Hi Neighbor,

As we wrap up another eventful year in District 8, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who contributed to Mary's 15th Annual Warm for Winter Coat Drive. Due to the generosity of our community, hundreds of families and individuals in need will receive the warmth and security they deserve. I also want to extend my appreciation to everyone who came to Santa at the Square. The Evergreen Village Square came alive with a jolly visit from Santa and activities from our community partners; what a wonderful way to end the year!

Many of you likely heard about the Black Friday shooting at Valley Fair Mall, a stark reminder of why upstream investments in youth programming and public safety are so essential. That's why, during this year's budget, I championed funding to expand youth sports in District 8 (shoutout to Mayor Matt for his support). With those dollars, and in partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes and several community organizations, we launched Saturday Night Lights (SNL). SNL is an after-school futsal program that gives kids a safe, positive place to be on Friday and Saturday nights, when too many of our youth have limited options.

The results speak for themselves:

• 100% of 8th-grade participants were promoted to high school, including students previously at risk
• 30% increase in school attendance among participants
• Zero disciplinary incidents
• Stronger peer relationships and collaboration among all participants

Investing in our youth, rather than criminalization, builds the foundation for long-term community safety and long-term success and should be a priority. Having experienced firsthand how transformative sports can be, I will continue to strongly advocate for the expansion of this program across San José and am committed to scaling SNL citywide in the upcoming budget. I also want to extend a thanks to Supervisor Arenas, who secured $40,000 in the County budget for Phase Two of SNL, which we are working to launch in 2026. 

City Hall will be closed December 24 through January 4th for the holidays. My office will be monitoring emails sent to district8@sanjoseca.gov. Please note that responses may be slightly delayed.

On behalf of the District 8 team, I wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year. We look forward to an exciting 2026!

It is my pleasure and privilege to serve as your City Councilmember,

Domingo Candelas

City of San José District 8

Learn more about our community work and accomplishments in my past newsletters from February 2023 onward, which provide a wealth of information including updates on legislation, community events, and important issues like the City budget, public safety, homelessness and more.

Please share this with your neighbors and let them know what's happening in my district. They can sign up by following this link.

Upcoming Events

In Our Community

Holiday Party with the Norwood Neighborhood Association

Before attending our Santa at the Square, Santa Claus made a special visit to the Norwood Holiday Party!

Welch Park Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

The Welch Park Neighborhood Association held the annual volunteer appreciation dinner! Over 40 volunteers were recognized for their dedication to our community. All of them take the time out of their busy schedules to transform the neighborhood by supporting the Second Harvest Food Distribution, monthly litter pickups, and other events organized by residents.

Special shoutout to Supervisor Betty Duong for giving each volunteer a certificate of recognition!

Santa at the Square

Santa Claus took a break from his responsibilities at the North Pole to say hello to the families who attended our holiday event at the Evergreen Village Square!

Special shoutout to Evergreen Coffee Co. and Fernandez Bakery for the yummy hot cocoa and pan dulce.

5K at Groesbeck Hill Park

This month, the Evergreen Leadership Neighborhood Association and Dawn Murray organized their first-ever 5K run at Groesbeck Hill Park!

Over 50 participants and volunteers braced the cold weather to make this debut event a success.

Is this the beginning of a yearly tradition? All signs point to yes!

Pancakes & Planting at Welch Park

We held the third and final planting day on Clarice Dr. this month!

Our residents were treated to a pancake breakfast, courtesy of one of our neighborhood leaders, before getting to work.

Thank you to every volunteer who showed up to help us transform this empty plot of land into a beautiful pollinator garden.

Small Business Spotlight

Meena Fashion & Surya Indian Cuisine

Two new businesses have joined our tight-knit Evergreen community, and they're right next to each other!

Meena Fashion brings vibrant and traditional Indian attire; each garment is guaranteed to elevate every occasion.

Surya Indian Cuisine serves authentic dishes and sweets, a perfect choice for your next family meal. 

Visit Meena Fashion (2848 S White Road) and Surya Indian Cuisine (2846 S White Road) in-store today!

Visit District 8 Businesses for Your Holiday Needs!

District 8 is home to a diverse array of goods and services that will elevate your gatherings this holiday season.

The Tully Road Eastridge Business Association, Evergreen Village Square, and Evergreen Business Association all have cultivated a bustling environment with local staples and many mom-and-pop shops to choose from!

City Hall Update

On December 9th, the City Council approved the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 (July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025) and the agreement with the County of Santa Clara’s Office of Supportive Housing for the Homelessness Prevention System Funding.

The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report gives us a clear picture of how well the City is managing its resources. It uses a variety of financial metrics to assess our overall strength. While our expenses have increased over the past year, the report shows that these investments have been made responsibly and with long-term stability in mind.

For example, we increased spending on public safety by $13.3 million to meet community needs. At the same time, several key City operations continue to generate surpluses—bringing in more revenue than they spend. San José Clean Energy, the Wastewater Treatment Program, and the Airport are all strong examples of departments operating with a positive balance.

As your Councilmember, I remain committed to ensuring that the City stays financially responsible while advocating for a budget that supports the priorities and well-being of our district.

The Homelessness Prevention System is a critical program that helps families and individuals stay housed before they fall into homelessness. Approval from the City Council means that the City of San José commits more than $8 million, in partnership with Santa Clara County and community providers, to deliver emergency financial assistance, case management, and supportive services for households at immediate risk of losing their homes. Most of the funding goes to San José families. By investing in prevention, we are taking a smart, compassionate approach that keeps families housed, reduces strain on shelters and emergency services, and addresses homelessness earlier as part of a broader citywide strategy.

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Lastly, the Housing Department will be hosting multiple community meetings to discuss proposed changes to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and Mobilehome Rent Ordinance.

The first Zoom meeting for the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was held on Wednesday, December 10th. Another meeting will be held in January, more info to come! 

Wednesday, December 17^th at 6:00 pm

Mobilehome Rent Ordinance – Zoom Community Meeting

https://sanjoseca.zoom.us/meeting/register/dukz7-wwSkC6k1A7KOEvlw

Activating Our Neighborhoods

Building strong neighborhoods starts with you! Joining a neighborhood association not only builds community block by block, but it also brings critical information to the forefront as I draft policy and fight for dollars in the budget. As a councilmember, I rely on the eyes and ears of each resident, and your collective voices take shape in the form of neighborhood groups.

Here is a list of active neighborhood associations in District 8:



• Welch Park - Between Ocala Ave, King Rd & Tully Rd
• Norwood - Between Tully Rd, Ruby Ave, Norwood Ave & S White Rd
• Meadowfair - Between East Capitol, Aborn Rd, S King Rd & Rigoletto Dr
• Creekside - Between San Felipe Rd & Cadwallader Ave
• Brahms/Edgeview - Between Rigoletto Dr, S King Rd, Tully Rd & Quimby Rd
• Silver Oak Estates - Silver Oak St, Rachaella Lane & Carmella Ct
• Evergreen Leadership - Neighborhoods of Groesbeck, Hidden Glens, Pleasant Hills & Quimby
• Thompson Creek - E Capitol Expwy, Aborn Rd, White Rd & Quimby Rd
• Brigadoon - E Capitol Expwy, Aborn Rd, Nieman Blvd, Wendover Lane, Baronet Ct, Yerba Buena Road & Silver Creek Rd
• District 8 Community Roundtable - District-wide

If you would like to get involved in your neighborhood association, or you do not see your neighborhood listed and would like to activate your neighborhood, please reach out to sachin.radhakrishnan@sanjoseca.gov

VTA Eastridge to BART Regional Connector Update

ONGOING AND ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

*Expect a brief construction break from December 24, 2025, through January 2, 2026. During this time, VTA’s Engineering and Outreach teams will remain active, except on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day*

1. TURN RESTRICTION: Southbound Capitol Expressway to Eastbound Ocala Avenue

One left-turn lane remains open until June 2026.

2. CIDH PILE DRILLING: S. Capitol Avenue between Wilbur Avenue and Capitol Expressway

Day Work

• Monday, December 15 through Friday, December 19
• Monday, December 22, and Tuesday, December 23

Cast-In-Drilled-Hole (CIDH) pile drilling activities are underway. This activity is in the northern end of the project and includes installing soldier pile and steel plates for shoring.

3. STORY ROAD INTERSECTION AND SOUTH OF STORY ROAD

Day Work

• Monday, December 15 through Friday, December 19
• Monday, December 22 through Tuesday, December 23

Bridge construction activities are ongoing in various sections, encompassing rebar placement, station electrical work, and communications conduit installation. These tasks are scheduled for daytime work hours. The sidewalk by the Chevron gas station has been poured. Various contractors are performing different tasks in the vicinity, with a focus on advancing the construction of elevator tower.

4. FALSEWORK INSTALLATION: Northbound Capitol Expressway

Overnight Work with Road Closures

• Friday, December 19 through Saturday, December 20
• Sunday, December 21 through Monday, December 22

Falsework will be installed on northbound Capitol Expressway between Story Road and Ocala Avenue.

Expect overnight lane closures and road closures with detours between 10:00 PM and 5:30 AM. Follow detour signs.

5. FALSEWORK INSTALLATION: Northbound Capitol Expressway Overnight Work with Road Closures  

 Sunday night, December 14 through Tuesday morning, December 16

Falsework will be installed on northbound Capitol Expressway between Cunningham Avenue and Ocala Avenue.

6. TRACK WORK

• Monday, December 15 through Friday, December 19
• Monday, December 22 through Tuesday, December 23

Railworks is constructing plinths on the bridge and installing conduits.

...

Any questions, comments, and concerns can be directed to the VTA Community Outreach Office at community.outreach@vta.org or (408) 321-7575. Please make sure to provide your name, address, a summary of your concern, and your phone number.

SAFETY REMINDERS

• Pay close attention to detour signs and lane closures
• Reduce speed through construction zones
• Avoid distractions such as mobile devices
• Use alternate routes when possible

DAY AND NIGHT WORK SCHEDULES

• Day crews work Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am through 5:00 pm

• Night crews work from Sunday night through Friday morning, from 10:00 pm through 7:00 am.

• Weekend day and night crews work as needed.

• Crew schedules and construction activities can change at any time.

*Construction activities can change at any time

City Services

To combat the rise of vehicles with expired registration, the City of San Jose has created a new team under the Department of Transportation that deals solely with citing and towing vehicles with expired registration for at least 1 year. Please be aware that they are currently completing their sweep of the city, citing and towing any vehicles that fit this criterion. 

To report vehicles with expired registration, please use the 311 app. 

If you are reporting a general vehicle concern, you can also use the 311 app. For DOT to cite or tow the vehicle, it must be one of these options highlighted and fit the requirements under each of the categories in the image below. DOT will conduct its investigation to determine if it meets the threshold to be cited or towed once you have filed a report. 

To learn more about free legal services through the Elevate Community Center, click here!

Announcements

SJPL Fundraiser

Please consider enrolling in the Read to Raise read-a-thon fundraiser hosted by the San José Public Library Foundation! All funds will go towards a variety of literary arts programs at SJPL, including Summer Learning and Winter Reading.

Cash for College

Every student’s goals deserve support. Cash for College workshops offer free guidance to help complete the FAFSA or CADAA and unlock the financial aid students qualify for. Find the nearest workshop and take the next step! ...

Las metas de cada estudiante merecen apoyo. Los talleres de Cash for College ofrecen orientación gratuita para completar la FAFSA o la CADAA y acceder a la ayuda financiera correspondiente. Busca el taller más cercano y da el siguiente paso.

Become an Advocate Volunteer

Working with children in foster care can be tough and demanding, but it's also very impactful. As an Advocate Volunteer, you have the ability to help a foster child overcome the effects of having experienced abuse, neglect and/or abandonment. This can completely alter the life trajectory of a child.

SHOW UP for a foster child! Learn how you can make a difference in a foster child's life by attending a virtual volunteer info session.