San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee Meeting - April 29, 2026

The San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee met on April 29, 2026, to review upcoming council meeting agendas, approve a consent calendar, and consider several action items including a revolving door waiver request, a proposal to expand ministerial approvals for housing, and alternative financing for affordable housing. The committee also received public comments on parks naming, encampment closures, and modular housing research. All votes were unanimous 5-0.

Meeting Agenda Reviews

• The committee reviewed the agenda for the next Tuesday’s council meeting (noticed for May 5, 2026), which includes a closed session at 9:30 a.m., regular session at 1:30 p.m., consent items, a library facilities and customer experience plan status report, approval of a park master plan and turnkey park land agreement for two city-chartered parks, and a public hearing on the annual action plan for HUD. The committee approved the agenda review 5-0.
• The committee also reviewed the agenda for the May 12, 2026 council meeting, which includes a public hearing on proposed budgets, an amendment to the airport master plan, republic services solid waste service rates, a 2026 major event status report, and a recommended deferral. No land use items. The committee approved the review 5-0.

Consent Calendar

• The committee approved three consent items unanimously (5-0). Prior to the vote, a public commenter (Brian) raised concerns about the closure of an encampment known as “the jungle,” stating that unhoused individuals report not feeling connected to services or receiving requested assistance, and that many lack transportation options. He urged the committee to look into the matter.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brian (public comment on agenda review and consent) spoke in favor of naming parks after people rather than things, citing the need to avoid future renaming controversies. He referenced a letter from the Parks Commission that supported this approach.
• Brian (on consent) expressed concerns about the closing of “the jungle” encampment, noting that unhoused residents and daily visitors report a disconnect from services and a lack of transportation (e.g., no bus passes). He encouraged the committee to investigate further.
• Ryan (public comment on action item #3 – alternative financing for affordable housing) thanked the city and staff for their efforts and voiced support for the alternative financing work plan, offering to help offload some of the workload.
• Ryan (open forum) presented a seven-page report generated using AI that analyzed modular housing companies worldwide, ranking them A–D based on criteria relevant to California and San Jose. He stated he spent 25–30 hours verifying the information and offered the analysis to city staff to save them time.

Discussion Items

• Revolving Door Waiver Request (Diana Alanis): The committee considered a request from Diana Alanis, former community relations director for Councilmembers Duan and Davis, to waive the remaining 11 months of the city’s one-year revolving door policy. Ms. Alanis now works for Canyon Snow Consulting representing LS Power on energy and climate issues. She stated she did not work on LS Power matters while at the city. Staff explained the ordinance and the committee’s role in making a recommendation to the City Council. Councilmember Duan moved to grant the waiver, praising Ms. Alanis’s integrity. Vice Mayor Foley expressed concern about the frequent granting of exemptions, noting that two council members had waited 12 months before lobbying. She supported moving the waiver forward but called for a firmer policy. Councilmember Kamei agreed, questioning the purpose of a policy if exemptions are routinely granted. Chair Cohen noted that this request came only one month after separation, which is earlier than typical, and suggested a broader discussion on the policy’s purpose. The committee voted 5-0 to recommend the waiver to the City Council for final determination on May 5, 2026.
• Ministerial Approval for AB 130 Qualifying Projects: Councilmember Tordillos presented a memo co-authored with Councilmembers Kamei, Cohen, and Campos, proposing to expand the city’s ministerial approval process citywide, aligned with the eligibility criteria of AB 130. The memo highlighted a 10–30% reduction in development costs needed for feasibility and a demonstrated 50% reduction in permitting time from existing ministerial approvals. The committee approved a motion (5-0) to forward the memo for workload analysis, with the expectation of returning to the Rules Committee in one to two weeks before moving to the full City Council.
• Alternative Financing for Affordable Housing: Staff reported that a workload analysis had been completed and gave a green light; the item is part of the existing community and economic development work plan and is already underway. The committee voted 5-0 to approve moving forward.

Key Outcomes

• Approved agenda reviews for the May 5 and May 12, 2026 council meetings (5-0).
• Approved consent calendar (5-0).
• Recommended approval of revolving door waiver for Diana Alanis to the City Council; will be heard on May 5, 2026 (5-0).
• Approved ministerial approval memo for workload analysis, to return to Rules Committee in 1–2 weeks (5-0).
• Approved alternative financing for affordable housing as already underway (5-0).