Letters from the Public - 2 of 4 — San Jose City Council, June 10, 2025

1098 Lincoln Avenue ∙ SUITE 200 ∙ SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95125 ∙ PHONE (408) 292-1601

June 9, 2025

Mayor Mahan
San Jose City Councilmembers
200 East Santa Clara Street – 18th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113

RE: Support for Mayor’s Proposed Budget for 2025-26

Honorable Mayor and City Council:

As a San Jose business stakeholder, Republic Urban Properties would like to express our staunch support for the Mayor’s June Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2025–2026. This proposed budget aligns closely with priorities important to the business community – spurring economic growth, accelerating housing development, addressing the homelessness crisis, and maintaining a safe, vibrant city – all while exercising prudent fiscal management. We commend the City’s leadership for crafting a balanced, fiscally responsible plan that closes a significant deficit with minimal service impacts. This budget also sets aside reserves to buffer against future shortfalls. Equally important, the budget maintains critical services and invests in long-term solutions that will benefit our economy and quality of life.

We are particularly encouraged by key initiatives in the FY 2025–26 Budget Message that demonstrate this alignment with our community’s needs:

• Accelerating Housing Development: We applaud the commitment of new resources to accelerate housing construction across all income levels. Notably, the budget allocates about $60 million through a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to support affordable housing development. In collaboration with Santa Clara County and other partners, this infusion is expected to jumpstart construction of approximately 760 new affordable homes in the coming year – a significant step toward easing our housing shortage. By prioritizing housing production and removing barriers to development, the city is creating a more accessible, affordable market for our workforce and residents, which in turn supports local businesses.
• Tackling Homelessness with Shelter and Prevention: The budget makes robust investments to reduce homelessness, dedicating $39.2 million to expand interim housing and supportive services – a move that will enable nearly 1,937 additional safe placements for unhoused residents in sanctioned housing, converted hotels, safe parking, and sanctioned encampment. It also wisely preserves funding for homelessness prevention (10% of Measure E real estate transfer tax revenues) to help at-risk individuals stay off the streets. This two-pronged approach – providing immediate shelter while addressing root causes – is exactly what our business community has called for to restore the health of our neighborhoods.
• Catalyzing Economic Growth and Tourism: The budget leverages upcoming opportunities to boost our local economy. As San José prepares to co-host world-class events in 2026 – including the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl 60, and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – resources are being allocated to ensure visitors “Fly, Stay, and Play” in San José. This includes funding for unique fan experiences (such as watch parties and live entertainment) and improvements to downtown amenities in partnership with organizations like the San José Sports Authority. By capitalizing on these high-profile events, the city will drive tourism, patronage of local businesses, and positive exposure, benefiting our regional economy.
• Making San José a Premier Business Destination: Beyond the immediate boost of special events, the FY 2025–26 budget lays groundwork for long-term economic vitality. It funds planning for a new downtown sports and entertainment district and retains dedicated business outreach positions to strengthen key commercial corridors such as Story Road, East Village, and Alum Rock. These efforts aim to position San José as the region’s premier destination for sports, entertainment, shopping, and – Support Letter for Mayor’s 2025-26 Budget
June 9, 2025

Page 2 of 2 ends

2 importantly – business creation. We are pleased to see the city not only supporting existing business districts, but also proactively cultivating an environment where new industries can thrive. • Enhancing a Clean and Safe City: We appreciate the budget’s focus on improving quality of life in our business districts and neighborhoods. It increases enforcement against blight and nuisances – from graffiti abatement to illegal dumping clean-ups – and holds negligent property owners accountable for code violations that harm the surrounding community. By funding additional Code Enforcement staff and initiatives (such as the “Vanlording” enforcement detailed in MBA #11), the City will be better equipped to address blighted properties and safety issues proactively. A cleaner, safer environment is crucial for businesses, encouraging customers to visit commercial areas and signaling that San José is on the rise.

We are grateful that even in a tight budget year, these basic “back to basics” services remain a priority.

In sum, the Mayor’s 2025–26 Budget Message aligns city resources with our community’s most pressing needs in a way that fosters economic growth and enhances livability. As stakeholders dedicated to local economic development, housing solutions, and public-private collaboration, we are encouraged to see a budget that reflects these values. The thoughtful investments in this plan – from housing and homelessness programs to business and infrastructure initiatives – will undoubtedly yield a stronger, more inclusive economy and a healthier community in the years to come.

For these reasons, I wholeheartedly support the Mayor’s Budget Message for FY 2025–2026 and respectfully urge the City Council to approve it. By adopting this budget, San José will affirm its commitment to an inclusive economic recovery and a higher quality of life for all residents.

Sincerely,

Michael
R. Van Every
President and Managing Partner

June 6, 2025
Cit
y of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St.

San Jose, Ca 95113

RE: Mayor’s June Budget 25-26

Dear Mayor Mahan and City Council,
Thank you for your continued commitment to our local business corridors. We truly appreciate the recent District 3 funding allocations, including $100,000 to support the Downtown Streets Team and $10,000 dedicated to activation efforts and economic development in San José.

Calle Willow is home to a profound Latino community that prides itself on genuine culture and food. Located south of downtown, our infrastructure is set to allow us to do activities such as closing our streets and allowing our community to enjoy the space.

Your investment is helping breathe new life into these vital community spaces. From supporting small businesses to creating more welcoming and engaging environments, this funding is a crucial step toward building stronger, more connected neighborhoods. Our streets have never been cleaner!
We deeply appreciate your leadership and dedication to uplifting our local economy. Your continued advocacy ensures that our diverse communities have the resources they need to grow, thrive, and succeed.

Thank you once again for your commitment to San Jose’s future.

Alonzo Lopez
President, Calle Willow

San José Mayor Mahan and City Council,
158 people have signed a petition on Action Network telling you to Fully Fund San José’s Climate Response!.

Here is the petition they signed:

Dear San José Mayor Mahan and City Council,
The urgency of addressing climate change has never been more clear. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperatures are rising, and the window for preventing irreversible damage is closing extremely quickly. In San José, we have seen firsthand the devastating effects of climate change. Wildfires have often scorched surrounding regions, while extreme heat waves strain our infrastructure and endanger vulnerable residents, particularly those who are unhoused or who live in buildings with no cooling. Prolonged droughts threaten our water supply and the natural ecosystem that surrounds us. These changes in our climate are not just statistics; they are genuine impacts on our community, health, economy, and environment.

As we strive to combat these challenges, programs like Climate Smart San José are vital to ensuring a sustainable future. A 32% decrease in year-on-year funding for Climate Smart during the 2024-2025 fiscal year was a step backward on the long path of progress toward our 2030 carbon neutrality goals. These budget cuts were a false economy. Studies are clear that the financial cost of rapid decarbonization right now is dwarfed by the economic damages we will suffer if the climate crisis is allowed to progress. Now it is the time to invest more, not less, in initiatives that protect our city, its residents, and its future generations.

We, the students of the San José Y outh Climate Action Team and our partners throughout the City, urge the San José City Council to increase the one-time 2025-26 fiscal year funding for Climate Smart San José and to establish permanent annual funding. Further, we ask that the Council consider increasing Environmental Services Department or Energy Department staff to support the vital work of Climate Smart San José towards our city’s 2030 carbon neutrality goal. We also urge the Council to accelerate public outreach programs and collaboration with community-based organizations to effectively carry out Climate Smart’s goals and empower all residents to adopt climate-friendly technologies and practices and to take action in our communities. We acknowledge the budget shortfall that the City of San José is currently facing, but climate funding must remain a key priority in this year’s decisions.

Maintaining support and resources for Climate Smart San José is critical to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and mitigating our city’s environmental impact. Climate change is harming our city right now, and things will continue to worsen until we take dramatic action. To protect our future and prevent further harm, the city must intensify its climate action efforts. Fully implementing the Climate Smart San José Plan will deliver significant co-benefits, including cleaner air, safer streets, more beautiful and liveable neighborhoods, and medium and long- term cost savings.

San José has made notable progress, such as founding San José Clean Energy which has increased our proportion of clean electricity, requiring EV charging access in most new apartment buildings, and starting electrification rebate programs. These measures set a strong foundation for reducing emissions and promoting sustainable development. However, without consistent funding and staffing for Climate Smart initiatives, the city risks falling short of its ambitious and necessary goals. An October 2024 City memo stated, “While the City continues to progress towards its City Council-approved climate goals, continued City investment and focus are necessary to reach those goals.” Indeed, we are not on track to reach our climate targets, and it will require significant action right now to get back on track. 2030 is less than 5 years away.

As one of the largest U.S. cities to commit to carbon neutrality by 2030, and ranked the sixth greenest city in the nation, San José is a leader in climate action. Still, we currently devote far less funding to climate action than other comparable cities like San Diego and Portland. As the capital of Silicon Valley and an epicenter of innovation, other cities look to San José’s lead.

The ripple effects of our decisions are profound and will add up to significant effects. Reducing support for Climate Smart would send the precise wrong message to other cities and hinder collective progress in tackling climate change. Instead, San José must continue to lead by example, demonstrating that bold investments in sustainability are possible, necessary, and effective.

It must be noted that this is in the context of extreme backsliding on climate efforts at a national level. It is the responsibility of our local governments to step up and take action.

By increasing funding and support for Climate Smart San José, we can put our city on a path toward achieving our climate goals while serving as a leading example for other cities to follow. San José has the potential to be a model of climate action, but that future depends on our commitment today. Let’s ensure that the necessary resources are in place to make this goal a reality.

Mayor Mahan and City Council, please remember, you are the last generation of leaders who has the power to halt the most catastrophic effects of the climate crisis on our present and our future. We are counting on you.

Y ou can view each petition signer and the comments they left you below.

Thank you,
San José Y outh Climate Action Team

1. San José Youth Climate Action Team (ZIP code: 95112)

2. Mani Bekele (ZIP code: 95112)
I am incredibly excited to launch this petition. San Jose needs to reflect climate as a top priority and necessity in this year's budget.

3. Mila Bekele (ZIP code: 95112)

4. Lisa Charpontier (ZIP code: 95112)

5. Sangeeth Sridharan (ZIP code: 95120)

6. Calvin Sridhara (ZIP code: 95120)

7. Nishika Ivaturi (ZIP code: 95148)

8. Kanika Rawat (ZIP code: 95131)

9. Celine Sims (ZIP code: 95127)

10. Cynthia Li (ZIP code: 94087)

11. Sarah Miller (ZIP code: 95037)

12. Carolyn Kameya (ZIP code: 95126)
The federal government is doing everything it can to dig deeper in the fossil fuels hole that has been a major cause of the climate emergency. We need cities in general & San Jose in particular, to lead a path with a future.

13. Jennifer Mutch (ZIP code: 95125)

14. Poojit Hegde (ZIP code: 94301)

15. Palash H (ZIP code: 95020)

16. Will Li (ZIP code: 08844)

17. Cid Muang (ZIP code: 94305)

18. Allison Thomas (ZIP code: 94305)

19. May-Jann Wong (ZIP code: 94305)

20. Diane Koh (ZIP code: 94305)

21. Juhae Song (ZIP code: 94305)

22. Cooper Marcus (ZIP code: 94103)

23. Ian McDermod (ZIP code: 94044)

24. Destiny Henderson-Hudgins (ZIP code: 95112)

25. Elizabeth Ruder (ZIP code: 95126)
This is SO important. Let me know how I can help.

26. Ze-Kun Li (ZIP code: 95130)

27. Della Duncan (ZIP code: 94112)

28. John Lydon (ZIP code: 94114)

29. Migdalia Rodriguez C. (ZIP code: 95148)

30. Wendy Pfile (ZIP code: 95139)
I love San Jose and applaud the work our city has done around climate change. We cannot roll back the progress we’ve made so far. Please keep funding climate change work in San Jose. Our kids deserve a healthy environment.

31. Alan Fanning (ZIP code: 95112-2358)

32. Pamela Collaco (ZIP code: 95126)

33. Julia Howlett (ZIP code: 95112)

34. Hannah Haworth (ZIP code: 95125)

35. Rebecca Piscitelli (ZIP code: 95112)

36. Ted Smith (ZIP code: 95112)

37. Nabeela Aijaz (ZIP code: 95125)

38. Briam Campbell (ZIP code: 95125)

39. Raj Mahajan (ZIP code: 95112)

40. Clarabelle Wang (ZIP code: 95014)
Climate Change resiliency is not another expense that we can budget, it is the front line dense against the next major extinction event.

41. Michael Kutilek (ZIP code: 95112-2368)

42. Robin Goka Huynh (ZIP code: 95112)

43. Isabella Kim (ZIP code: 95135)

44. Atul Rawat (ZIP code: 95131)

45. Geeta Negi (ZIP code: 95131)

46. Aahaan Jain (ZIP code: 95129)
It's devastating for the community that valuable climate change funding is being slashed. Please sign this petition as a way to voice your opinion!

47. Daphne Zhu (ZIP code: 95129)

48. Ashima Sharma (ZIP code: 94086)

49. Alie Victorine (ZIP code: 95111)

50. Elizabeth DeVincenzi (ZIP code: 95135)

51. Stephanie Clark (ZIP code: 94520)

52. Patricia Blevins (ZIP code: 95118)
San Jose doesn't do anything to support climate action ie SJ Clean Energy (aggregate) has done nothing to fight AB 942 which would repeal the 20 yr NEM 1.0 and NEM2.0 contracts the State made with 2,000,000 California rooftop solar owners. I've asked for their help and they have not even replied to my emails.

53. Erh-yen To (ZIP code: 95835)

54. Nora Coyle (ZIP code: 92807)

55. Noah Haydon (ZIP code: 94015)

56. AJ cho (ZIP code: 94579)

57. Casey Cameron (ZIP code: 95125)
I am a big fan of the Climate Smart program! Do NOT cut it! We cannot afford to put the climate work aside, especially now when we are increasingly facing catastrophic climate disruption. I was so proud of San Jose’s commitment to Climate Smart program! Please do not walk it back.

58. lynn hoang (ZIP code: 92833)

59. Harry Moody (ZIP code: 94403)

60. Todd Weber (ZIP code: 95125)

61. Rita Foster (ZIP code: 95125)

62. Linda Kerr (ZIP code: 95125)

63. Dan And Lilly Kittredge (ZIP code: 91941)

64. Christine Zack (ZIP code: 95008)
We need to do all that we can to slow climate change.

65. Sarah Adkar (ZIP code: 94536)

66. Brandon Lin (ZIP code: 94010)

67. Mitchelle Pasillas (ZIP code: 95117)

68. Zoe Hanshew (ZIP code: 94062)

69. Nathan Albano (ZIP code: 95120)

70. Jon Zack (ZIP code: 95008)

71. Felicia Gershberg (ZIP code: 94087)
San José's climate action (and inaction) affects your neighbors, too, like me and my family in Sunnyvale!

72. Barbara Hamel (ZIP code: 94086)

73. Ian MacLeod (ZIP code: 95124)

74. Eve Lindsay (ZIP code: 95112)

75. Aarini Kasturi (ZIP code: 95129)

76. Stacy Brobst (ZIP code: 95035)

77. Gillian Claus (ZIP code: 95124)

78. Max Claus (ZIP code: 95124)
I recently graduated with a B.S.c in Marine Biology and am committed to conservation and to supporting the healthy functioning of our global ecosystems and feel that San Jose has the potential to be a leader in combatting climate change.

79. Julianna Silva (ZIP code: 95123)

80. William DeVincenzi (ZIP code: 95135)

81. JL Angell (ZIP code: 95672)

82. Stan Fitzgerald (ZIP code: 94618)

83. Ree Whitford (ZIP code: 91607-3052)

84. Ann Thryft (ZIP code: 95006)

85. Jeremy Spencer (ZIP code: 94044-3318)

86. Giovannina Fazio (ZIP code: 94601)

87. Shell Cleave (ZIP code: 94019)

88. David Baca (ZIP code: 94720)
Green New Deal !!

89. David Warner (ZIP code: 23235)

90. steven atneosne (ZIP code: 94306)

91. Holly Miller (ZIP code: 95037)

92. Marilynn Smith (ZIP code: 95127)

93. Brian Haberly (ZIP code: 95112)

94. Jenny Green (ZIP code: 95124)

95. Annelise Bazar (ZIP code: 95110)

96. thalia lubin (ZIP code: 94062)

97. Laura Overmann (ZIP code: 94010-5141)

98. Beth Darlington (ZIP code: 12604)

San José Mayor Mahan and City Council,
191 people have signed a petition on Action Network telling you to Fully Fund San José’s Climate Response!.

Here is the petition they signed:

It must be noted that this is in the context of extreme backsliding on climate efforts at a national level. It is the responsibility of our local governments to step up and take action.

Y ou can view each petition signer and the comments they left you below.

Thank you,
San José Y outh Climate Action Team

1. San José Youth Climate Action Team (ZIP code: 95112)

2. Mani Bekele (ZIP code: 95112)
I am incredibly excited to launch this petition. San Jose needs to reflect climate as a top priority and necessity in this year's budget.

3. Mila Bekele (ZIP code: 95112)

4. Lisa Charpontier (ZIP code: 95112)

5. Sangeeth Sridharan (ZIP code: 95120)

6. Calvin Sridhara (ZIP code: 95120)

7. Nishika Ivaturi (ZIP code: 95148)

8. Kanika Rawat (ZIP code: 95131)

9. Celine Sims (ZIP code: 95127)

10. Cynthia Li (ZIP code: 94087)

11. Sarah Miller (ZIP code: 95037)

13. Jennifer Mutch (ZIP code: 95125)

14. Poojit Hegde (ZIP code: 94301)

15. Palash H (ZIP code: 95020)

16. Will Li (ZIP code: 08844)

17. Cid Muang (ZIP code: 94305)

18. Allison Thomas (ZIP code: 94305)

19. May-Jann Wong (ZIP code: 94305)

20. Diane Koh (ZIP code: 94305)

21. Juhae Song (ZIP code: 94305)

22. Cooper Marcus (ZIP code: 94103)

23. Ian McDermod (ZIP code: 94044)

24. Destiny Henderson-Hudgins (ZIP code: 95112)

25. Elizabeth Ruder (ZIP code: 95126)
This is SO important. Let me know how I can help.

26. Ze-Kun Li (ZIP code: 95130)

27. Della Duncan (ZIP code: 94112)

28. John Lydon (ZIP code: 94114)

29. Migdalia Rodriguez C. (ZIP code: 95148)

31. Alan Fanning (ZIP code: 95112-2358)

32. Pamela Collaco (ZIP code: 95126)

33. Julia Howlett (ZIP code: 95112)

34. Hannah Haworth (ZIP code: 95125)

35. Rebecca Piscitelli (ZIP code: 95112)

36. Ted Smith (ZIP code: 95112)

37. Nabeela Aijaz (ZIP code: 95125)

38. Briam Campbell (ZIP code: 95125)

39. Raj Mahajan (ZIP code: 95112)

40. Clarabelle Wang (ZIP code: 95014)
Climate Change resiliency is not another expense that we can budget, it is the front line dense against the next major extinction event.

41. Michael Kutilek (ZIP code: 95112-2368)

42. Robin Goka Huynh (ZIP code: 95112)

43. Isabella Kim (ZIP code: 95135)

44. Atul Rawat (ZIP code: 95131)

45. Geeta Negi (ZIP code: 95131)

46. Aahaan Jain (ZIP code: 95129)
It's devastating for the community that valuable climate change funding is being slashed. Please sign this petition as a way to voice your opinion!

47. Daphne Zhu (ZIP code: 95129)

48. Ashima Sharma (ZIP code: 94086)

49. Alie Victorine (ZIP code: 95111)

50. Elizabeth DeVincenzi (ZIP code: 95135)

51. Stephanie Clark (ZIP code: 94520)

53. Erh-yen To (ZIP code: 95835)

54. Nora Coyle (ZIP code: 92807)

55. Noah Haydon (ZIP code: 94015)

56. AJ cho (ZIP code: 94579)

58. lynn hoang (ZIP code: 92833)

59. Harry Moody (ZIP code: 94403)

60. Todd Weber (ZIP code: 95125)

61. Rita Foster (ZIP code: 95125)

62. Linda Kerr (ZIP code: 95125)

63. Dan And Lilly Kittredge (ZIP code: 91941)

64. Christine Zack (ZIP code: 95008)
We need to do all that we can to slow climate change.

65. Sarah Adkar (ZIP code: 94536)

66. Brandon Lin (ZIP code: 94010)

67. Mitchelle Pasillas (ZIP code: 95117)

68. Zoe Hanshew (ZIP code: 94062)

69. Nathan Albano (ZIP code: 95120)

70. Jon Zack (ZIP code: 95008)

71. Felicia Gershberg (ZIP code: 94087)
San José's climate action (and inaction) affects your neighbors, too, like me and my family in Sunnyvale!

72. Barbara Hamel (ZIP code: 94086)

73. Ian MacLeod (ZIP code: 95124)

74. Eve Lindsay (ZIP code: 95112)

75. Aarini Kasturi (ZIP code: 95129)

76. Stacy Brobst (ZIP code: 95035)

77. Gillian Claus (ZIP code: 95124)

79. Julianna Silva (ZIP code: 95123)

80. William DeVincenzi (ZIP code: 95135)

81. JL Angell (ZIP code: 95672)

82. Stan Fitzgerald (ZIP code: 94618)

83. Ree Whitford (ZIP code: 91607-3052)

84. Ann Thryft (ZIP code: 95006)

85. Jeremy Spencer (ZIP code: 94044-3318)

86. Giovannina Fazio (ZIP code: 94601)

87. Shell Cleave (ZIP code: 94019)

88. David Baca (ZIP code: 94720)
Green New Deal !!

89. David Warner (ZIP code: 23235)

90. steven atneosne (ZIP code: 94306)

91. Holly Miller (ZIP code: 95037)

92. Marilynn Smith (ZIP code: 95127)

93. Brian Haberly (ZIP code: 95112)

94. Jenny Green (ZIP code: 95124)

95. Annelise Bazar (ZIP code: 95110)

96. thalia lubin (ZIP code: 94062)

97. Laura Overmann (ZIP code: 94010-5141)

98. Beth Darlington (ZIP code: 12604)

99. Avroh Shah (ZIP code: 94303)
100. Lauren Murdock (ZIP code: 93110)
101. Liana Lang (ZIP code: 18661)
102. Ann Dorsey (ZIP code: 91325)
103. Renee Klein (ZIP code: 90292)
104. Siena Watson (ZIP code: 95124)
105. Miriam Martin (ZIP code: 95127)
Climate change is an urgent issue! Please put funds into finding solutions! 106. Serena Myjer (ZIP code: 95125)
107. Jennifer Cohen (ZIP code: 95008)
108. Kolumban Boesch (ZIP code: 95126)
The city of San Jose must take actions to mitigate climate change. Fully fund San Jose’s climate response!!
109. Lisa Adolph (ZIP code: 95120)
110. Maria Aranda (ZIP code: 95148)
111. Thomas Carlino (ZIP code: 95117-4202)
112. Doug Musto (ZIP code: 95127)
113. alison carpenter (ZIP code: 95118)
Alison Carpenter
114. Alia Merla (ZIP code: 95123)
115. Shannon Loucks (ZIP code: 97498)
116. Julie Wiltshire (ZIP code: 95112)
117. Eve Moran (ZIP code: 95125)
118. Deborah St Julien (ZIP code: 95136)
119. Rev Rowan Fairgrove (ZIP code: 95112)
120. catalina tirado-gonzalez (ZIP code: 95138)
121. Ina Roy (ZIP code: 94089)
Please make sure to keep our budget for the climate (and add to it!), since the FedGov is doing its best to destroy everything in the environment we depend on. 122. Bobbi Diamond (ZIP code: 94086)
123. Nana Lehtinen (ZIP code: 95125)
124. Derek Benedict (ZIP code: 90250)
125. Yonas Bekele (ZIP code: 94550)
126. Amy T (ZIP code: 95123)
127. Bonnie Arbuckle (ZIP code: 95367)
128. Debra Reynolds (ZIP code: 95128)
129. Nicolas Catabelle (ZIP code: 95136)
130. Melissa Blum (ZIP code: 95126)
131. Jacob Kosiba (ZIP code: 94303)
132. Ihab Awad (ZIP code: 95126)
133. Em McGuiness (ZIP code: 95128)
134. Zoe Gingrich (ZIP code: 94087)
135. Stacy Braslau-Schneck (ZIP code: 95125-2925)
We need this more than ever!
136. paola bueno (ZIP code: 95126)
137. Vivek Sharma (ZIP code: 95148)
138. John Oda (ZIP code: 94115)
139. Gregory Stevens (ZIP code: 94121)
140. Lucas Filshill (ZIP code: 94086)
141. jeffer razai (ZIP code: 95121)
142. Nora Carino (ZIP code: 95148)
143. Jenna Mu (ZIP code: 95030)
144. Chelsea Lee (ZIP code: 95014)
145. Al Park (ZIP code: 95111)
146. Phil Bobel (ZIP code: 94301)
147. Dennis Murphy (ZIP code: 94062)
148. Lauren Weston (ZIP code: 94303)
149. Meghan Lynch (ZIP code: 95070)
150. Mary Helen Doherty (ZIP code: 95112)
Thank you Mani for sharing this with me.
151. Nikola Konecny (ZIP code: 95126-2815)
152. Annette McMillan (ZIP code: 95121)
153. Maya Konecna (ZIP code: 95126)
154. Nathan Lee (ZIP code: 95014)
155. Toto Vu-Duc (ZIP code: 95076)
156. Hellas Lee (ZIP code: 95054)
157. Sarah Romano (ZIP code: 94556)
158. Joanna Tang (ZIP code: 94306)
159. Lenore Delgado (ZIP code: 94306)
160. Kimberly Meade (ZIP code: 95050)
161. Hoai-An Truong (ZIP code: 95126)
162. Lisa Gherardi (ZIP code: 95032)
163. Anna Brigantino (ZIP code: 95050)
164. Howard Cohen (ZIP code: 94306)
165. Ruth Clifford (ZIP code: 95126)
166. Gretchen Daily (ZIP code: 94305)
167. Kim Messmer (ZIP code: 95051)
168. Russell Stone (ZIP code: 95148-3209)
169. Susan Hinton (ZIP code: 95050)
170. Suzanne Becket (ZIP code: 95014)
171. Lynda Heideman (ZIP code: 94025)
I don't live in San Jose, but I do work around the Bay Area. And, of course, air and water knows no borders. We must all work together to address the existential threat that is climate change. 172. Heather Guillen (ZIP code: 95112)
173. Muneerah Lalani (ZIP code: 95127)
174. Isabelle Chappuis (ZIP code: 95131)
175. alice nguyen (ZIP code: 95136)
176. Chris Loo (ZIP code: 95037)
177. Ugo Eke-Simmons (ZIP code: 95826)
178. Mary Perry (ZIP code: 95125)
179. Terry Trumbull (ZIP code: 94301)

June 5, 2025

T o: Mayor Matt Mahan and San José City Council
From: Josefina Aguilar, Executive Director, South Bay Community Land Trust & Laura Díaz T ovar, Operational Co Director
Cc: City Clerk
Subject: 2025 2026 Budget: Protect Measure E, Reject Criminalization, and Invest in Community Powered Housing Solutions
Dear Mayor Mahan and Members of the San José City Council, On behalf of the South Bay Community Land Trust (SBCLT), we write to express grave concern regarding the proposed 2025–2026 City Budget. The deep cuts to permanent affordable housing, continued investment in criminalizing unhoused residents, and the redirection of Measure E funds away from long- term solutions threaten the very stability of San José’s most vulnerable communities.

As a nonprofit community land trust incorporated in 2019, SBCLT exists to combat displacement, land speculation, and the deterioration of community life for low and moderate income residents of Santa Clara County. We achieve this by acquiring and permanently removing land from the speculative market, preserving multifamily housing at risk of displacement, and supporting collective and democratic models of ownership, like limited equity cooperatives and resident-controlled housing. SBCLT is the only community land trust operating in San José focused on this mission, and our model is one of the few pathways to housing stability and asset-building that does not result in gentrification or loss of community.

This City’s past investments in preservation have worked. Because of your leadership and a $5 million allocation from Measure E in last year’s budget, SBCLT was able to acquire an 18-unit apartment building on Virginia Avenue in East San José—permanently preserving homes for multi generational, working class families, the majority of whom earn under 30% of the Area Median Income. City investment in this project was catalytic: it unlocked private philanthropic funds and drew state and regional interest, demonstrating what is possible when San José leads with equity and long-term vision.

However, this progress is at risk.

SBCLT joins our partners in the REAL (Racial Equity in Action and Leadership) Coalition—including URG, LEAC, SIREN, the San José May Day Coalition, AGAPE, and SV Debug—in calling for the following critical changes to the FY 2025–2026 City Budget:

1. Reject the “Responsibility to Shelter” Policy.

This proposal fails to recognize the real barriers unhoused residents face and instead proposes punitive measures that cycle people through trauma without stable exits to care or housing. Experts, including Santa Clara County officials and mental health professionals, have already called out this approach as harmful and unsupported. What San José needs are systems of care—not systems of punishment.

2. End Encampment Sweeps.

Sweeps destroy survival networks, traumatize already vulnerable people, and waste limited public resources. They are a short-term response to a long-term systemic crisis, and they have not worked.

Docusign Envelope ID: 2B4A2A98-A701-4477-BD0A-7F485777AE60

June 9, 2025

Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers
18th Floor, San Jose City Hall
200 E. Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95113
Dear Mayor Mahan and Councilmembers,
The City of San Jose’s homeless crisis is, at its root, a housing crisis, and any plan that fails to address this is doomed to failure. As community members we are disappointed that the city is still considering the Mayor’s proposed shift in housing strategy, prioritizing temporary shelter solutions and criminalization of homeless residents.

First, the “responsibility to shelter” is misguided and is simply a half-baked proposal that will only exacerbate the homeless problem and hurt the very people it claims to help.

Second, the proposed plan includes a goal of reaching "functional zero" in homelessness that will not be achieved. Achieving this goal is estimated to require over $250 million in one-time capital expenditure and anticipates annual operating costs of almost a quarter billion dollars to maintain the shelter program. However, the plan as drafted provides no meaningful and sustainable short, medium, or long-term funding.

San Jose needs a sustainable and effective affordable housing strategy that focuses on addressing the root causes of homelessness. While the urgency of addressing unsheltered homelessness is undeniable, diverting most Measure E funds away from the construction of permanent affordable housing fails to recognize the local housing and labor market dynamics that leads to homelessness.

One of the most cost-effective strategies to address our homelessness crisis lies in Homeless Prevention Services (HPS) and similar programs. Therefore, we support the Councilmember Campos, Salas, and Doan memo requesting an increase in funding from 10% to 15% of Measure E for homelessness prevention, gender-based violence programs, legal services, and rental assistance. In light of the urgent need to reduce homelessness, if additional Measure E funds are unavailable, we believe the expenditure of equivalent one-time funds would be fully justifiable. However, simply adopting the mayor’s current proposal will not lead to real long-term solutions; it risks leaving individuals in temporary shelters without permanent housing options, effectively creating 'a bridge to nowhere'.

June 9, 2025

San Jose City Council
200 E. Santa Clara St.

San Jose, CA

Re: June 9, 2025 Item 3.1, Coyote Valley Monterey Corridor Study

Dear Mayor Mahan and Councilmembers,

The undersigned organizations strongly support the staff recommendation to end the Coyote Valley Monterey Corridor Study (referenced on page 2 of Attachment C to Manager’s Budget Addenda #3).

It has become extremely clear during the years in which the study has been in progress that any expanded uses along Monterey Road in Coyote Valley would be inconsistent with the requirements of the General Plan. General Plan policies regarding the Urban Service Area, Urban Growth Boundary, agricultural land, and environmental goals for Coyote Valley all prohibit the type of expanded uses and development that have been proposed by Coyote Valley landowners during the study.

No Urban Services Are Allowed in Study Area

Nearly the entire area of the Monterey Corridor study is outside San Jose’s Urban Service Area (USA), meaning that no urban services may be extended to serve development there. General Plan Policy LU-19.6 states the following:

Use the Urban Service Area (USA) boundary as a tool to preserve the non-urban character of development on lands outside of the Urban Growth Boundary. To this end, limit all new development on lands outside of the USA as follows:

1. Do not provide urban services to new development outside of the USA.

2. Require that new development projects cause no significant increase in public services or infrastructure and are non-urban in terms of:
a. Wastewater generation rates.
b. Traffic generation rates.
c. Extent of grading, vegetation removal, drainage modifications or other alteration of the natural environment.
d. Noise or other nuisance potential.
e. Growth inducing potential.
f. Water consumption, excluding the environmentally beneficial use of recycled water.

Furthermore, the General Plan also directs the city to “[s]hift the Urban Service Area boundary north in Coyote Valley in the future, and prohibit the shifting of the Urban Service Area south in Coyote Valley. Properties designated for urban uses should remain within the Urban Service Area.” (Policy LU-20.14)

The Area Outside the Urban Growth Boundary Must Remain Rural

For parcels outside of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), restrictions on use and development are even stricter. The entire area outside the UGB is intended to remain “permanently rural in character” according to the General Plan, and should “contribute to the establishment of a permanent greenbelt along the City’s eastern and southern edges.” Parcels outside the UGB should be reserved for “rural, agricultural, open space, habitat, or other very low-intensity uses.” (Policy LU-19.4) Policy LU-19.4 also states that “[a]ppropriate land use designations for areas outside of the UGB include Agriculture; Open Hillside; Open Space, Parklands and Habitat; Urban Reserve; and the Open Hillside Golf Course Site Overlay. Other designations may not be applied to lands outside of the UGB.” [emphasis added]

The General Plan Requires Protection of Agricultural Land

All of the land within the Monterey Corridor study area is designated Agriculture. General Plan policies concerning agricultural land include the following:

LU-20.1 Protect and preserve the remaining farmlands within San José’s sphere of influence that are not planned for urbanization in the timeframe of the Envision General Plan, such as mid- and south Coyote Valley, through the following means:

1. Strongly discourage conversion of agricultural lands outside the Urban Growth Boundary to non-agricultural uses.

2. Limit residential uses in agricultural areas to those which are incidental to agriculture.

3. Prohibit subdivision of agricultural lands, unless it can be established that the subdivision would not reduce the overall agricultural productivity of the land and that viable agricultural operations would be sustained.

4. Encourage contractual protection for agricultural lands, such as Williamson Act contracts, agricultural conservation easements, transfers of development rights, or other property tax relief measures as incentives for preservation of these lands.

5. Restrict land uses within and adjacent to agricultural lands that would compromise the agricultural viability of these lands. Require new adjacent land uses to mitigate any impacts on the use of agricultural lands.

6. Require ancillary non-agricultural land uses on agricultural lands to be ancillary to and compatible with agricultural land uses, agricultural production, and the rural character of the area, and to enhance the economic viability of agricultural operations.

LU-20.2 Preserve agricultural lands and prime soils in non-urban areas in order to provide local and regional fresh food supplies, reduce dependence on foreign products, conserve energy, and retain the aquifer recharge capacity of these lands.

LU-20.4 Leverage agricultural lands to create and maintain a unique community character, provide open space, link to the region’s history as the Valley of Heart’s Delight, support the area’s tourism industry, contribute to the local economy, and add to the quality of life of the community

Council Has Declared the Need to Protect Coyote Valley

Finally, any expanded uses or development in the study area would be incompatible with the ecological importance of Coyote Valley. When this Council acted in 2021 to protect Coyote Valley from development, the Council announced that the City had a “new vision for Coyote Valley,” as follows:

Coyote Valley is a unique asset to San José and should be preserved as a resource that furthers the City’s goals of environmental sustainability, enhancing open space, supporting agriculture in the non-urban areas of the City, and protecting critical linkages for wildlife movement.

(Memorandum, Council Agenda 11/16/21, Item 10.3, p. 22) Allowing increased development in Coyote Valley is fundamentally incompatible with this new vision.

The environmental benefits of protecting Coyote Valley include wildlife habitat and wildlife movement, flood risk reduction, protection of groundwater from contamination, and saving productive agricultural land. It is important to note that any development or intensification of use along Monterey Road is likely to have impacts on the broader environmental objectives for all of Coyote Valley. The Coyote Creek riparian corridor, which runs along the rear of the study area, is the backbone of the wildlife linkage through Coyote Valley connecting the Santa Cruz Mountains range with the rest of the state. If the viability of the Coyote Creek wildlife corridor is impaired due to lights, noise, trash, or human activity, that will affect the wildlife corridor throughout all of Coyote Valley.

Furthermore, reducing flood risk is highly dependent on the Coyote Creek floodplain remaining undeveloped and able to absorb floodwater. Protecting groundwater requires strict limits on vehicle use to prevent contaminants like fuel and tire and brake dust from filtering into Coyote Valley’s groundwater table, which is extremely close to the surface and vulnerable to contamination. Thus, increased activity and development in the study area would impact both downstream flood risk areas and the groundwater table that underlies our entire region.

For all these reasons, the Coyote Valley Monterey Corridor study should be ended and the funding reallocated as recommended by staff.

Thank you for your consideration of these comments.

Sincerely,

Alice Kaufman
Policy and Advocacy Director
Green Foothills

Victorina Arvelo
South Bay Resilience Manager
Greenbelt Alliance

Shani Kleinhaus
Environmental Advocate
Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance

Katja Irvin
Guadalupe Group Conservation Chair
Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter

San José Mayor Mahan and City Council,
191 people have signed a petition on Action Network telling you to Fully Fund San José’s Climate Response!.

Here is the petition they signed:

It must be noted that this is in the context of extreme backsliding on climate efforts at a national level. It is the responsibility of our local governments to step up and take action.

Y ou can view each petition signer and the comments they left you below.

Thank you,
San José Y outh Climate Action Team

1. San José Youth Climate Action Team (ZIP code: 95112)

2. Mani Bekele (ZIP code: 95112)
I am incredibly excited to launch this petition. San Jose needs to reflect climate as a top priority and necessity in this year's budget.

3. Mila Bekele (ZIP code: 95112)

4. Lisa Charpontier (ZIP code: 95112)

5. Sangeeth Sridharan (ZIP code: 95120)

6. Calvin Sridhara (ZIP code: 95120)

7. Nishika Ivaturi (ZIP code: 95148)

8. Kanika Rawat (ZIP code: 95131)

9. Celine Sims (ZIP code: 95127)

10. Cynthia Li (ZIP code: 94087)

11. Sarah Miller (ZIP code: 95037)

13. Jennifer Mutch (ZIP code: 95125)

14. Poojit Hegde (ZIP code: 94301)

15. Palash H (ZIP code: 95020)

16. Will Li (ZIP code: 08844)

17. Cid Muang (ZIP code: 94305)

18. Allison Thomas (ZIP code: 94305)

19. May-Jann Wong (ZIP code: 94305)

20. Diane Koh (ZIP code: 94305)

21. Juhae Song (ZIP code: 94305)

22. Cooper Marcus (ZIP code: 94103)

23. Ian McDermod (ZIP code: 94044)

24. Destiny Henderson-Hudgins (ZIP code: 95112)

25. Elizabeth Ruder (ZIP code: 95126)
This is SO important. Let me know how I can help.

26. Ze-Kun Li (ZIP code: 95130)

27. Della Duncan (ZIP code: 94112)

28. John Lydon (ZIP code: 94114)

29. Migdalia Rodriguez C. (ZIP code: 95148)

31. Alan Fanning (ZIP code: 95112-2358)

32. Pamela Collaco (ZIP code: 95126)

33. Julia Howlett (ZIP code: 95112)

34. Hannah Haworth (ZIP code: 95125)

35. Rebecca Piscitelli (ZIP code: 95112)

36. Ted Smith (ZIP code: 95112)

37. Nabeela Aijaz (ZIP code: 95125)

38. Briam Campbell (ZIP code: 95125)

39. Raj Mahajan (ZIP code: 95112)

40. Clarabelle Wang (ZIP code: 95014)
Climate Change resiliency is not another expense that we can budget, it is the front line dense against the next major extinction event.

41. Michael Kutilek (ZIP code: 95112-2368)

42. Robin Goka Huynh (ZIP code: 95112)

43. Isabella Kim (ZIP code: 95135)

44. Atul Rawat (ZIP code: 95131)

45. Geeta Negi (ZIP code: 95131)

46. Aahaan Jain (ZIP code: 95129)
It's devastating for the community that valuable climate change funding is being slashed. Please sign this petition as a way to voice your opinion!

47. Daphne Zhu (ZIP code: 95129)

48. Ashima Sharma (ZIP code: 94086)

49. Alie Victorine (ZIP code: 95111)

50. Elizabeth DeVincenzi (ZIP code: 95135)

51. Stephanie Clark (ZIP code: 94520)

53. Erh-yen To (ZIP code: 95835)

54. Nora Coyle (ZIP code: 92807)

55. Noah Haydon (ZIP code: 94015)

56. AJ cho (ZIP code: 94579)

58. lynn hoang (ZIP code: 92833)

59. Harry Moody (ZIP code: 94403)

60. Todd Weber (ZIP code: 95125)

61. Rita Foster (ZIP code: 95125)

62. Linda Kerr (ZIP code: 95125)

63. Dan And Lilly Kittredge (ZIP code: 91941)

64. Christine Zack (ZIP code: 95008)
We need to do all that we can to slow climate change.

65. Sarah Adkar (ZIP code: 94536)

66. Brandon Lin (ZIP code: 94010)

67. Mitchelle Pasillas (ZIP code: 95117)

68. Zoe Hanshew (ZIP code: 94062)

69. Nathan Albano (ZIP code: 95120)

70. Jon Zack (ZIP code: 95008)

71. Felicia Gershberg (ZIP code: 94087)
San José's climate action (and inaction) affects your neighbors, too, like me and my family in Sunnyvale!

72. Barbara Hamel (ZIP code: 94086)

73. Ian MacLeod (ZIP code: 95124)

74. Eve Lindsay (ZIP code: 95112)

75. Aarini Kasturi (ZIP code: 95129)

76. Stacy Brobst (ZIP code: 95035)

77. Gillian Claus (ZIP code: 95124)

79. Julianna Silva (ZIP code: 95123)

80. William DeVincenzi (ZIP code: 95135)

81. JL Angell (ZIP code: 95672)

82. Stan Fitzgerald (ZIP code: 94618)

83. Ree Whitford (ZIP code: 91607-3052)

84. Ann Thryft (ZIP code: 95006)

85. Jeremy Spencer (ZIP code: 94044-3318)

86. Giovannina Fazio (ZIP code: 94601)

87. Shell Cleave (ZIP code: 94019)

88. David Baca (ZIP code: 94720)
Green New Deal !!

89. David Warner (ZIP code: 23235)

90. steven atneosne (ZIP code: 94306)

91. Holly Miller (ZIP code: 95037)

92. Marilynn Smith (ZIP code: 95127)

93. Brian Haberly (ZIP code: 95112)

94. Jenny Green (ZIP code: 95124)

95. Annelise Bazar (ZIP code: 95110)

96. thalia lubin (ZIP code: 94062)

97. Laura Overmann (ZIP code: 94010-5141)

98. Beth Darlington (ZIP code: 12604)

June 9, 2025

Re: Don’t cut funding for Climate Smart program; restore $300K to non-personal budget

Dear Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, and Councilmembers Kamei, Campos, Salas, Cohen, Ortiz, Mulcahy, Doan, Candelas, and Casey:

As you make final adjustments to the 2025-26 budget, Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley joins with youth leaders and other allies to ask you to defend San Jose’s Climate Smart program. We need your full support of our mission to preserve a livable climate for all children and urge you to restore $300,000 in funding for non-personal expenses so that the level of Climate Smart funding stays at least the same as last year (which was already reduced from the prior year).

The Climate Smart program is vital to achieving the City’s pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2030—just five years away. Without more focus and funding, the City will fall short of this target—and our children will pay the price. Our kids don’t just need homes and safe streets, they also need clean air and a stable climate—and leaders who understand the climate crisis and prioritize their health and safety.

This should fit squarely within the 2024-2025 City Council Focus Area of “Increasing Community Safety: Enhance public safety through responsive services, preventative measures, and community engagement to safeguard life, property, and the environment.” To fully address this area, the City must increase preventative measures to head off the worst climate impacts and safeguard the lives and property of residents.

In 2024, the planet exceeded the 1.5° C climate threshold for the first time, a major red flag that at least nine irreversible tipping points are fast approaching that threaten not only lives, but civilization as we know it. With the federal government now actively

undermining climate action, it’s imperative that the City act boldly to protect our children and vulnerable communities from growing climate threats, including drought, wildfires, super storms, rising sea levels, and extreme heat, along with unhealthy levels of indoor and outdoor air pollution that increase asthma and other diseases that cut lives short.

Given the existential threat of the climate crisis as well as ongoing local environmental injustices (including inadequate tree canopy in our East side neighborhoods), we must do more to reduce pollution and expand access to health-protective solutions—and that requires increasing the Climate Smart budget.

Therefore, we ask that you prioritize our health, safety, economy, and climate stability by restoring the Climate Smart funding to at least the same level as this year by adding $300,000 for non-personal expenses. This will bolster the capacity of the Energy Department to partner with local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to promote Climate Smart initiatives so more residents can enjoy the co-benefits, including healthier air quality, protection from extreme heat, and lower energy bills.

One place this funding could come from is reducing the $6,000,000 the City plans to give the Earthquakes to build four petroleum-based plastic turf soccer fields at the County Fairgrounds (which would actually worsen the climate crisis). Instead, the City could cut this contribution by $1,000,000 and insist the rest go toward the expert installation and ongoing maintenance of drought-tolerant, high-quality natural grass fields. If designed by natural turf experts, these fields can provide plenty of hours of play without contaminating our air, water and soil or exposing kids and other players to toxic chemicals and high heat. Watch this compelling 2-minute video to see how awesome real grass fields can be if done right:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCm8QaAvDl8

While other issues like housing and crime rightly deserve the City’s attention, we simply cannot afford to focus on only a few priorities or ignore the intersectionality of climate, the economy, and equity. Just as parents need to care for all of our children’s needs, not just some, we need our Council to likewise address all of our community’s needs, not just those you believe are the most popular. The good news is, San José residents overwhelmingly want you to act on climate. As the attached graphs show, 76% of Santa Clara County residents are worried about global warming (three out of four) and 63% (two out of three) residents want local government officials (that’s you!) to do more.

As the planet warms dangerously, the time is NOW to do everything within your power to ensure a healthy and livable climate for our children and communities.

Please put our money where our kids are and protect their health and future.

Tomorrow will be too late.

Thank you,
Linda Hutchins-Knowles, Co-Founder & Team Coordinator
Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley

San Jose City CouncilJune 10, 2025

San Jose City Council
June 10, 2025