SSPC Statement on Alum Rock Village Plan
SI SE PUEDE COLLECTIVE!
The Si Se Puede! Collective represents over 50,000 East San Jose residents (in the following zip codes: 95116, 95122, and 95127). Our goal is to walk alongside the Mayfair community and work in solidarity to:
reach community resiliency and sustainability;
challenge existing systems that perpetuate inequities; and
shift power back to the hands of community residents.
We are invested in the creation of an Alum Rock Urban Village Plan that will represent the true needs of ALL of our residents.
Our community members have participated in dozens of community feedback sessions over the years and we believe we have the best solutions for our Alum Rock Community. The following feedback was collected at various community input sessions AND we as a Collective will strive to uphold our community’s wishes.
LARGER COMMUNITY GOALS
Establish an Urban Village Plan and Cultural Community Preservation for Mayfair and the advancement of a vibrant, self-sustaining East San Jose. The Urban Village plan should include:
A cultural district, access to land trusts, mural protection with an authentic community decision-making process driving this effort
Investments in accessible affordable housing developments (20% to 80% Area Median Income) that will offer local preference for residents at risk of displacement
Protections for businesses from displacement by securing local preference for use of commercial spaces
Priority investments into neighborhood infrastructure and public art
SPECIFIC PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED RE THE ALUM ROCK URBAN VILLAGE PLAN
1. On-Site Plazas
We want both private and public plazas to be accessible, open spaces
Mediterranean park style architecture with vibrant colors and a public plaza with stage and sitting area;
Consult our diverse community to uplift other architectural/artistic perspectives
Create an accessible process for community to use the space
2. Commercial Space
Prioritize local businesses and nonprofits’ access to commercial business spaces
Continue to coordinate closely with potential future tenants, including providing the spaces necessary for a commercial kitchen in the commercial spa
3. Off Street Amenities (roadway/intersection improvements, connections to transit, enhanced sidewalks or streetscapes, enhanced lighting, landscaping, or street furniture.)
Cross Walks/Streets/other
North King and Alum Rock crosswalks should be enhanced to ensure pedestrian access
Fix cracks in sidewalks and crosswalks
Identify Crosswalks for community beautification
Install Traffic Signs and alternative signs that are effective for our neighborhood
Install more speed bumps, stop signs, and street lamps to increase safety
More trash cans
2-hour parking in neighborhood on King/alum rock with priority to residents
Art
Consult local, cultural institutions (like the School of Arts & Culture) to uplift local art and the community’s culture into future developments
Art should represent our community’s diverse history, and important moments.
We should use art installations as a way to engage with community and display the strength of our community
Protect community art through city landmark process
Exterior walls of any development should be set up, so they could accommodate public art
Spanish style tiles should be incorporated into designs
4. Open space amenities and park facilities (could include, but are not limited to, off-site trail connections, public open space or park amenities and improvements, or community center amenities and improvements)
Build a public library in the Mayfair area for all Alum Rock students
Investment in funding for community centers such as MACSA (for all youth)
Create a process for community to have access to public spaces such as plazas, fields/parks
Create space to have public events that have expression of art
Diversity in parks for residents such as (dog parks, walking parks, exercise parks, parks focused on early learning and for youth)
Public edible food Gardens
5. Affordable Housing/homeownership is a mandatory item:
All housing development should include local preference
Opportunities for low- or moderate-income first-time home buyers
Provide tenant rights education for all residents
6. As Part Of The Planning And Community Engagement Process The City And Developers Should:
Create a mechanism to organize all of the community input sessions and reach out to ethnic groups such as the Latino and Asian ethic groups who represent a majority of residents in the Alum Rock Corridor
Provide earthquake safety & environmental reports to the public
Provide traffic report to the public & provide creative ways to mitigate traffic congestion
Take into account pedestrian impact on new developments
Ensure that all projects are working with each other around design and impact
Provide a report of all new development to the public in a city website
Ultimately, we believe that authentic community engagement and decision-making comes from the power of community residents pushing on existing systems and governing over any oversight committee in our neighborhood. We strongly believe that any oversight committee that comes out of the Alum Rock Urban Village Plan must include people impacted by displacement and the development of our area. This committee must be a diverse group of small family business owners, community residents, community workers, and youth AND should reflect the current ethnic demographics of the Alum Rock Community.
