San Jose City Council Meeting - March 3, 2026

The San Jose City Council met on March 3, 2026, at 9:45 AM. The meeting opened with a Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by the Rainbow Women's Chorus, followed by ceremonial proclamations declaring March as Women's History Month and Youth Arts Month. The council then considered several agenda items, including an audit of sewer rates, revisions to the reasonable accommodation and property impound processes for encampment abatements, the Measure T Citizens Oversight Committee annual report, and adoption of the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan. All items passed unanimously.

Ceremonial Items

• Women's History Month Proclamation: The council recognized March as Women's History Month, honoring contributions of women in San Jose, including former mayors and city employees. City Manager Jennifer McGuire spoke about the importance of women in city leadership.
• Youth Arts Month Proclamation: Councilmember Campos presented the proclamation, emphasizing the role of arts in youth development. Joy Murieta, executive director of Kids in Common, spoke about the benefits of arts for youth well-being.

Item 3.3 – Audit of Sewer Rates (City Auditor Report)

City Auditor Joe Royce presented an audit of the sewer rate-setting process, finding three areas for improvement: rate model assumptions should be updated, formal reserve policies should be developed, and documentation and transparency should be enhanced. The report included six recommendations. The council accepted the audit report unanimously.

Item 3.4 – Reasonable Accommodation Process and Personal Property Impound Handling

Staff from Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) and the Office of Racial and Social Equity presented revisions to the property impound standard operating procedure and a review of the reasonable accommodation process for encampment abatements.

• Key Revisions: The proposed policy reduces storage time for personal property from 90 days to 30 days, and for bulk items from 30 days to 14 days. The city will deliver stored property to owners within 72 hours of a claim. The policy clarifies what items are stored (e.g., IDs, medications, operable bikes) and what is not (e.g., biohazards, trash, perishables). Staff will increase photo/video documentation and require biannual training for all personnel, including contractors.
• Public Comments: Several speakers expressed concerns about the current system. Speakers included:
  • Sandy Perry (Unhoused Response Group): Cited low approval rates for reasonable accommodations (8%) and low property recovery rates (6%). Called for a civilian review board and cessation of sweeps without prior outreach.
  • John Betts (SOS Survivors of the Street): Supported the need for constitutional treatment and accountability.
  • Amanda Cole (SOS): Questioned the justification for sweeps and suggested alternative solutions like navigation centers.
  • Emma (Surge): Uplifted recommendations from the Law Foundation and noted that at Columbus Park, many people were not given opportunity to keep belongings. Called for input from people with lived experience and a delay in sweeps until policy is revised.
  • Mary Itsoff (Surge): Stated the policy lacks adequate notice and oversight.
  • Sean: Called for a well-thought-out policy and independent civilian oversight board.
  • Obadiah: Shared personal experience as a homeless resident, thanked staff, and urged that people be treated with dignity.
• Council Discussion: Councilmember Campos asked about centralized tracking, incorporation of lived experience, interaction with vehicle towing policies, and appeals processes. Staff stated that an appeals process does not exist for property impound, but noted flexibility in storage times. Councilmember Kamei inquired about the ratio of city staff to contractors (currently 1:1, shifting to more city staff) and training consistency. Councilmember Ortiz asked about handling residents with mental illness or families with children; staff described the accommodation process and availability of therapeutic specialists.
• Motion and Vote: Councilmember Campos moved to accept the staff recommendation and request an implementation update at the June Neighborhood Services and Education Committee (NSE) meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

Item 3.5 – Measure T Citizens Oversight Committee Annual Report

Nick Cochran, chair of the oversight committee, presented the annual report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Key highlights:

• Paving: The city has paved 516 miles of roads, exceeding the original target of 420 miles, with 163 miles still planned. This was achieved with less money than budgeted due to operational efficiencies and leveraging other funds.
• Public Safety: Of 10 originally scoped projects, 3 are completed, 4 are under construction (with allocated funds sufficient), and 3 remain in design: 911 call center upgrades (awarded recently), Fire Station 36, and police administration building upgrades. $14.5 million in unallocated reserves remain. The committee recommended that the council rank-order these three projects to avoid incomplete projects if funds fall short.
• Vacancies: Several seats on the oversight committee are unfilled, including citywide positions and District 10, which could affect quorum.
• Public Comment: Brian Darby suggested incorporating amateur radio into emergency planning.
• Council Discussion: Councilmember Kamei praised the paving results and moved to accept the report. Vice Mayor Foley noted the importance of the paving and asked about vacancies. Councilmember Dorn asked about costs for the remaining public safety projects; staff noted a detailed report would come in three weeks. Councilmember Cohen asked about Fire Station 23; staff said land acquisition is moving forward but construction funding is not yet identified.
• Vote: The motion to accept the report passed unanimously.

Item 6.1 – Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CARP)

Laurie Mitchell, director of the Energy Department, presented the plan, developed with a $650,000 state grant. The plan addresses five climate hazards: flooding, extreme heat, sea level rise, wildfire, and drought. It includes 19 measures and 62 implementation strategies across four categories: knowledge, governance/policy, structural, and communications. The plan was informed by stakeholder engagement including working groups, surveys, and community meetings. Staff recommended adoption and incorporation into annual Climate Smart updates.

• Public Comment: Lena Drape from the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority expressed support for the plan, emphasizing nature-based solutions.
• Council Discussion: Councilmember Dorn moved to accept the plan. No further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

Open Forum

• Brian Darby requested a city-recognized day for victims of crime, noting that many feel unsupported after property crimes. He left materials with the clerk.

Key Outcomes

• Item 3.3: Unanimously accepted the sewer rate audit report.
• Item 3.4: Unanimously approved the revised personal property impound standard operating procedure and directed staff to return with an implementation update at the June NSE meeting.
• Item 3.5: Unanimously accepted the Measure T oversight committee annual report.
• Item 6.1: Unanimously adopted the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan.