OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San Jose City Council Meeting – November 4, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, November 4, 2025
BodySan Jose, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, November 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:45:37
Transcript — Verbatim
0:11

All right.

0:12

Good afternoon, everyone.

0:14

I'd like to call to order this meeting of the San Jose City Council for the afternoon of November 4th.

0:20

Yasmin, would you please call the roll?

0:22

Come here.

0:23

Campos.

0:25

Here.

0:26

Cohen?

0:27

Ortiz.

0:28

President.

0:29

Okeihe.

0:30

Here.

0:30

Duan.

0:31

Here.

0:31

Condores.

0:32

Here.

0:33

Casey.

0:33

Here.

0:34

Foley.

0:35

And Mahan.

0:35

Here.

0:36

You have a quorum.

0:37

Thank you.

0:37

And by the way, happy election day.

0:39

Don't forget to vote today.

0:40

Pulls open until 8 p.m.

0:43

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

0:49

I like religious.

0:53

The United States of America.

0:55

Thank you.

1:00

And this is liberty and justice for all.

1:08

Thank you.

1:09

Today's invocation will be provided by Reverend Jason C.

1:13

Reynolds of Emanuel Baptist Church and Councilmember Casey will tell us more.

1:18

I have a personal connection to this church.

1:21

Emmanuel Baptist Church was where I had an opportunity to attend as a child.

1:25

Mr.

1:25

Childress was there sitting next to the pastor, my best friend's father on my street.

1:29

If you spent the night at the children's house on a Saturday, you better bring your church closed because on Sunday you were going to Emmanuel Baptist Church.

1:35

So I have the honor or I had the honor two weeks ago of presenting a commendation on behalf of the city for their 60th anniversary.

1:42

And Pastor Jason C.

1:43

Reynolds has taken over at Emanuel since 2012.

1:47

And just a little background on Pastor Jason here on his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St.

1:54

Louis, a Masters of Arts and Divinity from McCormick Theology Seminary in Chicago, and an executive education certificate from the Kellogg School of Management from Northwestern University, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theology Seminary.

2:11

So I'm honored to introduce Pastor Jason C.

2:14

Reynolds.

2:15

Thank you.

2:16

Thank you.

2:18

It is a pleasure to the mayor and the council.

2:21

It is appreciated to be here.

2:23

And if you give me the moment, I'll lead us in our invocation.

2:27

If you would bow your heads.

2:48

Help them govern your people rightly.

2:51

Let the poor always be treated fairly.

2:54

May this valley yield prosperity for all.

3:01

Holy one is the words for all ring in our ears.

3:05

May they also take deep root in our hearts.

3:07

As we considered housing for the unhoused neighbor.

3:11

Help us to imagine policies and possibilities shaped by the conviction that all can prosper.

3:19

As layoffs ripper through the tech companies and beyond, and many in the valley are struggling to make ends meet.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement████████████████████████24%
Public Safety███████████████████████23%
Homelessness███████████████████19%
Procedural████████████12%
Animal Services███████████11%
Climate and Environment█████5%
Parks and Recreation█1%
Transportation Safety█1%
Cannabis Regulation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

San Jose City Council Meeting – November 4, 2025

The San Jose City Council convened on November 4, 2025, at 9:45 AM for a meeting that included ceremonial recognitions, a city manager report, interviews and appointments to the Board of Fair Campaign and Political Practices, and policy actions on nitrous oxide sales and tobacco retail licenses. The council also approved grant agreements for homeless outreach and engagement programs. Public comments addressed VTA cleanliness, animal shelter issues, and support for tobacco enforcement. The meeting was adjourned in memory of animal advocate Janessa Lurie.

Consent Calendar

  • The council unanimously approved the consent calendar. A public commenter raised concerns about smoking on VTA buses and light rail, calling for stricter penalties and bans.

Recognition & Ceremonial Items

  • Parents Helping Parents 50th Anniversary: The council recognized the nonprofit for 50 years of supporting families raising children and adults with disabilities. The organization now serves 7,000 families annually plus 250,000 online. Vice Mayor Foley presented the commendation; Chief Development Officer Mark Fischer accepted.
  • Daniel Martinez – Adopt My Block: Councilmember Dewan recognized Martinez for his dog rescue work. Martinez noted the ongoing pet population crisis and the need for affordable spay/neuter services.
  • Riverview Stormwater Garden Award: The California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA) awarded the City of San Jose the 2025 Outstanding Stormwater Capture and Use Implementation Project Award for the five-acre bioretention project that treats runoff from 340 acres before it reaches the Guadalupe River. The project includes walking trails, boardwalk, public art, and native landscaping.
  • Adjournment in Memory of Janessa Lurie: Councilmember Campos spoke about Janessa Lurie, an animal rights advocate who passed away on September 16, 2025. Her parents, Kevin and Gina, shared her story and announced the formation of "Janessa's Friends" nonprofit to support animal welfare.

Report of the City Manager

  • City Manager Jennifer McGuire recognized the San Jose Police Department's Homicide and Crime Scene Units for achieving a 100% solve rate for three consecutive years (2022–2025), solving 122 murder cases. She highlighted the diverse composition of the units, with nearly half of the crime scene unit and four of twelve homicide detectives being women.

Board of Fair Campaign and Political Practices – Interviews and Appointments

  • Three applicants (Eddie, Sangeetha, and John) were interviewed for two vacancies. The council asked about impartiality, meeting attendance commitment, understanding of the Levine Act, and concerns about fair elections. After balloting, Eddie received 10 votes and Sangeetha received 9 votes, with one vote for John; both were appointed.

Discussion Items: Nitrous Oxide Ban and Tobacco Retail License Moratorium (Items 7.1 & 7.2)

  • Staff presented two urgency ordinances. The first bans retail sale of nitrous oxide (whippets) in tobacco shops and similar retailers, with exceptions for medical, dental, and industrial uses, and provides enforcement tools including administrative citations and license revocation. The second imposes a 45-day moratorium on new tobacco retail licenses (extendable up to two years) to allow review of regulations and address overconcentration. Staff noted 101 complaints, with 30 businesses operating without a license and 35 without any business tax certificate. The 2025 Latino Health Assessment found East San Jose has 6.7 tobacco outlets per square mile, more than double the county average.
  • Councilmembers expressed strong support, emphasizing the need for enforcement and youth protection. Both items passed unanimously, including memos directing further exploration of enforcement mechanisms and education.

Discussion Item: Targeted Outreach and Engagement Program (Item 8.2)

  • Housing Director Eric Sullivan and Deputy Director Cupid Alexander presented results from the $8.6 million targeted outreach program (TOPE). Since April 2024, teams engaged 2,225 individuals, with 866 transitioning to shelter, housing, or reunification. 1,368 chronically homeless individuals received case management, and over 28,000 outreach sessions were conducted. The program achieved 96% occupancy across 20 interim housing sites. The Homeward Bound program reunified 28 individuals with family.
  • Future plans include contracting $3 million (a two-thirds reduction) to reflect system optimization, focusing on maintaining high occupancy, improving data collection (including tracking service refusals), and integrating with the new Code of Conduct and Enhanced Engagement Team. Staff noted challenges with the HMIS data system. The council approved the grant agreements unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
  • Nitrous Oxide Ban (Item 7.1): Approved unanimously as an urgency ordinance.
  • Tobacco Retail License Moratorium (Item 7.2): Approved unanimously as an urgency ordinance.
  • Fairways at San Antonio (Item 8.1): Approved unanimously.
  • Outreach Grant Agreements (Item 8.2): Approved unanimously.
  • Board Appointments: Eddie and Sangeetha appointed to the Board of Fair Campaign and Political Practices.
  • City Attorney Nora’s Retirement: Recognized for her service; the meeting acknowledged her last council meeting.

Meeting Transcript

All right. Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to call to order this meeting of the San Jose City Council for the afternoon of November 4th. Yasmin, would you please call the roll? Come here. Campos. Here. Cohen? Ortiz. President. Okeihe. Here. Duan. Here. Condores. Here. Casey. Here. Foley. And Mahan. Here. You have a quorum. Thank you. And by the way, happy election day. Don't forget to vote today. Pulls open until 8 p.m. Now, if you're able, please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I like religious. The United States of America. Thank you. And this is liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Today's invocation will be provided by Reverend Jason C. Reynolds of Emanuel Baptist Church and Councilmember Casey will tell us more. I have a personal connection to this church. Emmanuel Baptist Church was where I had an opportunity to attend as a child. Mr. Childress was there sitting next to the pastor, my best friend's father on my street. If you spent the night at the children's house on a Saturday, you better bring your church closed because on Sunday you were going to Emmanuel Baptist Church. So I have the honor or I had the honor two weeks ago of presenting a commendation on behalf of the city for their 60th anniversary. And Pastor Jason C. Reynolds has taken over at Emanuel since 2012. And just a little background on Pastor Jason here on his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, a Masters of Arts and Divinity from McCormick Theology Seminary in Chicago, and an executive education certificate from the Kellogg School of Management from Northwestern University, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theology Seminary. So I'm honored to introduce Pastor Jason C. Reynolds. Thank you. Thank you. It is a pleasure to the mayor and the council. It is appreciated to be here.

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