COUNCIL AGENDA: 10/20/26
FILE: 26-1075
ITEM: 2.7
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Khaled Tawfik
SUBJECT: Please See Below DATE: September 28, 2026
Approved Date:
10/6/26
COUNCIL DISTRICT: Citywide
SUBJECT: Retroactive Approval of Free Use of the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda for the Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution retroactively authorizing “Free Use” of the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda for the private, invitation-only Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff held on August 5, 2026, hosted by the Information Technology Department in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and City Manager’s Office.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
Approval of this recommendation will retroactively authorize free use of the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda for the August 5, 2026, Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff.
The event brought together City and community leaders to discuss how San José can improve neighborhood services and responsibly use artificial intelligence. Participants shared priorities for service delivery, public trust, privacy, and community involvement.
BACKGROUND
In June 2019, the City adopted the Schedule of Fees and Charges, Resolution No. 79138, Section 13.080 for free use of City Hall facilities and plaza. Presently, the resolution allows City Council and City Departments to have free use of facilities for events that: 1) qualify as official City business; 2) are free and open to the public; 3) occur on a Sunday through Friday; and 4) are booked 30 days in advance. Resolution No. 79138 does not apply to free use requests for private, invitation events, and as
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 16, 2026
Subject: Retroactive Approval of Free Use of the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda for the Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff
such, City Council approval is required to authorize free use for this event. On August 5, 2026, the Information Technology Department, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and City Manager’s Office, hosted the Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff in the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda.
The Responsive Cities Network is a national initiative led by Data-Smart City Solutions at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The three-year program brings together 10 U.S. cities, including San José, Charlotte, Philadelphia, St. Paul, Long Beach, Lexington, Columbia, West Palm Beach, Boulder, and Detroit, to strengthen municipal capacity to use data and generative AI to improve City services and better serve residents. The Responsive Cities Network is organized around three goals: building cities' internal capacity to use AI responsibly, investing in shared civic data infrastructure accessible to both staff and the public, and equipping community organizations with AI-enabled tools to engage more effectively with city decisions.
San José is one of three Network cities hosting a Service Innovation Fellow, a position based in the City’s Information Technology Department tasked with advancing a portfolio of AI and data projects across City operations. Among these projects, the City is moving its AI object detection initiative, camera-based systems on City vehicles that identify infrastructure issues such as potholes, graffiti, and illegal dumping, to full operational deployment. The goal is proactive service delivery: catching and fixing infrastructure and maintenance issues earlier, alongside the reports residents already submit through 311.
This kickoff event gave the City a chance to hear directly from the residents about service-related pain points in their neighborhoods that this technology could help address. The City will use that input to put object detection into practice in a way that works for the residents. It will also guide where the technology is deployed and how it is rolled out, so it goes where it will best serve communities based on their needs.
ANALYSIS
This event qualifies as Official City Business as defined in Resolution No. 79138 because the Information Technology Department organized the event in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and City Manager’s Office to support City priorities and Information Technology Department core services.
The event was free to attend and occurred on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The City invited community leaders, neighborhood representatives, City staff, and partners to support focused, small-group discussions. The event was attended by representatives from VEP Community Association, Evergreen LNA, Evergreen San Jose Business Association, Brigadoon Neighborhood Association, Catholic Charities, Plata Auryon
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 16, 2026
Subject: Retroactive Approval of Free Use of the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda for the Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff
Neighborhood, San José State University, Silicon Valley Community of Nonprofits, and Council District Community Leaders.
The event did not meet the requirement to be booked at least 30 days in advance.
During the City Council recess, staff determined that the event needed a larger space than originally planned and selected the Rotunda to accommodate attendance and small-group discussions.
The event supported the City’s work to improve service delivery and responsible use of technology. Participants discussed neighborhood priorities, public trust, privacy, accountability, and community involvement in technology that could help identify conditions such as potholes, graffiti, and illegal dumping.
For these reasons, staff recommends retroactive approval as a reasonable exception to the existing facility use policy.
Racial Equity Impact Analysis
Approval of this event aligns with the City Manager’s Office of Racial and Social Equity by expanding access to City resources for underserved communities. The City used targeted outreach to ensure equitable representation from each Council District, as well as cultural and community organizations.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
The Information Technology Department, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and City Manager’s Office, will use feedback from this event to inform work on service delivery and responsible technology use.
No additional follow-up action with the City Council is expected at this time.
COORDINATION
This memorandum was coordinated with the City Attorney's Office, City Manager's Budget Office, and the Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City Council Agenda website for the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
September 16, 2026
Subject: Retroactive Approval of Free Use of the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda for the Responsive Cities Network San José Kickoff
BOARD, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No board, commission, or committee recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-011, Temporary Special Events resulting in no changes to the physical environment.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution. /s/
Khaled Tawfik
Chief Information Officer and Director of
Information Technology
For questions, please contact Arti Tangri, Enterprise Technology Manager, Enterprise Data Governance Lead, Information Technology Department, at [email protected] or (408) 793-6862.