San Jose Mayor’s Budget Message Focuses City Government on the Basics
Mayor Matt Mahan says that just as San Jose families make tough choices in challenging economic times, government should too
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2023
Media Contact:
Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan, [email protected]
SAN JOSÉ, CA - San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan urges his city to get back to the basics in his first budget message. In it, he argues that our economically challenging times necessitate that we focus our limited resources on the core issues that affect residents every day. The message outlines solutions in four focus areas: community safety, homelessness, blight, and attracting investment in jobs and housing.
Mayor Mahan’s budget recommendations center on common-sense approaches to these critical issues to get San Jose back on track.
“The bottom line is, unless we are disciplined in focusing our resources on the basics, we will not move the needle on any of the big challenges our residents care most about,” said San Jose Mayor Mahan.
Residents clearly point to basic quality of life issues as their main priorities: reducing crime, blight, homelessness, and the high cost of living. 65% of residents say they feel unsafe downtown. 89% rank homelessness as a very or extremely serious issue, and 53% say they are likely to move out of the Bay Area in the next few years.
“So many of us are supporting the Mayor’s budget message because it aims to solve the core needs of the community,” said Nubia Ramirez, a neighborhood leader and advocate for the Hoffman Via Monte neighborhood. “We are tired of an incremental approach to our biggest challenges. Mayor Mahan is calling for smart, bold policies to reduce street homelessness, increase community safety, and clean up our city – and we are asking our representatives on the council to support this approach.”
Highlights of the Mayor’s recommendations are:
Community Safety
Double the rate at which we hire new police officers from the 15 approved by Council last year to 30.
To address the paramedic staffing challenge, invest in new recruitment and retention solutions, including adding more Fire Academy classes each year.
Enhance SJPD recruitment efforts including increases to officer referral and signing bonuses, a one-time officer relocation stipend, and programs designed to engage youth interested in law enforcement careers.
In an effort to relieve the current strain on police and first responders, find ways to divert 911 calls that don’t need a badge and a gun, especially calls involving mental health crises, homelessness, and youth.
Use remaining American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to broaden San Jose’s ability to prevent youth violence by investing in programs like the Clean Slate Program, the Safe Schools Initiative, Trauma to Triumph, and the Bringing Everyone’s Strengths Together (B.E.S.T.) grant program.
Collaborate with the County on recidivism intervention for high-risk populations such as those exiting jails, prisons, and hospitals who often end up as repeat offenders and members of our unhoused community.
Accelerate the Pedestrian Safety Program, Safe Routes to School, and the deployment of quick-build solutions through Vision Zero.
Reducing Unsheltered Homelessness
Move 1,000 unhoused residents out of encampments and into safe, managed environments by massively expanding the City’s stock of emergency interim housing (EIH), and investing in other safe, managed spaces.
Double Measure E funds set aside for Homelessness Prevention on a one-time basis this year.
Expand the Homelessness Program Dashboard to help residents understand where their tax dollars are going and which homelessness reduction dollars are having the biggest impact.
Work with the County’s Office of Reentry Services, Office of Supportive Housing, Department of Family and Children’s Services, and local partners to pilot an “in reach” intervention program focused on helping incarcerated unhoused residents find housing after their release, increase housing support for unhoused residents recovering from hospital stays, and support former foster youth.
Cleaning Up Our Neighborhoods
Launch a “Beautify Your Block” program to engage thousands of residents and small businesses in keeping their streets blight-free by covering up graffiti, picking up litter, and reporting other issues via 311.
Dedicate ongoing funding to BeautifySJ, City Hall’s field team that is out in our neighborhoods every day addressing illegal dumping, encampment management, graffiti, and other blight.
Increase opportunities for homeless residents to earn an income cleaning up our city, by continuing the SJ Bridge program for another year and increasing Cash for Trash by at least 200 participants, and doubling the weekly limit of bags they can turn in for prepaid Mastercard cards.
Upgrade the City’s 311 system, expand language accessibility, ensure warm handoff from callers to the relevant department, speed up response times, and close the loop with residents so they can see the impact of their call.
Attracting Investment in Jobs and Housing
Launch a pilot program that dedicates Planning, Building and Code Enforcement (PBCE) project managers to high-priority permit applications, such as affordable housing and small business tenant improvements, to be a single point of contact and help speed applications through the process, so San Jose gets to “yes” faster.
Invest in Planning’s web portal so that every applicant can see exactly where their application is in the review process and estimated response times.
Reduce backlog caused by staffing shortages by creating a pipeline for post-secondary school graduates to become City employees through paid student fellowships in PBCE that turn into full-time jobs upon graduation.
As City Hall implements these solutions, Mayor Mahan believes any resident should be able to visit the City’s website and view our top focus areas, how we measure success within each focus area, and which programs and policies the Council has funded to achieve progress. He will continue to work with City staff to develop ways to improve how we collect and analyze data to make City Hall more accountable for delivering results with your tax dollars.
“If we are going to hold City Hall accountable for delivering results on crime, homelessness, and blight, we need to focus our budget on common sense solutions to these problems, which is exactly what our March Budget Message does,” remarked Mayor Matt Mahan.
As we enter uncertain economic times, this year’s budget will allow the City to realign San Jose’s limited resources with the community’s most pressing needs. Once San Jose focuses on the basics, it will become safer, and cleaner, and create more opportunities for all our residents.
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About the City of San José
With more than one million residents, San José comprises the 10th largest city in the United States, and one of its most diverse cities. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.