What the city did.

• 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
• Ina Kouzmenko nominated for deferred compensation advisory seatIna “Enny” Kouzmenko is nominated to fill AFSCME Local 101’s vacant seat on San Jose’s Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee through March 1, 2030. The committee oversees investment policies and available investments for city deferred compensation plans serving about 16,563 participants with approximately $1.8 billion in assets. The City Council is scheduled to consider the appointment on Nov. 3, 2026, after Rules Committee review.Oct 28
• City proposes $400,000 settlement over police vehicle collisionSan Jose plans to pay $400,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by Chin-Chin Kao and Ping Kao Tang over a 2023 collision involving a city police vehicle and a pedestrian. The payment would come from the city's liability claims reserve, with each side covering its own costs and attorneys' fees. The City Council is scheduled to decide the settlement on November 3, 2026.Nov 3
• San José plans to send city attorney to Minneapolis legal gatheringSan José plans to send City Attorney Susana Alcala Wood to the Public Rights Project’s 2026 Strategy Gathering in Minneapolis on Dec. 9-10. The group will bring together government attorneys to share legal strategies and enforcement practices. The Public Rights Project will cover travel, lodging and meals; the General Fund will cover remaining costs such as ground transportation, in-transit meals and Wi-Fi. The council is scheduled to consider the authorization.Nov 3
• Council to consider housing funds, storm emergency and Apple development changesSan José City Council will consider housing, transportation, emergency preparedness, land use and historic-property actions at its Nov. 10 meeting. Proposed spending includes up to $500,000 for the Blossom Valley Family Center, $450,000 for adaptive traffic signals and $3 million for First Community Housing stabilization and Curtner Studios. The council will also consider declaring a local emergency ahead of predicted El Niño storms and approving changes involving Apple’s North San José development agreement.Oct 28
• Ina Kouzmenko nominated to city deferred compensation committeeIna “Enny” Kouzmenko is nominated to fill AFSCME Local 101’s vacant seat on San Jose’s Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee through March 1, 2030. The committee oversees investment options and policies for city deferred compensation plans serving about 16,563 participants and holding approximately $1.8 billion. The Rules and Open Government Committee approved the nomination on Oct. 21, 2026, and sent it to the City Council for action on Nov. 3, 2026.Nov 3
• San José plans to host 2028 Olympic Torch Relay eventsSan José plans to negotiate an agreement to host part of the 2028 Olympic Torch Relay, giving residents a chance to see the Olympic Flame in the city. The city would provide planning, facilities, traffic control, emergency medical services, sanitation and public safety at no charge to LA28. Preliminary relay costs are $227,700 to $283,250, with another $365,200 to $419,760 if San José hosts a free Cauldron Lighting Ceremony. Mayor Mahan will lead fundraising; if it falls short, staff will return with a funding proposal. The City Council is scheduled to consider the action on November 3, 2026.Nov 3
• Fire Department report accepted as response times trail city standardsSan José’s Public Safety, Finance and Strategic Support Committee accepted the Fire Department’s FY 2025-2026 operations report. The department handled 109,767 incidents, including 66,785 medical calls, while meeting the city’s eight-minute Priority 1 response standard 63% of the time and the county’s Code 3 EMS standard 85% of the time. Staff said travel time remains the main response challenge. The department is advancing CAD-to-CAD dispatch, a three-signal preemption pilot, Next Generation 9-1-1 upgrades and a Mobile Care Unit launched October 1.Oct 15
• San Jose directs changes to abandoned-vehicle complaints and enforcementSan José officials are moving to improve how the Department of Transportation handles abandoned-vehicle complaints, explains case outcomes and coordinates cases outside its authority. The council approved accepting the City Auditor’s findings and directed the City Manager to add district-level performance measures, study repeat cases and 72-hour movement enforcement, and create referral protocols with other departments. DOT handled about 10,000 cases from July 2025 through March 2026, closing 98% within 14 days and achieving 80% voluntary compliance.Oct 27
• San Jose plans phased ban on drinking water for nonfunctional turfSan Jose plans to ban potable-water irrigation of nonfunctional turf on covered properties under California’s AB 1572, with rules beginning January 1, 2027. The phased deadlines apply to public properties, commercial and industrial sites, institutions, and homeowners’ association and similar common areas. The council is scheduled to consider the ordinance October 27; San Jose Water Company supports it and asks for uniform citywide enforcement across all three water systems.Oct 27
• San Jose weighs stormwater plan with six potential regional projectsSan Jose staff presented a draft Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan that would shift runoff treatment toward plants, soils and natural systems on public and private land. The plan identifies six potential regional projects, with River Oaks Pump Station and Kelley Park Stables ranked highest for possible design and construction within three years. Sixteen community emails and two park-advocacy letters raised concerns about using Kelley Park Disc Golf Course and protecting park uses. The Transportation and Environment Committee was scheduled to consider the plan before a City Council decision in September 2019 and a September 30 submission deadline to the Regional Water Quality Control Board.May 9
• $15.67M City loan shift moves Parkmoor apartments to permanent financingSan Jose plans to let Abode Housing Development use $15.67 million of its approved City loan for Parkmoor Community Apartments to pay down a Capital One construction loan instead of construction costs. The change would reduce that private loan to $2.1 million and move the 81-unit affordable development into permanent financing without increasing the City's approved loan. Destination: Home would also provide a conditional $950,000 grant for operating costs during the first 15 years. The council approved the action on Oct. 15, 2026.Oct 27
• San Jose advances plan to filter stormwater with green infrastructureSan Jose staff updated the Transportation and Environment Committee on a citywide plan to use vegetation, soil and natural processes to slow, filter and treat stormwater before it reaches creeks and San Francisco Bay. The plan must meet stormwater permit and Baykeeper consent decree requirements, including at least $100 million in projects over 10 years. Staff and consultants are developing the plan for committee and council review in 2019, with submission to the Water Board due Sept. 30, 2019.Jun 4
• Team San Jose reports exceeding all performance targetsTeam San Jose reported that its convention, theater and visitor-promotion operations exceeded every city-approved performance target in fiscal 2025-26. Its venues drew 577,503 theater attendees and 316,425 convention-facility attendees, while estimated direct visitor spending reached $104.7 million. The nonprofit receives 4.5% of the city’s 10% hotel tax and operates under agreements running through June 30, 2029. The Community and Economic Development Committee accepted the semi-annual status report.Oct 26
• AEA and CAMP labor deals advance after maintenance supervisors reject pactSan Jose is moving to approve three-year labor agreements with the Association of Engineers and Architects and the City Association of Management Personnel after both unions ratified their tentative deals. The agreements provide 3% annual pensionable raises, a one-time payment equal to 1% of base wages for eligible full-time employees, and other benefit and workplace changes. The maintenance supervisors union did not ratify its deal, so its agreement was removed from the recommendation. The revised cost for AEA and CAMP is about $1.5 million in one-time payments and $4.8 million in ongoing annual wage costs across all funds. Council action is scheduled for October 27, 2026. File 26-114.Oct 27
• $2.77M contract awarded to build Elia Park in District 7San Jose will pay QLM Inc. $2.77 million to build Elia Park at West Alma Avenue and Sanborn Avenue in District 7, with a $276,790 contingency. The 0.33-acre children’s park will replace two structures with play equipment, shade, fencing, paving, lighting, irrigation and plantings. Construction is expected to start in December 2026 and finish in September 2027. Suarez & Munoz Construction protested the award over asbestos and hazardous-soil subcontracting, but Public Works recommended keeping QLM as the contractor; the source does not include a council vote.Oct 27
• Council to discuss police auditor appointment and city attorney evaluationSan José City Council will meet behind closed doors on Oct. 27 to discuss appointing an independent police auditor and evaluating the city attorney. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. in City Hall Conference Room W-133.Oct 27
• San Jose planners outline housing, urban village and transit work through 2031San José planners briefed the Community and Economic Development Committee on work completed and underway through 2031, including General Plan updates, housing policies, urban villages and transit-oriented development rules. The team has 19 positions with one vacancy and is managing a workload staff previously assessed at 126% of available capacity. The committee accepted the semi-annual status report.Oct 26
• Council schedules study session on San José affordability challengesSan José City Council will hold a three-hour study session on Nov. 16 about rising living costs and ways residents can increase their incomes. The discussion will cover housing, utilities, transportation, food, child care, workforce training and the local minimum wage. The Rules and Open Government Committee approved scheduling the session; no policy or funding decision is included.Oct 28
• San Jose resumes update of land-use outreach rulesSan Jose is resuming work to update its public-outreach rules for pending land-use and development projects. Staff will gather input from residents, developers, neighborhood groups and City departments, with a focus on people who face language, disability, work-schedule or other participation barriers. Outreach runs through January 2027, revisions are planned for January through March, and hearings are scheduled at the Planning Commission in May 2027 and City Council in June 2027. Staff expects to complete the current plan with existing resources and no added budget.Oct 26
• Council upholds 20-MW data center approval at 300 Holger WayThe City Council denied an environmental appeal and upheld approval for a 20-megawatt data center inside the existing 97,800-square-foot building at 300 Holger Way. The council’s 8-0 vote allows Holger Technology Partners LLC to proceed under a CEQA infill exemption. The project covers about 4.86 acres and includes interior improvements and data racks, with no approved exterior equipment, generators, grading, demolition, tree removal or site expansion. The appeal, filed by Citizens for Responsible Industry, raised concerns about air quality, noise, water use, hazardous materials, burrowing owl habitat and General Plan compliance. Staff said no new environmental impact report is required.Oct 20
• Council keeps Missing Middle study and adds child care planning workThe council approved a citywide planning work plan through December 2027, keeping staff’s three-density Missing Middle housing analysis while adding Child Care Policy work and deferring residential-neighborhood retail until density choices are made. Staff must evaluate a tiered density approach tied to transit, including densities above 32 units per acre near Downtown and current densities in areas with limited transit, with updated analysis due by March 2027. The plan fits existing resources and has no immediate FY 2026–27 budget impact.Oct 20
• Council to consider four-year reappointment for Civil Service commissionerSan Jose City Council is set to consider reappointing Sharon Hightower to the Civil Service Commission's attorney seat for a four-year term from Dec. 1, 2026, through Nov. 30, 2030. Hightower is the only current qualified applicant and has served as the commission's chair. The City Attorney's Office found no pervasive conflict preventing her from serving, subject to case-specific recusals.Nov 3
• San Jose plans to extend pause on detention facility applicationsSan Jose plans to extend its citywide pause on applications for new, expanded or repurposed detention and custodial facilities through Jan. 13, 2028. The pause would cover private and public property, with exemptions for facilities such as juvenile treatment centers, licensed residential care homes and public-health quarantine sites. Staff will research zoning, infrastructure, environmental impacts and safety, conduct outreach, and propose permanent rules. The council is scheduled to decide Nov. 3, 2026; no direct fiscal impact is expected.Nov 3
• San Jose plans tougher solid-waste rules and construction recycling requirementsSan José plans to update solid-waste rules for residents, businesses, retailers and construction projects citywide. The changes would standardize container placement and service requirements, prohibit unauthorized use of containers and services, align carry-out bag rules with state law starting January 1, 2028, and modernize construction debris recycling requirements. Fines would rise for container violations, from $100 for a first violation to $1,000 for a fourth or later violation, while carry-out bag fines would reach $5,000 per day for third and later violations starting in 2028. The council is scheduled to consider the changes October 27, 2026; no vote is recorded in the source. File 26-1115.Oct 27
• San Jose accepts 2025 retirement plan fee reportsSan Jose accepted two 2025 annual fee reports covering the Federated City Employees’ Retirement System and the Police and Fire Department Retirement Plan. The reports show $37.1 million in management and incentive fees for the Federated pension plan and $73.2 million for the Police and Fire pension plan, with private-market investments contributing the largest share of each plan’s total fee ratio. The council action was approved October 9, 2026. File 26-1134Nov 3
• Committees approve agendas, $2,500 grant and public safety reportsThe Rules and Open Government Committee unanimously approved the City Council agendas for Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 2026, and approved placing a $2,500 District 9 grant for the Rotary Club of San Jose Foundation on the Oct. 20 agenda. The committee also approved Councilmember David Cohen’s travel and excused absence, correcting the location from Redondo Beach to Anaheim, and canceled its Oct. 21 meeting. Separately, the Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support Committee unanimously accepted annual reports on city retirement investments, police staffing and recruitment, and fire call volumes and response times. All votes were 5-0-0.Oct 22
• Council directs more flood-risk planning with Valley WaterSan José and Valley Water will return to the City Council with more analysis of flood-risk hot spots, long-term flood-reduction strategies and options for dividing responsibilities between the agencies. The council directed staff to coordinate with Valley Water on the work in an 11-0 vote during the Oct. 13 joint meeting. Updates on Anderson Dam’s seismic retrofit and the Coyote Creek flood-protection project were deferred to the next joint meeting, with no action taken.Oct 22
• San José plans to add three state-owned fire enginesSan José plans to accept three additional Type 1 fire engines and equipment from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for about $1.062 million over an estimated 10-year term. The engines will be housed at active city fire stations and sent first to statewide mutual-aid assignments, helping preserve city-owned frontline engines for local coverage. The council is scheduled to consider the agreement on Oct. 27, 2026; the source shows an approved date of Oct. 13, 2026, but no vote tally.Oct 27
• Police auditor reports 330 case audits as SJPD responds to 12 recommendationsSan José’s Independent Police Auditor presented its 2025 oversight findings, and the Police Department responded to 12 recommendations covering officer conduct, data access, property damage, critical-incident reviews and vehicle impounds. The department agrees or partially agrees with all 12 and has begun several changes, including banning personal-device access to Flock and automated license-plate-reader databases. The Council was asked to accept both the auditor’s report and the department’s response; the source does not include the Council’s final vote.Oct 20
• SJPD hired 116 officers but had 106 vacancies in FY 2025-26San Jose’s Public Safety, Finance and Strategic Support Committee accepted the Police Department’s FY 2025-26 recruitment and hiring report. The department hired 116 police recruits and lateral officers from 3,135 applications, but had 106 sworn vacancies and 897 street-ready officers as of June 26, 2026. Recruiting spending exceeded budget, including $3.59 million in personnel costs and $1.05 million in overtime. The department reported 120 separations and said 38 vacancies were beyond its projection.Oct 15