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

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.” There are places the city budget is overinflated, like the police budget. Which under the ongoing scandals SJPD and the POA attempt to sweep under the rug, should not receive any increase in funding.

We call on you 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 consideration.

On behalf of Silicon Valley De-Bug,

Liz Gonzalez & Andrew Bigelow

San Jose Office
1150 N First St, Suite 101
San Jose CA 95112
Phone 510-577-9694
Fax 510-383-9613

May 15th, 2023

Sender’s Email: john.tucker
Sent Via Email
Mayor and City Council
City of San Jose
200 E Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95113

Re: Opposition to Reallocation of Measure E Funds
Esteemed Councilmembers,
The members of MEF-AFSCME Local 101 are adamantly opposed to any changes to Measure E’s current spending plan. It is vital to preserve (if not increase) the limited supply of funds dedicated to permanent supportive housing. Chronically unhoused residents cost the city of San Jose more, and Permanent Supportive Housing is the solution. Full stop.

Residents who have suffered enough due to our failed safety net and government support deserve permanent housing and solutions that will help keep our community healthy and safe for everyone. San Jose must not continue its legacy of failing to build low-income and very low- income housing. We need to catch up on our RHNA housing goals; this is primarily due to insufficient funding for Permanent Supportive Housing, housing that is genuinely affordable to unhoused residents. We must keep the promise made to the voters about where Measure E general fund/tax dollars would go. We must think strategically about the long-term needs of those most vulnerable in our community.

We urge you to vote against displacing permanent supportive housing funds. As City workers, we come face-to-face with the most marginalized residents of our community every day. As Councilmembers, you routinely tout us as experts and thank us for our work on the frontlines.

So for once, take our input as frontline workers and experts. Interim Housing is critically important and should be funded but diverting and decreasing Measure E funds meant for Permanent Supportive Housing is one of the worst ways of doing so.

Yours,

Members of the Municipal Employees Federation – AFSCME Local 101 AFSCME Council 57 / AFSCME Local 101 (AFL-CIO)
1150 North First St., Suite #101
San Jose, CA 95112

CC:

Jean Cohen, South Bay Labor Council
Jeffery Buchanan, Working Partnerships
City Union Representatives

Encl: none

P .O. Box 5374
San Jose, CA 95150
www.lwvsjsc.org
May 16, 2023
T o: Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Kamei, and Councilmembers Jimenez, T orres, Cohen, Ortiz, Davis, Doan, Candelas, Foley, and Batra
cc: San Jose City Clerk
Subject: Item: 3.3; File # 23-690 : Public Hearing on the 2023-2024 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets and the 2023-2024 Proposed Fees and Charges for the City of San José, including a One-Time Revision of Percentage Allocations of Measure E Real Property Transfer Tax Revenues
The League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara strongly urges the City Council to VOTE NO on re-allocating Measure E funds.

Measure E was passed in 2020 based on specific spending expectations outlined in a December 2019 memo. If Measure E funds are re-allocated in 2023, without the support of many in the housing community, it will greatly increase voters’ concerns about the City’s transparency and trustworthiness.

The League also supports other good governance principles, including fiscal responsibility. We understand that there will soon be a state-implemented audit of spending on homelessness in San Jose and other parts of the state. We don’t see that the current proposed Measure E changes are based on data showing what works to prevent homelessness and to move more of our residents into permanent housing.

We encourage you to wait until the audit is complete before bringing any Measure E funding changes to the City.

Sincerely,
Diane McNutt, President, League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara [email protected] - lwvsjsc.org

[External Email]
FW: Council Vote Today 5/16: Support Matt's Memo Measure E and Do Not Increase ARO/TPO Fees City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 10:53 AM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: Roberta Moore
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 10:51 AM
To: Mahan, Ma <Ma[email protected]>; Reed, Jim <[email protected]>; Cohen, David <[email protected]>; Davis, Dev <[email protected]>; Doan, Bien <[email protected]>; Foley, Pam <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Batra, Arjun <[email protected]>; Dexter, Michele <[email protected]> Cc: Maguire, Jennifer <[email protected]>; Beckel, Dolan <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject:

Council Vote Today 5/16: Support Ma's Memo Measure E and Do Not Increase ARO/TPO Fees

Dear Honorable Mayor, Councilmembers and City Staﬀ,

Support Ma’s Plan for Measure E

Deal with the now for more people vs waing years to serve a fracon of the people in need. Housing First does NOT work in our City. Even the lived experience commissioner said pung those who are dealing with addicon / mental illness in their own small home doesn’t work.

Do not be swayed by the non-proﬁts who get funding from Measure E without delivering substanal results.

Vote yes on Ma’s plan to allocate Measure E funds to helping people NOW.

Oppose the Housing Departments Fee Increase Schedule

The Housing Department claims they need increases because of an accounng error. Hiring 20 people when only a few were claimed to be needed is NOT an accounng error, as follows:

Staﬃng in Housing Departments with rent registries was almost 4 mes as many staﬀ per 1,000 as San Jose. (Ex: Berkeley

1.1 vs San Jose .03. - Source: ARO Stakeholder Meeng 2016) When I pointed the need for more staﬀ, Mayor Liccardo assured us the City would only need to hire a few people for the Rent Registry because of the technology they would use. Instead, the Housing Department hired 20 people.

Do not penalize the last of us naturally aﬀordable housing providers by making us pay for the Housing Department’s error.

Vote no on increases and hold the Housing Department accountable for their decisions.

Regards,

Roberta Moore
Broker Associate I Compass

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FW: Council Vote Today 5/16: Do Not Increase TPO Fees 227% City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 10:58 AM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: Roberta Moore
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 10:58 AM
To: Mahan, Ma <Ma[email protected]>; Reed, Jim <[email protected]>; Cohen, David <[email protected]>; Davis, Dev <[email protected]>; Doan, Bien <[email protected]>; Foley, Pam <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Batra, Arjun <[email protected]>; Dexter, Michele <[email protected]> Cc: Maguire, Jennifer <[email protected]>; Beckel, Dolan <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Council Vote Today 5/16: Do Not Increase TPO Fees 227%

The Tenant Protect Ordinance is taking the wrong approach to the problem. Read the Housing department’s reports since 2015 when there wasn’t a TPO.

Most evicons then and now are for non-payment of rent. The TPO has not reduced the number of evicons each year. This program is a waste of funds.

If you want to protect people from evicon, set up a strong rental voucher program. And, put the money where it is needed . . helping people get back on their feet or weather a storm.

Vote NO on increasing fees. Stop rewarding the Housing Departments’ punive and destrucve approach to housing.

Regards,

Roberta Moore
Broker Associate I Compass

May 16, 2023
Mayor Matt Mahan
San Jose City Council
San Jose, CA
RE: Maintain Measure E Housing Funds for housing preservation Dear Mayor,
We, the California Community Land Trust Network, respectfully request the city of San Jose Mayor’s Office and City Council to maintain Measure E Housing Funds for housing preservation.

We call on the Mayor’s Office and City Council to maintain this critical funding for its intended use, as approved by voters in 2020, to not divert these funds for uses other than affordable housing, and to keep the Measure E expenditure plan as is.

We urge the City Council and Mayor to keep the balanced approach of the current Measure E expenditure plan and release the acquisition/rehab RFP as soon as possible! Sincerely,
Co-Director for Organizing & Partnerships
California CLT Network

[External Email]
FW: Comment on Agenda Item 3.3 for May 16 Council Meeting City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 12:53 PM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: Lori Katcher
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 11:52 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; CouncilMeeng <CouncilMee[email protected]> Cc: Davis, Dev <[email protected]>; The Oﬃce of Mayor Ma Mahan <[email protected]> Subject: Comment on Agenda Item 3.3 for May 16 Council Meeng

Mayor and Council Members,
My name is Lori Katcher, I am a 20 year resident and voter in District 6, a member of Showing Up for Racial Justice, a Mother, a volunteer with my unhoused neighbors.

Keeping Measure E funds as is, for new affordable housing projects, is important to me, because no matter who we are, whether a Mother, a child, a grandparent, a son, daughter, friend, we all deserve a safe, stable, place to call home. Not a shelter bed for decades- a home.

Decades of failing to invest in affordable housing have brought us to this place. But Measure E put a stake in the ground for affordable housing. Don’t keep kicking the can down the road. Have some courage to make long term investments in affordable housing. While I agree we need interim housing, do not take Measure E for this.

Interim housing stays often have a time limit and end for people, and SO often, families and individuals end up back on the streets because there is not enough permanent housing available.

Claims that this is just a one-time adjustment is not the whole story. o
o
o The City has admitted that its plans to build 1,000 EIHs carries a $50 million annual o operating cost - for which it has no plans for funding other than via Measure E or unidentified General Fund / external sources. This will only make it harder to resume funding for affordable housing in the coming years. o
o
o
o Furthermore, even a one-time shift of funding will have hugely detrimental impacts on affordable housing production in San Jose.
o
o

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Since projects need local funding commitments early in the development process (and before other financing can be secured), even a short-term pause in funding will create exponentially longer delays and threaten to kill projects altogether.

In the face of a severe housing crisis, it is unconscionable for the 10th largest city in the country to so drastically disinvest in affordable housing.

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

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 balances our funding across key housing and homelessness strategies.

The health, safety, and stability of our community and neighborhoods depends on the health, safety, and stability of every single one of our neighbors. When those struggling the most are able to thrive, we all thrive.

Thank you,
Lori Katcher, D6 Resident
Member, SURJ at Sacred Heart
Board Member, Neighborhood Hands

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FW: I oppose changes to the Measure E Spending Plan (Item 3.3 on the May 16th Agenda) City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 12:53 PM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: Maureen Damrel
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 11:50 AM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Ma Mahan <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District3 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>; ac[email protected] Cc: City Clerk <[email protected]>
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 lifetime San Jose resident (living in districts 5,3,7 and currently 6) 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 are 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 maintaining the existing Measure E spending plan.

Thank you!
Maureen Reyes Damrel
Resident of District 6
Parent to children in SJUSD

[External Email]
FW: In Support of Mayor Matt's realocation of M E funds to close encampments! City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 12:54 PM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: Ruth Callahan <
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 11:49 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District3 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>; The Oﬃce of Mayor Ma Mahan <[email protected]> Subject: In Support of Mayor Ma's realocaon of M E funds to close encampments!

KWCNA's forwarding this leer to all of you to underscore KWCNA's support and enthusiasc approval of the reallocaon of Measure E funds.

From:

I am writing to support the Mayor's proposed one-time reallocation of Measure E funds to rapidly house San Jose residents living in poverty outdoors. I feel this reallocation meets the intent of Measure E as presented to San Jose voters (see ballot text below), addresses a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, and directly benefits all San Jose residents, both unhoused and housed.

We are in a housing crisis. The mayor's proposal does the most good for the greatest number, and does so much faster than the status quo. It won't stop affordable housing development, though it may slightly delay some. With the mayor's plan, many people could be housed, stabilized and graduate to self-sufficiency and/or be reunited with family long before an affordable housing unit could be built for them. Others may need to remain in temporary housing longer than ideal, but isn't that so much better than living outdoors? When residents and businesses begin to see our city improve, that'll start a virtuous cycle that helps us afford more affordable housing, better parks, longer library hours and more.

Keep in mind this is only a one-year reallocation of a funding source that continues indefinitely until repealed. Hopefully in future years, new EIH sites could be partially funded by the net cost savings of housing people in EIH sites compared to leaving them unhoused.

Unfortunately, Measure E can't solve the root causes of the housing crisis. San Jose can't build subsidized homes as fast as nearby cities add new jobs without housing. So in parallel, we need to advocate strongly for regional housing solutions and reduce the costs and red tape of building new housing.

I think San Jose voters would agree with me that the Mayor's proposal meets the intent of Measure E, and would strongly support getting people housed as quickly as possible. For reference, here is the ballot language for Measure E:

"To fund general City of San José services, including affordable housing for seniors, veterans, disabled, and low-income families, and helping homeless residents move into shelters/permanent housing, shall an ordinance be adopted enacting a real property transfer tax... until repealed, with all money staying local?"

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The ballot measure Impartial Analysis prepared by the San Jose City Attorney stated:

"Measure E was placed on the ballot by the City Council and, if approved by a majority of the voters, would enact a real property transfer tax ('Transfer Tax'). The Transfer Tax is a proposed general tax which means the City of San Jose could use the revenue for any governmental purpose including, but not limited to, assisting the homeless and providing affordable housing..."

Thanks for your consideration.

David Noel
District 9 resident and President of Erikson Neighborhood Association

--
Ruth A Callahan, President
Kooser Woods Coalion Represenng 1873 Neighbors

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FW: Item number 3.3 (23-690) Public Hearing on the 2023-2024 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets and the 2023-2024 Proposed Fees and Charges for the City of San José, including a One-Time Revision of Percentage Allocations of Measure E Real Propert...

City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 1:16 PM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: Susan Hare
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 1:15 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Fwd: Item number 3.3 (23-690) Public Hearing on the 2023-2024 Proposed Operang and Capital Budgets and the 2023-2024 Proposed Fees and Charges for the City of San José, including a One-Time Revision of Percentage Allocaons of Measure E Real Propert...

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Susan Hare <
Date: Sun, May 14, 2023 at 8:47 PM
Subject: Item number 3.3 (23-690) Public Hearing on the 2023-2024 Proposed Operang and Capital Budgets and the 2023-2024 Proposed Fees and Charges for the City of San José, including a One-Time Revision of Percentage Allocaons of Measure E Real Property Transfer Tax Revenues.

To: <councilmee[email protected]>

Honorable Mayor and City Council Members:

My name is Susan Hare. I am a life-long resident of the City of San Jose and I am wring to you today regarding the City Manager’s Proposed Operang Budget for Fiscal Year 2023- 2024, Aachment D—Reallocaon of Uncommied Measure E Funding.

As a subject maer expert appointed to serve on a special district board and on an industry board, I appreciate the careful consideraon of elected oﬃcials, such as members of the City Council, in making their appointments to commissions and boards. I have also witnessed ﬁrsthand the dedicaon, experse, and integrity of your appointees who serve the community, such as the members of the Housing and Community Development Commission.

I wholeheartedly support the decision of the Housing and Community Development Commission to reject the budget proposal to reallocate Measure E funds and I encourage you to support the HCDC’s posion and reject this proposal as well.

Passage of Measure E required the establishment of a Community Oversight Commiee. The Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) was appointed as the oversight commiee for Measure E spending. This commiee consists of 14 members of the public appointed by the City Council and the Mayor. The members come from every district and reﬂect our diverse San Jose community. They are thoughul, prepared, subject maer experts about the housing and development needs of San Jose. These dedicated public servants were appointed by you to hold meengs, listen to the public, understand local and state laws and regulaons, and to provide oversight of Measure E spending ensuring that the will AND the intenon of the voters regarding aﬀordable housing is protected.

The Housing and Community Development Commission that YOU appointed to look aer the public interest has thoughully considered and then rejected the budget proposal to reallocate Measure E funds. The HCDC has done their job well. Please listen to them and reject the reallocaon of Measure E funds.

Regards

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Susan Hare
District 3, Naglee Park

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RE: City Council: Today 5/16 Stop Raising of our fees 227%! Espejo, Gina <[email protected]>
Tue 5/16/2023 2:10 PM
To:Webmaster Manager <[email protected]>;Agendadesk <[email protected]> Cc: CMOAgendaServices <[email protected]>;Rachelle Blattman <[email protected]> Thanks Ma!

Hi Agenda Desk – Please see aached public comment for today’s Item 3.3.

Thank you,
Gina

From: Webmaster Manager <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 1:55 PM
To: CMOAgendaServices <[email protected]> Subject: FW: City Council: Today 5/16 Stop Raising of our fees 227%!

Good aernoon CMO Agenda Services,
The City Manager’s Oﬃce received the email below from Roberta Moore. I believe this is public comment related to item 3.3 on today’s City Council agenda.

Thank you,
-ma

Ma Opsal
Senior Execuve Analyst
City Manager’s Oﬃce of Communicaons
City of San José
200 E
ast Santa Clara Street, San José, CA 95113

From: Roberta Moore < >
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 1:42 PM
To: Roberta Moore <
Subject: City Council: Today 5/16 Stop Raising of our fees 227%!

Sorry for last minute noce. Two important issues are on the Council’s agenda today.

1. Aer all the housing department has put us through, they are proposing to raise our fees 227% because they made an accounng error.

2. The Mayor has proposed a new Measure E spending plan to end encampments now. The Housing Department wants to wait and spend that money building $500k units for each homeless person and have rallied their non-proﬁts to ﬁght against is plan.

Please aend in person or via zoom today and speak against the rent control fees increase and speak in favor of Ma’s plan to end encampments.

What: San Jose City Council Meeting on Rent Control Ordinance Fee Increase When: Tuesday, May 16th at 2:30pm
In-Person: San Jose City Hall – 200 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose – Council Chambers Zoom: https://sanjoseca.zoom.us/j/88957084529
Fortunately, you can call in via zoom and do other things while waing unl your name is called.

Following is informaon for talking points if you want them:

Here is part of a leer Gina from SCCAOR wrote to SCCAOR leadership:

TODAY at 1:30 PM, at the San Jose City Council meeng, the ﬁrst item that will be taken up will be a budget proposal that does 2 things of parcular interest to us:

1) It signiﬁcantly raises rent stabilizaon fees on small Mom & Pop housing providers - which we OPPOSE

2) It proposes that we use half of this year's Measure E funds for interim housing communies and homelessness prevenon, which will house 1,000 people by the end of 2023 - which we SUPPORT. The remaining half of the Measure E funds will be used for the creaon of aﬀordable housing. (See talking points below.)

Mayor Ma Mahan is working to end the era of homeless encampments, as the City of San Jose provides real soluons that will help get people housed immediately and keep them oﬀ our streets.

PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO TELL MAYOR MATT MAHAN THAT YOU AGREE THAT THE ERA OF ENCAMPMENTS MUST END.

hps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecTUxSViSRS OCo3Wjopk2 x-BRq isVwO Zmx4rA2IXdOig/viewform

San Jose's homelessness problem has reached crisis levels that are not only inhibing development but are also creang signiﬁcant quality-of-life issues for those families who are housed.

Here is the leer I emailed Council today:

Support Ma’s Plan for Measure E

Do not be swayed by the non-proﬁts who get funding from Measure E without delivering substanal results.

Vote yes on Ma’s plan to allocate Measure E funds to helping people NOW.

Oppose the Housing Departments Fee Increase Schedule

The Housing Department claims they need increases because of an accounng error. Hiring 20 people when only a few were claimed to be needed is NOT an accounng error, as follows:

Staﬃng in Housing Departments with rent registries was almost 4 mes as many staﬀ per 1,000 as San Jose. (Ex: Berkeley

Do not penalize the last of us naturally aﬀordable housing providers by making us pay for the Housing Department’s error.

Vote no on increases and hold the Housing Department accountable for their decisions.

Here are Council Contacts if you want to mail them:

Support Ma’s Plan for Measure E
To: Ma Mahan <ma[email protected]>, [email protected], "Cohen, David" <[email protected]>, "Davis, Dev" <[email protected]>, [email protected], "Foley, Pam" <[email protected]>, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], District9 <[email protected]>, [email protected], Arjun Batra <[email protected]>, [email protected]
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

cc: Jennifer Maguire <[email protected]>, "Beckel, Dolan" <[email protected]>, [email protected]

Regards,

Roberta Moore
Broker Associate I Compass

[External Email]
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Long term housing
Balam Vargas >
Tue 5/16/2023 12:04 PM
To:Batra, Arjun <[email protected]>;Doan, Bien <[email protected]>;Cohen, David <[email protected]>;Davis, Dev <[email protected]>;Candelas, Domingo <[email protected]>;Mahan, Matt <[email protected]>;Torres, Omar <[email protected]>;Foley, Pam <[email protected]>;Ortiz, Peter <[email protected]>;Kamei, Rosemary <[email protected]>;Jimenez, Sergio <[email protected]>;Agendadesk <[email protected]>;District1 <[email protected]>;District 10 <[email protected]>;District2 <[email protected]>;District3 <[email protected]>;District4 <[email protected]>;District5 <[email protected]>;District 6 <[email protected]>;District7 <[email protected]> Some people who received this message don't often get email from . Learn why this is important

Hi, my name is Balam Vargas and I am a resident of downtown San Jose. I am also an advocate for affordable housing for the public

For far too long San José's affordability issues have been ignored, and communities like San José have disproportionally suffered from the effects of overcrowding, homelessness, and poor living conditions.

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 only a short term solution and would greatly hurt efforts to improve the housing situation for residents of all incomes of San Jose.

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.

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

Thank you.

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FW: Protect Measure E and Fund Housing
City Clerk <[email protected]>
Wed 5/17/2023 8:13 AM
To:Agendadesk <[email protected]>

From: David Padilla
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 5:44 PM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Ma Mahan <[email protected]>; Kamei, Rosemary <[email protected]>; Jimenez, Sergio <[email protected]>; Torres, Omar <[email protected]>; Cohen, David <[email protected]>; Orz, Peter <Peter.Or[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>; Davis, Dev <[email protected]>; Doan, Bien <[email protected]>; Foley, Pam <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>
Subject: Protect Measure E and Fund Housing

Dear Mayor and Council,

I am a resident in District 4 and am reaching out to support the efforts to keep the integrity of Measure E. 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.

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 no more displacement in order to truly and genuinely move to combat our housing crisis.

Sincerely,

David Padilla

David Padilla
SEIU 521

San Jose City CouncilMay 16, 2023

San Jose City Council
May 16, 2023