DISTRICT 3
MARCH 2009
VOLUME1II/ ISSUE III
SAM'S CORNER
RESPONDING TO YOUR CONCERNS
NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
SAVE THE DATE

SAM'S CORNER

Coming Together in Difficult Times

We’ve all come to dread the drumbeat of layoffs and foreclosures with every morning’s headline.  Some may feel prone to resignation, as they sense a lack of control over the global financial crisis and its local impacts.  Many communities throughout the country are falling apart; colleagues in Cleveland and Detroit recently told me of the widespread blight arising from the departure of hundreds of thousands of residents since the industrial decline of the Rust Belt.

Rather than falling apart, San José remains a place where our community comes together in tough times.  More than ever, we need to be there to support each other.  We can find ways to improve and celebrate our communities within our limited resources, but with the use of our greatest assets: our time, energy, and our spirit of commitment.  I’d like to describe a few recent efforts of our downtown community to come together, in an “open invitation” for you to join us:         

  • “100 Mentors for 100 Children” --Our Neighborhood Advisory Group has worked to identify key non-profit partners —Girls for a Change, MACSA, and The Role Model Program— to embark on an effort that will bring volunteer adult mentors to dozens of at-risk youth living in our neighborhoods.  Through our social networks, neighborhood groups, and workplaces, we’ll bring people to these organizations, to connect youth to positive adult role models and healthy relationships.  You’ll be hearing more in the coming weeks, but please contact us at 535-4903 if you’d like to get involved. 
  • “Graffiti and Grub” – Over two Saturdays this year, I’ve joined fifty neighbors in a litter pick-up, graffiti clean-up, and a celebratory lunch in the Spartan Keyes and Tamien neighborhoods.   Ruth Cueto at our office has married volunteer efforts with the City’s anti-graffiti team to help our communities have fun while restoring some sparkle and shine.   Our next “Graffiti and Grub” will occur in Northside in a few weeks. Let us know if you’d like us to host such an effort your neighborhood; we’ll provide the food and cleaning equipment for those neighbors willing to donate some elbow grease.
  • Farmer’s Market -- With the San Jose Downtown Association’s fabulous “Farm Fresh Fridays” in San Pedro Square and the Japantown Business Association’s Sunday Market, we’ll be adding a Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays to the south side of City Hall (at Fifth Street, on the side facing San Jose State University).  These gatherings provide a great opportunity for familiar neighbors to catch up, to meet unfamiliar members of the community, and to promote the sale of locally-grown and organic food.
  • Spartan Keyes Neighborhood Action Center – Council recently approved a multiyear RDA lease of an empty retail space on Keyes Street to provide the local neighborhood with a “home” for community gatherings.   We celebrated with a “Posadas” event in December that drew well over 200 children and adults, featuring food, puppet shows, and prizes.    
Our troubling times call for us to come together now, more than ever.  I hope you’ll join us—please call us at 535-4903 if you’d like to dedicate any of your time and energy to our common efforts.

Sincerely,

Sam Liccardo

Contact Us
P: (408) 535-4903
E: district3@sanjoseca.gov
W: www.sanjoseca.gov/district3

D3 Staff
Sam Liccardo, Councilmember
Ragan Henninger, Chief of Staff
Roma Dawson, Policy Director
Ruth Cueto, Council Assistant
Fred Buzo, Council Assistant
Sharon Ngo Tran, Council Assistant
Rhonda Hadnot, Exec. Assistant
 

RESPONDING TO YOUR CONCERNS

Developing Downtown

Despite the dark economic mood, Sam’s collaborative efforts with Council and the Redevelopment Agency staff have brought some great results to several initiatives bringing jobs and vitality to the downtown core.  Sam and the District 3 team will continue to look for opportunities, like these, to bring jobs and retail spending to our downtown, and to bolster our city’s struggling budget.
  • In February, Council culminated a lengthy effort to bring Safeway to downtown with a unanimous vote to authorize RDA investment on the ground floor of the “Tower 88” building at 2nd and San Fernando.  Look for an opening in Fall 2009.  
  • After the recent introduction of the Peralta Plan to invigorate a 20-block area in the northwest corner of downtown, Council recently approved building an outdoor “urban market” concept to San Pedro Square by mid-2010, with construction beginning this year.  Thanks to Mayor Reed and Councilmembers Rose Herrera and Nancy Pyle, for co-authoring with Sam the memorandum supporting the effort.  
  • Council also voted unanimously to approve a re-structuring of a deal to bring a “Ross Dress for Less” store downtown, which will bring much-needed foot traffic and retail activity to businesses along Santa Clara and First.  
  • Finally, Sam, City staff and stakeholders worked for months to broker a compromise between the police and nightclubs to ensure that downtown has a safe and inviting nightlife that does not impose a policing burden on our taxpayers.  Some headway was made last month with a Council vote that will see significant changes in the policing model, but with clubs footing the bill for much of the police overtime costs. 

Neighborhood Clean Up A Success

The Strong Neighborhoods Initiative (SNI) staff led a major clean-up effort in the Five Wounds/Brookwood Terrace area.  The eight-day clean-up resulted in 38.7 TONS of debris collected.  Of the debris collected, 96.7% (about 37 tons) was recycled or used for composting.  Volunteers worked in the areas of 22nd Street, Coyote Creek, and the CalTrans right-of-way between McLaughlin Avenue and Coyote Creek.  Gang hangouts were dismantled, and sight lines along trails and potential safety-risk areas were increased. The group successfully cleaned up and properly disposed of 40 gallons of illegally dumped motor-oil, protecting its runoff into Coyote Creek.  CalTrans also repaired a few broken fences which allowed illegal access to areas where gang members had been congregating.  This community enhancing project would not have happened without the hard work of the volunteers, neighbors, the City of San Jose, CalTrans, and the San Jose Redevelopment Agency SNI staff.

Give Your Input on Downtown

The San Jose Redevelopment Agency (SJRDA) in an effort to strengthen and diversify downtown’s local economy is inviting community members to participate in a survey on how downtown could be strengthened as a destination to live, work and play. Participants are asked to share ideas about what is needed and would be supported with three distinct surveys: shopper, business owner and office employee. The results will provide insight on downtown’s current business mix, help the City target retail attraction efforts and assist in identifying gaps in business tools and resources that can strengthen downtown businesses. The surveys are online by clicking here. If you wish to receive a printed copy of the survey, please call the SJRDA at (408) 535-8549 or email redevelopmentworks@sanjoseca.gov.

Sign Code Update

The City of San Jose is hosting two community meetings regarding updating the current Sign Code. The meetings will focus on key signage issues that should be addressed in the update process, including electronic signs, billboards, freeway signs, advertising on news racks and more. At the meetings, City staff will review the current existing sign regulations and the process the City is implementing to identify what types and amounts of signage will best support community goals and economic development. Participants will have an opportunity to identify important signage issues and share ideas, feedback or concerns they have regarding signs. The first meeting is March 25th at 7p.m. at Roosevelt Community Center (901 E. Santa Clara St.) and the second meeting is March 26th @ 7p.m. at Pearl Library Community Room (4270 Pearl Ave.).
 

NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD

Input Sought for Distinctive Neighborhood Program
The City is developing a Distinctive Neighborhoods Program to add further protection and enhancement to unique residential neighborhoods, such as historic neighborhoods. The first round of community outreach was conducted between October and November last year. The City has since developed various policy options based on the input compiled and would like to vet those policy options in the community.

The community meeting for resident input is April 14, 2009 6:30-8p.m. at Ctiy Hall in Wing Room 118/119.

For questions or comments please contact Hadasa Lev, Distinctive Neighborhood Program Planner at 408-535-7838 or hadasa.lev@sanjoseca.gov . For more information on the Distinctive Neighborhood Program click here.

U.S. Census Canvassing Your Neighborhood
Beginning April 6th, U.S. Census workers will be coming to your neighborhood. As the first step in gearing up for the 2010 Census, field workers will begin “address canvassing” in Santa Clara County to verify and update existing residential addresses and area maps. An accurate census count is important to the City, as well as other local government agencies, because the Census count is used to make important decisions about the amount of funding local governments receive. Every year, more than $300 billion in federal funds is awarded to states and communities based on Census data. The U.S. Census Bureau is working in partnership with the County of Santa Clara, the City of San Jose, Valley Transportation Authority and local communities to get the word out. Address canvassing will be completed between April 6th and June 19th . Census field workers will use handheld computers and can be identified by an official Census Enumerator ID badge and U.S. Census Bureau canvas bag. If you have questions or concerns, contact the local Census office at (408) 343-8140 or visit here.

Fitness Classes at Roosevelt Engage Residents
by Tom Leddy, Roosevelt Neighborhood Association

I am so excited about the gym at the Roosevelt Community Center.  I am 59 years old and I haven’t set foot in a gym since I was in high school.  The high school experience was pretty unpleasant, but I was willing to give it another try.  The gym is spanking new and clean.  That’s a real plus for me.  Management is very helpful.  I signed up for a Circuit Training class (there are also classes in Fitness Workout, Lite Circuit Training, Interval Training, and Treadmill/Cardio).  I had no idea what Circuit Training was.  It turns out that you go from machine to machine, and do about twenty-four different kinds of exercises on about twelve machines.  That’s the circuit.  This is how it is described in the brochure: “This one hour circuit training routine is done using high repetitions in our fitness center and involves as many of the major muscle groups as possible.  Learn the proper techniques for utilizing fixed weights and other pieces of exercise equipment.  Get fit, get healthy, and stay safe.”  My teacher, Terence Francesconi, was extremely nice, and patient given that I did not know how to use any of the machines.  Some of the machines were only vaguely like the ones I remembered from high school.  The class is eight sessions for $56.  My class is at 7:00am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is a perfect time for me since I tend to rise early and I like the idea of a workout before business.  There are also classes in the evening.  The great part is that I can also come to the gym on a drop-in basis for $5 a day, or buy a 30 day pass for $19 (if I am a senior, youth, or disabled) or $40 if I am not (I am not sure which I am…I’ll have to ask!), or $130 for an annual pass (again if I am a youth, senior, or disabled) or $260 if not.  (Everything costs more if you are a non-resident.)  I never thought I could get an annual pass to a gym for so little.  And it is only two blocks from my house.  The machines are actually easy to wok with once you understand them.  So, check it out.  It is for anyone who is 18 years and older!
 

COMMUNITY
SPOTLIGHT

First Annual Spring Zydeco Blowout Dinner and Dance

On Saturday, April 4th the Poor House Bistro and Live at the Landmark present, the Spring Zydeco Blowout! This dinner and dance, at San Jose’s Landmark Ballroom, features the Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music entertainment of Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic. Andre will have your feet moving on the Landmark’s 3,000 sq. ft. dance floor. The concert and dance starts at 7:30p.m. and tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. For those who would like a taste of New Orleans, a special pre-dance dinner will be served at 5:30p.m. and tickets are $40 including dinner and dance. Dinner tickets are only available for purchase in advance at Poor House Bistro. Advance dance tickets are available online by clicking here or in person at Poor House Bistro (91 S. Autumn St) or Naglee Park Garage (505 E. San Carlos St). For more information, call (408) 286-1313 or email Chris Esparza at chris@giantcreative.com.

Horace Mann School Foundation Golf Tournament

Horace Mann School, an International Baccalaureate Candidate School in Downtown San Jose is hosting its 4th Annual Scramble Golf Tournament on Friday, May 8 at Los Lagos Golf Course in San Jose.  Registration begins at 10:30am, a shot-gun start will ring out at 1:00pm, and a reception and silent auction will follow at 4:30pm, complete with awards from the day.  For more information on the details of the day, or to register for the event please visit here.
Horace Mann School educates 550 children in grades Kindergarten through 5,  55% of their students are English Language Learners (ELL) and 85% of the students attending Horace Mann receive free or reduced lunches.  Horace Mann focuses on language, social studies, mathematics, visual and performing arts, science and technology, personal, social and physical education.  The students of Horace Mann have a Recycle Club at school and working together the students have diverted 1,100+ pounds of material from landfills every two months!  They have saved 6 trees, 15,000 liters of water, and saved 2,000kW of electricity! 
To continue these outstanding educational programs Horace Mann needs to raise a total of $124,000 annually.  That figure is the summation of funding allocated for art instruction, performing arts, field trips, 5th grade science camp, physical education and sports programming, and their technology program.  Please congratulate Horace Mann School for their efforts, and think about assisting them through participating in their golf tournament, or volunteering with the school!
 

SAVE THE DATE

Sign Up, Pick Up and Clean Up Your Community !

Help the City of San Jose and your neighbors clean up litter at the Great American Litter Pick Up on Saturday, April 25th. To participate in this year’s Litter Pick Up, call (408) 277-3208 and sign up for one of the locations listed below. On the day of the event, show up at your meeting location and receive litter clean-up supplies, then join your neighbors in an afternoon of litter pick-up. Following the event, meet back at your registration site for a celebratory lunch. Sam and District 3 residents will meet at Roosevelt Community Center. Think about organizing your neighborhood to join! For more information contact Servando Perez at 277-3208 or Servando.perez@sanjoseca.gov.

Locations:
Starbird Youth Center, 1050 Boynton Avenue, San Jose, Ca 95117
Oak Grove High School, 285 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA 95123
Roosevelt Community Center, 901 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA 95116
Berryessa Community Center 3050 Berryessa Road, San Jose, CA 95132
Alviso Youth Center, 5040 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95134
Mayfair Community Center, 2039 Kammerer, San Jose, CA 95116
Sherman Oaks Community Center, 1800A Fruitdale Avenue, CA 95128
Seven Trees Elementary School, 3975 Mira Loma, San Jose, CA 95111
Dove Hill Elementary School, 1460 Colt Way, San Jose, CA 95121
Camden Community Center, 3369 Union Avenue, San Jose, CA 95124
Pioneer High School, 1290 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA 95118
 

EVENT CALENDAR

Family Fun Night at the Movies
Friday, March 27, 2009
6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Roosevelt Community Center (901 E. Santa Clara St.)
Free

Join your neighbors for a fun filled night of games and celebrate the start of baseball season with a classic family movie, The Sandlot, at Roosevelt Community Center. Food and drinks will be available, so take a pass on cooking dinner that night. Also, meet Gigante, the mascot of the San Jose Giants .

Go Green School Conference
Saturday, April 4, 2009
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fairmont San Jose

Gather with fellow parents, students, educators and community members to learn about ways to ensure that our schools operate in a sustainable fashion. The conference will showcase ways schools can save money while protecting natural resources and fostering the next generation of environmental stewards. Come hear success stories and learn about new teaching methods surrounding green education, like school gardens and recycling programs. The event registration is $40 through Marach 28, 2009. After March 28th to the day of the event, registration is $100 - so make sure to register early by clicking here.

Children of the Dragon Weekend
Saturday, April 4th, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 5th, Noon to 5 p.m.
Children's Discovery Museum

The 3rd annual Children of the Dragon Weekend is a special celebration of Vietnamese culture. Come and explore Vietnamese culture and tradition through music, dance, art, fashion and food. Visit here for more information.