Outlook
FW: City Budget Concerns and Priorities
From CMOAgendaServices <[email protected]> Date Wed 1/28/2026 9:20 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Cc CMOAgendaServices <[email protected]>
Hi Agenda Desk,
Please see below for Public Comment which seems to be related to 2/10 Budget Item - 3.3.
Thank you,
Gina
From: Opsal, Matthew <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 8:11 AM
To: CMOAgendaServices <[email protected]> Subject: FW: City Budget Concerns and Priorities
Good morning CMO Agenda Services,
The City Manager's Office received the public feedback regarding the City's budget and District 7 below. I'm not sure if this is directly related to a current or upcoming City Council item, but I wanted to pass this along nonetheless. Let me know if you'd like me to forward this to the City Clerk's Office as well.
Thank you,
-matt
Matt Opsal
Senior Executive Analyst | City Manager's Office
City of San José
200 East Santa Clara Street, 17th floor
San José, CA 95113
Office: 408-535-8117
www.sanjoseca.gov
CITY OF
SAN.
SAN JOSE Jôse26
CAPITAL OF SILICON VALLEY
From: D7 Leadership Group <
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 3:33 PM
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Webmaster Manager <[email protected]>
Cc: District 10 <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District3 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 < [email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 < [email protected]> Subject: City Budget Concerns and Priorities
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager and Members of the City Council, On behalf of the District 7 Leadership Group, we are writing to share our priorities and concerns regarding the upcoming city budget. Our group represents engaged community leaders and neighborhood associations who are deeply invested in the safety, well-being, and long-term vitality of District 7 and the city as a whole. We appreciate your service and the complexity of the budget decisions before you. We understand that the city is facing a deficit this year, and understand that some department budgets will be reduced, but we hope that by sharing our priorities with you, programs that directly affect our community can be spared as much as possible.
Housing and Homelessness
We are impressed with the work that San Jose has done to reduce the number of unhoused residents. We strongly urge the City to continue increasing shelter options, safe parking and camping options, as well continuing to invest in long-term solutions through the development of affordable housing. Equally important are programs that help people remain housed, including rental assistance and other preventative supports. These investments are critical to addressing the homelessness crisis while strengthening neighborhood stability.
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Maintaining adequate funding for police and fire services remains a top priority for our district. We are experiencing an increase in gang activity in our neighborhoods that is very concerning. D-7 contains two former landfill areas that have been subject to numerous fires, so our sense of fire danger is very real. Continued support for CERT training is essential to empower residents and strengthen emergency preparedness at the neighborhood level.
Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Standards
We ask that the City prioritize strong and consistent code enforcement, particularly with respect to derelict landlords. Effective enforcement protects tenants, maintains neighborhood quality, and promotes safer neighborhoods... According to the City of San Jose Annual Report, in 2024-25, Planning, Building and Code Enforcement closed 3,300 general code cases, and 460 multiple housing cases. In that same time, the Department opened 3,300 general code enforcement cases, including 59 emergency complaints and 835 priority complaints. We are concerned that a reduction in PBCE's budget could lead to problem properties being allowed to become larger problems that will in fact affect our neighborhoods heavily.
Beautify SJ
Probably no city department affects the quality of life in our neighborhoods as Beautify SJ. Ongoing funding for beautification efforts—including graffiti removal, illegal dumping enforcement, Dumpster Days, and neighborhood litter pick-ups—s essential. We also emphasize the importance of supporting neighborhood associations, which play a critical role in community engagement and local problem-solving. San Jose is a more beautiful and connected city due to the efforts of the entire Beautify SJ team.
In particular, we support fully funding the team monitoring No Encampment Zones to ensure enforcement remains at its current level. Reducing the size of the team, while increasing the number of No Encampment Zones does not seem like a recipe for success, and would put many areas such as our creeks, landfills, and impacted city streets back to once again being problem areas, Libraries, Community Centers, and Youth Programming
The D7 Leadership Group strongly supports maintaining funding for libraries and community centers, including community programming, facility maintenance, additional staffing, and extended hours. After-hours gym access and PRNS programming are especially important for at-risk youth, providing safe, positive spaces during critical evening hours.
Parks and Public Spaces
Our parks and recreational facilities need improved maintenance, including regular litter pick-up and the repaving of basketball and tennis courts. Well-maintained parks contribute to public health, community connection, and neighborhood pride.
Clean Energy and Sustainability
We encourage continued investment in clean energy upgrades through rebates and incentives for homeowners, such as electric water heaters and heat pumps. These programs advance the City's sustainability goals while helping residents reduce long-term energy costs.
Support for Caregivers Finally, we urge the City to invest in programs that support caregivers of both elders and children, including community events and financial assistance that help families remain stable, connected, and resilient.
Thank you for your leadership and for considering the priorities of District 7 residents as you develop the city budget. We look forward to continued collaboration and welcome opportunities for further dialogue or input.
Sincerely,
D7 Leadership Group
Creting Communit
D7 Leadership Group
Executive Board
Alie Victorine, President (Seven Trees NA)
Gia Vega, Vice President (Dahl NA)
Steve Navarro, Secretary (Tropicana-Lanai NA)
Orlana Mejia, Treasurer (Lone Bluff-Senter NA)
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.