Latest summaries

• City auditors complete 7 work-plan projects and continue 7 reviewsThe City Auditor's Office completed 7 of 20 listed projects in its fiscal year 2026-27 work plan through October, including audits of voter-approved bond and parcel-tax funds. Auditors have 7 assignments in process and 6 not yet started, with upcoming reviews covering San José Clean Energy, park maintenance, vacant storefront programs, cardroom oversight and ADA complaint procedures. The Rules and Open Government Committee is scheduled to consider the monthly activity report on Nov. 4, 2026.Nov 4
• Council to consider World AIDS Day events and city fundingSan Jose plans a free World AIDS Day event at City Hall on Dec. 1, with a flag raising, a World AIDS Day Quilt display and red lighting on the Tower and Rotunda through Dec. 2. Vice Mayor Pam Foley and Council Districts 9 and 3 are seeking approval to spend city funds and accept donated materials and services. The Rules Committee is recommending council action on Nov. 17, 2026; no amount is specified.Nov 4
• Council to review status of 182 policy referralsSan Jose’s City Council is set to accept its annual status update on council referrals for fiscal year 2025-26. The city had 182 open referrals through June 30, 2026: 71 were complete, 99 remained in progress, eight had not started and four were deferred. The update also records that the council dropped nine referrals and deferred four during the budget process. The Rules and Open Government Committee recommended acceptance on Oct. 28, and the council is scheduled to consider it Nov. 10.Nov 3
• Apple campus agreement would change land and close two North San Jose streetsSan Jose plans to amend its development agreement with Apple for an approximately 86-acre North San Jose campus. The change would remove a 9.7-acre parcel planned for conveyance to PG&E and allow conditional vacation of Orchard Place and part of Orchard Parkway, while preserving Apple's ability to develop about 4.15 million square feet. Apple would fund separated bike lanes on Component Drive, contribute $90,000 to transit signal improvements and provide at least $2.5 million for a Guadalupe River Trail crossing. The council is scheduled to consider the amendment on Nov. 10, 2026; the Planning Commission recommended approval.Nov 10
• Hotel De Anza gets 10-year preservation contractSan Jose approved a 10-year historical property contract with 233 W Santa Clara LLC for the Hotel De Anza at 233 West Santa Clara Street. The agreement allows the property to qualify for a historic-property tax assessment while requiring the owner to preserve and rehabilitate the landmark. The owner must spend at least 10% of the resulting annual tax savings on preservation and maintenance, with work planned over 10 years starting Jan. 1, 2027. The City Clerk will send the agreement for signature and record it with Santa Clara County.Nov 10
• Council to appoint Julia Cooper to city employees’ retirement boardThe City Council is scheduled to appoint Julia Harper Cooper as the retiree representative on the Federated City Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration. Cooper would serve the remainder of Mark Linder’s term, ending November 30, 2028, after Linder’s death created the vacancy. The retirement board unanimously recommended Cooper after interviewing her.Nov 3
• San Jose proposes $1.5M loan to assess troubled affordable-housing portfolioSan Jose plans to provide First Community Housing with a forgivable loan of up to $1.5 million for financial and operational reviews of its affordable-housing portfolio through June 30, 2027. The Housing Department would also negotiate an agreement with the nonprofit to coordinate stabilization efforts. First Community Housing owns and operates city-assisted properties, including Second Street Studios and Curtner Studios, and is experiencing financial, operational and physical challenges. The council is scheduled to consider the proposal on Nov. 10, 2026; no vote is recorded.Nov 10
• Council to consider landmark status and preservation deal for Kow Kee SixplexSan Jose is set to designate the 1888 Kow Kee Sixplex at 605 North 6th Street as a city landmark and approve a preservation contract with owners Richard, Cindy and Carolyn Kogura. The landmark designation recognizes the building’s ties to Japantown, Heinlenville and Chinese, Japanese and Filipino communities. The 10-year contract would provide a property-tax incentive in exchange for maintenance and rehabilitation work; owners must spend at least 10% of resulting tax savings on preservation. The Historic Landmarks Commission recommended approval, and the City Council hearing is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2026; no council vote is recorded in the source.Nov 10
• Northside properties proposed as landmarks with 10-year preservation contractSan Jose is set to designate 495-497 North 13th Street and 580-584 East Empire Street as a city landmark and approve a 10-year Mills Act contract with owner Lawrence M. Camuso Trust. The properties include early 20th-century Mission Revival buildings tied to William F. Serpa’s plumbing business and San Jose’s horticultural and commercial history. The Historic Landmarks Commission recommended approval on Oct. 7, 2026, and the City Council held a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 10; the draft contains no final vote.Nov 10
• Communications Hill landowners approve special tax district annexationProperty owners in Communications Hill Annexation Area No. 4 approved adding their land to Community Facilities District No. 8 and allowing San Jose to levy a special tax beginning in fiscal year 2027-28. The election recorded 51 landowner votes, all marked yes. The council’s action annexes the area, and the City Clerk must record a special tax lien within 15 days of adoption.Oct 26
• Council to decide new name for downtown Plaza de César ChávezSan Jose plans to rename the 3.4-acre downtown park in Council District 3 from Plaza de César Chávez to Plaza de San José. Parks staff say the name ranked first in both public surveys, including a ranked-choice survey with 10,506 responses. The Parks and Recreation Commission instead unanimously recommended Plaza del Pueblo de San José. The City Council was scheduled to decide on Oct. 27, 2026; no council vote is provided.Oct 27
• San José tracks 182 open Council referrals, with 99 still in progressSan José staff are asking the Rules and Open Government Committee to accept the annual status report on City Council referrals for fiscal year 2025-26 and send it to the Nov. 10 City Council meeting for final adoption. The report says 182 referrals were open as of June 30, 2026: 71 completed, 99 in progress, eight not started and four deferred. The Housing Department had the largest share with 45 referrals. Staff will provide another update in spring 2027.Oct 28
• San José tightens license plate reader controls after officer misuseSan José plans tighter controls on automated license plate reader data after a police officer used a personal phone while off duty to locate a domestic-violence victim and share the location with the alleged abuser. Police will prohibit access from personal devices, increase user-level audits, evaluate multifactor authentication and automated monitoring, and report unauthorized access or leaks. Staff recommend internal controls now, while an independent Police Auditor role and a local private right of action need further legal, labor and budget review. Council action is approved as committee direction.Oct 28
• Kogura Company Building set for landmark designation and preservation contractSan Jose is set to designate the Kogura Company Building at 231 Jackson Street as a City Landmark and approve a historic-property contract with owners Richard, Cindy and Carolyn Kogura. The contract would begin Jan. 5, 2027, run for 10 years with automatic annual renewals, and provide a property-tax incentive in exchange for preservation work. The Historic Landmarks Commission recommended approval; the City Council hearing is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2026. The record does not include a council vote.Nov 10
• Council schedules closed session on two lawsuits and 12 labor negotiationsSan José City Council plans a closed session on Nov. 3 to discuss two lawsuits involving the city, the Police Department and named individuals. City negotiator Aram Kouyoumdjian will also meet with representatives of 12 employee organizations about wages, hours and working conditions. The session is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at City Hall Conference Room W-133.Nov 3
• San Jose council to consider detention-facility moratorium and $2.1M contractSan Jose City Council is scheduled to meet Nov. 3, 2026, with a 9:30 a.m. closed session and a 1:30 p.m. regular session. Council plans to consider a temporary moratorium on new or expanded detention and custodial facilities, a $400,000 legal settlement, a consultant contract increase to $2,146,500, and several appointments. The amended agenda also proposes appointing Julia Cooper to the Federated Retirement Board; no votes have yet been recorded.Oct 28
• Council to vote on retroactive approval for eight District 8 eventsCouncilmember Domingo Candelas is seeking retroactive approval for eight District 8 community events held or planned from August through October 2026, including school giveaways, festivals and a Halloween event at Fire Station 31. The request would authorize city spending and accept donated materials and services. The City Council is scheduled to act November 3, 2026.Nov 3
• Council to interview six applicants for San Jose retirement boardsSan José City Council will interview six applicants on Nov. 3 for public seats on the Federated City Employees’ Retirement System and Police and Fire Department Retirement Plan boards. The council could appoint up to four members to four-year terms beginning Dec. 1, 2026, plus fill one Police and Fire seat immediately through Nov. 30, 2026. Applicants include incumbents Deborah Abbott, Howard Lee and Sunita Ganapati, along with Shradha Bindal, Lee Fan and Sarah Benson-Konforty. If seats remain open, the City Clerk would continue recruiting.Nov 3
• San Jose plans to add $1.15M for storm sewer funding outreachSan Jose plans to increase SCI Consulting Group’s storm sewer funding contract from $1 million to $2,146,500 citywide. The additional $1,146,500 would fund outreach to property owners, an extended implementation strategy and an analysis of Riverview Garden’s stormwater capture benefits. The money would come from the Polychlorinated Biphenyls Settlement Reserve, not the General Fund. The council is scheduled to consider the amendment on Nov. 3, 2026.Nov 3
• Council to consider retroactive approval for eight District 8 eventsCouncilmember Domingo Candelas is seeking retroactive approval for eight District 8 community events held or planned from August through October 2026. The request would authorize city spending and accept donated materials and services supporting events including a backpack giveaway, festivals, Coffee with a Cop and Halloween activities. The City Council is scheduled to consider the request on November 3, 2026.Oct 28