget obligation to the city.

Please follow the wishes of the voters of San Jose and keep the balanced approach of the current Measure E expenditure plan.

Thank you,
Rhonda Lakatos
San Jose, CA 95126

200 East Santa Clara St., 12th Floor, San José, CA 95112-4505 tel http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1262

Housing and Community Development Commission

May 12, 2023

Mayor Matt Mahan
Members of the San José City Council
200 E. Santa Clara St., 18th Floor
San José, CA 95113

RE: Proposed Changes to the Percentage Allocations and the Spending Plan for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Including Uncommitted Funds Recaptured from Fiscal Year 2020-2021 through Fiscal Year 2022-2023 for Measure E

Dear Honorable Mayor Mahan and City Council,

On behalf of the San José Housing and Community Development Commission, I write to convey to the Mayor and City Council the Commission’s recommendations and highlights from its discussion at its May 11, 2023 meeting and express the Commission’s passionate opposition to this dramatic shift in the City’s affordable housing and homelessness policy direction.

Commission members felt that the resulting reallocation of Measure E funds conveys disrespect for the homeless by implying they are undeserving of a permanent home.

The Commission took the following votes on the item, Proposed Changes to the Percentage Allocations and the Spending Plan for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Including Uncommitted Funds Recaptured from Fiscal Year 2020-2021 through Fiscal Year 2022-2023 for Measure E.

Commissioner Navarro made the motion that the Commission not approve staff recommendation A or B and instead reaffirm the current spending percentages already in place consistent with City Council Policy 1-18, with a second by Commissioner Oppie. The motion passed 11-0.

Yes Finn, Dawson, Shoor, Del Buono, Vong, Navarro, Partida, Tran, Jackson, Cardoza, Oppie (11)
No None (0)
Absent Jasinsky, Moore, Wheeler (3)

200 East Santa Clara St., 12th Floor, San José, CA 95112-4505 tel http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1262

Housing and Community Development Commission

Commissioner Finn made the motion that the Commission write a strongly worded letter to the Mayor and City Council to be composed by Vice Chair Dawson, with copies to the City Manager and City Clerk, with a second by Commissioner Oppie. The motion passed 11-0.

Yes Finn, Dawson, Shoor, Del Buono, Vong, Navarro, Partida, Tran, Jackson, Cardoza, Oppie (11)
No None (0)
Absent Jasinsky, Moore, Wheeler (3)

Here is a summary of the highlights of the Commission’s lengthy discussion:

• Commissioners believe adoption of the recommendation will fuel the prevalent lack of trust in government and break faith with the voters. Commissioners understand the legal definition of a general tax; however, we respectfully point out that “Spending Priorities for Potential General Fund Revenue from a Real Property Transfer Tax Measure” was adopted by Council in December 2019, well in advance of the March 2020 vote on Measure E and was part of the public record when the vote occurred.

• Commissioners with lived experience think a permanent home is the best way to help the unhoused, and those closest to the issue should be trusted to provide solutions.

Unhoused individuals often cycle back into shelters/tiny homes because of the restrictions placed upon them. High housing costs are fueled by inequality which is best addressed by increasing the availability of permanent housing.

• Affordable housing projects will cost even more and take longer if we withhold funding.

There is no evaluation of “lost opportunity” costs in the delay of funding projects in the pipeline or the reduction of funding for preservation. The Mayor’s March budget message fails to evaluate the loss of state, federal, regional and philanthropic funding on projects in the pipeline resulting in the City assuming a greater financial burden.

• Commissioners heard testimony from affordable housing developers who may refrain from investing in our city by building projects elsewhere if funding is withdrawn. Some Commissioners expressed concern that this might impact our city’s ability to meet RHNA goals.

• Emergency interim housing may cost more to operate in ongoing funding, whereas once an affordable project is built (if no city-funded supportive services on site) the costs to government end.

200 East Santa Clara St., 12th Floor, San José, CA 95112-4505 tel http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1262

Housing and Community Development Commission

On behalf of the Commission, I thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration of our recommendations.

Sincerely,

/s/
Vice Chair Roma Dawson
On behalf of the Housing and Community Development Commission

cc: Jennifer Maguire, City Manager
Toni Taber, City Clerk
Jacky Morales-Ferrand, Director of Housing

[External Email]
From: Kathryn Hedges
To: Agendadesk; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Mahan, Matt; District1; Kamei, Rosemary; District2; Jimenez, Sergio; District3; Torres, Omar; District4; Cohen, David; District5; Ortiz, Peter; District 6; Davis, Dev; District7; Doan, Bien; District8; Candelas, Domingo; District9; Foley, Pam; District 10; Batra, Arjun Subject: AGAINST Agenda Item 3.3 Reallocation of Measure E Funds, City Council Public Hearing 5/16/23 Date: Sunday, May 14, 2023 12:42:56 AM
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Dear Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Councilmembers, and Staff:

I am Kathryn Hedges, a District 3 resident in affordable housing made possible by San José Housing Department funding. I have been very active in affordable housing and tenants rights organizing since 2016 when I moved to San José from Sunnyvale. All the groups in the housing coalition supported Measure E.

But if the City succeeds in this bait-and-switch of reallocating Measure E funds to interim shelters instead of permanent affordable

housing, why should we trust the City on future ballot measures of this type? I sat in meetings this week with people who feel they were used by the City to sell Measure E to their organizations, to their coalition partners, and to their family and friends as being a permanent funding stream for affordable housing. Everyone assured them that the City would never renege on its commitment to use these funds for affordable housing, and here we are a year later considering taking these funds away from affordable housing. This is no way to generate trust in the voters.

For far too long San José's affordability issues have been ignored, and communities like East San José have disproportionally suffered from the effects of overcrowding, homelessness, and poor living conditions. This was a major contributor to the highest COVID death rates in the county in those zip codes. Creating interim housing will not solve these problems when we are blocking production of new affordable housing or preservation of naturally affordable housing.

Encampments are not "blight" like empty storefronts or decaying warehouses allowed to fall into disrepair by owners who don't care about the community. Encampments are a desperate attempt to survive when the social safety net has failed and let people fall out of society. We had Hoovervilles in the Great Depression, which were one of the inspirations for the social safety net created in the New Deal. This safety net was imperfect and incomplete even before the Reagan-era unraveling began. Now it is no match for the skyrocketing rents and increasing cost of living without comparable income growth for those at or near the bottom of the income scale.

Encampments are the logical conclusion of what happens when housing becomes just another Wall Street investment vehicle.

The only way we will end homelessness is by addressing its root cause, a crisis of affordability and the failures of the housing market. We can’t afford to lose this critical resource for affordable housing.

If there is no place for people to move into after their stay in "interim housing," then all we are doing is shuffling unhoused people around like peas in a shell game. Out of sight, out of mind. Oh, and now we need more funds for ongoing operations of the interim housing, so let's take more

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affordable housing funds away in FY 2024-25.

We don't have enough affordable housing in the pipeline to house all the currently unhoused people, even if all those units were "affordable" at a low enough AMI level or if they all got Section 8 certificates (which isn't in the Biden budget, let alone any budget that the GOP will approve).

There are additional projects in the approval process, but no funds could be committed to projects that aren't fully entitled yet, so those projects are now in jeopardy or at least need to seek additional funding sources.

The longer it takes them to secure funding, the higher the costs of construction and the more likely they will need to find additional funds. The City also plays an important role in completing funding stacks for projects that need additional funds due to delays or withdrawn commitments from failed lender/donor Silicon Valley Bank.

If the Council

succeeds in overturning the allocation of Measure E funds that he voted for in 2022, this dangerous precedent could inspire other cities around the Bay Area to revoke promised funding allocations for affordable housing. At the least, it would create doubt in the affordable housing industry that they can count on funds from similar sources in other cities.

Additionally, what good does it do to promise the residents of San José that the City will have a preservation plan even though COPA failed if we zero out the budget for preservation? The residents of the Virginian Apartments have been working with their landlord and the South Bay Community Land Trust to purchase their building using Measure E funds. These funds are pending, not "committed" and will be unavailable if Measure E funds are reallocated away from affordable housing.

That is why I strongly urge the council to give voters what was promised in Measure E, and keep funding Affordable Housing!
Thank you.

Sincerely,
Kathryn Hedges
San Jose, CA 95112

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From: martha O"Connell
To: martha O"Connell; Agendadesk; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Kamei, Rosemary; Jimenez, Sergio; Torres, Omar; Cohen, David; Ortiz, Peter; Davis, Dev; Doan, Bien; Candelas, Domingo; Foley, Pam; Batra, Arjun; Glenna Howcroft
Subject: CC 5-16-23 3.3 Support Mahan
Date: Sunday, May 14, 2023 10:51:06 AM

CC 5-16-23
Mayor and Council
Item 3.3

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

I support Mayor Matt Mahan on Measure E funds and encampments.

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. – Desmond Tutu

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From: Aurelia Sanchez
To: Agendadesk; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Mahan, Matt; District1; Kamei, Rosemary; District2; Jimenez, Sergio; District3; Torres, Omar; District4; Cohen, David; District5; Ortiz, Peter; District 6; Davis, Dev; District7; Doan, Bien; District8; Candelas, Domingo; District9; Foley, Pam; District 10; Batra, Arjun Subject: Council Item:3.3-Measure E Funds
Date: Sunday, May 14, 2023 12:42:06 PM
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Honorable Mayor and Council members,
I am supporting our Mayor's proposal to use some of Measure E's funds to help establish emergency housing for our unhoused population.

As a resident of this city
that lives in a neighborhood and district where there is a large unhoused population, I see their suffering and hardships almost everyday.

The many services that our city
and county can provide in my opinion will reach more of this population once they are housed even though it is temporary housing.

I would also like our Mayor and Council to consider extending the length a person can stay in temporary housing so as to give people a chance to receive adequate services like health care and counseling.

Measure E funds can also be divided to temporarily
house people, build housing and supplement rent to people who have emergencies and

who might need assistance in paying their rent for a short time.

We are a large city with many opinions on this matter but I have confidence that our Mayor and council can come to some kind of agreement where our neighborhoods, our environment and lastly our unhoused population can all come out winners with any decisions that are decided on Tuesday.

Best,
Aurelia Sanchez
District 3

From: Youth Commission 5
To: Agendadesk; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Mahan, Matt; District1; Kamei, Rosemary; District2; Jimenez, Sergio; District3; Torres, Omar; District4; Cohen, David; District5; Ortiz, Peter; District 6; Davis, Dev; District7; Doan, Bien; District8; Candelas, Domingo; District9; Foley, Pam; District 10; Batra, Arjun Cc: Maloy, Megan; Zhiwei Gu; V G; pavitra kasthuri
Subject: D5 Youth Commissioner"s Comment on Tuesday"s Measure E Item Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 9:02:32 AM
Honorable Mayor and City Council,
My name is Andrew Lieu, also a resident of East San Jose, I am the District 5 Youth Commissioner on the San Jose Youth Commission.

Communities like East San José have disproportionately suffered from the impacts of overcrowding, homelessness, and bad living conditions. These are simply facts. San José's affordability difficulties have yet to have been addressed by our shared city government.

We supported Measure E because it would be used to develop affordable housing, although the Mayor may see the diversion of all the funds to short-term shelters for the homeless as a step toward solving this crisis, I’m concerned that it leaves no money for new affordable housing construction. Perhaps, there might be a balance of resources to divide the money between short and long-term housing.

The only way to solve homelessness is to address its root causes, which are the housing market's failings and the affordability issue. To our community, Measure E’s funds are an essential resource for affordable housing.

Respectfully, I implore the council to fulfill the promises made to the public in Measure E and continue to support long-term affordable housing.

Very Respectfully,
Andrew Lieu
Youth Commissioner for the 5th City District
City of San José, Youth Commission
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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: 5-16-23 Item 3.3
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:42:11 AM

From: Glenna Howcroft <
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2023 1:40 AM
To: District1 < Jimenez, Sergio < District3
< District4 < District5
< District 6 < Bien Doan <
District8 < District9 < District 10
< City Clerk < The Office of Mayor Matt
Mahan < Martha O'Connell < Glenna
Howcroft <
Subject: 5-16-23 Item 3.3

Mayor Mahan and Council,

I am in total support of Mayor Mahan's

memo, "End San Jose's Era of Encampments".

San
Jose has spent far too much money for far too long with minimal results on our homeless problem.

This is a fiscally sound, wise and compassionate solution.

Do the right thing and vote this in.

Glenna Howcroft
D-7 Resident

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To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: City Council Meeting Tuesday May 16th - Measure E Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:41:30 AM

From: Kayla Cuvelier <
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2023 12:39 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: City Council Meeting Tuesday May 16th - Measure E

Good Afternoon,

My name is Kayla. I am a member of Showing Up for Racial Justice, and a (San Jose District 5) voter.

In 2020, voters supported Measure E because we know that we need permanent affordable housing to keep people in their homes. Now, the city council wants to go against the will of the people and change what the Measure E money is used for. Instead of affordable housing, they want to use the money on temporary bandaids that won’t address the problem and will just sweep it under the rug.

We demand permanent solutions. Years of failing to invest in affordable housing while adding thousands of high-wage jobs in San Jose has driven up rents and pushed more and more people into homelessness. Let's not make the same mistake twice. Building more permanent affordable homes is the proven long-term solution to unsheltered homelessness.

Thank you,
Kayla Cuvelier

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Comment on item 3.3 of City Council Meeting 5/16/2023: Leave Measure E intact as originally voted for.

Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:41:53 AM

From: Deborah St. Julien <
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2023 2:20 PM
To: City Clerk < The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan
< District2 <
Cc: District5 < District4 < District 6
< District7 < District8
< District9 < District3
< District1 <
Subject: Comment on item 3.3 of City Council Meeting 5/16/2023: Leave Measure E intact as originally voted for.

Dear Mayor, Council Member Jimenez and all Council Members,

My name is Deborah St. Julien. I am a member of Showing Up For Racial Justice, the Urban Sanctuary San Jose faith community, a volunteer at Recovery Café and previously [pre-COVID] a volunteer with Village House Rotating Shelter for medically fragile unhoused women. I live in district 2 (recently redistricted) and have lived at the same address for 38 years.

I think all of us can agree that our hearts are broken at the current state of affairs for our very low income brothers and sisters.

Although homelessness is a complex issue, it is well known that the lack of affordable housing is a base cause of our current crisis. Interim housing and shelters only work when there is permanent affordable housing to move to afterward.

That is why I am asking you to
leave Measure E intact, as voters originally voted
for!

Measure E designated 75% of its funds for for permanent affordable housing development and 25% for various times of emergency housing [all of which have short time limits for the person needing them] and homelessness prevention. Do not gut Measure E!
Use 75% of the money for permanent housing solutions as

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originally designated in Measure E.

I agree with the signatories of another letter written by SV@Home, Amigos de Guadalupe, Destination: Home, Sacred Heart Community Service,

SOMOS
Mayfair,

Survivors of the Street (SHCS),

SVCN, and WPUSA.

They stated: "We are
a broad coalition of organizations and individuals writing to ask you to support maintaining the current Measure E expenditure plan. The proposed changes not only zero out funding for affordable housing next year, but raid the funds received in prior years and creates a massive long term budget obligation to the city. This violates our commitment to voters, undermines our commitment to expanding affordable housing, and ignores the role of affordable and permanent supportive housing in providing real homes for people moving out of interim shelters. The destabilizing impact of rent burden, overcrowding, displacement, and the increase in homelessness is a result of the lack of homes in our community that people can afford. As a city, we have recently made important commitments to building affordable housing in more parts of the City, expanding opportunities and ensuring that new housing is a resource for neighborhood stability.

Taking money from Measure E for band aid solutions is abandoning these commitments.

Overdependence on emergency interim shelter is a major shift in priorities, and not a responsible policy. We urge you to keep the balanced approach of the current Measure E expenditure plan."

Leave Measure E intact as voters voted for!

Deborah St Julien
Volunteer, SURJ@SH
Member, Urban Sanctuary, San Jose
District 2 resident

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: I oppose changes to the Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda) Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:42:00 AM

From: Debra Townley <
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2023 8:32 PM
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan < District1 <
District2 < District3 < District4
< District5 < District 6
< District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10
< City Clerk <
Subject: I oppose changes to the Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda)

Dear Mayor Mahan and City Councilmembers,
As a San Jose resident and voter, I write to express my opposition to the proposed Measure E spending plan. When we approved Measure E in 2020, we were promised the proceeds would fund much-needed affordable housing, and this new proposal is a reversal of that commitment.

The rates of homelessness our community faces today is a symptom of our severe housing shortage, and we know that solving this crisis will require us to create more permanent affordable homes.

Investing in more interim options is important, but it cannot come at the expense of building more permanent affordable housing. As the 10th largest city in the county, San Jose should be a leader in deploying evidence-based solutions rather than disinvesting in affordable housing at such a critical time.

Now is the time to fund MORE affordable housing, not less. Please keep your commitment to the people of San Jose by rejecting this new proposal and maintain the existing Measure E spending plan.

Thank you!

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Debra Townley

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To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: I oppose changes to the Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda) Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:42:35 AM

From: Celia Rocio Murillo Lechuga <
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2023 9:58 PM
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan < District1 <
District2 < District3 < District4
< District5 < District 6
< District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10
< City Clerk <
Subject: I oppose changes to the Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda)

As a case manager for families who are unhoused in Santa Clara County, I have seen the great need there is for more affordable housing. The affordable housing that we have right now is limited and almost always at capacity. I have seen families struggle to get out of the cycle of homelessness and they jump from shelter to shelter as they can't afford any housing that

is at

market-rate price. If we
have more affordable

housing, then there will be less families, and, most importantly, less children who are on the streets.

Now is the time to fund MORE affordable housing, not less. Interim housing programs are important but it cannot come at the expense of building more permanent affordable housing. Please keep your commitment to the people of San Jose by rejecting this new proposal and maintain the existing Measure E spending plan.

Thank you!

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Best,

Rocio Murillo

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To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Item 3.3 Measure E
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 8:42:27 AM
Attachments: image003.png

From: Claudia Bautista <
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 8:36 AM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Item 3.3 Measure E

Good morning,
I am checking in to see if there is an approximate time that the Measure E item will be heard.

Thank you,

Claudia Bautista
Executive Assistant and Clerk of the Board

Santa Clara County Housing Authority
San José, CA 95110

Tel

Cell

Fax

SCCHA’s mission is to provide and inspire affordable housing solutions to enable low-income people

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in Santa Clara County to achieve financial stability and self-reliance.

NOTICE: This email message and its attachments may contain information that is confidential. It is intended only for the individuals named as recipients in the message. If you are NOT an authorized recipient, you are prohibited from using, delivering, distributing, printing, copying, or disclosing the message or content to others and must delete the message from your computer. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by return email.

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To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda) Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:40:56 AM

From: <
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2023 5:03 PM
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan < District1 <
District2 < District3 < District4
< District5 < District 6
< District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10
<
Cc: City Clerk <
Subject: Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda)

Dear Mayor Mahan and City Councilmembers,

As a San Jose resident and voter, I write to express my opposition to the proposed Measure E spending plan.

I am a long time member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church on the corner of 10th and San Salvador.

Our church community essentially lives with the unhoused.

We
have worked to meet their needs in a variety of ways over the past 30 years.

We
have housed unhoused men and women and SJSU students; we have fed those who have no place to call home; we co-founded San Jose Urban Ministry (now LifeMoves) to provide housing for people living with mental illnesses; we have advocated for public policies that will help address the severe shortage of housing options for the unhoused.

In the aftermath of a fire that destroyed our church sanctuary last year, we are seeking ways to build affordable housing on our corner.

The number one

obstacle we
are encountering is lack of funds.

Let me say this again.

The number one

obstacle
we are encountering is lack of funds.

This is not the time to divert funds meant to
build affordable housing to homeless services.

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When we the voters approved Measure E in 2020, we were promised the proceeds would fund much-needed affordable housing, and this new proposal is a reversal of that commitment.

The rates of homelessness our community faces today is a symptom of our severe housing shortage, and we know that solving this crisis will require us to create more permanent affordable homes. Investing in more interim options is important, but it cannot come at the expense of building more permanent affordable housing. As the 10th largest city in the county, San Jose should be a leader in deploying evidence- based solutions rather than disinvesting in affordable housing at such a critical time.

From concept to move-in, affordable housing takes years. To divert funds meant for affordable housing now is to increase the time to have move-in ready housing for those most in need.

This is wrong!

Now is the time to fund MORE affordable housing, not less. Please keep your commitment to the people of San Jose by rejecting this new proposal and maintain the existing Measure E spending plan.

Thank you!

Peace and Joy,
Connie Hunter
San Jose, CA 95121

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Protect Measure E : Support lasting solutions to homelessness Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:42:27 AM

From: Mary Helen Doherty <
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2023 1:57 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Protect Measure E : Support lasting solutions to homelessness

San Jose City Clerk Toni Taber,
Dear Mayor and Council,
Measure E was approved to provide funding for a board set of housing solutions. In order to address our immense housing shortage, the original purposes that won me over as a voter need to continue to be honored, including a focus on creating permanent affordable housing.

I'm disillusioned that as elected leaders you are considering going back on this promise and abandoning the comprehensive and long term approach that Measure E was guaranteed to fund.

Please be accountable and cast your vote to maintain Measure E’s spending plan that the voters you represent approved. Temporary shelters only put off providing solutions to the housing crisis we are experiencing.

Now is NOT the time to divert these crucial resources towards other uses. We must focus on permanent housing and ending displacement in order to effectively address our housing crisis for the long term.
Sincerely,

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Mary Helen Doherty
Member, Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee
District 3 Resident

Mary Helen Doherty

San Jose, California 95112

[External Email]
From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Protect Measure E : We need holistic solutions to homelessness Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:40:28 AM

From: Brian Carr <
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2023 4:19 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Protect Measure E : We need holistic solutions to homelessness

San Jose City Clerk Toni Taber,
Dear Mayor and Council,
When Measure E was approved in 2020, the intent of this funding source was to provide revenue to a board set of housing solutions. In order to address our immense housing shortage, Measure E dollars need to be readily available for uses including permanent sources of affordable housing.

As a San José resident who wants to see an end to this crisis, I'm disappointed that my elected leaders are going back on this promise, and abandoning the comprehensive and long term approach that Measure E was set to fund.

I urge council to keep Measure E’s spending plan as is so we can focus on a holistic set of housing priorities in order to combat our housing crisis. We need these dollars available in order to address our housing shortage and resources for other critical solutions.

Now is NOT the time to divert these crucial resources towards other uses, rather we must focus on north stars such as permanent housing and ending displacement in order to truly and genuinely combat our housing crisis for the long term.

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Sincerely,

Brian Carr

San Jose, California 95111

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Protect Measure E : We need holistic solutions to homelessness Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:41:17 AM

From: Susan Price <
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2023 7:55 PM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Protect Measure E : We need holistic solutions to homelessness

San Jose City Clerk Toni Taber,
Dear Mayor and Council,
We must not give up on building permanent affordable housing; Measure E funds must remain dedicated to creating permanent affordable housing, not housing for short term stays. When Measure E was approved in 2020, the intent of this funding source was to provide revenue to a board set of housing solutions. In order to address our immense housing shortage, Measure E dollars need to be readily available for uses including permanent sources of affordable housing.

WE MUST ALSO ADDRESS THE CAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT HOUSING IN SAN JOSE. WE SHOULD DISCOURAGE OVERSEAS INVESTORS FROM BUYING

RENTAL HOUSING HERE AND INCREASING THE RENT TO INCREASE THEIR ROI. HOUSING IN SAN JOSE SHOULD BE SHELTER, NOT ABOUT AN INVESTMENT FOR SOMEONE OR A CORPORATION OVERSEAS.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA A FEW YEARS AGO PLACED A SIZABLE TAX ON PURCHASES OF HOUSING BY OVERSEAS INVESTORS. FOREIGN

INVESTORS WERE DRIVING UP THE PRICE OF HOUSING SUCH THAT THE

WORKING CLASS AND LOWER MIDDLE CLASS BUYERS IN VANCOUVER WERE BEING DRIVEN OUT OF TOWN.

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AND THERE SHOULD BE A TAX ON EMPTY HOUSING UNITS. AT THE END

OF MY STREET IS A VERY NICE HOUSE WHICH HAS BEEN VACANT FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS. IT IS OWNED BY INVESTORS IN SEATTLE WHO ARE JUST WAITING FOR ITS VALUE TO INCREASE. IT IS JUST ANOTHER EMPTY HOUSE WITHOUT CHILDREN IN MY NEIGHBOR; MEANWHILE, OUR SCHOOL

DISTRICT IS FACING FALLING ENROLLMENT WHICH MEANS LESS INCOME

FROM THE STATE TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN - SCHOOLS DISTRICTS

HAVE SUBSTANTUAL FIXED COSTS THAT REMAIN EVEN IF THERE ARE FEWER CHILDREN TO EDUCATE. HELP!!!
As a San José resident who wants to see an end to this crisis, I'm disappointed that my elected leaders are going back on this promise, and abandoning the comprehensive and long term approach that Measure E was set to fund.

SUSAN PRICE
SAN JOSE, CA 95128

Susan Price

San Jose, California 95128

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Public Comment for Item 3.3: May 16 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets Meeting Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 7:42:21 AM

From: Karen Matsueda <
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2023 11:17 AM
To: City Clerk <
Cc: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan < District3 <
Subject: Public Comment for Item 3.3: May 16 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets Meeting

Public Comment for Item 3.3: May 16 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets Meeting

My name is Karen Matsueda - a woman of faith, member of Showing Up for Racial Justice at Sacred Heart and a San Jose homeowner. Having lived in the downtown neighborhood of Naglee Park (District 3) for more than 25 years, I have witnessed first-hand the rising humanitarian and community crisis resulting from the lack of affordable housing and wrap-around services for our neighbors in need.

As you double-down and focus on what is most essential for San Jose, I urge you to stay true to the intent and promise of Measure E – to invest Measure E funds FULLY and ONLY in affordable permanent housing . To do otherwise would be to rob Peter to pay Paul and to fundamentally fracture trust with the people you serve.

At the same time, I urge you to allocate additional City funds for the types of short-term homelessness solutions outlined in your Budget Proposal. Finally, as you design and implement the range of solutions, I invite you to collaborate with people with lived experience.

Homelessness is a complex issue, and to have any hope of succeeding requires systemic multi- faceted solutions , especially in light of the dire lack of affordable housing. Upstream preventive solutions such as a larger inventory of affordable housing and programs to keep people in their homes are cheaper, more effective, and more humane than short-term emergency measures.

Providing affordable housing to individuals and families who have been pushed into homelessness is a proven approach to stabilize and empower them to rebuild their lives and their futures.

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The voters have already spoken on Measure E. The City must follow through on the Measure as well augment it with interim solutions.

Whether Black or White, Asian or LatinX, Indigenous or newcomer, we all want our families to be healthy and whole. Working together, we can take bold action that makes San Jose a place to be proud of, where everyone has a roof over their head and our families can thrive, so that our neighborhoods can be safe, diverse, and strong.

Respectfully, Karen Matsueda

[External Email]
From: Ryan and Camille Fontanilla
To: Agendadesk; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Mahan, Matt; District1; Kamei, Rosemary; District2; Jimenez, Sergio; District3; Torres, Omar; District4; Cohen, David; District5; Ortiz, Peter; District 6; Davis, Dev; District7; Doan, Bien; District8; Candelas, Domingo; District9; Foley, Pam; District 10; Batra, Arjun Subject: Item 3.3 Revision of Percentage Allocations of Measure E Real Property Transfer Tax Revenues Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 12:39:29 AM
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Hi, my name is Camille Llanes-Fontanilla and I am a San Jose native, long standing community leader and mother residing in D5. I am an advocate for holistic community and economic development, and have a track record of centering community voice and lives experiences to advance solutions that center people.

I worked on the campaign and voted for Measure E on the promise that it would be used to build affordable housing, but now the Mayor wants to shift all that funding towards temporary homeless shelters and leave no funding for new affordable housing construction.

This is unacceptable.

We cannot advance short-sided solutions that don’t address root causes. We need housing of all types and while interim shelter is an important piece of the continuum it cannot be the only one, especially when residents on average have a stay of only 180 days and without access to permanent supportive housing options, may not have another option but to be unhoused again. We also need to curb homelessness by investing in preservation and anti- displacement efforts, otherwise the inflows will always more more than the numbers we house.

I encourage our City Council to be emboldened to seek various avenues to grow our resources, rather than succumb to a scarcity mindset that takes resources from one solution to just move it to another. This is not the systemic and sustainable change we need.

Additionally, for several years many community organizations, affordable housing developers, philanthropic entities and local governments have enacted the 3-Ps strategy of production, prevention and preservation. This strategy is demonstrating outcomes and will

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likely draw additional state and federal resources in the next few years. San Jose needs to really think about how we need to position the City to leverage potential resources rather than advancing a single strategy that limits our access to resources.

You must also be mindful of the tone that you are setting in pitting issue areas and community groups against each other rather than bringing people together to actually solve our community challenges.

I strongly urge the council to give voters what was promised in Measure E, and keep funding Affordable Housing!
Sincelely,
Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, MPA

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From: Lydia Heinrich
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Mahan, Matt; Agendadesk Subject: Keep Measure E To Build Affordable Housing
Date: Sunday, May 14, 2023 7:44:27 PM
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Hi, my name is Lydia Heinrich and I AM A RESIDENT OF EAST SAN JOSE.

We voted for Measure E on the promise that it would be used to build affordable housing, but now the Mayor wants to shift all that funding towards temporary homeless shelters and leave no funding for new affordable housing construction. This is unacceptable.

That is why I strongly urge the council to give voters what was promised in Measure E, and keep funding Affordable Housing!
Thank you.

[External Email]
From:

To: Agendadesk; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Mahan, Matt; District1; Kamei, Rosemary; District2; Jimenez, Sergio; District3; Torres, Omar; District4; Cohen, David; District5; Ortiz, Peter; District 6; Davis, Dev; District7; Doan, Bien; District8; Candelas, Domingo; District9; Foley, Pam; District 10; Batra, Arjun Subject: Measure E funds for interim housing
Date: Saturday, May 13, 2023 7:05:19 PM

Hello, my name is Davide Vieira and I am a resident of East San Jose in favor of quick-build housing and other innovative housing solutions to get our unhoused neighbors indoors sooner rather than much later.

I support shifting at least 50% of Measure E funds to more quickly house my unhoused neighbors.

More quickly than the typical five years that it takes from concept to completion of permanent supportive housing.

For instance, Quetzal Gardens at King & Alum Rock took five years from initial conversations with community leaders to completion.

I know because I was one of the community leaders who was initially consulted by RCD’s Dan Hardy.

For far too long, San José has had the unrealistic expectation that the only way to house the unhoused is to build outrageously expensive apartment buildings that take far too long from concept to completion.

All this does is delay much-needed housing.

What if we were to meet the
unhoused where they are at?

An incremental housing approach.

I voted for Measure E on the promise that it would house the unhoused.

By whatever means
necessary. Why not temporary tents, tiny homes, modular high-occupancy modular housing, converted motels, and safe parking lots?

Get people indoors first, get them the help they need and get them employed – all while permanent housing is being constructed.

Anything else is
inhumane, and right now, all we’re doing is being inhumane by allowing our neighbors to live in and along our creeks, under bridges and along freeways, in our parks and on our sidewalks and streets.

The only way we will end homelessness is by addressing its root cause -- a crisis of political will by our elected officials and “the bureaucracy” that has led us astray with inhumane policies.

We must
change tack and use Measure E funds to alleviate the human suffering that we see around us every day.

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That is why I strongly urge the council to parcel out at least 50% of Measure E funds to provide interim housing solutions for our unhoused neighbors.

Regards,
Davide Vieira

All you leave behind are memories -- make them good ones

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Item 3.3
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 10:09:01 AM

From: <
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 10:06 AM
To: City Clerk <
Subject: Item 3.3

Dear members,

I have two questions:

1) Why can't people be allowed to stay longer if needed in temporary housing while more permanent and temporary housing is being built?

2) Are the pre- fabricated homes still being considered at the temporary and permanent levels?

These
are much cheaper and faster to build.

Thank you,
Linda Reis

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From: City Clerk
To: Agendadesk
Subject: FW: Measure E comment
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023 10:29:40 AM

From: Chuck Witschorik <
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 10:11 AM
To: City Clerk <
Cc: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan < District 6 <
Subject: Measure E comment

Dear San Jose City Council,
The new Measure E spending plan is a short-sighted and ill-advised proposal that reneges on the promises we made to the voters in 2020 and set back our collective efforts to address our housing and homelessness crisis.

When Measure E was on the ballot, the voters were told that this tax would predominantly go towards building more affordable housing in San Jose.

In fact, the current adopted spending plan allocates 75% of Measure E funds to new affordable housing development across different income levels (ELI to MOD) Other than following-through on commitments to 4 existing developments, the proposed spending plan ZEROES-OUT funding for any new affordable housing developments.

This includes 3 pipeline developments (~600 units) that were waitlisted in the past NOFA as well as another DOZEN prospective developments (~3000 units) in San Jose

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With very few other sources of affordable housing dollars available, the City will be unable to invest in any new affordable housing developments moving-forward.

In the face of a severe housing crisis, it is unconscionable to think that the 10th largest city in the country would be so drastically disinvesting in affordable housing.

We will not be able to solve our homelessness crisis without continuing to build more affordable housing alongside more interim housing, homelessness prevention and other key programs.

I support investing in more interim and temporary shelter programs, but doing so at the expense of permanent housing programs will not work.

As we build more interim housing, we will need more affordable housing options to ensure folks have paths to a permanent home.

We also need to remember that permanent housing remains a good investment to the City.

For every affordable apartment, the City invests between $125K-$300K/unit w/ NO ongoing costs
We must find a way to balance our investments across these key programs - and raise additional funding so that we can fund all of these interventions at a scale required to meet the need in our community.

That’s why I believe the City Council should reject the new proposal and maintain the existing Measure E spending plan that properly prioritizes 75% of the funding for affordable housing development.

Thank you,
Charles Witschorik
San Jose, CA

5/15/23, 11:13 AM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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Item 3.3
Jess Roberts <
Mon 5/15/2023 10:30 AM
To:City Clerk <[email protected]>
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Hello,
My name is Jess Roberts and I am resident of San Jose. I voted for Measure E because I recognize the need for new permanent affordable housing as a solution to the housing crisis in the Bay Area. Temporary solutions are not long-term solutions. Please note my opposition to any reduction in funds for permanent housing solutions such as those under discussion in Item

3.3 of the May 16 council meeting.

Thank you
Jess Roberts

5/15/23, 11:20 AM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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CC 5-16-23 Item 3.3 - Impact of encampments on MH Parks martha O'Connell <
Mon 5/15/2023 10:45 AM
To:martha O'Connell < Ryan Jasinsky < Jill
Borders < Glenna Howcroft < The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>;Agendadesk <[email protected]>;Kamei, Rosemary <[email protected]>;Jimenez, Sergio <[email protected]>;Torres, Omar <[email protected]>;Cohen, David <[email protected]>;Ortiz, Peter <[email protected]>;Davis, Dev <[email protected]>;Doan, Bien <[email protected]>;Candelas, Domingo <[email protected]>;Foley, Pam <[email protected]>;Batra, Arjun <[email protected]> 1 attachments (11 MB)
final slide show .pptx;

CORRECTED version of Jasinsky/O'Connell report
In mid 2029, Ryan Jasinsky, representing the Mobilehome Park owners, and I, Martha O'Connell, representing the residents, co-authored and presented to the Rules Committee, a report on the serious impacts that homeless encampments have on the MH Parks.

That report is attached.

Mobilehomes can burn in five minutes. Two little girls were killed in a fire at Golden Wheel.

Encampments must be removed from areas around MH Parks.

Matt Mahan's proposal on Measure E funds will help protect MH Parks from fires.

P R E S E N T E D B Y R Y A N J A S I N S K Y
A N D M A RT H A O ’ C O N N E L L
J UL Y 3 1 , 2 01 9
Mobilehome Parks in San Jose
Impact of the Homeless and a
Solution
Mobilehome Parks are being impacted by
 Fire danger
 Blight
 Crime
On 7-11-19, a fire started in a homeless encampment across the street from Colonial Mobile Manor, a Senior Park in D9. A mobile home can burn in four to five minutes. Mobilehomes burn faster than conventional housing.

Fire danger

The encampment was between the sound wall and the cyclone fence which had been cut to allow complete access to the homeless. This situation had been reported for at least five months. Calls were made to the City and Cal-Trans. Encampment not abated

While putting out the fire on 7-11-19, firefighters threw debris from the encampment onto the sidewalk across the street from Colonial Mobile Manor. One driver had to slam on their brakes as the items came sailing over the cyclone fence into Narvaez Ave, which was being used at the time by traffic.

The debris was left on the sidewalk.

Following the fire, on 7-16-19, a resident of Colonial Manor entered the encampment directly across the street from this Senior Park and took a shocking series of photos.

This encampment had been hidden from the eye by vegetation.

This encampment, hidden from view, gave a bird’s eye view of Colonial Mobile Manor. Anyone in the encampment could watch the Seniors coming and going. The resident taking the photos turned back when she spotted a tarp behind which she had reasonable cause to believe there were homeless. She was afraid for her safety.

On or about 6-10-19, two of the homeless moved from the sound wall encampment and set up right outside Colonial Mobile Manor, sleeping against the Park wall behind the bush. Using the reasonable person standard, they appeared to be under the influence of drugs. One of them trespassed into the Park and wandered around.

Crime

Both Park residents and the Park manager called the City and the police. No help was forthcoming so the bush the homeless were using to tether their tarp was cut down and the area flooded. Hypodermic needles were found in the trash left by the homeless.

For months bikes of residents in Colonial Mobile Manor had been stolen. When the encampment was abated and articles tossed over the fence by the firefighters, there were numerous bikes and bike parts. (Hard to see in this photo but they are dangling from the cyclone fence. More were shown earlier in this presentation in the photos taken inside the actual encampment.)

In or about late March 2019, two fires were set by a homeless man outside Pepper Tree Estates.

He uses cardboard and wooden pallets to repeatedly build a house by the discontinued railroad tracks directly outside the Park. The fires were set when he was cooking outside his “house.” He fled the scene on both occasions and did not come back until the fires were out.

Unfortunately no photos are available of the fire which was within 40 feet of a mobilehome.

This photo shows the location of a portion of the tracks. Taken through the fence between the Park and the tracks.

July 20, 2019 – beginning of a homeless encampment in the tracks area. Over the fence showed in the photo is Pepper Tree Estates.

In 2013, a homeless encampment was set up on the creek side of Colonial Mobile Manor, less than five hundred from a pre-school. It took months and months for abatement and that came only after a presentation to the Rules Committee. Needles and empty bottles of alcohol were found. During this time, homeless persons even broke into the sauna room to use the showers.

The two images above are from our Quail Hollow community. We have been battling the removal of this person from the perimeter from our property for over 1 year now. We have called the City of San Jose, emailed San Jose Homeless Response and have even called the police, but none of these actions have resulted in a response. We are even receiving complaints from residents from the SFH neighborhood who call and write our office to complain (and they have contacted the City as well). Still no action.

Three Parks managed by Brandenburg, Staedler and Moore
have been impacted

The above four images are from our Millpond property along Curtner Ave. This homeless encampment has been an ongoing problem for our Residents and us. Last year the City came to clean this area after multiple complaints from BS&M and our residents. The homeless have left countless hypodermic needless, tons of trash and were cooking in the back of our community, which created a small fire.

The above four images show a fire that occurred outside of our Spanish Cove Community on June 27, 2018. The fire resulted from homeless cooking behind our community. As can been seen in the images above this came dangerously close to some of our Tenant’s mobilehomes.

We made multiple attempts for the City to remove the homeless encampment, which is directly behind our fence and still no action was taken. Residents were using hoses to assist with putting out the fire.

SOLUTION :
 The City of San Jose must coordinate with all
jurisdictions, such as Cal-Trans and various other
organizations to address the impact of homeless on
Mobilehome Communities. It is not sufficient to
continue to say “that is not our jurisdiction etc.” If the City categorizes Mobilehome Communities as
affordable housing then they cannot afford to lose
the housing due to inaction to the hazards that are
close to our communities. Our residents, their
homes and our communities are all in jeopardy and
we need your assistance.

May 10, 2023

Housing and Community Development Commission

Re: Agenda Item B Measure E Transfer Tax Funds

Dear Commissioners,

We write to urge you to defend the intended spirit of Measure E that San Jose voters approved in 2020 and were led to believe would be used for “affordable housing for seniors, veterans, disabled, and low-income families and helping homeless residents move into shelters/permanent housing.”1 We are aware that the full text of the ballot does not include specific language around allocating this money to housing for these residents in need but it is without a doubt, that this ballot measure was presented to us, the voters, as a housing solution for vulnerable communities. We voted for Measure E with this in mind. The City also designated specific uses for the funding after it passed. This is why we are concerned with the continued attempts by the Mayor to reallocate Measure E money away from the priorities of permanent housing solutions identified through a long community and city staff process. We urge this commission, as the representatives entrusted to provide community oversight over the expenditure of the tax revenues to recommend to the City Council and Mayor to reject reallocating funds from Measure E for only temporary housing solutions and criminalizing poverty, both not the intended use by San Jose voters.

The need for multiple solutions to homelessness is even greater now than it was in 2020, and is even more reason why permanent strategies that the city has not even begun to implement should get started, including the creation of permanently affordable units through preservation. If the city is following its own budgeting guidelines of “budgeting for equity”, any plans of reallocating Measure E money from permanent housing for intended communities is inconsistent. We are concerned that the attempt to reallocate these funds is the most recent example of the City declaring their commitment to make housing a priority and then not fulfilling that commitment. We see this pattern as both not meeting the continued dire need for housing for lower resourced communities and also, whether intentionally or unintentionally, misleading the residents of this city in believing that their elected officials are prioritizing housing the way they feel it is needed, evident by Measure E ballot even passing.

1 https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showdocument?id=45889

To make matters worse, the proposals by Mayor Mahan to use Measure E funds to build a locked mental health facility is moving our city in the opposite direction; we are not building housing for those in need and instead we are criminalizing those with mental health concerns. It also implies that Mayor Mahan somehow associates those with mental health concerns with houselessness. And while there is absolutely a population in our city that are experiencing both, locking them in a mental health jail is not addressing the causes of both mental health and houselessness. We, at De-Bug, have been extensively involved in the county process discussing the building of a new jail, a new mental health facility or reallocating those funds towards preventative and holistic solutions. We have witnessed the public outcry from those who have experienced incarceration and those with loved ones with mental health concerns and building a locked mental health facility is going to cause more harm in our city and communities. Mayor Mahan’s proposal is not in touch with those of us, from this city, who have been participating in that process and expressing our deepest concerns around the harm a mental health facility would cause. In addition to the mental health facility, Mayor Mahan has advocated for more police and homelessness prevention. We know from experience that homelessness prevention does not mean housing people but often means sweeping encampments, displacing already displaced people, destroying what little belongings they have. We are unclear if he plans to use Measure E funds to hire more police officers or continue the devastating practice of sweeping encampments but we know these are not far reaching concerns and would like clarity on the intended use of Measure E funds for “homelessness prevention.” As you consider where to allocate funding, it is not enough to retain the previously approved projects and the most recent NOFA funding, as the City Manager’s budget message outlines - spending less on housing only further demonstrates the lip service affordable housing gets. We ask the commission to keep the 2022 Measure E allocation of 75% to permanent housing and 25% to homelessness prevention and services, and reject attempts to redirect Measure E funds to punish and harm our community. Finally, we are calling on this oversight body to address the concerns mentioned here and from others in our city about the allocation of Measure E funds away from its intended purpose. This oversight body is in a key position of influence to impact the decision making of the Mayor and the City Council. Our communities have not felt heard in this process as these budget plans continue to reveal themselves and look to be pushed through. We believe this oversight body has an opportunity and a responsibility to affirm the intention of San Jose voters when we made Measure E a reality to help communities in need have access to permanent housing. Thank you for your time and consideration. Liz Gonzalez Organizer, Silicon Valley De-Bug Andrew Bigelow Organizer, Silicon Valley De-Bug 5/15/23, 11:28 AM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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Agenda Item 3.3
Nino <
Mon 5/15/2023 11:17 AM
To:City Clerk <[email protected]>
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To the San Jose City Council members:

I am a senior cizen and peaceful atmosphere of our Pearl Avenue library a welcome relief from the somewhat noisy, fast-paced life on the “outside”. I rounely check out books from our library. I ﬁnd the staﬀ very welcoming, courteous and knowledgeable about the library holdings. I was really glad to see the hours extended aer Covid restricons were lied. I would be in favor of extending the hours even more. I feel that the budget should include a substanal amount of funding for our excellent SJPL system.

Sincerely yours,

Costanno Yannoni

San Jose City CouncilMay 16, 2023

San Jose City Council
May 16, 2023