Hi Neighbors,

April 22nd was Earth Day but together we found many opportunities throughout the entire month to give back to Mother Earth in the form of neighborhood clean-ups, dumpster days, beautification events, and planning community garden projects.

I want to thank everyone who came out to participate in events I hosted this month, including:

• two dumpster days in the Creekside and Meadowfair neighborhoods
  
• three park beautification days where we removed weeds and graffiti, as well as a fresh new coat of paint to park amenities, and the
  
• Great American Litter Pickup where we removed over 150 bags of illegally dumped litter and debris at five different locations across Evergreen and East San Jose.
  

Please stay connected on Facebook and Instagram for updates on our next District 8 beautification efforts.

On April 25th, I hosted the second community workshop on the future vision of the former Pleasant Hills Golf Course. The goal continues to be to empower residents to learn about YOUR priorities to help shape the future of the area. Since April of last year, I have worked to bring the community together so the developer can hear from neighbors first! I encourage you to stay involved.

We've also finished several traffic safety measures in our district (see below) and while there is still a lot of work to be done, I am committed to doing everything I can to make our community safer!

Lastly, I am excited to be bringing back Music in the Square at the Evergreen Village Square! Check out more information below as well as other fun activities in Council District 8.

Please contact my office for any questions.

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.

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

Cinco de Mayo Parade and Festival

On King Road from Alum Rock Ave to Story Rd

Parade from 10AM to Noon

Stop by the Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Sunday, May 5th.

Check out the festival after the parade at Emma Prusch Park

from Noon to 4PM. Enjoy community resources, lowriders,

music and entertainment, local vendors, and more!

Eastridge to BART Community Forum

Most Holy Trinity Church - 2040 Nassau Drive, San Jose, CA 95122 from 6-7:30PM

Hear a project update about the VTA Light Rail Extension project from BART to Eastridge. Voice your concerns and share your thoughts! Issues like construction timelines, road closures, and community impacts will be covered.

Music in the Square

Evergreen Village Square from 6-8PM

Music in the Square is back!! Join in on the fun and enjoy local music in the Evergreen Village Square. Last summer was a blast and I look forward to bringing this event back for you all.

Dumpster Day at Katherine Smith Elementary

Saturday, May 18th

8AM to 11:30AM

RSVP

Bins start loading by 8:00 AM; last drop off at 11:20 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!

Councilmember Candelas at the Farmer's Market

@ Evergreen Village Square

TIME CHANGE! Stop by and share your thoughts and questions with me at the Farmer's Market. No appointments are needed.

Every 3rd Sunday of the Month from 10AM - Noon

In the Community

Caltrain Electrification Train Tour

This month I was excited to tour the new CalTrain electric trains at Diridon Station! The trains are slated to make their debut in Fall 2024 so stay tuned for more information!

Cambodian New Year

April celebrates Cambodian New Year and commemorates Cambodian Genocide Remembrance and, earlier this month, we held our very FIRST Cambodian Flag Raising at City Hall.  



Our Cambodian American community has contributed immensely to the culture of our city, enriching us with their traditions, businesses, cuisine, and talents. Thank you to everyone who made this event possible!

Community Beautification and Earth Day

Earlier this month, I hosted two Dumpster Days. Working hand-in-hand with neighbors and volunteers, we filled 12 bins at 2 different locations! I also joined folks at Fernish Park and Welch Park for some in-depth beautification work removing weeds and graffiti.

Thank you to everyone who came out to help beautify our community. Special thanks to the SJ Creekside Evergreen Neighborhood Association and the Meadowfair Neighborhood Association for your leadership in making this month's dumpster days possible, rain or shine! Stop by our next Dumpster Day on May 18th.

As mentioned earlier, April is also host to Earth Day when we typically have some of the biggest community cleanups of the year known as the Great American Litter Pickup! This year we picked up over 150 bags of litter at 6 different District 8 sites thanks to the many volunteers who not only helped set and manage sites, but also went out to remove litter and bulky illegally dumped items.

Pleasant Hills Golf Course Community Workshop #2 (In Person)

Dozens of neighbors joined us for the second community workshop to provide their input as we continue to discuss the future visioning of the old Pleasant Hills Golf Course.

Community Coffee at Con Azucar

Dozens of our neighbors joined me for coffee to chat and share their ideas and concerns. A huge thank you to Con Azúcar Cafe for hosting us! If you missed this one, keep an eye out for our next one!

Budget Town Hall at Overfelt

Thank you to everyone who joined me and Councilmember Ortiz at Overfelt High School as we collectively shared our upcoming budget priorities!

Engaging in the budget discussion is a crucial step in our civic engagement!

Donate Life Commendation

My office recognized and proclaimed April as National Donate Life! National Donate Life Month recognizes organ and tissue donation as vital for life and this month commemorates organizations like Donor Network West who connect tissue and organ donors to those in need.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

Traffic Safety

Since taking office, I have advocated for safer streets in our neighborhoods. This is something that is important to me-- from my time as a City Parks & Recreation lead working with at-risk youth to my time as a California State Senate District Director championing statewide legislation, I have created solutions that invest in a safer community.

Quimby/Murillo:

Given the concerns expressed by neighbors, I submitted a request for traffic safety studies at the intersection of Quimby Rd and Murillo Ave. The findings from this study allowed the City to understand which traffic safety improvements would be effective in this hotspot. I worked closely with my team, the San Jose Police Department, and the Department of Transportation to implement these improvements as soon as possible. I am glad to see the improvements recently finished.

Daniel Maloney-Elkins/Nieman:

Another corridor of concern is the Daniel Maloney/Elkins and Nieman Blvd. Although the intersection is slated to be improved in 2025, I have asked the Department of Transportation to come back with an expedited timeframe that can increase visibility and bring strategic bollards for the intersection.

I will continue advocating for additional improvements in the corridor, including the potential to explore the installation of a stoplight. While more work remains to be done, this is a step in actively addressing the dangerous traffic conditions that have existed here for far too long.

Traffic Calming Projects in District 8

The Department of Transportation successfully completed the following traffic calming projects in District 8:

Meadowfair Neighborhood: Rigoletto Drive (from Quimby to King Rd.) - Painted Centerline & Edgelines + High-Visibility crosswalks!

Hidden Glen Neighborhood: Glen Donegal & Peppermint Drive - Painted Centerline & Edgelines.

Thompson Creek Neighborhood:

Scottsdale Drive (between Quimby Rd to Westgrove Ln) - Painted Centerline & Edgelines.

Norwood Neighborhood:

Apperson Ridge Drive (Corby Dr to Ruby Av) - Painted Centerline & Edgelines + High-Visibility crosswalks!

Ruby Av (Tully to Aborn Rd) - Installation of delineators within the bike buffers to protect cyclists.

Bentley Ridge Neighborhood:

Bentley Ridge Drive (Beaumont Canyon Dr to Larkspur Canyon Dr) - Painted Centerline & Edgelines.

Chaboya Neighborhood:

Aborn Rd & Voltaire St: Constructed sideshow mitigations to deter street racing and speeding.

There are a lot of issues that we still need to tackle throughout our District, but I am committed to ensuring I do everything I can to deliver on my commitment to ensuring our community is safe in their cars, on their bicycle or even on foot.

City Hall Update

311

The City of San Jose recently updated the San José 311 app. Reporting vehicle concerns is now easier and more efficient, thanks to the launch of new features and tools called Vehicle Concerns (previously Abandoned Vehicles). Other changes include being able to request a free junk pick-up through the 311 app, find street sweeping information, and report a missed garbage collection. 

Via del Oro Housing Site

On April 16th, my Council colleagues and I approved the Emergency Interim Housing (EIH) project at the Via del Oro site. The EIH site will have capacity for 150 people. Construction will officially start in the winter and has an estimated completion of March 2025. 

New Housing Director and new IPA hires

Also, the City of San Jose just welcomed a new Director of Housing Erik Louis Soliván AND a new Independent Police Auditor Eddie Aubrey.

Announcements