San Jose City Council Meeting - March 24, 2026
San Jose City Council Meeting - March 24, 2026
The San Jose City Council met on March 24, 2026, to address a wide range of items including proclamations, consent calendar approvals, a major debate on the city's investment policy regarding companies with ties to ICE, and approvals for franchise, audit reports, wastewater facility updates, business improvement districts, and housing incentive programs. Public comment was limited to one minute per speaker due to high attendance.
Proclamations & Recognitions
- The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus, who performed a song. Councilmember Tordillos highlighted the chorus's history and contributions.
- Councilmember Ortiz presented a proclamation recognizing Dr. Ernesto Galarza Day, honoring his labor rights advocacy and role in ending the Bracero program. Representatives from La Rasa Historical Society and La Rasa Roundtable spoke.
- Councilmember Duan recognized the 65th anniversary of Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, joined by Danny the Dragon. Park Director John Ciswell noted over 400,000 annual visitors and upcoming events.
Consent Calendar
- Councilmember Kamei pulled item 2.13 (Declaration of city's commitment to opposing the coercion of institutions of higher education) for brief discussion, expressing gratitude for support. The entire consent calendar, including this item, was then approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 3.3 – Investment Policy Annual Review: Over 60 public comment cards were submitted. Speakers were split:
- Support for divestment from companies tied to ICE (Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Caterpillar, Honeywell): Many residents (e.g., Joan Simon, John DeRoyan, Ethan Pham, Musa from CAIR, Dasha Leeds) urged the council to adopt an ethical investment policy, citing ICE's impact on immigrant communities and calling for stopping investment in companies that facilitate what they termed "genocide" or "terror." Some linked ICE tactics to Israeli military training.
- Opposition to divestment: Several speakers (e.g., Tamar Katz, Shonda Whitkin, Daniel Klein, Jonathan Engelman, David Riewer, Yaron Marks) argued that divestment would cost the city $3-5 million annually, violate fiduciary duty, and drag the city into foreign policy issues. They emphasized the city's budget deficit and the risk of rising anti-Semitism.
- Item 3.4 – LS Power Franchise: Three speakers raised concerns about environmental review for data centers powered by the transmission lines, asking for more community input.
- Item 6.1 – Audit Report: Two speakers (Valentina Martinchik and a volunteer) questioned animal shelter data and alleged that improvements were not real, citing issues with record-keeping and staff training.
- Item 8.1 – East Village BID: Two business owners (Chris Patterson Simmons and Caleb Barosco) expressed strong support, citing improved cleanliness, safety, and momentum.
- Open Forum: Two speakers discussed San Jose Unified school closures and safety concerns for children crossing major roads.
Discussion Items
- Item 3.3 – City Investment Policy Annual Review: Councilmember Cohen served as pro tem after recusals. The underlying staff recommendation was to adopt the updated investment policy (primary dealer list update). Councilmembers Ortiz and Kamei introduced a memo to implement "scenario two": allow existing investments in Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft to mature, but prohibit new investments in these companies due to their ties to ICE. Councilmember Casey offered a substitute motion to accept staff's recommendation, arguing the memo lacked definitions and was unworkable. Councilmember Candelas suggested a friendly amendment to include an analysis of other cities' actions. After debate:
- The substitute motion (staff recommendation) failed 3-5.
- The original motion (Ortiz/Kamei memo) failed 4-4 (tie).
- A third motion (staff recommendation with directive to analyze other cities' practices) passed unanimously 8-0.
- Item 3.4 – Grant of Franchise to LS Power Grid California: Councilmember Campos moved approval. Councilmembers praised the collaboration with PG&E and Open Space Authority to avoid impacts on Coyote Valley. Motion passed unanimously.
- Item 3.5 – Status of Open Audit Recommendations: City Auditor Joe Royce presented the report, noting 57 recommendations closed in the last six months, with 88 open items (lowest in 10 years). Progress on priority recommendations was highlighted. Councilmember Kamei moved acceptance; motion passed unanimously.
- Item 6.1 – Wastewater Facility Capital Improvement Program Update: Staff presented the status of the $1.2 billion program, with $1.2 billion spent and similar amounts planned for the next decade. The focus remains on rehabilitation, meeting permit requirements, and managing rate impacts. Councilmember Candelas moved acceptance; motion passed unanimously.
- Item 8.1 – East Village Business Improvement District: Staff presented the proposed BID covering East Santa Clara Street and adjacent residential streets. The assessment would generate an estimated $51,031 in the first year. Councilmember Tordillos moved approval; motion passed unanimously.
- Item 8.2 – Downtown Residential Incentive Program for Gateway Tower and Bank of Italy: Staff requested fee and tax waivers for two projects: Gateway Tower (220 affordable units) and Bank of Italy conversion (109 market-rate units). Both qualify under the program. Councilmember Tordillos moved approval; motion passed 9-0 (Campos absent).
- Item 8.3 – Multifamily Housing Incentive Program for El Paseo: The project (772 units, including 39 affordable) would receive waivers and pay $13 million in IHO fees for a separate affordable project. Councilmember Kamei moved approval; motion passed unanimously.
- Items 8.4 & 8.5 – Housing Catalyst Team Status Report and General Plan Housing Element Progress Report: Staff presented progress on housing element implementation, noting 103 projects (31,000 units) in the pipeline, but many infeasible due to market conditions. The annual progress report shows San Jose performing better than peer cities but still behind RHNA targets. Councilmembers discussed comparisons to San Diego and Sacramento, and the need for continued policy work. Both items were approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Investment Policy: Council adopted the updated policy and directed staff to analyze how other cities have handled ICE-related divestment, to be reported back. The directive allows existing investments in Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft to mature while prohibiting new ones, contingent on staff implementation guidance.
- LS Power Franchise: Approved unanimously.
- Audit Report: Accepted unanimously.
- Wastewater Capital Update: Accepted unanimously.
- East Village BID: Resolution of intention approved unanimously, with public hearing scheduled for June.
- Gateway Tower and Bank of Italy: Approved for downtown incentive program.
- El Paseo: Approved for multifamily incentive program.
- Housing Element Progress: Reports accepted unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, good afternoon. I'd like to call this meeting to order. If everyone could take a seat, we're going to get started. We're gonna start with a roll call first. Tony, will you please take the roll? Kim. Campos? Tordillos? Here. Cohen. Ortiz. Present. Mokehi. Here. Duan. Here. Candelas? Here. Casey? Fully? Here, Mayhan. You have a corn. Great, thank you so much. Now, if you're able, please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Today's invocation will be provided by the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus. Council Member Tordillos, please tell us more. Thank you, Vice Mayor. And good afternoon, everyone. Uh for our final invocation of the month. We are pleased to be joined by the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus. Founded in 1983, the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Course was first called the Leaderman Chorus of San Jose and sang their first full-length concert in June of 1984 as part of San Jose's Gay Pride celebration. In 1998, they change or 88, they changed their name to the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus, or SVGMC for short, embracing and more openly identifying themselves as a singing group made up out of gay and proud men. SVGMC has celebrated a number of historic firsts over the years, and the group was the first LGBTQ plus organization to perform the national anthem for the San Jose Earthquakes and the San Jose Giants. SVGMC's most recent concert, Legacy, honored their more than forty year history as a home for queer voices and allies with their largest chorus yet, honoring the past while affirming how LGBTQIA 2S plus identity continues to grow and thrive. SVGMC's vision is to inspire and unite our diverse community through musical excellence and collective pride. So without further ado, please join me in welcoming the Silicon Valley Gay Men's chorus. Yes, we can yes we can we can build a beautiful city not a city of angels, but we can build a city of do we may not reach the end but we can start on slowly but true and break my brain by heart no baby start learning how to do we can build a beautiful city yes we can yes we can we can build a beautiful city not a city of angels but we can build a city of do when you're trust is all but shattered when your faith is all but killed you can give up bitter and battered or you can Not a city of angels, but we can build a city of when your trust dissolve but shadowed. When your faith is all but killed. Or you can slowly start to start to be the beautiful city. Yes, we can. Yes, we can. We can a beautiful city. Not a city of angels, but finally a city of man do a city of. Thank you so much. Such beautiful voices. And I just want to acknowledge while they're still here that the Silicon Valley Gay Man's chorus always sings for us at the two pride events that we have in June and August. So it's wonderful to see you here in Chambers singing for us. Thank you for being here.
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