Important Information: San Jose Housing Plan up for review
and many residents have concerns.
Sharing this information so you are aware and informed.
Every 4 years the City's General plan is updated to give
both the city council and the planning department the
guidelines necessary for our city to grow and thrive. This
year the focus is on housing and responding to new state
laws that require a higher housing density especially along
transit lines. This is good policy for the environment and
for families.
While the city needs to abide by the State's laws and needs
to create more affordable housing, it is my understanding
that the city's planning department has put out a proposed
framework that is much denser than the state laws require.
To learn more about the proposal go to the city's website:
General Plan 4-year Review
Information and Request for Immediate Action from Families
and Homes
Families and Homes is a volunteer organization that is
concerned about the city's proposal. To learn more about
their viewpoint for San Jose Housing, go to
https://www.familieshomessj.org/.
San Jose's plan to radically increase city-wide housing
density from 8 to 32 units per acre (not including ADUs/JADU
adders) is now officially on the August 18 city council
agenda as Item 10.3. The proposal will allow apartment
houses 3-stories tall—with ZERO parking—to be built on ANY
residential lot in San Jose. This will affect every
neighborhood and every street in our city.
Under State law SB330, if city council approves this massive
density increase, we can never go back. This San Jose
proposal goes beyond any state-wide mandates and Housing
Element commitments. And beyond what any nearby city is
contemplating.
This is the public's last chance to take action to preserve
our neighborhoods.
What to Write? A Sample Letter
Dear Mayor and City Council:
I am writing to OPPOSE the planning commission
recommendation to amend the 4-year general plan, as
described in agenda item 10.3 of the August 18 council
agenda.
Quadrupling the maximum permitted housing density from 8 to
32 units per acre, city-wide, eliminating any possibility
for community review or feedback, is a drastic and
irreversible change to the community fabric of our San Jose
neighborhoods. SB330 prevents any reversal of this up-zoning
if it later proves to be unworkable, unpopular or
ineffective. Permanent and far-reaching zoning changes—not
otherwise mandated by the state—should not be undertaken
without the ability to amend or reconsider in future.
The proposal exceeds both Housing Element and State Laws.
There is no requirement for onsite parking, this
recommendation will increase traffic and parking conflicts
on San Jose's already crowded streets, reduce tree cover in
rapidly heating neighborhoods, further aggravate San Jose's
fiscally draining jobs-to-housing ratio, and further burden
strained police, fire, and other city resources.
Respectfully,
[YOUR NAME]
Also please consider
attending the City Council meeting on August 18th
and sharing your opinion.
