I've always believed that, as leaders and community members, we must be the change we wish to see in the City.
Although some things may be out of our control, we are still one community, and keeping our neighborhoods clean is everyone's responsibility. Let's get active and take care of our surroundings together!
One of the ways you can join forces with local government, clean up trash, strengthen our community, and beautify our City is by volunteering for the:
Saturday, April 21, 2018
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Oak Grove High School
Santa Teresa High School
St. Gabriel Cathedral
(With free breakfast & lunch!)
I hope to see you there! I also want to thank all of our
District 2 Neighborhood Associations and other neighborhood groups for stepping up and organizing community clean ups. Want to know what clean ups your neighbors are planning for April? Check out the "D2 and You: Upcoming Events" section below in this Newsletter!
I do not have all of the answers to every concern, such as eliminating blight. However, I do know that the only way we can move towards solutions is working together and taking action.
The work of the community begins and ends not with my District 2 Team and me on the 18th floor, but in the community. I truly look forward to partnering with you to make San José a better place for present and future generations.
In community,
Sergio Jimenez
CONNECT, ENGAGE AND BE INFORMED.
#SJD2SJ
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D2 News: Updates & Accomplishments
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Easter Egg Hunt at Hellyer Park is a hit!
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My Office, along with Supervisor Dave Cortese's Office, partnered up to host a family-friendly Easter Egg Hunt at Hellyer County Park for our community to enjoy a festive day outdoors. What we didn't quite expect was for almost 1,000 children from District 2 and beyond to join us! We had a wonderful time!
On Easter weekend, diverse families from different cultural, socioeconomic levels, and abilities joined together as one community. From raffle prizes to snacks to our arts & crafts tables to of course the massive Easter Egg Hunt, there was something for everyone.
Thank you to our County Park employees, the San José Police Department, and the San José Fire Department for participating!
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Community and Council Office collaboration gets Tennant Ave./Monterey Rd. area cleaned up
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This is what happens when alert community members collaborate with the District 2 Council Office to promote cleaner, safer neighborhoods! My office worked closely and diligently with residents to put pressure on Caltrans to clean an area in our Silver Leaf neighborhood that was raising concerns for everyone involved.
Clean up of the Caltrans property located at Tennant Avenue/Monterey Road began the week of Thursday, March 26. About 60 cubic yards of debris and green waste were collected. Caltrans will return to provide landscaping maintenance and remove any additional debris. California Highway Patrol is patrolling the area to discourage trespassing. Thanks to our office's and our residents’ reports, Caltrans will continue addressing other problem areas, such as Demarest Lane, in the near future. View the before and after photos above of the Tennant Avenue/Monterey Road area.
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Wildflower Community Hike in the jewel of D2: Coyote Valley
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I spent a breathtaking morning at our Wildflower Community Hike in Coyote Valley, in District 2's own backyard. Thank you to all those who joined us despite the rain, and thank you
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority for leading us!
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Mobile home updates: Opt-In stopped, but the work continues
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On March 13 the City Council took up the important issue of protecting our mobile home parks. There are 59 mobile home parks in San José that are home to approximately 35,000 residents -- the largest number of mobile home households in California. I am pleased to inform you that City Council unanimously voted to stop pursuing the “Opt-In/Stay-In-Business” concept (Opt-In) proposed by mobile home park owners. This concept was concerning to mobile home park residents because it had the potential to negatively impact park closures, space rents, and home values. With the unanimous vote, Opt-In is no longer being considered.
In addition to halting Opt-In, the City Council directed the Planning Department to create a land use designation that is exclusively reserved for mobile home parks. Unfortunately, this item will not be implemented immediately because a Council majority chose not to support the immediate prioritization of this crucial issue.
Due to Council’s inaction to immediately move forward the General Plan land use designation, the preservation of our City’s mobile home parks will not begin until some time next year. A General Plan amendment is important because it will help prevent the displacement of seniors and low-income families, who would very likely have no comparable affordable housing available to them in San José or Santa Clara County.
I believe that we must protect our affordable housing stock with the same vigor we protect our threatened employment lands. This means making difficult choices for the sake of keeping our residents housed. Though I am glad mobile home protections are moving forward, I am disheartened that a majority of my colleagues do not see the urgency in this issue.
Additional Resources and Information:
- Mobile Home Opt-In Update Memorandum from City Staff
- Memorandum from Councilmembers Jimenez, Peralez, and Rocha on Opt-In
- Analysis Of Proposed General Plan Land Use Overlay Amendments For Mobile Home Parks… from City
- Memorandum from Councilmembers Jimenez, Peralez, and Rocha on General Plan Land Use Overlay Amendments For Mobile Home Parks
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SJPD South Substation Update
At the March 20 City Council Meeting, I fought hard to have the San José
Police Department South Substation opened for its intended purpose of offering public police services, opening the lobby to the public on a limited basis, and deploying Southern Division patrol and Community Service Officers. I firmly believe that the time to open the Substation is now because:
- We need a greater police presence in South San José.
- The Substation will lower travel time and costs for our Officers, saving our Police Department over half a million dollars per year.
- Residents voted for and paid for the Substation, and it is time for the City to deliver on our promise of having a functioning Substation in South San José.
Unfortunately, a majority of my Council colleagues chose not to support Councilmember Khamis and me in opening the Substation, which has been underutilized for a decade, this year. I am disappointed by the vote, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to find resources to get the Substation open, and I will continue to work with the Mayor and my colleagues to make the Substation a Citywide priority.
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We are excited for this time of the year -- a time to join forces, clean up trash, strengthen our community, and beautify our City! My District 2 Team would like to invite you to:
THE GREAT AMERICAN LITTER PICK UP (GALPU) 2018
Saturday, April 21, 2018
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
(With free breakfast refreshments & lunch!)
Meeting locations in District 2:
Oak Grove High School
Santa Teresa High School (In partnership with the awesome
Trash Punx
!)
St. Gabriel Cathedral (In partnership with the Hellyer-Christopher N.A.)
We will provide:
Free coffee, water & refreshments
Free lunch (volunteers from all three locations will meet at Oak Grove HS for lunch)
Litter pick up sticks
Trash bags
Gloves
Volunteer vests
Please bring:
Comfortable clothing
Closed-toe shoes
Sunscreen/hat/sunglasses
(Registration is important to let our office know how much food & pick up materials to provide for all of our volunteers at each site!)
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A Look at More Community Stories
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I share my personal story to students because if I can awaken just one youth’s imagination to what’s possible, it makes my job worth it. I had the privilege of visiting Mr. Zamora’s 11th grade class to talk about how growing up in a high-need area in East San José impacted my path in life and what I did (and what they can do) to have the best chance at success.
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At the March 27 Council Meeting, I had the pleasure of presenting a commendation to Albert and Virginia Beck with the Blue Tarp Project. Their focus is to use art as a way to show the individual faces of homelessness. If you find yourself at City Hall, I hope you will take the opportunity to appreciate the Blue Tarp portrait exhibit on the first floor of the Wing Rooms.
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"Do more, faster, together to #endhomelessness." - Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins as he announced a 5-year, $50 million commitment to Destination: Home. "I believe that we have an opportunity and a responsibility to help end homelessness, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together!" Thank you Cisco for your pledge to our community!
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The Hayes Elementary Science Fair was amazing and I was honored to announce the winners. The kids developed everything from homemade lava lamps to an automated coloring machine! The three winners were so happy and felt very accomplished. In addition to the gifts my office provided, they were given awesome certificates from Assemblymember Kalra’s office.
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State Senator Bill Monning welcomed elected officials, environmental advocates, and representatives from the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (OSA) to recognize the Spring Equinox as California Wildlife Day at the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. Pictured with me above are John Varela from the Santa Clara Valley Water District and Alex Kennett from OSA.
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At the 2nd Annual Career Online High School Graduation, it was inspirational to meet folks who, despite encountering life’s challenges, find it within themselves to accomplish their goals! About 30% of the students were from D2! Thank you to those who make it possible: Partners in Reading, SJ Public Library Foundation, and of course the San José Public Library!
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I met with State Assemblymember Kansen Chu (AD25) to talk about issues surrounding Caltrans, specifically centered around its maintenance division that works on litter and graffiti cleanup on and around Santa Clara County freeways and highways.
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Visited bioCube and Velodyne LiDAR to discuss the technology each company is bringing to Silicon Valley. We at the City support District 2 businesses and hope to bring more companies to Edenvale Technology Park off US 101 and Monterey Road!
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Not all blight you see is on City property. Find out which agency you need to contact to get the job done -- it might be on Union Pacific property or Caltrans property:
All reporting is tracked at each agency and forwarded to the appropriate response team for action.
Union Pacific (usually the property around the railroad tracks)
Please use the Response Management Communication Center (RMCC) 24 hr. Dispatch Center for reporting the following: Encampments, illegal dumping, unusual or suspicious occurrences, and safety hazards.
Call: 1-877-877-7267
Caltrans (usually property surrounding / adjacent to freeways and highways)
A
Maintenance Service Request
(MSR) form at
https://csr.dot.ca.gov/
is required to be filled out for any area in question. The purpose of the MSR is to track and prioritize schedule maintenance, as well as direct the information to the appropriate department.
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Need to report abandoned vehicles, street light outages, and more? Use
MySanJose: Our quick & easy tool to request City services
Want to get that pothole or street light fixed? Need to report graffiti, illegal dumping or an abandoned vehicle? Have a different question for the City? With the new state-of-the-art MySanJose
app
and
website
, it is now a breeze to file and track a City service request or reach one of our customer representatives. It is super easy to use – see our zippy
tutorial
.
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In a campaign to help more low-income residents take full advantage of tax breaks available to them, the Mayor's Office and United Way want you to know about the Earned Income Tax Credit: an underused and poorly-known credit available to those who meet low-income qualifications.
As part of this effort, United Way, CommunityConnext Lab, and Citi Community Development have developed a free, innovative texting tool for San José's low-income residents to see if they qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit on their tax returns.
See if you’re eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and FREE tax preparation services. To get started, text TAX to (408) 669-4830.
Vea si es elegible para el Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) y la declaración de impuestos GRATIS. Envíe un mensaje de texto IMPUESTO al (408) 669-4830.
Hãy gửi tin nhắn cho chúng tôi để biết quý vị có đủ điều kiện nhận thêm tiền với chương trình EITC và dùng dịch vụ khai thuế miễn phí. Để bắt đầu, hãy nhắn THUE đến số (408) 669-4830.
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Please don't leave your large items on the side of the road. It's easy &
FREE
to get rid of your junk!
San José residents can
schedule FREE appointments
to have large items (such as mattresses, sofas, refrigerators, tires, and
more
) picked up by their recycling collection company.
Thank you for keeping our City clean and combating illegal dumping!
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Serve your community by joining a board or commission
City boards and commissions provide input, guidance, and recommendations on key decisions affecting San José. Current vacancies on a number of City boards and commissions provide our community members with an opportunity to provide service and leadership in San José.
Residents are sought to serve on Arts Commission, Housing and Community Development Commission, Human Services Commission, Planning Commission, Youth Commission, and more. View
all current vacancies
and
application deadlines
.
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California Local Rapid Response Hotlines
From Ready California: Changing immigration enforcement tactics and targets have unnerved many California residents.
Visit Ready California's website for points of contact to report immigration enforcement actions.
Please ONLY use these numbers to report ICE activity and Enforcement Actions.
Please use websites to find out how to make informational inquiries.
Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network
Region Covered: Santa Clara County
408-290-1144
Resources for DACA applicants and recipients
From the
Dream Resource Center
: As of January 13, 2018 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will be taking in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications. This means If you're a DACA recipient and your permit expired on or after September 5, 2016, you may send your renewal application. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (
USCIS
) will not accept any first-time DACA applications. This announcement come after the January 9 court-ordered injunction that ordered the Trump Administration to accept DACA renewals. USCIS will accept DACA renewal applications until further notice. The
National Law Immigration Center
recommends applicants to speak to an immigration attorney for renewals under the latest policy.
More information about DACA Clinics:
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D2 and You: Upcoming Events
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Please click on the photos/flyers below for more information:
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San Jose Earthquakes vs Houston Dynamo
Saturday, April 14
7:15 PM
Avaya Stadium
Come join and lead the neighborhoods of South San Jose!
The package includes a special "South San Jose" shirt with each ticket purchased through this package ($22 ticket available with no shirt as well).
Purchasers of this package automatically get to be part of the Quakes Opening Ceremonies ON THE FIELD!
* Kids ages 5-8 get to walk around the field as part of the Youth Parade
* Adults and kids ages 9+ get to hold the Center Circle Banner at midfield during the National Anthem
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Have a D2 question or concern? Contact my team!
You may have met them at City Hall, Neighborhood Meetings, or just out and about in our community! In addition to supporting me at meetings and events -- or attending on my behalf -- my team members follow specific policy areas and have other responsibilities. They are happy to speak or meet with you regarding your questions or concerns!
Policy Areas: Budget, Federal & State Policy, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, Labor Issues
Neighborhood Associations: Neighborhood Leadership Council, Los Paseos N.A., Avenue One, Friends of Edenvale Library
Other Responsibilities: Grant Requests, Commendations, Invocations
Policy Areas: Housing, Homelessness, Mobile Home Parks, Environment, Parks & Trails, Seniors
Neighborhood Associations: Blossom Valley N.A., Coyote Creek N.A., Silver Leaf N.A., Friends of Santa Teresa Park, Southside Community Center Senior Advisory Council, Rue Ferrari Business Group
Other Responsibilities: RLEI, Coyote Valley, SAAG
Policy Areas: Public Safety, Public Health, High Speed Rail (Transportation), Pensions - Fire & Police
Neighborhood Associations: EGOPIC N.A., Great Oaks N.A., Edenvale Roundtable N.A., Havens N.A.
Other Responsibilities: Participatory Budgeting, Project Hope
Policy Areas: Transportation, Public Works, Planning, Land Use, Pensions - Federated
Neighborhood Associations: Hellyer Christopher N.A., Cottle to Lean N.A., Santa Teresa Bernal N.A., Station 121
Other Responsibilities: Developer's Roundtable, Catrain, VTA, SAAG
Policy Areas: Education, Youth, Libraries, Airport
Neighborhood Associations: Oak Grove N.A., Santa Teresa Foothill N.A., Hayes N.A.
Other Responsibilities: Website, Newsletter, Social Media, Events
Other Responsibilities: Scheduling, Meeting Requests, Event Appearance Requests, General District 2 Information
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Get involved: District 2 Neighborhood Associations
Neighborhood Associations are groups of community members who meet and collaborate to work towards common goals such as: beautification/clean-up efforts, safety enhancements, and social events. N.A.'s serve as a connection between the community and City Hall. We are here to support N.A.'s by providing direction, resources, grants, help with outreach, models for success, and more.
Reserving meeting space as an N.A.
As an established Neighborhood Association, you may reserve space for community use directly with Libraries and Community Centers in our District. As long as the meeting takes place during regular hours of operation, there is no charge to to your N.A.
If your event goes beyond the hours of operation, there is a charge for staffing. Our office is happy to accommodate
2 uses per N.A. per year for N.A.’s by paying for the staff time. Any additional uses outside of this would require your N.A. to cover the cost.
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Beyond San José: Get the latest news from your other elected officials
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Students, get involved! My District 2 Team is looking for interns!
Join our team and make a difference in the community! The Office of Councilmember Sergio Jimenez welcomes college or graduate school students interested community engagement, public service, policy research, and local government to apply for our District 2 Internship.
This unpaid internship provides students with an immersive experience in day-to-day operations of a city council office that serves almost 100,000 residents.
Student interns are expected to:
Communicate effectively with others
Adapt and work in a fast-paced environment
Have a willingness to learn and apply academic training to required job assignments
Commit a minimum of 15 hours per week
How to apply:
To be considered for the District 2 Internship, please:
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Sergio's Office Hours
*PLEASE NOTE: Office Hours on Saturday, April 7 are
canceled
.*
My next Office Hours will be:
Monday, April 16, 2018
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Santa Teresa Library, Study Room B
Office Hours are a time to come ask questions, share concerns, or simply have a conversation!
Meetings are first come first serve, and time may be limited to 15 minutes per person depending on the number of attendees.
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City Resources
Speak with a live Customer Service Representative (408) 535-3500
Additional Resources:
(408) 975-1440
(408) 535-7770
(408) 534-2900
(408) 793-5510
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JOIN US IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND TO
CONNECT, ENGAGE AND BE INFORMED.
#SJD2SJ
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San José District 2 | Office of Councilmember Sergio Jimenez
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