ower SAN JOSE
CAPITAL OF SILICON VALLEY
TO: TONI TABER
City Clerk
SUBJECT: HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
APPLICANTS9 EVALUATION
Memorandum
FROM: Erik L. Solivan
DATE: May 7, 2025
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BACKGROUND
Date V9 es
Council Policy 0-4, the Consolidated Policy Governing Boards and Commissions, allows the Department staff liaison for the Commission to submit a memo to the City Clerk with its evaluation of applicant(s) based on the powers and duties of the Commission, any special eligibility requirements, and experience, background, and expertise of the applicant(s). For any incumbents eligible for reappointment, the memo should include a statement setting forth attendance, residency information, and compliance with City requirements (e.g., commission training, State-mandated training, Form 700 filing).
COMMISSION9S SPECIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
San José Municipal Code Section 2.08.2820 describes the special eligibility requirements for the Housing and Community Development Commission (Commission):
e One (1) member shall be a person recommended by an organization of owners of San José mobilehome parks.
e One (1) member shall be a person recommended by an organization of residents of San José mobilehome parks.
e One (1) member shall be an owner or manager of a residential rent stabilized property. e One (1) member shall be a tenant of a residential rent stabilized rental unit. e One (1) member shall be a person who is currently or was formerly homeless.
CITY CLERK
Subject: Housing and Community Development Commission Applicants9 Evaluation May 7, 2025
e At least five (5) members shall represent low-income households, which for the purposes of this requirement means a person who meets one (1) or more of the following criteria:
1. The person is a member of a low- or moderate-income household as defined by HUD as at or below eighty percent of the area median income pursuant to 24 CFR 92.2.
2. The person is an elected member of a neighborhood organization in a low- or moderate-income neighborhood (fifty-one percent of the neighborhood is at or below eighty percent of the area median income as defined by HUD).
3. The person is a resident of a city council designated neighborhood targeted under the place-based neighborhoods initiative to receive federal funding.
4. The person is employed by an organization which has as its primary purpose to serve the interests of low-income residents.
e The commission should also include members with experience related to real estate development, lending, community development, homeless services, and federal funding.
APPOINTMENT PRIORITIES
There are currently five commissioner vacancies on the Housing and Community Development Commission: District 1, District 3, District 5, District 7, District 9.
APPLICANT ASSESSMENTS AND RECOMMENDATION
Upon review of the 19 applicants, the following recommendations are made based on indicated experience and response to the application prompts. Commissioners are appointed by corresponding Council Members, but do not need to reside in that Council District. e District 1 Seat: Roma Dawson, at the request of the Council District 1 office e District 3 Seat: Aimee Escobar
e District 5 Seat: Ruben Navarro, at the request of the Council District 5 office e District 7 Seat: Christopher Escher, at the request of the Council District 7 office e District 9 Seat: H.B. Mok
The table below provides the City Clerk and City Council offices with a preliminary review of the 19 applicants indicating interest in the Housing and Community Development Commission.
Please see Attachment A for the candidates9 experience summarized by category.
Candidates9 summaries on Attachment A and below are sorted in descending order by the number of their self-identified qualifications. Applicants that tied on the number of
CITY CLERK
Subject: Housing and Community Development Commission Applicants9 Evaluation May 7, 2025
qualifications they indicated are presented in Council District order within that ranking.
Applicants with shaded names are incumbent commissioners applying for reappointment.
Self-Identified Owner .. Years Special Role ; :
or coupe in San Employer Eligibility Experience Ih District ° : Desirable Issue Renter Jose (if any) Areas District Council Seat Applicants
1 | Brenda Bell Renter 6 3-5 Lived e Real Estate
Brown years Experience Development
e Lending
e Community
Development
e Homeless
Services
e Federal Funding
2 | Aimee Renter 3 6+ City of Santa e Real Estate
Escobar Clara 4 City Development
Manager9s e Community
Office Development
e Homeless
Services
e Federal Funding
3 | Ruben Owner 6 6+ Santa Clara e Real Estate
Navarro County Development
e Community
Development
e Homeless
Services
4 | Rose Escalera_ | Renter 7 6+ Martha9s Mobilehome
Kitchen Resident
Lived
Experience
Victoria Owner 7 6+ Santa Clara e Real Estate
Partida County Public Development
Health e Community
Department Development
e Federal Funding
Thoa Hoang Owner 4 1-2 Stanford e Real Estate
years | University Development
e Community
Development
CITY CLERK
Subject: Housing and Community Development Commission Applicants9 Evaluation May 7, 2025
Self-Identified
Experience in
Desirable Issue
Areas
Owner .. Years Special Role Council or District in oa) Employer Eligibility Renter José (if any)
e Federal Funding
7 | Sukhdev Owner 8 6+ Connex ARO Owner | e Community
Bainiwal Development
e Homeless
Services
8 | Erica Walters | Renter 1 1-2 Income ARO Resident | e Homeless years | Property Services
Specialists
9 | Tasha Eaton Owner 2 6+ VMWare e Real Estate
Development
e Community
Development
10 | KyLam Owner 6 6+ GMS Mobilehome
Park Resident
11 | Brian Carr Owner 7 6+ Mobilehome
Park Resident
12 | Daisy Porras Renter 7 6+ Housing e Community
Choices Development
13 | H.B. Mok Owner 9 6+ Self Employed e Real Estate
Development
e Federal Funding
14 | Karolina Renter 10 6+ Unemployed Lived
Walichiewicz experience
15 | Vince Cantore | Owner 9 6+ The Core e Development
Companies
16 | Roma Dawson | Renter 1 6+ Retired
17 | Richard Owner 3 6+ Retired
Stewart
818 | Michelle Owner 4 6+
Huynh
19 | Christopher Owner 6 6+ Self Employed
Escher
CITY CLERK
Subject: Housing and Community Development Commission Applicants9 Evaluation May 7, 2025
CONCLUSION
All 19 applicants meet the eligibility requirements for appointment to the Housing and Community Development Commission.
Please feel free to contact me or my Housing Department staff, Mindy Nguyen, with any questions. | may be reached at 408-535-3860, and Mindy Nguyen may be reached at 408-534- 2961. Thank you.
ERIK L. SOLIVAN
Director
Housing Department
Attachment A: Housing Department Analysis 4 Housing and Community Development Commission Candidates Recruitment, Spring 2025
ATTACHMENT A
# Applicant's Name Lives in
CC Dist.
Renter or
Owner
Ranked
by Overall
# Yes
MH Park
Owner Rep
MH Park
Resident
Rep
ARO
Owner
ARO
Resident
Lived
Experience with
Homelessness
Low/Mod
Defined by
HUD (self-
declared)
Elected
Neighborhood
Leader in LI
Area
Live in Place-
Based
Neighborhood
Org
serving
low-
income
Real Estate
Development Lending Community
Development
Homeless
Services
Federal
Funding*
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 2 3 2 5 5 2
Column1 Column2 Column3 Column4 Column5 Column6 Column7 Column8 Column9 Column10 Column11 Column12 Column13 Column14 Column15 Column16 Column17 Column18 Column19 Brenda Bell Brown 6 Renter 7 yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Aimee Escobar 3 Renter 4 yes yes yes yes
Ruben Navarro 6 Owner 4 yes yes yes yes
Rose Escalera 7 Renter 4 yes yes yes yes
Victoria Partida 7 Owner 4 yes yes yes yes
Thoa Hoang 4 Owner 3 yes yes yes
Sukhdev Bainiwal 8 Owner 3 yes yes yes
Erica Walters 1 Renter 2 yes yes yes
Tasha Eaton 2 Owner 2 yes yes
Ky Lam 6 Owner 2 yes yes
Brian Carr 7 Owner 2 yes yes
Daisy Porras 7 Renter 2 yes yes
H.B. Mok 9 Owner 2 yes yes
Karolina Walichiewicz 10 Renter 2 yes yes
Vince Cantore 9 Owner 1 yes
Roma Dawson 1 Renter 0
Richard Stewart 3 Owner 0
Michelle Huynh 4 Owner 0
Christopher Escher 6 Owner 0
Note: Candidates self-declared as ARO Tenants must be validated by CAO Note: The Muni Code requires 5 Low-income seats. Staff verifies candidates' declaration that they live in Place-Based Neighborhoods.
Housing Department Analysis - Housing & Community Development Commission Candidates Recruitment, Fall 2024 Special Eligibility Positions
(each is required by Municipal Code)
Low-Income Members
(5 required, 4 currently seated)
(self-declared)
Desirable Experience
(self-declared)
Seated Commissioners' roles & experience: