May 9, 2025
The Honorable Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, and City Council Members
RE: Reconsider the Elimination of Older Adult Health & Wellness Services Budget
Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor, and esteemed City Council Members,
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the recent notification of the proposed elimination of the Older Adult Health and Wellness Grant Program in the upcoming 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Breathe California is a community-rooted nonprofit organization, dedicated for over a century to the fight against lung disease in all its forms and committed to fostering lung health within our communities.
The seniors served by this grant program are particularly vulnerable, often lacking prior access to vital preventive information and care for serious health conditions, notably lung disease, which significantly affects this demographic. They encounter substantial obstacles such as language barriers, limited financial resources, lack of transportation, and other systemic health inequities.
Breathe California of the Bay Area, Golden Gate, and Central Coast has long recognized and applauded the City of San Jose's commitment to enhancing the lives of older adults and providing crucial support over the years. This very grant program has been instrumental in safeguarding vulnerable seniors from the burden of lung diseases through vital pulmonary health screenings, instruction in breathing exercises, provision of essential air purifiers and medical equipment, and informative sessions on lung health and related topics.
Furthermore, it plays a significant role in reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations, while also mitigating social isolation among these individuals. Investing in preventive care is paramount to preventing individuals from experiencing homelessness, and continued funding for this program is crucial. Its discontinuation could unfortunately lead to an increase in homelessness, further exacerbating the existing crisis.
I sincerely urge you to reconsider the proposed elimination of this vital funding, as it has a profound impact on the overall health and well-being of our San Jose community.
Breathe California
of the Bay Area,
Golden Gate, and
Central Coast
1469 Park Avenue
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 998-5865
Toll-Free: 1-877-3-BREATHE
Fax: (408) 998-0578
www.lungsrus.org
[email protected]
Tax ID#: 94-1156307
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairperson
Amresh Prasad
Secretary
Joann Blessing-Moore, MD
Treasurer
Astha Sharma
Directors
Roslyn Bienenstock, RRT, MPH
Thomas M. Dailey, MD, FCCP
Frank DeBiaso
Sulochina Lulla, MD, MPH
Tracy Richmond McKnight, PhD
Richard Stedman
Terry Trumbull
Chief Executive Officer
Tanya Payyappilly, MD, MPH
Deputy Executive Director
Margo Sidener, MS, CHES
A member of the
Breathe America
™
Alliance
A healthy population is foundational to a thriving economy. Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at
Sincerely,
Tanya Payyappilly, MD, MPH
Chief Executive Officer
EMAIL SUBJECT: Public Comment: CSJ Budget Study Session - Neighborhood Services Re: Oppose Funding Reduction to Guadalupe River Park Conservancy Contract Agreement
Dear Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, and Councilmembers, My name is Gillian Naegele, and I am a previous Staff Member of the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy and park user of the Guadalupe River Park who cares deeply about the future of the Guadalupe River Park and its role in San Jose. I’m writing to respectfully voice my concern about the proposed reduction in the management agreement fee to the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, and to urge the City to continue working in partnership with this vital nonprofit.
The Conservancy has been a constant and positive force in our community for decades — providing green space, programs, and public art that enhance our quality of life and connect people from every part of San Jose. I have personally led over 50 volunteer events at the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, have utilized the trails for active transportation purposes throughout the Downtown core, and have cherished the park as an urban greenspace serving as a valuable addition to the urban fabric of San Jose. As a former Staff Member and member of the community who has cherished the Guadalupe River Park as my neighborhood park, I can attest to the value the Conservancy brings.
Even through the difficult economic climate of 2024, the organization remained active and dedicated — helping keep our parks clean, safe, and welcoming, and advancing efforts that benefit all of San Jose.
The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy is an invaluable organization in the preservation, programming, and enhancement of the Guadalupe River Park. You would be hard-pressed to find a group of people more dedicated to San Jose’s Civic Infrastructure than the team at the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy, and that shows in the tireless hours that the GRPC dedicates to park maintenance, educational programming (for San Jose’s youth and adults alike), community engagement, park beautification, park programming, and the countless other ways that the GRPC Staff steps up for our public green spaces every day.
Beyond the day-to-day efforts of the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy Staff, the GRPC facilitates countless opportunities for the community to serve as stewards for public spaces. In my time running the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy’s volunteer program, I saw hundreds of folk, from students, to retirees, to families wanting to instill civic pride in their children, come to the Guadalupe River Park to give back to their community. In a world where no amount of Staff Capacity (non-profit or City Staff) is enough to keep on top of all the work that needs to be done to keep our civic greenspaces looking and feeling their best, the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy is able to facilitate community engagement in a way that creates tangible results, saving on countless hours of maintenance time that might otherwise need to fall on City Staff or other contracts.
Urban greenspaces on the magnitude of the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens are hard to come by, especially in proximity to large Downtowns, and San Jose should feel extremely grateful to have such an incredible asset serve as the neighborhood park for Downtown residents. While we can reap some of the benefits of parks from the mere existence of these green spaces (cooling urban heat islands, helping to minimize water runoff, cleaning our air with trees), none of the social benefits of parks (promoting community engagement, fostering social connection, improving public health) work unless people engage in these public spaces. The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy’s programming, volunteer opportunities,
and educational events are a driving force to get people into the Park, allowing San Jose residents to capitalize on the green infrastructure that is available to them. The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy’s stewardship and maintenance efforts help to maintain the park as an inviting space, and allow for greater eyes on the park than would otherwise be unavailable due to limited capacity. The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy is the lifeblood of the Guadalupe River Park, and their presence in this public space is critical to ensuring that this critical greenspace can be well-utilized and well-loved by Downtown Residence and visitors alike.
Reducing funding to the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy now would put important progress at risk and send the wrong message about how we value public-private partnerships and community-driven work. More than ever, San Jose needs organizations such as the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy to help facilitate civic engagement and to create safe, comfortable public spaces for the community to enjoy.
I respectfully ask that you continue to support the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy at its current funding level and continue good-faith negotiations that honor the long history of collaboration and public benefit.
Sincerely,
Gillian Naegele
Former Guadalupe River Park Conservancy Staff Member