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Record of Proceedings

San Jose City Council Meeting on September 30, 2025: Focus Areas and Housing

City Council — Tuesday, September 30, 2025
BodySan Jose, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 30, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 5:31:02

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:11

All right, good afternoon.

0:13

Welcome everyone.

0:14

I'm pleased to uh call to order this meeting of the San Jose City Council for the afternoon of September 30th.

0:20

Tony, would you please call the role?

0:22

Kame.

0:23

Campos.

0:24

Present.

0:24

Tordillos.

0:25

Here.

0:26

Cohen?

0:26

Here.

0:26

Ortiz.

0:27

Present.

0:28

Welcome.

0:28

Here.

0:29

Don?

0:29

Here.

0:30

Candeles.

0:31

Here.

0:31

Casey?

0:32

Fully?

0:33

Here.

0:33

Mayhem.

0:34

You have a quorum.

0:35

Thank you.

0:36

Great.

0:36

Now, if you're able, please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:44

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.

0:49

And to the Republic.

0:52

One nation.

0:53

Under God.

0:54

Indivisible.

0:55

Liberty and justice for all.

1:00

Thank you.

1:03

Today's invocation will be provided by Shaka Campbell, internationally accomplished poet, artist, and performer.

1:11

Councilmember Candelas, please tell us more.

1:14

Thank you, Mayor.

1:16

It's truly an honor to welcome a special guest who brings not only a wealth of talent, but also a deep commitment to using art as a force of change.

1:26

Today we are joined by Shaka Campbell, a London-born California-based poet, performer, and cultural advocate.

1:34

Shaka is the first black poet laureate of Santa Clara County.

1:38

His remarkable career has taken him from local stages to iconic venues like the Apollo Theater, the Lincoln Center, and the O2 Arena in London.

1:47

Shaka's poetry is more than art, it's a call to action.

1:50

His words carry the power to uplift, challenge, and inspire.

1:55

He is a two-time Grand Slam champion, author of several poetry collections, and creator of multiple spoken word albums.

2:04

Beyond his impressive accolades, Shaka has collaborated with organizations like the DeYoung Museum and the VTA, making poetry accessible to everybody.

2:15

But what truly sets Shaka apart is his ability to connect with people through his art.

2:19

His message to the world is simple.

2:22

Listen different.

2:24

He invites us to reflect, engage, and hear the stories that are too often overlooked in our society.

2:30

Now please join me in welcoming Shaka Campbell to lead us in today's invocation.

2:37

Thank you.

2:40

How is everyone?

2:41

Good.

2:42

Wow, that didn't sound great.

2:45

We're good?

2:46

Okay, better.

2:48

Alright, so I'm just gonna say before I go in, I'm a poet, not a singer.

2:52

You'll figure out why.

3:03

Oh, and just like that river.

3:06

I've been running ever since.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████18%
Miscellaneous█████████████████17%
Affordable Housing████████████████16%
Community Engagement█████████████13%
Economic Development███████7%
Personnel Matters██████6%
Homelessness█████5%
Procedural████4%
Child Care████4%
Summary of Proceedings

San Jose City Council Meeting – September 30, 2025

The San Jose City Council meeting on September 30, 2025, included ceremonial recognitions, approval of a police union agreement, a semi-annual update on city focus areas, and decisions on several housing-related acquisitions and general plan amendments. Key themes were public safety, homelessness reduction, economic development, and transparency in law enforcement.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 2.5 was pulled for a travel report on the Atlanta study mission, where council members shared insights on mixed-use developments around sports anchors. The consent calendar passed unanimously after public comment.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • On item 3.5 (ordinance prohibiting law enforcement from concealing identities), multiple speakers expressed support for the measure. Speakers argued that it would enhance accountability, protect immigrant communities from impersonation and intimidation, and uphold constitutional rights. Concerns were raised about ICE operations and instances of masked agents causing fear.

Discussion Items

  • Item 3.3: Council discussed and approved the terms of an agreement with the San Jose Police Officers Association for 2025-2028. Members emphasized the need for fair pay, recruitment, and retention to support public safety, particularly in underserved districts.
  • Item 3.4: Staff presented the Focus Area 2.0 semi-annual status report, introducing logic models for five priorities: increasing community safety, reducing unsheltered homelessness, cleaning up neighborhoods, growing the economy, and building more housing. Council members asked questions about metrics, funding, and implementation.
  • Item 8.1: Council considered the acquisition of 447 South Almaden Boulevard, linking city holdings for future development flexibility. Staff highlighted the strategic location and favorable price.
  • Item 8.2: Discussion on the Gateway Tower project for affordable workforce housing in downtown, with a memo proposing a tenant preference for local artists. The applicant expressed commitment to community engagement and architectural compatibility.
  • Items 10.2 and 10.3: Early consideration of general plan amendments for residential developments at Emory Street/Alameda and McKendry Street. Applicants and neighborhood representatives voiced support for townhome projects to address housing needs and revitalize vacant lots.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous approval of the SJPOA agreement (Item 3.3).
  • Adoption of the Focus Area 2.0 framework and dashboards (Item 3.4).
  • Approval of the acquisition and financing for 447 South Almaden Boulevard (Item 8.1).
  • Approval of the Gateway Tower loan and land purchase, with artist preference (Item 8.2).
  • Approval to continue processing general plan amendments for both properties (Items 10.2 and 10.3), moving them forward for further review.

Meeting Transcript

All right, good afternoon. Welcome everyone. I'm pleased to uh call to order this meeting of the San Jose City Council for the afternoon of September 30th. Tony, would you please call the role? Kame. Campos. Present. Tordillos. Here. Cohen? Here. Ortiz. Present. Welcome. Here. Don? Here. Candeles. Here. Casey? Fully? Here. Mayhem. You have a quorum. Thank you. Great. Now, if you're able, please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic. One nation. Under God. Indivisible. Liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Today's invocation will be provided by Shaka Campbell, internationally accomplished poet, artist, and performer. Councilmember Candelas, please tell us more. Thank you, Mayor. It's truly an honor to welcome a special guest who brings not only a wealth of talent, but also a deep commitment to using art as a force of change. Today we are joined by Shaka Campbell, a London-born California-based poet, performer, and cultural advocate. Shaka is the first black poet laureate of Santa Clara County. His remarkable career has taken him from local stages to iconic venues like the Apollo Theater, the Lincoln Center, and the O2 Arena in London. Shaka's poetry is more than art, it's a call to action. His words carry the power to uplift, challenge, and inspire. He is a two-time Grand Slam champion, author of several poetry collections, and creator of multiple spoken word albums. Beyond his impressive accolades, Shaka has collaborated with organizations like the DeYoung Museum and the VTA, making poetry accessible to everybody. But what truly sets Shaka apart is his ability to connect with people through his art. His message to the world is simple. Listen different. He invites us to reflect, engage, and hear the stories that are too often overlooked in our society. Now please join me in welcoming Shaka Campbell to lead us in today's invocation.

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