High-quality affordable housing is proposed in your neighborhood.
This Tuesday (3/26) the San Jose City Council will vote on funding for two great new affordable housing developments at 525 N Capitol Avenue and 1371 Kooser Road. Together these sites will create roughly 350 new affordable and supportive homes! Your vocal support for this much-needed housing is vital.
Send an email to elected leaders today and join us for public comment at the City Council meeting on Tuesday to show your support.
When
Today: Send an email message to elected leaders (guidance below)
Tuesday, March 26 at 2:30pm: Attend and comment at the city council meeting
Why
Creating more deeply affordable and supportive homes is one of the best investments San Jose can make in addressing homelessness. Due to the severe shortage of affordable homes in our community, 70% of our lowest-income households spend the majority of their income on housing costs and are often just one unexpected expense away from falling into homelessness. This is why we must build more deeply affordable and supportive homes to address our region’s homelessness and housing crisis – like the developments planned for 1371 Kooser Road and 525 N Capitol Avenue.
Both sites are funded by the County’s Measure A affordable housing bond and include apartments available to households earning 60% or less of the area median income (just over $100,000 for a family of four), with dozens of units reserved for even deeper affordability and tailored supportive services.
525 N Capitol Avenue includes 160 homes, with supportive units reserved for formerly homeless individuals including veterans as well as people with intellectual developmental disabilities. Abode Services, Housing Choices and EngAGE will provide services for the residents onsite. The first floor will also include a community kitchen run by Veggielution to offer fresh, healthy food, training, employment opportunities and child care for program participants.
1371 Kooser Road proposes 190 affordable homes with great on-site amenities like a community room and a ground floor retail space. In addition to supportive units for formerly homeless individuals and families, the development will include rapid rehousing units designed to meet the needs of households experiencing briefer periods of homelessness. Affirmed Housing is developing the project.
These developments propose the exact type of housing our community needs most and will have a lasting impact on our community’s collective efforts to end and prevent homelessness. We cannot afford to ignore our region’s severe housing shortage which is pushing people into homelessness. Join us in supporting these opportunities to build affordable housing!
How
STEP 1: Send an email to the City Council TODAY.
We recommend emailing by Tuesday morning. What you write is up to you. In case it is helpful, sample language is included below. Click the ‘Take Action Now’ button to automatically open a new email message with the sample text.
STEP 2: Attend and speak up at Tuesday’s City Council public hearing.
Join us for the San Jose City Council meeting on Tuesday, March 26 to publicly show your support. The meeting begins at 1:30pm, in person at City Hall (200 E. Santa Clara Street). These developments are agenda item 8.3. Our best guess is that this item could be heard around 3pm, but there’s a chance it comes later.
Reach out to esmeralda@destinationhomesv.org if you’re able to join in person and she can keep you posted day-of.
Sample Email Message
Dear Mayor Mahan and City Councilmembers,
Due to the severe shortage of affordable homes in our community, the majority of our
lowest-income households spend more than half their income on housing costs and are often just one unexpected expense away from falling into homelessness. That is why we must build more deeply affordable and supportive homes to address our region’s homelessness and housing crisis – like the developments planned for 525 N Capitol Avenue and 1371 Kooser Road.
Creating more deeply affordable and supportive homes like these is one of the best investments San Jose can make in addressing homelessness. These developments propose the exact type of housing our community desperately needs and will have a lasting impact in our collective efforts to end and prevent homelessness.
We cannot afford to ignore our region’s severe housing affordability crisis. A massive shortage of affordable homes is driving the homelessness crisis we see today and we must advance the plans for development at 525 N Capitol Avenue and 1371 Kooser Road.
Thank you!
{Signed}
Note: Don’t forget to sign your letter with your name