San José Community & Economic Development Committee Meeting - August 24, 2026
San José Community & Economic Development Committee Meeting - August 24, 2026
The Community & Economic Development Committee (CED) met on August 24, 2026, at 1:30 PM in a hybrid format. The committee reviewed two reports: an audit of the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA) performance measures and a semi-annual status report on economic development activities. Both reports were accepted unanimously and forwarded to the City Council. Public comment was provided by one speaker, Brian Darby.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Brian Darby (member of the public) spoke on each agenda item. On the audit report, he commended the collaborative process between the auditor and department, agreed with the five recommendations, and suggested adding more metrics. On the economic development report, he praised the World Cup activations and requested future reports include data on jobs created or retained, private investment, business survival, reduced storefront vacancies, increased tax revenues, and city costs versus returns. He also acknowledged the new economic data analyst position. During open forum, Darby expressed concern about a potential deep recession but noted the city had done well with what could be done.
Discussion Items
- City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs Performance Measures Audit Report (CC 26-0881): City Auditor Joe Royce presented the audit findings. OEDCA reports 39 performance metrics in the adopted operating budget. The audit found that while most measures are generally useful and reliable, some can be clearer and more meaningful. Key issues: some performance results in the budget reflect short-term goals and should be reviewed for alignment with longer-term targets; methodologies for internal and external measures are not fully documented. The report makes five recommendations to improve clarity, consistency, and long-term usefulness. Jen Baker, Director of OEDCA, accepted the recommendations and noted the collaborative audit process. Councilmember Mulcahy asked about opportunities to standardize data collection with external partners (e.g., cell phone data) and shared subscriptions. Baker responded that recommendation five addresses co-creating expectations with partners. The audit commenced in December/January and was published in August 2026. Chair Foley inquired about public art maintenance, specifically the Sister City Walk along the Guadalupe River; Baker agreed to verify the inventory. The committee voted unanimously to accept the report and cross-reference it to the September 29, 2026 City Council meeting.
- Economic Development Activities Semi-Annual Status Report (CC 26-0892): Bloggy Zalich, Deputy Director of OEDCA, presented the report covering activities since February 2026. Highlights included: commissioned interactive art projects with San José State University (e.g., illuminated artworks, Free Throw installation, Gaioscope, Hometown Heroes display); six expanded city dance events in the SoFA District during the World Cup; a dedicated film permit website leading to a significant increase in permits; NVIDIA’s GTC conference attracted almost 36,000 visitors (a 78% increase from 2025) from 956 zip codes, with 51% out-of-state visitors; the March Madness basketball games at SAP Center; $490,000 distributed to 49 small businesses and 21 startup grants awarded (from over 800 applications); approval of four new Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and renewal of four existing BIDs, with a combined budget of $1.5 million from nearly 7,000 businesses; workforce programs (San José Works Summer Program with 200 youth participants); notable business openings (Strata at Miro Tower, TNT Supermarket, moved Mexican fare); corporate outreach events; international engagement (visit from Lord Mayor of Dublin commemorating 40-year sister city relationship); inaugural international business and investment event with 94 attendees; four new foreign trade zone applications approved (total 16 participating businesses, six more under review); and hiring of economic data analyst Chris Schaeffer. The committee accepted the report unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Audit Report (CC 26-0881): Accepted unanimously and forwarded to the September 29, 2026 City Council meeting. OEDCA will implement the five recommendations, with a target completion before the March 31, 2027 proposed operating budget.
- Economic Development Semi-Annual Report (CC 26-0892): Accepted unanimously. No further action required.
- Open Forum: No committee action taken on public comments.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. My clock says 1 30, so we're starting. I'm calling this meeting to order. Good afternoon, and welcome to the community and economic development committee meeting. I have something that I am supposed to read, so I'm going to. Today is our first meeting with Zoom public comment available again, and we welcome those joining us remotely. If you are attending in person and wish to speak, please complete a speaker card and place it in one of the designated boxes at the bottom of the council chambers. Brian, I know you know how to do that. For those joining remotely, the Zoom link is available on the agenda for for today's meeting. If you are participating on online and wish to speak, please use the Zoom application and select the raise hand feature or press star nine. If you are on a telephone, that is. Speakers will be called in order. What when it is your turn, the city clerk will enable you to speak and a notification will appear on your screen, letting you know that you may unmute and provide your comments. We appreciate everyone's participation and ask the speakers follow the meeting code of conduct so that all participants have an opportunity to be heard, and the here and the hearing can proceed smoothly. Conduct that materially disrupts the meeting or interferes with others' ability to participate may result in muting or removal as authorized by law. Councilmember Casey. O'Keyhi. Chair. Ortiz. President. Here. And Chair Foley. Here. Thank you. Okay. We don't have any work plan to review or consent calendar. We just are moving to the reports of the committee. And the first report is the City Manager's Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs. Performant Measure Audit Measures Audit Report. Joe Royce Anti. Welcome. Good afternoon, Joe Royce, City Auditor. I'm here with Howad Heider for our audit of the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs Performance Measures. Also in the box is Jen Baker from the Office of Economic Development Cultural Affairs or OEDCA. OEDCA reports performance information across multiple channels to communicate progress toward its economic development, cultural vitality, and workforce goals. This includes the city's adopted operating budget and regular reporting to the City Council on its economic strategy work plan and updates for the growing our economy focused area. In recent years, OEDCA has substantially revised its performance measurement framework in response to City Council direction and citywide performance management initiatives. The objective of this audit was to assess the reliability, validity, and usefulness of OEDCA's performance measures. OEDCA reports or the first finding or only finding is that OEDCA's performance measures can are generally useful and reliable, but some measures can be clearer and more meaningful. OEDCA reports 39 performance metrics in the adopted operating budget across its services. And these measures generally reflect ongoing work and align with goals in the economic strategy work plan and the growing our economy focus area. We did find that while most performance measures in the operating budget are useful and reliable. Also, some performance results in the operating budget reflect key results and goals in the two-year economic strategy work plan and should be reviewed to ensure they reflect longer-term goals and targets. And lastly, OEDC has not fully or yet fully documented the methodologies behind its performance measures, both those tracked internally and those that rely on outside sources. So we for this finding we recommend uh to improve their performance measures. OEDCA should review select performance measures to enhance usefulness and clarity and determine whether measures reflect longer-term targets and goals, and to document methodologies for calculating performance measures, both internally and externally. Overall, the report has five recommendations to approve the clarity, consistency, and long-term usefulness of OEDC's performance measures. We want to thank OEDCA for their time and insight during the audit process. I ask that you accept the report in cross-reference to the September 29th council meeting. Happy to answer any questions, but first I'm going to turn it over to Jen Baker for the administration's response.
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