A lot of working-class families in San Jose say they’re now on the verge of being priced out of their neighborhoods. But a new a newly proposed city policy would change that. Robert Handa reports.
A lot of working-class families in San Jose say they're now on the verge of being priced out of their neighborhoods.
Affordable housing complexes are being built in places like east San Jose. Many say it’s a welcome sight for many working-class families living nearby. But sometimes no one in the immediate neighborhood gets to move in.
A newly proposed city policy would change that.
The Alum Rock Apartments is a five-story affordable housing complex that will eventually house 60 families.
Although the units are only for those earning less than half of the area median income, a proposed “preferred tenant” city ordinance would also require 20% of these units go to people already living in the neighborhood.
Liza Gonzalez, a wife and mother, said she hopes to be one of those preferred tenants. She has spent her life running from Silicon Valley’s rising rents.
“Being the daughter of a single mother, who used to work two jobs at fast food restaurants, we had to move literally every two years. So, we were never able to call a place my permanent home,” she said.
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Earlier Thursday, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and community members rallied outside the Amigos De Guadalupe offices to make a last push for the program before Tuesday’s city council vote.
“When we ask a community to tax itself to build affordable housing, we ask them to accept new development in their community., more neighbors, more traffic,” he said. “It’s only right that neighborhoods benefit, which means that low income residents in the neighborhood should have access to that affordable housing.”
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Mahan says affordable housing developers they have talked to are supportive since the rents are already deed restricted, so no one loses money.
The ordinance would also set aside 15% of any affordable housing development for lower income applicants in that project’s council district.
Community organizers acknowledge even with preference, many will still have to keep looking.
“We will continue to push for other forms of relief. We’re looking at local preferences, we’re also looking at ‘land banking, land trusts, community development corporation for people,” said Maritza Maldonado, founder of Amigos De Guadalupe.
Gonzalez said that she’s encouraged since she’s been on a waiting list for years at another complex.
“It’s one or two persons were able to rent in that place. It was heartbreaking because of the process that it’s the system right now,” she said.
If the new policy is approved on Tuesday, the city of San Jose it will quickly set up an online portal for people to find out if they qualify and how to apply.
