Long Story Short...

Here’s what you need to know this week — in 20 seconds or less:

• Californians’ priorities are clear – safety, homelessness, cost of living – but we’re at risk of further backsliding in Sacramento. 
• The Quakes are up for sale — and it could kickstart a bold new future for Downtown.
• Sacramento is about to zero out the state funding we’ve used to move over 1,000 people off our streets. Time to speak up.

Keep scrolling for all the data and details.

Dear Neighbor,

You – and our neighbors across California – have been clear about your priorities in recent years: increase public safety, bring everyone indoors, and slow down cost-of-living increases, especially those related to housing and utilities. Right now, we are at real risk of seeing Sacramento move us in the opposition direction on these important priorities. 

On safety, nearly 70% of us voted last year to implement Prop 36, creating a new tool – treatment mandated felonies – that allows judges to require that repeat offenders get the help that they need to turn their lives around rather than experience the revolving door between streets, jail and emergency rooms. 

Making Prop 36 work requires a significant expansion of our mental health care system. If we’re serious about alternatives to incarceration, we have to rebuild treatment capacity in California and ensure that people use it. But last week, the Legislature passed a tentative $325 billion budget with just $150 million for Prop 36 implementation. That’s a mere 0.046% – or less than one-tenth of one-percent – of the budget and it’s not nearly enough to move the needle on treatment capacity. 

On homelessness, like mental health, we face a dire shortage of beds (i.e. safe, managed places where people can live in dignity, with basic services like security, sanitation and healthy food). In recent years, large cities like San Jose have responded to the crisis on our streets by building interim housing and other safe alternatives to the streets. 

But this year’s tentative budget zeroes out the $1 billion in funding the State has divided between cities, counties and “continuums of care” each of the last six years to build and operate these alternatives. San Jose’s typical share of this funding ($30 million) is equivalent to the cost of keeping over 1,000 people off of our streets. (Read more about the state’s HHAP funding that is at risk in the dedicated section below.) 

On cost of living, Sacramento has fewer levers (i.e. the State can’t change interest rates or opt out of tariffs), but two important proposals from state legislators this year focus on reforming the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which blocks investment of all types in California and thereby drives up costs via supply shortages. Bills by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Senator Scott Wiener would limit CEQA’s applicability in urban infill sites and reduce abuse of this law, which has been stretched by judges and narrow interest groups over the years to enable lawsuits to effectively block new development of all kinds in our state, from housing to grid upgrades.  

But these bills are now under threat from Sacramento lobbyists and may not survive the sausage-making process intact. Meanwhile, Sacramento has managed to push nearly every oil refinery out of the state (driving up the cost of gas when most of us are still dependent on it), mandate solar panels on every new home (making new housing more expensive when grid-scale storage is more efficient and what the state really needs is more energy storage capacity), and is now considering myriad energy and data center-related bills that may push data center and R&D demand out of state and, with it, the future of the innovation economy. Energy is one area where Sacramento might want to stop helping! 

The good news? It’s not too late. The current budget is tentative and many of these legislative battles are far from over. You can help me tell our leaders in Sacramento that we want real action on public safety, homelessness and cost-of-living by looking up your legislator and getting in touch: 

https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

As always, thank you for being civically engaged and fighting for better outcomes for our community. I hope you and your loved ones enjoy the start of summer!

Sincerely,

Mayor Matt

Last weekend, we celebrated the one year countdown to the World Cup coming to San Jose and this week, we heard that our beloved Quakes will be put up for sale. 

This is an exciting opportunity for the team and the city! I’ve already begun reaching out to potential investors – I am hoping to work with whoever buys our Earthquakes to one day bring the team into the future sports and entertainment district we’re planning in Downtown. 

This is obviously a long-term vision for the city, but I see huge potential as we work to turn our downtown into Silicon Valley’s true urban center. To do that, we need to double down on what’s working, which is our “experience economy.” We need to provide more opportunities for people to come out of their homes and support our small businesses, experience sports, the arts and other entertainment, and enjoy all that a great downtown has to offer. 

For now, we’re making lasting investments in this Sports and Entertainment District in advance of the Super Bowl and World Cup next year by building out Sharks Way, establishing new entertainment zones, and revitalizing the Guadalupe River Park.

This year, San Jose is working to build more than 1,000 new units of interim housing and shelter to provide alternatives to the streets. This approach has enabled us to clear many encampments without simply moving people from neighborhood to neighborhood. 

But as I mentioned above, the State is now putting this progress at risk. The Legislature’s tentative budget zeroes out HHAP dollars – a program that has helped the state’s 13 largest cities add over 17,000 shelter beds, serve over 100,000 people, and move thousands into permanent housing over the last six years. 

Homelessness is a complicated problem. But the solutions are straightforward. Build out a modern shelter system, rebuild the mental health system, and require people come indoors. We can’t do that if the state doesn’t do its part. 

Anyone who cares about homelessness should be raising the alarm right now – it’s not too late to stop our state leaders from making a huge mistake. Once again, please email your state rep today: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Slam Jose: 3x3 Hoops Festival 

Sunday, June 22nd at 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Plaza de Cesar Chavez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113



Think you and your team can pull off a slam dunk and clinch the championship? Step onto the Slam Jose court TODAY for a dunk contest, 3 point shootout, free throw contest and more! Learn more and sign up here.

PRNS Color Walk and Resource Fair

Friday, June 27th at 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Lake Cunningham Park, 2305 S. White Road, San Jose, CA 95148

Calling all residents 50 years and older — brighten your summer while getting your steps in at PRNS’ Color Walk! This non-competitive walk showers participants in safe, colorful powder while strolling through scenic trails. Register online here or in person at your local community center.

Solari Park Beautification

Saturday, June 28th at 8:45 AM to 12:00 PM

Seven Trees Community Center, 3590 Cas Drive, San Jose, CA 95111

We’re beautifying every corner of San Jose — but we need your help to do it! Join neighbors from across the city to beautify a local park and help create a safer, cleaner, more beautiful community. Learn more and RSVP here. 

Stars and Strides Community Run and Walk

Saturday, June 28th 

Discovery Meadow, 180 Woz Way, San Jose, CA 95110

Lace up your running shoes for the 5th annual Stars and Strides Community Run and Walk! Whether you’re setting a new personal record or walking with friends and family, you can enjoy the 5K or 10K courses. Each step taken and every dollar raised at "Stars & Strides" benefits Valley Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting the vital work of our five public hospitals and 14 healthcare clinics. Learn more and sign up here.

35th Annual San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 

Friday, August 8th - Sunday, August 10th

Downtown San Jose

It is never too early to start planning your Jazz Fest experience – truly one of San Jose’s most unique and enjoyable weekends of the year. Check out this year’s lineup, make plans with your friends, and buy your tickets today. I’ll see you there!

Calling all young professionals! The San Jose Public Library’s Resilience Corps — a paid job training program for young adults who want to explore careers in education, technology, and public service — is hiring for the upcoming academic year. Gain hands-on experience, monthly professional development courses, a competitive wage, and more. If you’re interested in applying, you can learn more here.

160 years of freedom!

Thanks, San Jose, for some incredible moments of celebration and reflection over the past week. Last Saturday, I joined the African American Community Service Agency for Juneteenth in the Streets and on Wednesday we raised the flag at City Hall.

Juneteenth is our annual reminder that freedom in America did not come all at once. That the fight for freedom is never ending — and that each generation has a role in safeguarding the rights of the next. As many of you know because you are a part of it, we are continuing to raise our voices today to stand up for the same principles of equality, dignity, and justice that Juneteenth represents.

The VEP Neighborhood Association and over 20 hard-working neighbors came out to paint a mural near a highly trafficked intersection in the Vista Park area. They were tired of seeing a blank wall — so they did something about it! Do you have an eyesore in your neighborhood you want to beautify? Sign up here at: bit.ly/cleansj.