Hi Neighbors,

The month of October was a BUSY one for District 8 with all of the dumpster days, community clean-ups, and beautification events across our district. Keeping our neighborhoods clean is an important goal of mine, and there’s no way I can do it on my own. 

If you have ever driven past people cleaning up our streets, they are your neighbors stepping up to the plate for your community. When we come together, we can break down barriers in our neighborhoods and accomplish much bigger things. Since taking office, I have consistently held these types of events and will continue to do so. If you want to coordinate something in your neighborhood, please reach out to my team.

On October 12th, we hosted a meeting on the future vision of the old Pleasant Hills Golf Course. This was a preliminary community meeting where over 100 residents showed up to voice their comments and concerns. The goal was to learn about the engagement process in the coming year and to empower residents. This type of engagement is atypical of the "usual development" process and intended to maximize input and collaboration.

As a reminder, there is no project. What I am doing, is getting ahead of any potential development and bringing together the community so the developer can hear from neighbors first because D8 residents need to be at the forefront of this project! Having been born and raised in the area, I know there are major challenges unique to our District, especially around traffic safety and congestion, public safety, and housing affordability. This is just the beginning of a long-term community engagement process, I encourage you to stay involved!

As we approach the end of October, I am bringing back the annual Fall Family Festival, a free community event for all ages.

Lake Cunningham Regional Park

Saturday, October 28th

10 A.M. - 2 P.M.

There will be a pumpkin patch, lawn games, and plenty of food. Feel free to bring a picnic blanket, and some lawn chairs, and enjoy the Saturday with your neighbors. I have also ensured that PARKING IS FREE that day and I look forward to ending October on a strong note.

Check out all the events I had this month below. You might even catch yourself in a picture or two!

Domingo Candelas

Councilmember, San José District 8

Learn more about our community work and accomplishments in my past monthly 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.

Upcoming Events

Fall Family Festival

I am happy to continue this long-standing San José tradition

with support from city departments, local organizations, businesses, and community volunteers.

Please join the festivities at: 

Lake Cunningham Regional Park on

Saturday, October 28th from 10AM to 2PM.

We are bringing our community together to enjoy local entertainment, interactive children’s activities, and light refreshments.

We will also have an informational resource fair where the community can gain beneficial services and learn about valuable opportunities offered by local non-profit, government, and community-based organizations.

Cleanup at Lake Cunningham Regional Park

Sunday, November 12, 2023 from 10AM to 12PM

Lake Cunningham Regional Park - Ruby Creek Picnic Area

Help keep our regional park litter-free and learn about the

latest updates for restoring this essential community resource.

Light refreshments and free parking will be provided.

Councilmember Candelas at the Farmer's Market

Every 3rd Wednesday and Sunday of the Month from 9am to 10am

@ Evergreen Village Square

Join me every 3rd Wednesday and Sunday of the Month from 9am to 10am. No appointment needed. Stop by and share your thoughts and questions with me at the Farmer's Market.

Thank you once again to those who took the time to

chat with me this past month!

As a part of my mobile office hours, I will be out in the district

every 3rd Wednesday and Sunday of the month at the

Evergreen Village Square. See you in November!

Dumpster Day on Cunningham Ave

Saturday, November 11th from 8:30am to 11am

@ Cunningham Ave. by Overfelt High School

Join the Welch Park Neighborhood Association and Councilmember Candelas for a community Dumpster Day on Cunningham Ave in the Welch/Overfelt Neighborhood



Bins to start loading by 8:30 AM; last drop off at 10:50 AM. Please refer to the list of allowed and NOT allowed items. Staff will be on-site to help answer any questions.

RSVP is not required. Let us know if you have any questions!

What's Allowed

Old Furniture, Desks, Drawers, Mattresses, Box Springs, Hardware, Toilets, Glass, some Lumber, Lawn Mowers (fluids drained), Plastic Toys, Rims, Clean Concrete, and More

What's NOT Allowed

Automotive and Cleaning Products, Fertilizer and Pesticides, Fluorescent Light Bulbs, Gas Cylinders and Tanks, Paints, Solvents, Medications, Needles, and More

In the Community

Community Beautification

Earlier this month, I met with neighbors from the Groesbeck Hill neighborhood and got to work. Altogether, we removed over 12 bags of litter thanks to the Evergreen Leadership Neighborhood Association!

I also worked with residents of the Meadowfair and Asana neighborhoods to spread over 100 yards of mulch on public property by Meadowfair Park. This area was a hot spot for homeless encampments, but now, with the help of the community, we have prepared the area for tree planting and are excited to get ideas from the community on what else we can do in the area. I encourage you and your neighbors to please share your ideas with me for this local enhancement!

Lastly, this past weekend I stopped by two events: the monthly litter pick-up at Thompson Creek, and the Brahms/Edgeview Dumpster Day where we filled 4 dumpster bins. Thank you to all the local leaders who made this work possible at both sites!

Mid-Autumn ICAN/Moon Festival

Thank you to the International Children Assistance Network (ICAN) for inviting me to their Mid-Autumn Moon Festival! Cultural traditions are an important part of what makes San José such a vibrant place to live. Families came together, enjoyed moon cakes, and celebrated the full moon. Historically, people would pray for peace and a bountiful harvest for their communities. 

Fire Safety Workshop

A top concern for many of the residents living up against the foothills is the risk of wildfires. We had over 200 people show up to engage with CAL FIRE, the San José Fire Department, and the Office of Emergency Management, to learn how to better protect themselves, identify areas for preventative maintenance, and connect with our emergency services.

Pleasant Hills Community Engagement Meeting

Thank you to the neighbors who came to our community meeting last week and participated in our discussion about the future vision

of the old Pleasant Hills Golf Course!

If you would like us to add you to our outreach list for this

item and future community meeting reminders please email district8@sanjoseca.gov or follow this link.

Interfaith Breakfast

I hosted an Interfaith Breakfast with leaders from the

Grace Church of Evergreen, Evergreen Islamic Center,

Winter Faith Collaborative, the Sikh Gurdwara, Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, Catholic Charities, and the Lighthouse of Hope.

Breaking bread with these faith leaders was a first step in rejuvenating a network that was adversely affected by the pandemic.

The strength of this network directly impacts how we solve the most challenging problems that face our communities. And I look forward to continuing these meetings in the future.

Community Coffee

Assemblymember Ash Kalra and I hosted a community coffee to hear resident concerns and solve city and state issues at the same time.

These hours are critical for constituents to have 1:1 on time with me and place greater urgency on issues facing you and your neighborhood. Issues from housing and code enforcement to permitting can get solved much quicker when you bring them to my attention.

Partners in Animal Welfare (PAW) at Welch Park

Thank you to the many PAW technicians and residents who helped make this record-breaking event possible!

Over 400 vaccinations were provided serving 101 animals with

an additional 96 flea treatments also having been provided.

Walk to Schools in District 8

As the school year continues, it is important to support

the safety of our students. Crosswalk enhancements are not

just about fresh paint; it’s about enhancing safety and accessibility.

Thank you to the many leaders and parents who helped bring this safety into action by hosting walk-to-school events these past several weeks!

San José Chamber Breakfast

Thank you to the San José Chamber of Commerce for inviting me to speak on critical issues facing the business community. My parents are small business owners and I know how important it is to have additional support.

Breast Cancer Awareness

This month, your D8 team wore pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women as 1 in 8 women are diagnosed worldwide. This month, take the time to check in with your healthcare provider about early detection options and encourage the women in your life to do so!

Binational Health Week Kickoff

Binational Health Week kicked off on October 7th at Eastridge Mall! It is always great to see the many leaders and services that come together for this annual health awareness event.

Thank you to the Public Health Department and the

Consulate General of Mexico in San José for hosting the kickoff and

the many additional health services throughout this month.

CERT Meeting

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program trains citizens to prepare for emergency situations in their communities. When disaster strikes, CERT members give critical support to first responders, assist victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site.

Thank you to all who attended our October meeting at the Evergreen Village Square Library!

For more information, follow the District 8 CERT Facebook or check out the San José CERT Program and see how you can be involved!

City Hall Update

The City Council just moved one step closer to setting up the Via Del Oro site for Emergency Interim Housing. This is a crucial step towards achieving our goals for interim-housing beds while we build permanent, affordable housing options for people to transition to. The City Council is also looking for ways to ensure all of our interim-housing sites run as lean and effectively as possible. 

The City has also worked with VTA to begin the process to place up to 200 tiny homes at the Cerone site in North San José. This funding came from the State of California and we were able to secure a site that gets us closer to housing people at the lowest possible cost to our city.

As a son of small business owners, I am proud to announce the City’s Planning Department just launched the Best Prepared Designer Program. This new program enables fast permit issuance on eligible projects by allowing building designers who enroll in the program to take full responsibility for building code compliance and thus bypass the Building Division’s standard plan review process. This is a great example of my commitment to ensuring we as a City are cutting red tape and reducing processing time for building permits.

Announcements

Slow Down Pledge

We still have a pressing need for expanding Vision Zero in San José.

Vision Zero is a vital initiative aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries, making our streets safer for everyone. We must continue to take steps to prevent such senseless tragedies from occurring in the future. Take the Pledge to drive the speed limit.