W. San Carlos Project Update

We’ve heard questions about the W. San Carlos project—especially whether it's just sidewalk work and if it is, why it's taking so long. To clear things up, it's not just sidewalk work. This is a full corridor upgrade designed to improve the environment, safety, accessibility, and traffic flow along the entire stretch. The project includes:

• Pedestrian safety improvements and new crosswalk features  
• ADA accessibility upgrades 
• Traffic signal modifications   
• Green stormwater infrastructure and drainage improvements to reduce flooding  
• Better separation and flow for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles  

Together, these upgrades will create a safer, more accessible, and more efficient “complete street” for everyone.

The project is still on overall schedule, but a few factors have slowed progress in places. Some materials require long lead times, and crews have encountered unexpected underground conditions, such as additional concrete beneath the asphalt roadway, that require extra work to address safely. Additional improvements near the Bascom area, including upgraded stormwater piping and drainage systems, were also necessary to prevent flooding and protect the roadway during heavy rains.

Projects of this scale also require coordination with multiple agencies to meet safety and regulatory standards. Contractors are required to stay on schedule and can face penalties for delays, helping keep work moving forward. Construction is expected to be completed by September. For the latest information and updates, please visit the CPMS Project Portal. The page is maintained and updated regularly.

Budget Update

In our last e-letter, we outlined our budget priorities in response to the Mayor's March Budget Message. As the budget process moves forward, we continue to advocate for key priorities, including expanding the Proactive City "One Team" model, exploring opportunities to strengthen our partnership with other agencies, and supporting economic development efforts at the airport. Looking ahead, the Proposed Capital Budget Mid-Biennial Update will be released on April 24th, followed by the Proposed Operating Budget and Proposed Fees and Charges Report on May 1st.

Additionally, the City has begun its Budget Community Meetings to gather input from residents. We encourage you to participate. Additional information on the District 6 Budget Community Meeting is included below.

Monday, April 20 | 6PM - 7PM

701 Vine Street, San José

RSVP to the Budget Community Meeting

General Plan Update 

The City of San José is currently reviewing its “General Plan,” the

document that guides what can be built and where across the City. This plan is updated every 20 years, with smaller updates every four years. 

We’re now in one of those four-year review cycles. A task force was convened and is preparing to make recommendations to the City Council about how the Planning Department should update the plan. The Council directed the task force to explore ways to increase housing capacity as the City prepares for the State's review of our Housing Element, which sets targets for how many homes San José must plan for. If we don’t meet those targets, the State can limit local control over development decisions. 

I believe San José must both expand housing opportunities, especially along key growth corridors, and ensure that new development happens in ways that fit the character and needs of our communities. Just as important, residents should have a meaningful voice in what gets built in their neighborhoods. As the task force develops its recommendations, my office will keep you informed about potential zoning changes and make sure your input is part of the process.

District 6 will host one of the General Plan 4-Year Review Open House meetings. I invite you to join the Planning Department, the task force, and your District 6 team to learn more and share your feedback. 

Please stop by on Wednesday, April 29, from 6PM - 8PM at the Bascom Community Center. 

SB 63: Regional Transportation Revenue Measure Bill

This past Tuesday, the San José City Council voted to endorse regional efforts to strengthen and sustain public transit through Senate Bill 63, authored by California State Senator Scott Wiener. This bill would allow voters to consider a regional transportation funding measure in November 2026. If approved, the measure would provide a stable, long-term source of funding for transit operations, capital improvements, and roadway projects that support transit across the Bay Area.

In San José, we are advocating to ensure these funds are used where they will have the greatest impact, improving reliability, increasing ridership, and creating a safer, more comfortable rider experience. This includes prioritizing transit service and rider-focused improvements, as well as major projects like Diridon Station that enhance regional connectivity. 

Rebuilding ridership and public confidence in transit will take time, but sustained investment is essential. SB 63 represents an important opportunity to improve the system and deliver a more reliable and accessible transit network for our community. 

SB 1375: CEQA Exemptions for San José Diridon Station

The Diridon Station Area is a long-term effort to transform the land around the station into a modern, transit-oriented district anchored by a world-class transportation hub. Today, much of the area is made up of surface parking and underused parcels. This project aims to turn it into a vibrant neighborhood with housing, jobs, and public spaces, while strengthening connections among BART, Caltrain, High-Speed Rail, VTA light rail, and bus service. By shortening transfer times, improving station access, and creating a more seamless rider experience, the plan will boost transit ridership, ease congestion, and support a more sustainable, better-connected San José. 

As Chair of the Diridon Steering Committee, I joined regional partners in supporting Senate Bill 1375, authored by Senator Dave Cortese. This bill would provide a targeted California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption to streamline the environmental review process by reducing duplicative analysis that can delay projects for years. Importantly, this does not eliminate environmental review. The Diridon program has already undergone extensive analysis, and federal review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) will still be required to evaluate environmental and community impacts.

SB 1375 creates a more efficient path forward for complex, multi-agency projects like Diridon, helping deliver critical transit improvements faster while maintaining strong environmental standards. By supporting this bill, we are helping move Diridon forward and advancing a model for how transformative infrastructure projects can be delivered more efficiently across our region and state.

Municipal Rose Garden Update

Last year, through the annual budget process, your District 6 Council Office funded a pilot program at the Municipal Rose Garden to address ongoing issues with activities that were not aligned with park rules, including unpermitted vending, events, and commercial photography. The pilot currently operates on weekends from 10AM to 6PM. and is funded through June 30, 2026. 

The initial phase of the pilot showed encouraging results. We saw a reduction in unpermitted activities and improved compliance overall, including instances where staff were able to issue same-day permits for photography. Based on this progress, the Parks Department has recommended continuing the program. We will be advocating to extend funding for this pilot beyond June 2026 and to expand these efforts to Willow Street Bramhall Park, where similar challenges have been raised by the community.  

The Municipal Rose Garden also continues to host San José Unified School District graduation events, which have taken place in the park for more than 20 years. While these are permitted events, they have historically attracted unpermitted vending. Last year, City staff worked closely with SJUSD to improve compliance through education and coordination, including training school resource officers and event staff. This year, we are building on that progress by requiring SJUSD to continue supporting vendor education and enforcement through their security teams to help ensure these events remain well-managed and respectful of park rules. 

Reporting Issues

San José 311 is the city's one-stop service hub for reporting issues like graffiti, potholes, and illegal dumping. You can also request services such as streetlight repairs and abandoned vehicle removal.

To report an issue, we encourage you to download the 311 app or report online. The 311 App is available at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.