In this week’s “Policy Watch” segment, we bring you the upcoming top ten policy issues for the South Bay area.
|City of San Jose|
Adopting amendments to strengthen eviction moratorium; update from BOS delay in extending countywide eviction moratorium
Issue summary: Staff provide a supplemental memo with an update on Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors’ decision to wait until its May 26 meeting to consider County Counsel’s options for extending the county-wide eviction moratorium beyond its expiration date of May 31, 2020.
The countywide moratorium for residential and small business commercial rentals began on March 24 and is effective through May 31, 2020, unless extended. The Ordinance applies to all cities located in the County including cities who have passed their own moratoriums, with the condition that the more protective moratorium term will apply.
Item will be heard: Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 1:30pm
Link to item: https://sanjose.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4453761&GUID=BB0C186D-F546-4C9F-97B4-80A3E80DCA78&Options=&Search=
Link to agenda: https://sanjose.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=712190&GUID=01C3734E-445E-435C-89DB-F5181B6920D6&Options=info|&Search=
Approve amendments to ARO to encourage landlords to allow reduced rent agreements during COVID-19
Issue summary: Staff recommend council approve an ordinance amending the Apartment Rent Ordinance, that is intended to encourage and allow landlords and tenants to enter into reduced rent agreements during COVID-19 and preserve landlord rights to increase the rent next year based on the original rental rate.
Item will be heard: Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 11am
Link to item: https://sanjose.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4523799&GUID=C43A066D-7C9F-4833-A1B8-7BDF532BCB3A&Options=&Search=
Link to agenda: https://sanjose.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=712190&GUID=01C3734E-445E-435C-89DB-F5181B6920D6&Options=info|&Search=
Arenas, Esparza & Jimenez call for info on how to utilize investment funds for budget needs
Issue summary: Councilmembers Arenas, Esparza, and Jimenez recommend council direct the City Manager to provide additional information on the City’s investment funds that may be utilized to address immediate budget needs. Their memo raises questions about how to make use of interfund borrowing without incurring penalties or other legal restrictions in order to preserve essential services, assist residents and solve short-term fiscal problems.
Item will be heard: Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 11am
Link to item: https://sanjose.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4453421&GUID=2754CAAB-CB5F-4917-B0E7-4C17A684BF12&Options=&Search=
Link to agenda: https://sanjose.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=712190&GUID=01C3734E-445E-435C-89DB-F5181B6920D6&Options=info|&Search=
Liccardo, Carrasco, Esparza, Arenas & Foley call for community Wi-Fi expansion for distance learning
Issue summary: A memo from Mayor Liccardo and CMs Carrasco, Esparza, Arenas, and Foley recommend council take action expand community Wi-Fi networks to three more neighborhoods in East Side Union High School District where an estimated 30% of students lack internet access at home.
Item will be heard: Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 11am
Link to item: https://sanjose.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4523874&GUID=8C989B48-8FFA-4424-A8AA-6001022BF896&Options=&Search=
Link to agenda: https://sanjose.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=712190&GUID=01C3734E-445E-435C-89DB-F5181B6920D6&Options=info|&Search=
34 letters urging the Mayor to place the Fair Elections Initiative on the ballot
Issue summary: 34 individuals used our tool to send form letters to the Mayor and their Councilmember urging them to put the Fair Elections Initiative on the ballot to remedy the voter suppression that took place since the City Clerk lost 3,000 voter signatures.
Item will be heard: Wednesday May 20, 2020, 2pm, Virtual meeting
Link to item: https://sanjose.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4536915&GUID=2482CF2C-769D-473A-A629-1321D7B684FE
Link to agenda: https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=712221&GUID=8D90755B-A2FD-40D0-84E7-E278B3754169
| Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |
Authorizing Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board to place a 3-county, 1/8-cent sales tax for Caltrain on the Nov 2020 ballot
Issue summary: On August 3, 2017, the Board adopted a support position for Senate Bill 797, introduced by Senator Jerry Hill. The bill was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2017. This bill authorizes the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) to place on the ballot a regional measure enacting a sales and use tax (not to exceed 1/8 cent) in the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of San Mateo and Santa Clara. The net revenues would be used by the JPB for Caltrain operating and capital purposes.
Successful passage of the sales tax will result in approximately $108 million per year from the three counties. Just over half will come from Santa Clara County. Per the Board’s previous action, this will relieve VTA’s operating budget of the formula share of VTA’s contribution to Caltrain operations and capital (Budgeted for FY2021 at $10.8 million operating and $5 million capital). The VTA Board of Directors will vote on this item on June 4, 2020.
Item will be heard: 5/21/2020 12:00 PM TELECONFERENCE and VIDEO CONFERENCE ONLY
Link to item: http://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=3159&MediaPosition=&ID=7393&CssClass=
Link to agenda: http://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=3159
Amending the Cooperative Agreement with the City of San José, Caltrain, and the California High Speed Rail Authority to include MTC, and increase the collective funding commitment by $5.6M
Issue summary: The Diridon Integrated Concept Plan (DISC) is an interagency public works planning program that emerged from initial station area planning efforts associated with VTA’s BART Phase II extension to San José and Santa Clara. In July 2018, VTA, the City of San José, Caltrain, and the California High Speed Rail Authority formalized the DISC effort by entering into a cooperative agreement to coordinate their overlapping capital improvement and land use plans in the Diridon Station area. Each participating agency has committed resources and funding to this effort.
The following indicates the estimated funding commitments to the DISC Program from the participating agencies under the current and prospective Cooperative Agreement/Amendment: City of San José ($1.5M), High Speed Rail ($1.5M), Caltrain ($1.38M), Grants (MTC) ($3.3M), VTA (incl. $2.5M from 2016 Measure B) ($3.5M).
Item will be heard: 5/21/2020 12:00 PM TELECONFERENCE and VIDEO CONFERENCE ONLY
Link to item: http://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=3159&MediaPosition=&ID=7402&CssClass=
Link to agenda: http://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=3159
FY2020 revenues and expenses: projecting negative Operating Balance of $34.3M
Issue summary: The Board may accept the Fiscal Year 2020 Statement of Revenues and Expenses for the period ending March 31, 2020. Through the first nine months of the Fiscal Year 2020, revenues were $2.0M below budgeted projections while expenses were $16.3M under budget estimates, for an overall positive variance of revenues over expenses of $14.3M. This Statement includes an augmented Transit Fund Operating Budgets by $7,268,000 in FY 2020 as approved by the Board of Directors on November 7, 2019. Current staff projections for the fiscal year reflect a negative Operating Balance of $34.3M.
Item will be heard: 5/21/2020 12:00 PM TELECONFERENCE and VIDEO CONFERENCE ONLY
Link to item: http://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=3159&MediaPosition=&ID=7039&CssClass=
Link to agenda: http://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=3159
| Santa Clara County Office of Education |
Discussion on Charter Schools Board Policy revisions
Issue summary: On May 6, 2020 the Policy Subcommittee met and approved revisions to BP 0420.4 Charter Schools: discussion on revisions to existing policy to reflect changes in Education Code as a result of AB 1505, 1507, and 1595. Topics to be discussed include authorization of charter schools, timelines, charter school oversight, and renewal and revocation processes.
The redline also includes:
- Shortening of the charter appeal timeline to 30 days.
- Approval decision is increased to 90 days
- Charter school may be denied if they would not serve the interest of the entire community where they will relocate.
Item will be heard: May 20, 2020 5:00 PM
Link to item: http://go.boarddocs.com/ca/sccoe/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BPJQNM69D241
Link to agenda: https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/sccoe/Board.nsf/Public
| City of Gilroy |
Report and direction on COVID-19 budget impacts and recovery plan
Issue summary: Staff will give council a report on the budget impacts of COVID-19—which total $15.4 million over two years, and approximately $8 million annually into the future. Staff also provide preliminary recommendations for a recovery plan, including council direction on repurposing assigned funding to other projects to bolster the general fund balance and providing time for planning to address the long-term financial shortfall.
COVID-19 has forced the adjustments and decisions to be made within the next few months to address the city’s financial future. Staff is still conducting a thorough review of its operations in order to prepare the Recovery Plan to Council. Staff recommend addressing the financial challenges over a series of council meeting agenda items; adoption of the recovery plan will take place next, either on June 1 or 15, 2020, or potentially across both meetings.
Item will be heard: Monday, May 18, 2020, 6pm
Link to item: http://gilroyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=1926&MediaPosition=&ID=2812&CssClass=
Link to agenda: http://gilroyca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=1926
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