San Jose City Council Meeting - April 14, 2026: Proclamations, Housing, VTA, and Infrastructure
San Jose City Council Meeting - April 14, 2026
The San Jose City Council met on April 14, 2026, at 9:30 AM. The meeting included proclamations, approval of consent calendars, a joint meeting with the San Jose Housing Authority, a transportation policy discussion with VTA, and a contract award for wastewater facility improvements. All votes were unanimous.
Proclamations & Recognitions
- Displaced Vietnamese American Heritage Month (April): Councilmember Duan proclaimed April as Displaced Vietnamese American Heritage Month, distinguishing it from Black April commemoration. The proclamation honored the full journey of the Vietnamese American community from loss to resilience.
- Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week (April 14-17): Councilmember Ortiz proclaimed the week, marking the 51st anniversary. Nancy Keo spoke on behalf of the Cambodian community, sharing her family's experience and urging vigilance against genocide.
- Creekside School Commendation: Councilmember Campos recognized Creekside School for its 20 years serving students with profound autism. Executive Director Megan Cooper and Principal Katie Shepherd spoke about the school's mission and upcoming adult day program.
Consent Calendar
- Main Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously with no items pulled. Public comment from Brian Darby noted appreciation for the process.
- Land Use Consent Calendar (Item 10.1): Approved unanimously with no discussion.
Joint Meeting: San Jose City Council & San Jose Housing Authority
- Item 1 / 8.1 – MTW Plan & Arena Hotel: Eric Sullivan (Housing Director) presented on the partnership with Santa Clara County Housing Authority: over 2,300 project-based voucher units, 11,000 tenant-based families, $350M invested yearly. The 2027 Moving to Work Plan includes a direct rental assistance pilot. Arena Hotel interim housing would receive $6.4M in housing authority funds. Public comment: Brian Darby supported full-person services; Gervin, a former foster youth, urged approval for youth pathways. Councilmember Campos asked about voucher availability, interim stay length (~6 months), and data collection on residents' origin. Approved unanimously.
- Reconvene as City Council – Item 8.1 (Arena Hotel): Approved unanimously after discussion.
Discussion Items
- Item 3.3 – Tax-Exempt Housing Revenue Bonds: Approved unanimously. Brian Darby thanked bond financiers.
- Item 5.1 – VTA SB63 Transportation Policy Priorities: VTA and city DOT staff presented a draft local investment plan for the regional revenue measure (SB63). Proposed priorities for San Jose: roadway maintenance (20% of discretionary funds), transit supportive capital (30%) for projects like Diridon station, and transit service/rider experience (50%) to improve frequencies. Public comment: Vincent Ma (Glideways) requested eligibility for the Diridon-Airport connector. Council discussion: Councilmember Campos asked about complete streets integration and safety at transit hubs; she advocated for free youth passes. Councilmember Ortiz criticized VTA's community engagement during Eastridge-BART construction in District 5, stating it hurt trust. Councilmember Kamei emphasized building ridership habits. The staff memo with these priorities was approved unanimously.
- Item 6.1 – Master Consultant Agreement with Brown and Caldwell: For owner advisor services on a $240M secondary treatment upgrade at the Regional Wastewater Facility. Contract not-to-exceed $18.9M (under 8% of construction cost). Public comment: Brian Darby stressed the importance of wastewater infrastructure. Councilmember Kamei and Councilmember Collin expressed support. Approved unanimously.
Open Forum
- Brian Darby questioned public trust in government and referenced House resignations.
- Pachuco criticized homelessness programs and raised legal grievances against a former county prosecutor.
- Stephanie (District 10 leadership group) raised concerns about street paving quality and equitable distribution of Measure T funds.
Key Outcomes
- All votes were unanimous: Consent calendars, MTW plan/Arena Hotel, housing revenue bonds, VTA priorities memo, and Brown and Caldwell contract.
- Proclamations were issued: Displaced Vietnamese American Heritage Month, Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Week, and commendation for Creekside School.
- Council directed staff to work with VTA to advance transportation priorities, including exploring youth transit passes and ensuring complete streets integration.
- The meeting adjourned at 3:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. I'd like to call this meeting to order. That means council members, may I have your attention, please? Calling this meeting to order. If you're able, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I'm gonna do the pledge first. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Just as had to keep you all on your toes, and I know you're trying to keep me on my toes. Okay, now Tony, will you take the roll? Yeah, can I here? Campos? Present. Tordios. Here. Cohen? Here. Ortiz. Present. Okay, heandellas, Casey, fully here. Mayhem, you have a quorum. Great, thank you. Today's invocation will be provided by Tina Tuan of the Tsu Qi Foundation and Councilmember Cohen, please tell us more. Thank you, Vice Mayor. The Chu Chi Foundation is an international Buddhist humanitarian organization whose mission is to relieve suffering of those in need while creating a better world through compassion, love, and hope. The global nonprofit was founded by Dharma Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan, a nun who set out to provide compassion based relief through charity, medicine, education, and humanistic culture. The organization the American organization, Suchi USA was established in California in 1989. They now have 63 offices and facilities throughout the U.S. with volunteers working to make a difference and respond to disasters in their community. The Northwest region of Suchi USA is located on Oakland Road in District 4. Joining us today are Northwest Region CEO Chi Jen Huang, PR Director Rebecca Yang, Media and Media Director Renee Liu, Deputy Executive Director Tina Tuan will provide today's invocation. Thank you, Councilmember Cohen, for your kind invitation and that great introduction. Good afternoon, my mayor and all of the council members. And that little change has become a global movement. Today, Suji has over 10 million supporters across 136 countries in the world, serving people in all religions and all backgrounds. Twice a month, our medical volunteers operate the mobile dental clinic, which you'll see on the slide. Providing free medical and dental services. In time of natural disasters, from the devastating campfire in 2018, to the CZU lightning fires in 2020, to the floods in Paharo reverse in 2023, our volunteers responded with care and urgency, offering not only financial assistance, but also comfort and hope. So this is a picture of our distribution when we are working with the wildfire survivors. As the City Council meets here today, the decisions being made here will shape the future of every one of us here in San Jose. So I want to offer this reflection. May our work be guided not only by data and policy, but also by compassion and wisdom. May we continue building a city where every resident feels seen, valued, and supported. May we all remember that small acts of kindness can create an impact far beyond what we can imagine. As our founder, Dama Master Jengyan reminded us, when we put our hearts together, nothing is impossible. Last but not least, I would like to invite every one of you to visit our office in San Jose to see how firsthand compassion is put into action. Thank you. Thank you for that invitation. Next, I'd like to invite Councilmember Duan to join me at the podium as we recognize and proclaim April as displaced Vietnamese American Heritage Month. Good afternoon. This month carry a deep meaning for many of our Vietnamese communities.
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