Your Government » Departments & Offices » Planning, Building & Code Enforcement » Planning Division » Major Development Projects » San José Flea Market Southside Rezoning Project

Vendor Support Incorporated into the Project

The approved rezoning project includes a variety of measures intended to support vendors leading up to and following closure of the existing Flea Market; the most notable of these measures are summarized below. For more details, please visit www.sjeconomy.com/FleaMarketVendors. 

Advanced Notice of Market Closure: The property owner must provide a one-year advance notice to vendors before removing any stalls for construction work. This notice may not be provided any earlier than July 2023. This means the soonest that the existing Flea Market may close is July 2024.  

Vendor Transition Fund: The property owner must contribute $5 million to a new Vendor Transition Fund over the course of three milestones: after approval of the rezoning, at the announcement of market closure, and at market closure. The primary purpose of this fund is to help vendors with the expenses of relocating due to redevelopment of the Flea Market site. The City has allocated an additional $2.5 million to the fund. 

Business Support:  City Council directed the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA) to engage vendors in the process moving forward and to offer resources and support to help them transition their businesses. To date, OEDCA has hosted several events, conducted outreach at the market, met regularly with vendor representatives, and initiated a Business Transition Program, among other forms of support. 

5-Acre Urban Market Concept - The approved rezoning designates approximately 5 acres for a new urban market, intended to provide existing Flea Market vendors with an opportunity to relocate within the new development. No details are available about market concept as the development process has yet to begin. However, the approved rezoning project specified these requirements: 

  • The City can only approve a Planned Development (PD) Permit that includes market-rate dwelling units after, or at the same time, that a PD Permit for the new market space is brought to Council. 

  • The property owner shall provide a reasonable evaluation of the financial feasibility of a denser/multi-level urban market and associated parking, including case studies of similar market models. 

  • The property owner shall introduce the City to any successor in interest to the urban market site at least 60 calendar days prior to the close of escrow in order to engage in a conversation about the urban market concept. 

  • The property owner shall provide Flea Market vendors with a current month-to-month rental agreement (as of June 2021) the first opportunity to move to the urban market. 

  • The property owner shall set rents in the urban market in an amount comparable to other open-air markets in the Bay Area. 

  • OEDCA staff shall complete studies to help inform the design, financing, operations, and partnership models for the urban market concept. 

  • The new Flea Market Advisory Group shall provide guidance on the design, operation, and associated parking of the urban market. 

Flea Market Advisory Group - City Council directed OEDCA staff to form a Flea Market Advisory Group, consisting of a supermajority of Flea Market vendors and to include property owner representation. The group's purpose is to guide: 

  • decisions related to the Vendor Transition Fund; 

  • engage on the development of the urban market concept; and  

  • assist with outreach and communications with the broader vendor community.  

For more information, see the Contact section below.  

STAFF CONTACTS

  • For questions/comments about active applications:
    Email Laura.Meiners@sanjoseca.gov or call (408) 535-7869.

  • For questions/comments about vendor information, the future market concept, and future Advisory Group:
    Email Adolfo Ruelas (English/Español) at FleaMarketSJ@sanjoseca.gov or call (408) 535-8100.

  • For questions/comments on the approved rezoning project or the Berryessa BART Urban Village Plan:
    Email Charla Gomez (English/Español) at Charla.Gomez@sanjoseca.gov or call (408) 793-5543.

  • Sign up for emailed updates by emailing:  FleaMarketSJ@sanjoseca.gov