We don't know.

Good afternoon, everyone.

We're going to get started.

Thank you all for being here.

Let's start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

If you all could please rise.

This is my first rodeo, okay?

Tony, will you take the roll, please?

Sorry.

Kamei?

Here.

Campos?

Tordios?

Here.

Cohen?

Here.

Ortiz?

Present.

Mulcahy?

Here.

Duan?

Here.

Candelas?

Here.

Casey?

Here.

Foley?

Here.

Mahan, you have a quorum.

For the record, I knew that.

Please join me.

I pledge allegiance to the flag.

of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under

God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

It's been an exciting day, and it's going to be an exciting week with the Super Bowl,

but let's get started with the commendations. So if Councilmember Candelis could, and Councilmember

Ortiz could meet me at the podium, we will recognize and proclaim February 4th as National

Girls and Women's Sports Day.

What?

Are you doing the invocation? Who's doing the invocation?

Okay.

I'm really not used to starting the meeting like this. Obviously.

Next time I'll be perfect, so we say.

Today's invocation will be provided by Richard Conda,

Executive Director of the Asian Law Alliance,

and Councilmember Campos will tell us more. Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Fred Korematsu once said, if you have the feeling that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak

up. When fear eclipsed freedom, Fred Korematsu chose to resist, insisting that constitutional

rights must endure even in times of crisis. His life reminds us that courage is extraordinary

and that loyalty to our democracy and our constitution sometimes demands resistance.

We will learn more about Fred Korematsu from Richard Konda,

and may we carry these lessons forward with vigilance, courage, and an enduring commitment to justice.

It's now my honor to welcome the Executive Director of the Asian Law Alliance, Richard Konda.

Thank you, Councilmember Campos, for honoring Fred Korematsu.

As you know, in 2010, the state of California passed the Fred Korematsu bill,

making January 30th the first day in the United States named after an Asian American.

Beginning in 2016, local organizations, including the Japanese American Museum of San Jose,

Fred T. Korematsu Institute, the Asian Law Alliance, and other groups have organized

the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution.

The 2026 event was held on Saturday, January 24th, with the theme of Solidarity in Silicon

Valley, Defending the Civil Liberties for All.

Thank you, Council Members Campos, Kamei, and Torreos for attending.

Before I speak about Fred Korematsu, I'd like to invite members of the city council, city staff, and the public

to attend the 46th annual San Jose Day of Remembrance Program presented by the Nihomachi Committee on February 15, 2026.

The Day of Remembrance Program commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942 by Franklin Roosevelt.

That executive order resulted in the incarceration, detention, and removal of 125,000 U.S. residents of Japanese ancestry.

Please attend the Day of Remembrance program at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin at 632 North 5th Street from 530 to 730 p.m.

There will be a candlelight procession through Japantown and community speakers as well.

I was honored to have met Fred Koremasu on a number of occasions.

He attended Asian Law Alliance fundraising events in San Jose, as well as the annual San Jose Denver Members Program.

Fred Korematsu was a true civil rights hero because he resisted the unlawful incarceration of Japanese Americans by the U.S. government all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the government's claim of military necessity for the curfew, exclusion, and detention of Japanese Americans.

Years later, researchers found reports, notes, and memorandums written by government attorneys and high civilian leaders,

which showed that the Department of Justice and the War Department suppressed, altered, and destroyed important evidence.

This evidence demonstrated that, one, government prosecutors suppressed authoritative intelligence reports showing Japanese Americans were loyal.

Two, reports submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court were altered to support the government's position.

Three, the allegations of espionage by Japanese Americans were known to be false by government attorneys

who failed to inform the Supreme Court of this deception.

Fred Korematsu's conviction was overturned based upon misconduct of the government prosecutors

and was a key element in the movement for redress and reparations for Japanese Americans.

Until his death in 2005, Fred Korematsu continued to speak up in defense of civil liberties for all.

That is the lasting legacy of Fred Korematsu.

He spoke out after September 11, 2001, on how the United States government should not let the same thing happen to Muslim Americans and Arab Americans as what happened to Japanese Americans.

When prisoners were detained on Guantanamo Bay for too long,

a period he filed two briefs with the Supreme Court

and warned the court not to repeat the mistakes

of the Japanese-American incarceration.

If he were here today, I'm sure he would speak out

against President Trump's mass deportation and attacks on our communities.

He would be appalled at the mass ICE agents

killing, harassing, and terrorizing citizens and non-citizens.

He would be shocked that racial profiling was the basis of warrantless searches and arrests.

It would make Fred Korematsu sick to his stomach to see children being used by ICE to lure payments out of their houses.

With the Super Bowl less than a week away, we must all remain vigilant and united against this invasion by Trump's mass secret police.

Thank you, and I'd like to now introduce Jordan Tachibana from the Korematsu Institute.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I'd like to thank the city council, and especially councilmember Campos, for the commendation.

I'm a former Korematsu Institute intern, so you may know me as a staffer in the area.

I just like it on the record that if I've ever gotten on your nerves or your staff's nerves,

everything I learned, I learned from Karen.

And if she were here today, she's in Los Angeles,

she would want to highlight part of her father's story that talks about courage in your convictions.

In 1944 and again in 1983, when he originally raised his cases in the Quorum Nobis case,

he was nationally ostracized and alienated from the Japanese American community.

There were national publications that criticized his decisions on both occasions.

And it's an important lesson in that sometimes the right decision and the principled decision is not the safe one.

And you have to have courage in your beliefs in order to stand tall in the face of history.

In the face of inconceivable cruelty that we're seeing every day now, I call upon elected officials everywhere at the city, local, state, and federal levels to stand strong in their convictions and remember that making the safe decision will not be the one that is reflected in history.

In 80 years, there will be more grandchildren like myself, the granddaughter of immigrants who are in these concentration camps.

Please keep them in mind as you continue to make your decisions and represent our constituencies. Thank you.

Thank you.

We must all remember and not forget the Japanese internment

and how the Japanese Americans were treated during that time.

Moving on to the ceremonial items,

I would now like to invite Councilmember Candelas

and Councilmember Ortiz to the podium

as we recognize and proclaim February 4th

as National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

Thank you.

And at the same time, I'd also like to invite

Council Member Campos, Council Member Kamei,

as well as our City Attorney and our City Manager,

as well as our City Clerk, to join me at the podium as well.

Thank you.

All right.

Good afternoon.

I am really happy and excited to be here today as we are here to proclaim February 4th, tomorrow,

as National Girls and Women in Sports Day,

a day to recognize the extraordinary achievements of women and girls in athletics

and to celebrate the powerful role sports play in building confidence, leadership, and opportunity.

This day honors the trailblazers who broke barriers, and it challenges all of us to keep expanding access for the next generation.

Sports teaches lessons that truly last a lifetime.

Teamwork, discipline, resilience, and the belief that you belong on the field, in the classroom, and in every space where leadership matters.

And while we've made real progress, today is also a reminder that there's still work to do to ensure that true gender equity in athletics and every level in every community.

It's especially meaningful to present today's proclamation to the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative, or BOSI.

BOSI's work has transformed lives by creating inclusive and empowering sports opportunities for girls,

especially girls from under-resourced communities and girls with disabilities.

Bossy represents what is possible when equity, opportunity, and community come together.

We're also joined by love of the game, LTG, as I was taught, a fast-pitch travel softball team

that shows exactly what happens when young women are given the chance to compete, grow, and support one another through sports.

They also play at Arcadia in my district as well.

So Bossy and teams like LTG remind us of a simple truth.

Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.

That's why the work we do and the investments we make matter.

That reflects an intentional equity-focused commitment to ensuring girls and young women

have meaningful access to sports and recreation opportunities through partnerships with BOSSI.

We're helping to ensure resources get to every girl so they have a real pathway to play,

to lead, and to succeed.

You know, Councilmember Ortiz is also up here with us, who is Chief of Staff, Brisa Rojas,

is a proud, bossy alum and is also his chief of staff.

And so it's a journey that reflects lasting impact

and the investments that previous generations have made

are reaping the rewards today.

And so on this National Girls and Women in Sports Day,

let's recommit to building a city where every girl,

regardless of zip code, income, or ability,

has the opportunity to step onto the field,

find her voice, and discover her power.

Okay, at this time I'd like to welcome Dana Weintraub to say a few words before we present the proclamation.

Dana.

You're hired for BOSSE.

Thank you, Council Member Candelis, Council Member Peter Ortiz, and all of the Council Members here today,

as well as Mayor Mahan and Vice Mayor Foley as well.

And welcome to the powerful athletes and future leaders by my side from Love the Game, Fast Pitch, Softball team.

And I loved learning about all the other sports that these young women have an opportunity to play,

and that's what we're doing at BOSSE, is making sure that all girls have the opportunity to play.

So on behalf of the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative, BOSSE,

I'm honored to recognize National Girls and Women in Sports Day,

A day that honors the achievements of women athletes and the powerful role that sports plays in shaping leaders, communities, and futures.

This day also honors the progress made since the passage of Title IX in 1972, the landmark law that transformed access to sports for girls and women.

At Bossy, we know girls who play become women who lead.

Sports builds confidence, resilience, teamwork, and the courage to take risks.

skills that extend way beyond the pools, the courts, and the fields.

Research shows that 94% of women in executive leadership roles played sports in their youth,

and we see that impact right here in San Jose.

Many of the women leading our city across government, business, education, healthcare, and nonprofits

trace their confidence and leadership back to sports.

We are especially proud to recognize Brisa Rojas Moreno, a Bossy alum and Chief of Staff

to Councilmember Peter Ortiz, which you just heard.

Brisa's leadership reflects the long-term impact of early access to sport.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day is also a call to action.

Access to sports is still not equitable, and too many girls, particularly those from under-resourced

neighborhoods, often are left on the sidelines.

When we invest in girls early, we don't just transform individual lives, we strengthen our entire community.

Thank you for recognizing this day and for your continued commitment to ensuring that all girls in San Jose have the opportunity to play, lead, and succeed.

Thank you very much.

Let's get in the middle.

Let's squeeze in here, y'all.

This is going to be the end of the picture.

Can you squeeze in a little bit more?

I need to go that way more.

If you go to the left, to the left, to the left.

I know.

A little bit more.

Thank you.

1972, I was in middle school.

I had to pay for my own knee pads for volleyball.

So glad that changed, but we're still not there.

We still don't have equity.

There we go.

Next, I'd like to bring forth Council Member Tordios

to join me on the podium as we recognize Alan Gumby Marquez.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, everyone. Today, my office, alongside Mayor Mahan and our colleagues on City Council,

is excited to recognize the efforts of Alan Gumby Marquez for his leadership and service as interim CEO of the San Jose Downtown Association.

We all know that 2026 is a big year for our city, and city staff and our partners at organizations like the Downtown Association

have spent many months preparing to make this year a success.

So when the previous CEO of the association departed last spring, there was a real risk that that leadership vacuum would set our preparations off track.

After many years of service on the downtown association board, Gumby quickly stepped up to shepherd the organization through our critical year last year.

Gumby's leadership has kept us on track for a successful 2026, but his accomplishments extend far beyond that,

and include the convening of a new working group focused on public safety in the downtown core,

as well as oversight of the first two phases of our Stitching Districts initiative,

with the beautification of Santa Clara Street and our investments in public art and placemaking on Shark's Way,

as well as the landing of several major public events downtown,

including another year of ice skating with Skate Under the Palms

and our first-ever Downtown Diwali celebration at Plaza de Cesar Chavez.

So on behalf of the City of San Jose, I want to thank Gumby for his leadership during this critical time

and his many years of unrelenting devotion to the people and small businesses of downtown San Jose.

Now, before the Vice Mayor presents the commendation, I would like to invite Adolfo Gomez,

Chair of the Downtown Association Board of Directors, to say a few words.

Thank you. Thank you, Council Members, Vice Mayor.

I'm going to keep it short. I think it's been long already.

So I just want to say I'm here to support what Gamby did for our association,

not only being him a small business owner first.

He was president of the association, and he took over the association in a time of crisis,

and I think he really, really helped us and put the associations where we ended last year.

So he knows it's important for him and for me because I put a jacket on.

Usually I don't wear jackets and that.

but I just want to say Gamby thank you

and the rest of the staff is here

we have part of his team

I know he was not able to do everything

without the help of this staff

but I just want to really

thank the

you know the best player here and that's

his wife Pam so I want to say

thank you to Pam and you allow us to keep him

for a little longer and

that's it thank you very much Gamby

thanks for everything

applause

applause

applause

Thank you.

Next I'd like to call up Councilmember Casey to the podium as we recognize Officer Michael Jaycox.

Start off by acknowledging Officer Jaycox behind me, but also Captain Payne and Sergeant Byrd as well.

Today, I am honored to recognize Officer Michael J. Cox for his exceptional dedication and persistence in protecting our community.

This past November, multiple incidents of vehicle tampering and vandalism took place at the Los Alamitos Creek Trail parking lot.

A resident reported an unknown man yelling at her, striking her vehicle with a rock, and then later damaging it with a bladed object.

Even after the repairs, the suspect returned and caused further damage, leaving the victim and the neighbors shaken.

Although Officer Jaycox was off-duty and the case occurred outside of his assigned patrol district, he immediately took ownership.

Within two days, he had interviewed the victim, spoke with neighbors, and uncovered similar reports of aggressive behavior and vandalism in the area.

Through his investigation, Officer Jaycox identified the suspect,

authored a felony arrest warrant, and obtained a search warrant for the suspect's residence.

A records check revealed that the suspect was legally prohibited from possessing firearms

due to an active restraining order.

Officer Jaycox coordinated surveillance and worked with patrol officers to safely stop the suspect.

During the search, he located evidence tied to the vandalism, along with a handgun and two illegal or unregistered assault rifles.

The suspect admitted to the crimes and acknowledged that the firearms were unlawful.

Now, because of Officer Jaycock's thorough work, a volatile and heavily armed individual was arrested, and dangerous weapons were removed from our community.

This is what protective and proactive policing looks like.

This is what it means to protect and serve, not only responding to a crime, but preventing greater harm.

Officer Jaycox, thank you for turning what began as a vandalism case into a major public safety win.

Your dedication and commitment has made us all safer.

So we really appreciate it. Thank you.

We're going to give the commendation with the vice mayor, but I bring you up to offer a few words if you like.

No? You're good?

I appreciate it.

Okay.

Well, he's too modest, but we really do appreciate it.

And I did learn that he's also a District 10 resident, so he's even endeared himself to me even more.

So we really appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Time to move on to orders of the day.

Does anyone on council have any changes to the printed agenda?

Council Member Mulcahy.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

I'd like to ask my colleagues for a deferral to item 8.3 on today's agenda,

moving it to, at the earliest, February 24, 2026.

Thank you. Is there a second?

Tony, do I take public comment on that item?

I do have a card for somebody who wanted to speak on 8.3,

so we would typically, if they want to object to the deferral, they could come down.

Okay.

So that would be pat.

Pat, if you want to object to the deferral, please come on down.

They're not approaching.

Thank you. Then back to Council. Do any Council colleagues have any questions?

Then let's vote on order of the day, deferring 8.3.

Motion passes unanimously.

Okay, thank you.

This meeting will be adjourned in memory of Roma Dawson, who passed away on December 6, 2025.

A dedicated leader and former director and co-president of the League of Women Voters,

Roma was a tireless advocate for women's rights, housing, and community empowerment in San Jose.

Her commitment and impact will be remembered and felt for many years to come.

Council Member Kamei, please tell us more.

Thank you so much, Vice Mayor.

Today we honor Roma Dawson, a respected community leader and advocate.

Roma was a leading voice at the League of Women Voters,

strengthening civic engagement, defending the right to vote,

and ensuring that our democratic processes remain both informed and inclusive.

Roma was also especially dedicated to her service in District 1 in San Jose

as a representative of our Housing and Community Development Commission.

There, she fought for a suite of policies intended to ensure that San Jose remains

a place of opportunity for all ages, regardless of personal means.

Similarly, within District 1 Leadership Group, Roma was known not just for showing up,

but for listening, bringing people of differing views together,

and asking the right questions, and encouraging collaboration where it mattered the most.

Her impact lives in stronger policies, more engaged residents,

and a community that is better because she chose to serve.

We adjourn today with gratitude to Roma Dawson's leadership and with appreciation for the care, clarity, and commitment she brought to public life.

There are many people who wanted to speak about her and about the legacy that she leaves behind, but today I would like to introduce Kathy Sutherland, who will say a few words.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Kameh and City Council members.

This is on behalf of Cindy Chavez, who was council member and vice mayor here, and Roma was a staff member.

Roma Dawson was a woman who believed in the values of all voices being heard, all comers being welcomed.

Roma worked hard to ensure that everyone registered to vote and had the tools they needed to make their voices heard in free and fair elections.

She was dogged in her pursuit of equity.

She worked hard to make sure no one was left behind.

Roma worked through many organizations and candidates to make sure women were represented

in important debates and in elected and appointed leadership positions.

When she believed strongly in an idea, she worked hard to make it so.

She was a champion for housing for all, the environment, access to health care, and reproductive health care.

She left no stern unturned when fighting for our rights.

Roma was the type of friend who could see when those around her needed to be hugged and encouraged,

without a word being spoken.

She loved others deeply,

and for those of us blessed to call her a friend,

we are better off for having known her.

To her family, she loved each of you fiercely.

She was always your champion.

I am deeply grateful to you

for sharing the amazing Roma Dawson with all of us.

I am deeply sorry for your loss.

And I should have made interjections.

Sean here is one of Roma's sons.

He's here.

Paramah, his wife, and then Laurel from the League of Women Voters,

and there are members of the League here, too, to also acknowledge Roma.

And this comes from former council member Margie Matthews.

Margie knew Roma from the 1980s.

She asked me to also say Roma was a dear, lifelong friend,

and her contribution to the fabric of San Jose spanned a lifetime.

And I'm by half of myself.

If you ever spent more than 15 minutes with Roma Dawson, you would quickly find out the three things she loved and cared deeply about.

The first was her family.

First the men, Daniel, Sean, and Scott, and then quickly and just as deeply, Parama and her family.

Every conversation brought up the chance for Roma to show how much they meant to her.

Second was San Jose.

Roma was the all-time cheerleader.

She loved the city and she knew every department and it seemed like every person.

No matter where you were when you were with Roma, she always ran into a friend.

And finally, good governance and leaders.

If you had a project or a question, Roma was there in a flash,

leading by example with values and the belief that we can always do better.

She will be greatly missed by me and everyone who knew her.

Thank you very much, Council Member Kamei.

Thank you so much, and we will miss her, and I'm sorry for your loss.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So sorry for your loss.

Roma truly was a passionate woman, very involved in the city of San Jose

and women's rights and women's issues.

Next, moving to the closed session report, do we have any report from closed session?

I don't have a report out at this time, Mayor.

Right, sir.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

next is the consent calendar are there any items that the council wished wishes to pull from the

consent calendar seeing no hands raised do we have members of the public who wish to speak

i have no cards for this item okay then let's vote oh i need a motion first move approval

now we vote

motion passes unanimously

great thank you next we go to item 4.1 which is an amendment to title 16 gaming control

the san jose municipal code i understand we have a presentation

it's not on the list

Okay, while they're coming, I'll turn to the city manager for her report.

I do not have a report today. Thank you very much.

Vice Mayor, Council, City Manager, I'm Paul Joseph, Chief of Police.

I'm joined here by Deputy Director Kirill Yermanoff of the San Jose Police Department Division of Gaming Control.

and I will hand it off to Kirill.

Thank you, Chief.

Good afternoon, Vice Mayor, Council members, and members of the public.

My name is Kirill Yermanov.

I'm the Gaming Administrator with the San Jose Police Department,

Division of Gaming Control, and I'm here today.

The Chief of Police, Paul Joseph,

we are here to present the proposed amendment to Title 16 of the San Jose Municipal Code.

These amendments are part of Council-directed effort

that began during the fiscal year 25-26,

Budget cycle, when the council asked staff to streamline the city's gaming regulatory framework

and align it with current operational needs.

As part of that work, the council reduced the annual card room regulation fee

from approximately $1,077,000 to $857,000 per card room

and approved a staffing reduction within the Division of Gaming Control

from six full-time positions to four full-time positions.

Since the initial memorandum, the police department and the Division of Gaming Control

also conducted additional intentional outreach engagement with one card room regarding the

additional proposed amendments. During that outreach, additional proposed changes to Title

16 were submitted for consideration to the division. Those proposals are still under internal

review and are not included in the ordinance before you today. Staff will continue evaluating

them, and after further discussions with the card rooms, we anticipate returning to council

with any additional recommendation as appropriate.

The ordinance before you today advances the structuring by updating Title 16

to remove outdated requirements and clarify reporting standards.

These amendments are consistent with the Title 16 purpose of ensuring public health, safety, and welfare

by maintaining public confidence in gaming through strict regulatory oversight

of the persons, places, practices, and activities associated with gaming operations in San Jose.

The changes are the following.

Extend time limits on reporting requirements to the San Jose Police Department related to the discovery of crimes at card-on-premises

and extend time limits for reporting administrative violations of Title 16 to the Division of Gaming Control.

Next one, expand the allowable betting layout design from 10 to 20 betting squares per player position per card table.

Repeal section 1618.075, limitations on continuous presence of card room premises,

and remove the four tournament per year limit and add an exception to the existing charitable contribution requirements.

Permit the card rooms to offer complimentary and discounted food and alcoholic beverages to patrons

and some alcoholic beverages during happy hours with some restrictions.

With these changes, the Division of Gaming Control will continue to ensure the integrity of gaming operations,

safeguard public welfare, and uphold public confidence in some of their card rooms.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you for that presentation. Do we have any members of the public who wish to speak?

I have no cards for this item.

Okay, thank you. Turning to Council.

Council Member Duan.

Thank you for the hard work, especially that the police department has done an incredible job.

I move for approval of the amended to Title 16.

Thank you. Any further discussion?

If not, let's vote.

Motion passes unanimously.

Great. Thank you.

Moving on to Item 5.1,

Actions related to the 10180 San Jose City New Taxiway Victor Phase 3A.

I understand there is no presentation for this.

Is there any members of the public who wish to speak?

I have no cards for this item.

And I see no hands raised.

Council Member Mulcahy.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

I'd like to move for approval of item 5.1.

Second.

Any further discussion?

If not, let's vote.

Motion passes unanimously.

Great. Thank you.

Next item is item 8.1,

preliminary actions required for the creation

of the Story Road Business Improvement District

and levy of assessments for the fiscal year 2026 to 2027.

I understand there's a five-minute presentation.

Good afternoon, Vice Mayor and Council Members.

Jen Baker, Director of the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs.

I'm here today with Vic Farley and Min Tran from our small business team.

and our two colleagues have stewarded this project over the last two years.

I would always like to give thanks to our other colleagues in the city attorney's office

and finance department for their work and support throughout this process.

Importantly, the consultants Community Strong Strategies, under contract to the city,

supported the business association, managed the campaign on the ground,

engaging directly with business owners, partners, and working closely with the council member's office.

And finally, I would like to personally thank the council member and his staff

for his dedication and support that has been shown throughout the process.

Today's city council has the opportunity to pass a resolution of intention

to establish a business improvement district in District 7

focused on the city's Little Saigon business community

and has been the subject of discussion for many years now.

So this is a great moment for council and for community.

We're delighted to be able to bring this to city council today,

and I'd like to hand over the mic to Vic Farley and Min Tran

to take you through the presentation.

Thank you, Jen, and good afternoon, Vice Mayor and City Council.

The establishment of a business improvement district

must follow California law, which allows for the creation of a special assessment district

to raise funds within a specific geographic area.

What is important here is that all funds raised by businesses within the district

are used exclusively for the benefit of the district.

A bid must be renewed annually by City Council,

and the business community must adhere to a high level of transparency and engagement locally,

including the Brown Act, and maintain at all times accurate and complete financial records.

Let me hand you over to my colleague Min Tran. Thank you.

Thank you, Jen and Vic. Good afternoon to the Vice Mayor and City Council.

As you can see in the map, the Story Road Business Corridor serves as a vibrant commercial artery in San Jose,

stretching from the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo to the Highway 101 Clover.

Connecting downtown San Jose to Little Saigon and greater Story Road community.

This corridor is a bustling hub of diversity built on the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of generations of immigrants

who have established a dense and thriving economic ecosystem.

Anchored by iconic landmark commercial properties such as Vietnam Town and Grand Century Mall,

the area currently supports over 400 businesses that offer a comprehensive variety of services

ranging from authentic restaurants and grocery stores to specialized retail shops.

By blending rich heritage with active local commerce,

the district also provides a wide array of personal and professional services,

ensuring that the community's unique needs are met within a single accessible destination.

As of November 2025, the proposal identified 434 businesses within the district

for a tiered assessment model.

Most would pay a flat base fee of $350,

while 18 high-capacity retailers over 25,000 square feet

would contribute a proportionate share based on their footprint.

Pending city council approval,

this structure is projected to generate an annual income of $129,185

to fund consistent district improvements and services.

This is the first budget identifying the proposed allocation of funds, with 40% focused on safety

and beautification, 40% on marketing and activation, and the remaining 20% on administration and

contingency. The board will annually review and present the budget to City Council, analyzing

current and planned expenditures.

Here is the timeline for City Council taking us from the resolution of intent today, setting

out the key milestones required, including an information mailing to all businesses,

the public meeting for business owners, then the hearing itself, and the first and second

reading of the ordinance.

If the City Council approves the resolution of intent today, then the assessments will start in July 2026, which is the start of the new fiscal year.

As Jen has said, the opportunity for City Council today is to create a business-led improvement district to unify the local business community,

provide a clear sense of purpose with the prospect of long-term resourcing under the control of the business community.

This bid was discussed at the last Small Business Advisory Committee here at City Council on December 4th,

which enthusiastically endorsed this approach to local commercial and economic resiliency.

Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the courage and leadership of the predominantly Vietnamese business community

who have worked tirelessly with the support of their council member to reach this moment.

Thank you.

Thank you. This is a wonderful opportunity to have a new business district in your district, Councilmember Dwan.

Do we have any members of the public who wish to speak?

Yes, Mary Ng, come on down.

Welcome. You have two minutes. Thank you.

of course. Good afternoon, council members. My name is Mary Ying. I'm here to represent on behalf

of Opportunities for Change. My message is to alert you to our innovative program. I'm not asking for

anything other than your awareness. We operate a six-bed and a 30-bed transitional supportive

housing program serving men leaving incarceration, homelessness, and addiction. We started in 2024

with a six-bed pilot.

And it was so successful that in January of last year,

we opened up a 30-bed.

It's near the Valley Medical Center.

OFC's innovations and client choice with dignity model

has yielded astounding outcomes.

And I just wanted to attach myself to any development kind of activity

just to say, please don't forget that as you're developing this area,

roughly probably over half of the people came from East San Jose to our homes.

So this is an area we know fairly well.

Ninety-one percent were previously incarcerated.

I'm sorry to interrupt you, but thank you for your presentation.

But is this related at all to the bid that we're discussing right now,

or should it be more appropriate for open forum?

I wasn't sure.

Okay.

So I just want to make sure.

Why don't you continue?

I think we have about 30 seconds left.

but normally this is the type of thing we would hear at the end of the day

because this really isn't connected to the business improvement district.

But please continue.

I just want to make sure that there's room for high-density housing in that area,

the corridor, and make sure that you're aware that there's a –

even though it's primarily commercial, there is residential.

So that's what I saw when I looked up the map of the district that you're covering.

So you're right.

It's really more of a general awareness, not necessarily business-oriented,

but we do appreciate everything that you're doing.

Thank you.

Back to council.

Thank you.

The information is important.

It wasn't related to the business district.

That's why I raised the question.

It can be a nonprofit or business.

It doesn't matter.

I just wanted to stay on task with what the particular issue is.

Thank you.

Moving on.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Moving on to Council Member Duan. This is your district.

Thank you, Vice Mayor. I believe we have the president of Story Business Association,

and I believe he's coming down with a card for public comment.

So I'm going to yield my time right now to Paul first, and then I'll take my turn right after.

Thank you, Councilmember Duan, and thank you, Councilmembers, for considering this resolution that's before you.

I just have to say that.

Pardon me.

So as a member of the public, you have two minutes to present, and then you're coming back to you.

Okay.

Just want to be clear.

All right.

Thank you, Ms. Foley.

You know, running a nonprofit is very hard.

For those of you who have been in the nonprofit world, you guys know what I'm talking about.

So we really need this measure to go through, that a business improvement district is what's going to allow us to be independent,

especially with all the financial crisis that's going on and budget cuts and not.

We need a little bit of stability in order to operate.

And so having a steady form of funding gives us that independence, and so we urge that the council adopt this resolution.

We need this for the small businesses.

The small businesses, you know, one of the, for those of you who are in the real estate world, commercial real estate in particular, location, location, location, right?

So we want to make Story Road that location for businesses to want to open up there and to help the businesses that are existing there in order to succeed and bring in that tax revenue for the city.

The businesses also want that as a resource, as a way for us to support them, to get them

the information that they need, the funding they need, the resources that they need.

Our Vietnamese community also needs it.

We do a lot of activation events and having this additional stable funding come through

will help us to be able to continue to have activations and events that are good for our

Vietnamese community.

San Jose also needs this.

With the largest Vietnamese population of any city outside of San Jose,

that's something to be proud of.

That's something that the city of San Jose really needs to be put on the map for.

I mean, you ask people who are outside of California to point on the map where San Jose is.

For the most part, no one knows where San Jose is.

So hopefully we can be a part of putting us on the map for the rest of the world to come.

It helps with jobs.

If you keep these businesses in place, it will help to keep, retain, and create jobs.

and then again thank you again for considering this resolution and I urge

you to vote in the affirmative thank you

thank you just checking do we have any other members of the public who wish to

speak I have no other cards okay great thank you then turning to councilmember

Duong. Thank you, Vice Mayor. It's such a pleasure, and I'm so excited. First of all, I want to thank

our OED team. You guys have been fantastic in the last couple years working with the Story Road

Business Association and to allow this to happen and help our community to shine, not only in

District 7, but also right here in the city of San Jose, where District 7, you know, I

mean, the little Saigon represent over 130,000 Vietnamese in the city of San Jose, the largest

population of Vietnamese beside Vietnam.

And it's incredible.

And not only that, we are the gateway that connected right to downtown.

And over 4 million people visit District 7 every year.

And a lot of people come to the Little Saigon, not only for Tet, for Black April, to Christmas, to many, many, and Night Market,

to enjoy themselves and to understand the culture of our community.

and over 400 businesses, small businesses,

or 416 and 18 large businesses,

including high tech, including Amazon.

And not only the Vietnamese are there,

there are Hispanic community as well.

And a lot of our small businesses are immigrant.

Right here, that's what make our community great.

and I'm so proud that

we've been able to put the BD together

got the board together

we literally meet every month

and before that we meet almost every weekend

to make this happen

and I'm so proud that we can represent

the businesses around the Little Saigon

and again I want to emphasize

not only the Vietnamese but the Hispanic

and Americans as a whole

and I think it's so important that we do this

and I want to create other BID

like the Centro, the Paloma, even the Tropicana

which is right in my district

and again, this is

the third

BID that we passed within the last two years

and it's been what, about 16 years ago since this has happened

And I want to make sure that it's loud and clear I'm here to support our small businesses, large businesses, our immigrants, and our working family.

And I move to approve the Story Road bid item 8.1.

Great. Thank you.

I can tell you're excited, and you should be.

We should all be excited and embrace that this is a new business improvement district.

Seeing no further hands, let's vote.

Motion passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Claire Street Business Improvement District and the levy of assessments in the bid for the remainder of fiscal year 2025-2026.

Before I open the public hearing, has the City Clerk received any written protest from affected businesses in the proposed bid?

I have not.

Thank you. At this time, we will open the public hearing.

Okay, I'm going to call forward three speakers.

first person in the microphone go ahead and speak

you don't have to speak in the order that you're called

I have Mimi Hernandez

Helen Masamori

and Osvaldo Moreno

and you have two minutes

Thank you.

founding and inception in 2014.

Having supported this board and subsequent boards and its members for over a decade,

I have witnessed their unwavering dedication to our local businesses firsthand, month in

and month out.

The Allenbrock Santa Clara Street Business Association is uniquely qualified to administer

this business improvement district with the inclusivity and transparency our community

deserves.

Despite enduring displacement, board changes, leadership transitions, the pandemic, chronic underinvestment,

this group has remained a steady and anchor for our corridor.

I respectfully urge the city council here today to vote yes today to empower the small business leaders

and to establish this vital business improvement district.

Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon, Council Members. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Helen Masamori, and I'm a business owner on the Alum Rock Corridor.

Over the past year, I have invested numerous hours helping our business association grow.

I placed outreach at the top of my priorities, alongside my own business, which is my family source of income,

because I believe deeply of this effort and in the future of a corridor.

The Alum Rock Santa Clara Street business corridor is one of San Jose's most culturally rich and immigrant-owned districts.

However, our small businesses continue to face challenges related to safety, cleanliness, and visibility that we cannot address on our own.

A business improvement district will give local business a structured and accountable way to invest collectively in clean and safe services, beautification, lighting, and coordinated marketing.

These are not one-time improvements.

They are going needs that require sustainable, locally controlled solution.

This effort also sends equity.

It's grounded in outreach, language access, and ensuring that small business, family-owned businesses have a real voice in shaping the future of our corridor.

We are not asking for a quick fix.

We are asking for support to continue exploring a long-term strategy that strengthens small businesses,

stabilizes the corridor, and benefits the surrounding community.

Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon, council members.

Thank you for the courage and the service to our city.

I admire your work.

My name is Oswaldo Moreno.

I'm representing the Santa Clara and Rock Street Business Association.

and I have a dream.

You know, so I go to Los Garros,

I go to Willow Glen,

I go to Cupertino, Mountain View,

and I see the beautiful towns, you know,

nice restaurants and the cleanliness and safety.

And I say, why no?

Allen Rock and Santa Clara Street.

What's the difference?

Please ask that question.

What's the difference?

I mean, we're in Santa Clara County.

And sometimes I think like a tourist.

And I say, I'm going to go to San Jose, the capital, Silicon Valley.

And I drive by the Roosevelt Park.

Wow, a lot of homeless.

I don't want to go there with my family.

I go by the church.

I go by the Mexican heritage.

It's a lot of dust.

I mean, that's the capital of the Silicon Valley.

Sometimes I don't get it.

I don't get it.

Please give me an explanation.

Why we cannot build a beautiful corridor?

Why?

What is the excuse?

What is stopping you to make a difference?

To make a history?

To leave a legacy?

All your names is going to be there.

That's my question that I ask you.

And please, be responsible for the future.

Thank you. That's your time.

Thank you. Back to council.

I think we have one more speaker behind you, sir.

Thank you.

I don't have a card.

Thank you.

I didn't have a card for that person, but go ahead and come forward.

Is this in connection with the business district that we're working on?

Okay.

Please come forward.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council Members.

My name is Cynthia Velasquez.

I'm the owner of Dulceria Mi Carnaval here on Santa Clara Street.

My family and I have been part of this corridor for many years.

It's going to be 34 years this year that we've owned the business.

I want to say that many of us have been waiting a generation for this moment.

For a long time, small businesses on the street have worked hard, stayed open through challenges,

and believed in our community even when it felt overlooked.

The formation of the Allen Rock Santa Clara Street Business Improvement District represents hope

and long-term investment in the people who have always been here.

It means cleaner streets, better communication, support for small businesses,

and a stronger sense of pride in our corridor.

This effort is about collaboration, not exclusion.

It is about giving local business owners a voice and tools to succeed together.

And I believe it's long overdue.

On behalf of many businesses who may not always feel comfortable speaking publicly,

I want to express our support for the bid and our gratitude to the city for partnering with us.

We are ready to do our part and build a brighter future for this corridor together.

Thank you all for your time and support.

Consider approval of the ordinance establishing the bid and adoption of the resolution

levying assessments in the bid for the remainder of the fiscal year 2025-2026.

Council Member Ortiz, this is your district and you must be very proud.

Thank you so much, Vice Mayor.

First, I just want to start by thanking our many speakers from the Alum Rock-Santa Clary Street Corridor

who came out today to support this very important item.

Your presence is a reminder of just how resilient this corridor has been over the years,

and a testament to the incredible time spent organizing that has brought us to this point.

I also want to personally thank the Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association,

its Board of Directors, Prosperity Lab, and of course Mimi Hernandez,

and Community Strong Strategies, and Nathan.

Thank you and all the team at Community Strong Strategies for doing really the legwork to make sure that this bid could become a success.

Alum Rock is not just a street.

It's a cultural economic anchor for East San Jose, a place where immigrant-owned businesses can grow,

where families can shop and gather, and where local entrepreneurs get their start.

This corridor has carried East San Jose's identity for generations.

thanks to the strength and commitment of our small businesses that call the corridor home.

This bid recognizes the importance, significance, and strength of the corridor,

and it gives the business owners real tools,

tools that will support public safety, cleanliness of the area, marketing, and, of course, activation,

and shaped by the businesses that know the corridor best and what it needs to be even more successful.

It's about giving Allen Rock and Santa Clara Street the ability to invest in itself and continue to grow on its own terms.

Today's an important step, and I'm looking forward to supporting this item through to the finish line at its final vote,

which I believe will be taking place later this month.

This is about honoring the past and strengthening the present and investing in the future of East San Jose.

So I'm just really, really thankful to be here now.

I mean, if I were to think, I think it's six years or maybe eight years that me and Mimi Hernandez were walking around with a clipboard organizing that business association.

And so to see, you know, and I had the privilege of spending several years on the board as an advisor.

And so to see it come this far, I'm just really proud of, you know, everything that our business community has done as well as OED.

because I know that without the support of the Office of Economic Development

and the funding to go to Nathan and various other initiatives,

we would not be here today.

So thank you so much, and I motion to approve the bid.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council Member, you must be very proud to reach this moment

with this business improvement district in your neighborhood

and for all the community members who came forth in support of it.

I see no further hands, so let's vote.

Motion passes unanimously.

Okay, thank you.

Congratulations to both of you.

Next item, 8.3, we have deferred until February 24th.

With that, we conclude our regular agenda.

is there any members of the public who wish to speak Tony yes I have three cards Jim last name

starts with G maybe it's gray Jim gray Raymond Goines and Ted Scarlett come on down again this

is for items that are not on the agenda already and you have two minutes and you can come down

in no particular order whoever gets the microphone first can begin

Hello and thanks for having me.

Gosh, what an experience.

I live on Akron Way.

It's 34 feet wide.

The motor homes like to live there too.

They're 8 feet wide, but their parking place is only 7 feet wide because the rest of the

road is the emergency, the two emergency lanes.

For some reason, the 311 does not seem to be able to get around to talk to these people

or whatever it would take.

Last year we used to just, I just called San Jose police and somebody would come out and

in a day or two, it's not an emergency, it's not an emergency until an emergency happens

and we need those emergency lanes.

Somebody would come out and they would put a sticker I think on the motor home in a couple

of days, usually the next day the motor home was gone, and in a couple of days the police

would come back and if the motor home was gone they just drove wherever they were going.

If it didn't they ticketed them.

And if they didn't still move, unfortunately they got towed.

But it's a safety issue for San Jose because fire trucks and ambulances need to be able

to have the full two emergency lanes on Akron Way to get to my house.

And as I age, I get a little more interested in having emergencies come to my house.

So that is my basic complaint.

And I don't know what to do about it.

I think I've talked.

Sorry, that's your time.

I'm sorry, sir, your time is up.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon, city council members.

My name is Ted Scarlett.

On Thanksgiving Eve, I was struck down by a drunk driver on South White Road.

I was on my motorcycle.

I'm lucky to be alive, but that's just the beginning of the nightmare.

my landlord proceeded with the constructive eviction four days later she locked me out of

the house first I called the police for that so in the presence of the police she said no

he can't come in I locked him out and this proceeded on to her bringing homeless people

into the house to harass and threaten me she then turned the water off she already had a code

enforcement action going against her. So court enforcement has now condemned the home. But prior

to that, she then shut the heat off five days after shutting the water off. Then she shut the

power off five days later. I really came here. I'm asking for help. I've really been getting the

runaround from the housing. I need emergency housing. I have a broken wrist. I have a broken

ankle. I still have treatment I need. I spent more than two weeks locked in the master bedroom

because of one of the homeless people that was there was threatening me, and it was all brought

on by the landlord. And this Saturday, I believe she's responsible for the removal of my motorcycle

out of the driveway, so it's now stolen. There's another moral in this story because the police

have had to come out repeatedly, probably more than 20 calls.

At times, I waited seven hours one day.

Where's my time?

And if the police, I believe, would have cited her

at the very first call for the lockout,

it's PC418, I believe.

All these subsequent calls...

Thank you, that's your time.

Next speaker.

Stephen, can you talk to this gentleman?

Thank you.

Good afternoon, my name is Raymond Goins.

I am here in my individual capacity, and as I say, represents the logo on my shirt.

On January 21st, 2026, in downtown San Jose, while running away, a man was shot repeatedly

in his back.

He collapsed.

One, two, three, four.

five seconds eclipse before a 500, 5,500 pound police SUV barrels over him as if he was no more

than a speed bump. What follows was the folly of gunshots that came from approximately eight

San Jose police officers. His body jolted from the gunshots. If you watched the video,

you could see his limbs moving as the bullets traveled through his body, lifeless body.

I am 45 years old. I've read about lynchings,

police civil rights. I've read about black men being hung.

But this is the worst I've seen in my life.

And it happened here on the streets of San Jose.

They say there's justification behind it

because his criminality was attached to what happened. Because he was

in a shootout. And I will agree, he did need to be stopped.

However, when he was fleeing, he was no longer a threat.

When he got hit, he was no longer a threat.

And when he got shot, when he was on the ground, he was no longer a threat.

This is something that has been going on throughout this country

with the names of, like, Michael Brown, Elijah McClain, and George Floyd.

This has been going on in San Jose with names like Antonio Guzman Lopez,

Jacob Dominguez, and Philip Watkins.

These happen locally.

If we don't stand up right now and stop allowing criminality to be a pretext in which death penalty is implemented on our streets, then we as a city has failed.

The city...

That's your time. Back to Council.

Thank you. That concludes our meeting. Thank you. We are adjourned.

Thank you.

Thank you.

But this is theRERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERERE