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FW: Comment letter for item 2
From City Clerk <[email protected]>
Date Fri 10/2/2026 7:47 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
@ 1 attachment (121 KB)
VTA Public Comment Letter - EIFD Study Session - CSJ Oct 2026.pdf; From: Roecks, Erica
Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2026 5:05 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Comment letter for item 2
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Good afternoon,
Learn why this is important
Please see attached for VTA's comments on Item 2: Technical Presentation of Infrastructure Financing Tools.
We appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on this item.
Regards,
Erica
Erica Roecks, P.E.
Deputy Director of External Affairs
VT/:>:.s BART Silicon Valley Program
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
2830 De La Cruz Boulevard, 1st Floor
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408-859-6894
~
anta Clara Va~ley
Transportation
Authority
October 2, 2026
The Honorable Matt Mahan, Mayor
And Members of the City Council
City of San Jose
200 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95113
RE: Infrastructure Financing Tools for Economic Development Study Session Dear Mayor Mahan and Members of the City Council:
On behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VT A), I am writing regarding the City's study session on Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and other infrastructure financing tools. VTA supports the thoughtful exploration of value-capture strategies that can help deliver housing, transportation, economic development, and public infrastructure improvements. Given the direct relationship between these financing tools and the future growth anticipated around the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension, VTA believes early and meaningful engagement among key public agencies is essential. As the agency responsible for delivering the region's largest transportation infrastructure investment and one of the primary catalysts for future development in Downtown San Jose and the Diridon BART Station Area, VT A should be an active partner in discussions regarding how future value is captured, prioritized, and reinvested.
Importantly, the staff memorandum prepared for this study session recognizes that the effectiveness of EIFDs can be significantly enhanced through partnerships among public agencies and explicitly notes that "partnerships multiply impact." The memorandum explains that when the County or other eligible districts participate, the available property tax increment increases. VTA agrees with the broader principle that successful value-capture strategies require coordination among the public agencies responsible for creating and supporting growth. BART Silicon Valley Phase II is one of the principal drivers of future housing production, employment growth, transit-oriented development, and economic activity surrounding the future Downtown San Jose and Diridon BART stations. Those future property values, development opportunities, and economic benefits are enabled in significant part by this major public investment in transportation infrastructure. Discussions regarding potential EIFD boundaries, 3331 North First Street Administration 408 -321-5555
San Jose, CA 95134-1927 Customer Service 408 -321-2300
governance, eligible projects, investment priorities, and value-capture strategies should therefore be developed through a coordinated framework that includes \/TA and other agencies responsible for creating and sustaining that growth.
This coordination is particularly important given the significant investments and planning efforts already underway in Downtown San Jose and the broader Diridon Station Area.
Housing production, station-area planning, transportation improvements, SAP Center and entertainment-related investments, public-realm enhancements, and broader economic development initiatives are interconnected and should not be advanced in isolation. Decisions regarding future value-capture revenues could directly affect the infrastructure necessary to maximize the benefits of BART Silicon Valley Phase II and support the transit-oriented communities it is intended to serve. VT A therefore respectfully requests early and meaningful engagement as this effort proceeds, before potential district boundaries, investment priorities, financing commitments, or an implementation framework are advanced. \/TA values its partnership with the City and looks forward to working collaboratively to align infrastructure investments, support housing and economic growth, and ensure that value created by major public investments delivers lasting benefits for San Jose residents and the region.
Sincerely,
Greg Richardson
Deputy General Manager
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
3331 North First Street Administration 408-321- 5555
San Jose, CA 95134-1927 Customer Service 408-321-2300