The city’s lawsuit sought the injunction against 10 people, and Superior Court Judge Roberta Hayashi only granted it for seven in late April . The lawsuit alleges the individuals have a history of arrests for dealing drugs including methamphetamine and cannabis. If found loitering within 100 yards of St. James Park, the defendants would be arrested, according to the mayor’s office.

The injunction approach could be used in other parts of town seen as “hotspots” for homeless residents struggling with addiction and mental health issues, according to Mahan’s Tuesday announcement.

It’s the latest in a string of other arrest and ban policies Mahan has pushed to get the unhoused and mentally ill population off the streets.

City Attorney Nora Frimann, who sought the injunction said her office didn’t track whether these people were convicted of crimes — and focused solely on arrest history. This news outlet could not immediately confirm the seven individuals’ conviction histories.

“My office had the arrest information so I don’t know about convictions – the activities are what we were focused on enjoining, separate from any final criminal penalties,” Frimann told San Jose Spotlight.

The police department declined to answer questions about whether the individuals were ultimately convicted.

The NAACP of San Jose/Silicon Valley said the injunction strategy lacks proper due process.

“It allows law enforcement mechanisms themselves — not the courts — to determine innocence or guilt before due process,” NAACP of San Jose/Silicon Valley President Sean Allen told San Jose Spotlight. “We recognize they’re going to expand this. Holding people accountable is one thing. But we’re concerned that there’s a pattern of discrimination here. We also suspect this will increase use of force levels.”

Mahan’s office declined to comment further, beyond the statement announcing the injunction. Mahan said the reputation of St. James Park – a historic centerpiece of downtown since the late 1800s – has declined in recent years due to drug dealing and the presence of homeless people.

“We won’t tolerate public drug sales or use in San Jose,” Mahan said in the statement. “Public spaces like our historic St. James Park must be kept open and accessible for the entire public to enjoy. I want to thank City Attorney Frimann for ensuring we use every tool at our disposal to keep drug dealers out of the Park and invite the rest of the community in.”

A spokesperson for the county courts and Judge Hayashi declined to comment, saying state law prohibits judges from speaking to media about pending cases.

Frimann said the injunction method could be used again.

“Both the San Jose Municipal Code and state law provide the basis to enjoin activities that impact the public health and safety, particularly on public property such as the Park,” Frimann told San Jose Spotlight. “The City currently does not have a specific plan for another injunction, but this is a tool that can and will be used if there is a similar documented history of public nuisance activities in other areas of the City.”

“These individuals gather on Park benches and other structures to engage in illegal activities. Those gathered for illegal drug activities also consume alcohol and smoke, in violation of Park rules. Under the influence, these individuals urinate and litter in Park spaces,” the city’s lawsuit reads

There are plans to turn St. James in a different direction. Earlier this year, City Councilmembers moved forward on a three-party operating agreement for the future downtown concert venue between the city, the national Levitt Foundation and Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose, a local nonprofit supporting the St. James Park project. In addition to the music pavilion, the reimagined park will include a picnic grove, garden and monument walks, fountain, dog park and playground.

Allen said his organization is concerned this injunction largely targets Black and brown people and will further entice the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Jose, amid emboldened crackdowns under President Donald Trump. Several ICE crackdowns in East San Jose have sparked fear and calls for new, local-level protections by community leaders.

“The lack of due process and discriminatory harm – we’re seeing a connection between this and the ICE arrests,” Allen said.

Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X.

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She never expected him to be held in the Bakersfield Federal Detention Center or to be threatened by federal agents that her children would be taken away. Alvarez’s husband is still in Bakersfield, but Alvarez said she has hope because of the support she’s received in Santa Clara County.

Alvarez stood with more than a dozen local representatives and leaders Monday outside the Mexican Heritage Plaza as they urged all public officials to join them in a pledge to protect the immigrant community — including the roughly 134,000 undocumented residents who call the county home according to the latest data. The call to action comes amid the Trump administration’s national crackdown on immigration, which has placed more than 50,000 people in immigration detention centers and ramped up deportations.

“This is not a show,” Alvarez told San José Spotlight. “This is costing us a lot — taking care of the kids, working, paying the bills, paying the rent (by myself).”

County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas was one of the elected officials who spearheaded the pledge for residents like Alvarez. The pledge includes upholding the dignity and rights of all immigrants regardless of immigration status, championing comprehensive immigration reform, ensuring an investment in Latino neighborhoods and meeting consistently with Latino-led organizations for collaboration.

Arenas said as the daughter of immigrants, it’s important to defend the community she comes from. More than 40% of the county’s residents — an estimated 789,000 community members — were born outside of the United States like Arenas’ parents.

“This is the first time as elected officials that we’re coming together and we’re standing in unified solidarity for our Latino and our immigrant community,” Arenas said at the event.

The efforts come while the county is beefing up its protection for immigrants, even as the Trump administration considers protecting certain populations from deportation, including immigrant farmworkers. The county earmarked more than $8 million this month toward immigration-related services. It’s a historic investment despite an uncertain fiscal future.

Those millions will go toward services such as the Rapid Response Network, a community defense project that protects and helps immigrant families like Alvarez’s from deportation threats. The network has received 2,590 calls since January, with nearly one-third, or 840, of those calls coming in this month as ICE activity spikes across the country.

The efforts haven’t stopped at the county level.

The San Jose City Council recently allocated $1 million for immigrant defense organizations like Amigos de Guadalupe and the Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) out of its $5.5 billion budget. School districts are refusing to cooperate with ICE and the business community is banding together.

San Jose Councilmember Pamela Campos has had residents detained in her district. She said it’s important to stand up against the federal administration’s harmful policies.

“We are dealing with a federal government that is determined to abuse their power and disregard our constitutional protections,” Campos said at the event. “We will counter Trump’s lies with the truth about our community and the fact is, immigrant families are the hardest-working taxpayers in our country.”

Alvarez’s husband’s next hearing is set for August. She said her children ask about their dad constantly and won’t leave her side for fear of separation. But they remain optimistic they’ll see him again.

“My children and I are holding on day by day, believing he will come home,” she said. “Still, this experience has left deep scars.”

Contact Annalise Freimarck at annalise@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @annalise_ellen on X.

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“She was always saying, ‘Try this, try this,'” Lai told San José Spotlight. “I told her, ‘I’ve had enough sandwiches, you should go start a food truck.’ About three days later, a small trailer from Craigslist pops up in the driveway.”

Lai’s mother, Natalie Le, surprised him even more when she tried to convince him to quit his job at Apple and help with her fledgling business. Barely knowing how to cook rice or eggs, he helped for a couple of months. Then, when the food truck became too time-consuming, they abandoned it.

Two years later, his uncle wanted to restart the business, and Lai offered to help cater sandwiches for his 300 teammates at Apple. Their enthusiastic response provided him with his lightbulb moment.

“They all enjoyed them,” he said, “and wanted to order more. I thought, ‘Oh, there’s that food trailer.'”

Lai decide to quit and give it another go. He signed up for the farmers market at the San Jose Rose Garden. On the first day, he began working at 5 a.m. and finished at 4 p.m., selling only 29 sandwiches. He was not discouraged.

“I worked seven days a week and kept learning, learning, learning,” he said. “I was on a quest to share this sandwich. And I was on a mission to elevate Vietnamese food.”

The sandwiches lean heavily on two culturally different aspects of Vietnamese cuisine. The first is the bánh mì bread itself, a variation on the baguette, and chicken pâté, both of which were introduced to the country by the French during their occupation.

The second is a mix of the country’s staple foods: a protein, usually pork in Vietnam, and a healthy serving of vegetables common in the country including cucumbers, sweet pickled carrots, daikon and cilantro. Done right, it’s a colorful, chewy and complex complete meal.

“I realized we were selling to workers who enjoyed a quick lunch,” Lai said. “I kept the idea of always trying to connect with my customers, which was what allowed me to keep moving forward and develop the business.”

He expanded into a ghost kitchen, then a commercial kitchen inside Fuse nightclub in downtown San Jose and finally to The Rec Room before settling into his current location at 86 N. Market St. in 2023.

The menu at Mommy’s is short but flexible. There are six proteins: pork lemongrass patties, grilled lemongrass chicken, shredded chicken, fried chicken, slow-roasted porchetta and a vegetarian or vegan mix that includes tofu, yams and taro. Each protein can be matched with bánh mì as a sandwich, with sheets of vermicelli noodles or rice in a bowl. All come with sweet pickled carrots, daikons, cucumbers, jalapeños and crispy fried onions.

“Most Vietnamese restaurants have a thousand things on the menu,” Lai said. “I just want to try to be the best at this menu, and I’m always finding new ways to improve it. But every few months there’s going to be something different.”

Lai bakes the bread in-house, another journey of his that began with an attempt, which only yielded half a loaf. Since then, he said, he’s developed a bánh mì that is lighter in texture than the Vietnamese version and tones down its almost razor-sharp crust. The result is a sandwich that you can bite into without all the ingredients squishing out.

One departure from the traditional version is that all the meats are served hot and fresh off the grill, which provides a great contrast to the cool, crisp vegetables. But the secret weapon is the cilantro sauce, which takes the flavor in a surprisingly rich direction.

“My mom created that sauce,” Lai said. “It was just a bunch of leftover pieces of vegetables. She thought, ‘We can’t waste this food. We’ve got to figure out how to do something with it.’ It sets us apart from many places.”

The sauce is available for sale and is worth taking home. It also accompanies the two side dishes on the menu,  both of which are exceptional. The Vietnamese Chicken Wings are prepared in a crispy, Korean-based batter and tossed in a vegan fish sauce that adds sweet, sour and savory notes. The Twirly Fries, short and thick with an unusual curve, are topped with scallion oil and fried onions.

First-time customer Denise Wyl came to Mommy’s on the recommendation of her daughters and was impressed enough to say she’d be coming back.

“They know I love Vietnamese food,” she told San José Spotlight. “I had the lemongrass chicken bowl and it was absolutely delicious. And the service was quick and very friendly.”

Mommy’s has never had an official grand opening, Lai said, because he’s been working first on becoming a better business owner.

“I’m concentrating on the food and my people and people in front of us,” he said. “That’s the fun part about this journey, and that’s all that matters. People will find good food if we provide good food.”

Contact Robert Eliason at robt@lostinthestars.com.

Editor’s note: The Biz Beat is a series highlighting local small businesses and restaurants in Silicon Valley. Know a business you’d like to see featured? Let us know at info@sanjosespotlight.com.

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Tordillos, 33, made the announcement Thursday, after a Wednesday results update showed him maintaining a wide lead over Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez. Tordillos holds 64.3% of the vote, or 5,328 votes. Chavez-Lopez trails in second place with 35.6% of the vote, or 2,954 votes. Nearly 8,326 ballots have been cast, according to Santa Clara County elections officials who will continue processing ballots Thursday.

“District 3 voters showed they won’t settle for status quo San Jose politics. They’re tired of the same old fights between ‘business’ and ‘labor’ — they want a councilmember they can count on to deliver results on housing affordability, homelessness and public safety,” Tordillos said in a statement. “We were never supposed to make it this far, but thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who knocked on over 30,000 doors, we’re here.”

Chavez-Lopez conceded in a statement to San José Spotlight on Thursday.

“While the results were not what we hoped for, I’m proud of the campaign we ran — one that stayed rooted in our values and focused on the people of District 3. Thank you, San Jose, for the chance to listen, learn and lead with purpose,” Chavez-Lopez told San José Spotlight.

She congratulated Tordillos on his victory — but also denounced the negative campaigning against her from business and real estate groups.

“The level of negative campaigning from outside special interests — particularly the California Association of Realtors and Silicon Valley Biz PAC — was deeply disappointing and crossed a line,” she said. “As someone on the receiving end, I know firsthand that we must do better. I remain committed to raising the standard of how we conduct local elections. San Jose deserves campaigns rooted in truth and integrity — not misinformation.”

One of the Bay Area’s largest LGBTQ+ political groups is celebrating Tordillos’ victory.

“BAYMEC made an historic investment in Anthony’s race that restored vital LGBTQ+ representation in this fraught time for our community,” Drew Lloyd, president of Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee (BAYMEC), told San José Spotlight. “It gives me great hope to see the voters in District 3 vote in such high numbers for Anthony without hesitation. I’m not sure that would have been the case in other parts of the country.”

On election night, Tordillos said his first issue upon taking office will be housing.

“Housing has been my No. 1 issue — it’s what got me into local politics to begin with,” Tordillos told San José Spotlight. “I’m looking forward to continue to lead on housing on City Council and find ways to turn around our housing shortage and build a more affordable San Jose.”

The election results could tip the City Council’s delicate scales of power. Mayor Matt Mahan just won colleagues’ approval for a handful of his headline-grabbing proposals, including arresting homeless people for refusing shelter, which have built him a statewide political profile. But his council majority isn’t always consistent. His colleagues recently shot down one of his boldest proposals to tie city leaders’ salaries to their performance.
Mahan initially put his support behind one of his deputy chiefs of staff, Matthew Quevedo, in the special election’s April 8 primary. Quevedo was knocked out of the race after razor-thin margins triggered a recount. Mahan then threw his support behind Tordillos.

“If you get to know Anthony, he’s such a kind and thoughtful person who asks great questions and really wants to understand issues,” Mahan told San José Spotlight on election night. “He and I don’t agree on every issue, but we’ve done hours of deep conversation talking about data and he’s got the right mindset.”

Story updated June 26 at 3:04 p.m. Original story published June 26 at 8:51 a.m.

Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X.

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Early election night results show San Jose Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos, 33, leading by double digits in the race to represent downtown San Jose and replace disgraced former District 3 Councilmember Omar Torres.

As of 4:17 p.m. Wednesday, Tordillos holds 64.3% of the vote, or 5,328 votes. Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez trails in second place with 35.6% of the vote, or 2,954 votes. Nearly 8,326 ballots have been cast, according to Santa Clara County elections officials who will continue processing ballots Thursday.

Tordillos, taking in the strides of the early trends on election night, said his first issue upon taking office will be housing.

“Housing has been my No. 1 issue — it’s what got me into local politics to begin with,” Tordillos told San José Spotlight. “I’m looking forward to continue to lead on housing on City Council and find ways to turn around our housing shortage and build a more affordable San Jose.”

@sanjosespotlight

Early election night results show San Jose Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos leading by double digits in the race to represent downtown San Jose and replace disgraced former District 3 Councilmember Omar Torres. As of 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, Tordillos held 64.8% of the vote, or 4,449 votes. Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez trails in second place with 35.1% of the vote, or 2,413 votes. Nearly 6,901 ballots have been cast, according to Santa Clara County elections officials who will continue processing ballots Wednesday. Read more at SanJoseSpotlight.com. #sanjose #downtownsanjose #election #siliconvalley

♬ original sound – San José Spotlight

Tordillos supporters — picking over charcuterie and passing drinks around at The Pressroom bar in downtown San Jose on Tuesday — erupted into cheers when the results on the screen flashed his early lead over Chavez-Lopez.

District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan arrived at Tordillos’ party just after the initial round of results, but he said he’s not here to pick a favorite in the race.

“I’m just looking to work with council District 3,” Doan told San José Spotlight.

Clarice Shephard, a downtown resident since 2008, said Tordillos stood out for his position on the planning commission — and because he’s one of her neighbors.

“Anthony’s my guy because I think he’ll help us with homelessness and the safety of our neighborhood and taking care of the few parks we have in our little downtown area,” Shephard told San José Spotlight. “He picks up trash— he does everything. I think he’d take the shirt off his back if you needed it.”

Despite Chavez-Lopez trailing in votes, a steady stream of supporters at her viewing party at the Corinthian Ballroom watched the results with optimism.

Chavez-Lopez said her campaign will be watching the results come in over the next few days, as there are more votes to count. Applause rang out as she addressed more than 100 supporters and confirmed she will not concede until every vote is counted.

She told San José Spotlight there were many factors between the April primary and now that could impact the election, including thousands of special interest dollars spent opposing her.

“Obviously my opponent has a lead and we’re going to be monitoring this closely, making sure that we’re watching and seeing what the voters of District 3 ultimately are going to be deciding,” Chavez-Lopez told San José Spotlight.

District 2 Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong attended Chavez-Lopez’s party and said initial results showed “we had two fierce candidates that ran strong campaigns.”

“By the time we’re done, we’re going to have a councilmember who really cares about downtown,” Duong told San José Spotlight.

District 4 Councilmember David Cohen, who endorsed Chavez-Lopez, said he was surprised by the steep margin, though low turnout was one of his concerns with running a special election.

“The first round numbers aren’t promising,” Cohen told San José Spotlight. “We will see how it plays out, but it looks like the high spending of the other side made a difference with voters.”

Whichever candidate succeeds will have to help grapple with the city’s structural budget shortfall, which is expected to balloon to $52.9 million in 2026-27.

The election results could tip the City Council’s delicate scales of power. Mayor Matt Mahan just won colleagues’ approval for a handful of his headline-grabbing proposals, including arresting homeless people for refusing shelter, which have built him a statewide political profile. But his council majority isn’t always consistent. His colleagues recently shot down one of his boldest proposals to tie city leaders’ salaries to their performance.

Mahan initially put his support behind one of his deputy chiefs of staff, Matthew Quevedo, in the special election’s April 8 primary. Quevedo was knocked out of the race after razor-thin margins triggered a recount. Mahan then threw his support behind Tordillos.

Mahan arrived at Tordillos’ party shortly after the first round of results.

“If you get to know Anthony, he’s such a kind and thoughtful person who asks great questions and really wants to understand issues,” Mahan told San José Spotlight. “He and I don’t agree on every issue, but we’ve done hours of deep conversation talking about data and he’s got the right mindset.”

In campaign finance filings posted Monday, Tordillos grew his fundraising lead to almost $100,000 ahead of Chavez-Lopez. Tordillos is going into Election Day having raised $360,734 total, and Chavez-Lopez is trailing with $261,028. Both have spent the vast majority of their funds to campaign.

Four PACs have lined up to back Tordillos, including the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee, which endorsed Tordillos and spent $34,836 to support his campaign. The San Jose Police Officers Association PAC has spent $29,051 to support Tordillos and $8,209 to oppose Chavez-Lopez.

Common Good Silicon Valley, a PAC created in 2021 by freshman Congressmember and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, spent thousands to support Quevedo ahead of the April election. Following Mahan’s endorsement of Tordillos in May, the PAC spent $15,000 to support Tordillos and $10,000 to oppose Chavez-Lopez.

A new special interest group formed June 10 — Californians Working Together to Support Tordillos for City Council 2025 Sponsored by Labor Organizations — has spent more than $39,000 supporting Tordillos. It’s funded by unions that have endorsed Tordillos, including Operating Engineers Local 3 and the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, as well as developers such as Bayview Development Group, Inc.

Chavez-Lopez is endorsed by the South Bay Labor Council, which has spent more than $500,000 since the start of her campaign to get her elected.

Before the April primary election, the committee Working Families in Support of Gabby Chavez-Lopez for City Council 2025 spent about $51,000 supporting Chavez-Lopez and opposing Quevedo before terminating on April 25. It was primarily funded by large companies, including PG&E, Chevron and Walmart.
Chavez-Lopez has also been the target of more than $320,000 in opposition spending from multiple business stakeholders, including the Silicon Valley Biz PAC and California Real Estate Independent Expenditure Committee.

The special election is the result of a child sex abuse investigation into former Councilmember Torres, which led to his arrest and resignation on Election Day last November. The scandal revealed Torres sent texts asking for sex with minors and admitted to molesting an underage relative in the 1990s. Torres pleaded “no contest” in court April 8. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August.

Story updated June 25 at 4:29 p.m. Original story published June 24 at 8:08 p.m.

Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X. Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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In campaign finance filings posted Monday, Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos grew his lead to almost $100,000 ahead of Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabby Chavez-Lopez. The filings cover June 8 through June 23 and are the last look at candidates’ finances ahead of tomorrow’s election.

Tordillos is going into Election Day having raised $360,734 total, and Chavez-Lopez is trailing with $261,028. Both have spent the vast majority of their funds to campaign, leaving Tordillos with $11,973 on hand and Chavez-Lopez with $28,780.

Kurt Frewing, Tordillos’ spokesperson, said the campaign is proud to have received this swell of support leading into the election.

“Our campaign has already crushed the special interests and pundits’ expectations, and thanks to our hundreds of grassroots donors and volunteers, we’ll do so again on June 24,” Frewing told San José Spotlight.

Chavez-Lopez said she hasn’t seen an impact from the fundraising distance, because the voters she’s spoken with have been mostly supportive. She said her campaign has received grassroots support directly from voters, small businesses and other community members, while her opponent has mostly self-funded his campaign.

“It’s never just been about me and writing myself a check, it’s been about the community,” Chavez-Lopez told San José Spotlight. “I think our campaign has always reflected the leader that I have been in this community.”

Over the course of the campaign, Tordillos gave $210,000 to his own committee, $20,000 of which was marked as a loan. Frewing said Tordillos grew up in the working class and is now an example of the “American Dream.” Tordillos worked at Google for 11 years as an engineering manager before leaving to focus on his campaign.

Frewing said voters don’t trust Chavez-Lopez because of the support she’s received from corporations such as PG&E. Chavez-Lopez has faced criticism for having a PG&E executive help with campaign events, while a political action committee (PAC) bankrolled by the utility company independently supported her candidacy. She has denied receiving support from corporations or representatives from PG&E.

Chavez-Lopez placed first in the April 8 primary election and held a strong lead with about 29% of the vote. Tordillos placed second after a recount knocked Matthew Quevedo, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Matt Mahan, out of the running. The candidates are vying to fill the District 3 council seat following the arrest and resignation of former Councilmember Omar Torres last November related to child sex crimes.

Special interests

Seven PACs spent more than $800,000 ahead of the April primary election, namely supporting Chavez-Lopez or Quevedo. While most committees slowed their spending after that, special interest support for Tordillos has jumped in the week leading up to Election Day.

Four PACs have lined up to back Tordillos, including the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee, which endorsed Tordillos and spent $34,836 to support his campaign. The San Jose Police Officers Association PAC has spent $29,051 to support Tordillos and $8,209 to oppose Chavez-Lopez.

Common Good Silicon Valley, a PAC created in 2021 by freshman Congressmember and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, spent thousands to support Quevedo ahead of the April election. Following Mahan’s endorsement of Tordillos in May, the PAC spent $15,000 to support Tordillos and $10,000 to oppose Chavez-Lopez.

A new special interest group formed June 10 — Californians Working Together to Support Tordillos for City Council 2025 Sponsored by Labor Organizations — has spent more than $39,000 so far supporting Tordillos. It’s funded by unions that have endorsed Tordillos, including Operating Engineers Local 3 and the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, as well as developers such as Bayview Development Group, Inc.

Chavez-Lopez is endorsed by the South Bay Labor Council, which has spent more than $500,000 since the start of her campaign to get her elected.

Before the April primary election, the committee Working Families in Support of Gabby Chavez-Lopez for City Council 2025 spent about $51,000 supporting Chavez-Lopez and opposing Quevedo before terminating on April 25. It was primarily funded by large companies, including PG&E, Chevron and Walmart.

Chavez-Lopez has also been the target of more than $320,000 in opposition spending from multiple business stakeholders, including the Silicon Valley Biz PAC and California Real Estate Independent Expenditure Committee.

Editor’s note: A past version of this story said the police union’s PAC supported both candidates based on incorrect filings.

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community development group, announced on June 11 it will award a $50,000 grant to the School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. As the plaza celebrated 25 years in San Jose, school leaders said they want to bring health care, affordable housing and economic development to the Mayfair neighborhood through “La Avenida,” a cultural district meant to attract development.

“We recognize that the strength of our region’s affordable housing ecosystem is rooted in the capacity of community-based developers who are deeply connected to the neighborhoods they serve,” Housing Trust Silicon Valley CEO Noni Ramos said in a statement.

School of Arts and Culture representatives said they have raised more than 90% of La Avenida’s $30 million goal — but need community help filling the gap. The $50,000 grant will be used to purchase a mostly vacant property on 1747-1785 Alum Rock Ave., directly across from Mexican Heritage Plaza.

The district is envisioned as a 6-acre mixed-use development with affordable housing, local businesses and social service providers. The projects aim to address threats of displacement in the Mayfair neighborhood and greater East San Jose.

“A fully developed La Avenida would be a major win for East San Jose and for the city’s broader economy. With major events coming in 2026, we need to invest in our cultural, business and entertainment districts beyond downtown,” San Jose Chamber of Commerce CEO Leah Toeniskoetter told San José Spotlight, referring to SuperBowl 60 and the FIFA World Cup. “This project brings investment, local ownership and jobs to a historically underserved corridor — and helps to position San Jose as a city that grows inclusively.”

SV Creates CEO Alexandra Urbanowski, also a School of Arts and Culture board member and San José Spotlight columnist, said the $50,00 grant is an important recognition of the leadership role the school plays in the local arts community, as well as in the Alum Rock and East San Jose neighborhoods and business districts.

Alum Rock Santa Clara Street Business Association leaders said a recent $100,000 grant will go toward building a gateway structure for the upcoming cultural district.

“The school is well positioned to lead the further development of an important cultural district in our city, which will demonstrate how the arts can be pivotal in building community health, social cohesion and economic vitality,” Urbanowski told San José Spotlight.
City officials voted last month to add La Avenida to the list of entertainment zones with reduced alcohol consumption restrictions ahead of the 2026 Super Bowl and World Cup events.

“The grant will help the school build its infrastructure and capacity to provide equitable access to arts programming for residents, pay to local artists and resources for all the smaller arts organizations that call the Mexican Heritage Plaza home,” Urbanowski said. “What a nice message today to counter recent federal funding cuts to the arts.”

Contact Vicente Vera at vicente@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @VicenteJVera on X.

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San José Spotlight reported in May that nonprofit Urban Confluence raised more than $3.3 million over several years to build a towering art installation dubbed “The Breeze of Innovation” within Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The group’s funding had dwindled to about $35,000 and the project never got off the ground.

One month after declining to discuss the project’s status, the nonprofit’s Executive Director Steve Borkenhagen issued an email Wednesday announcing the project is being dropped in order to support “an even more comprehensive vision.” Details surrounding the upcoming project have yet to be released, and Borkenhagen did not respond to a request for additional comments.

The originally planned Breeze of Innovation project was estimated to cost between $100 million and $200 million.

“After confronting some practical realities in our process, we’ve made the strategic decision to evolve beyond Breeze of Innovation toward an even more comprehensive vision that still appropriately honors Plaza de César Chávez,” Borkenhagen said in the email. “This reimagined approach will feature a new landmark design with meaningful park elements that celebrate César Chávez, enhance infrastructure for live events, and transform the park into San Jose’s front porch, outdoor living room, and community gathering space.”

Of the millions raised, Urban Confluence spent about $889,000 on advertising and promotions, while Borkenhagen received $140,000 in compensation last year, and has collected more than half a million dollars since 2017.

The nonprofit spent additional money on design and architecture development, office expenses, information technology and more.

The Chavez Family Vision, an organization started in 1998 by Cesar Chavez’s family to promote his legacy, expressed concern about the plans after the proposed location was moved from Guadalupe River Park to the plaza in 2023.

Gabriel Medina, whose grandmother was Cesar Chavez’s older sister, threatened to withdraw support without a more inclusive management plan for the land. Chavez Family Vision representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

Larry Ames, District 6 neighborhood leadership group chair, has been closely following the Breeze of Innovation since its proposal, and he said he’s happy to see the original project being left behind to focus on a landmark more appropriate in size for the 2.3-acre plaza.

“My hope is that whatever new project they plan to build for Plaza de Cesar Chavez doesn’t interfere with plaza use itself,” he told San José Spotlight. “I just never really appreciated the design for the Breeze of Innovation, it did not resonate with me and did not remind me of San Jose in any means at all.”

Ames said he supports the proposed sculpture of San Jose’s historic Electric Tower put forward as an alternative design.

Katrina Stevens, president and CEO of The Tech Interactive Museum, said the downtown institution is glad to see the continued development of Plaza de Cesar Chavez, as she has long said the project could bring more visitors to the neighboring museum.

“The plaza is finally getting the attention it really deserves,” Christmas In The Park Managing Director Debbie Degutis told San José Spotlight. “I’m very glad that they’re focused on something that’s more in scale with the park, and I hope that their organization really listens hard to the community on how to best honor Cesar Chavez.”

In his email, Borkenhagen said Urban Confluence is soliciting feedback from the community to ensure residents feel like they have their own world-class landmark. Even the iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower also encountered frustrations and unexpected challenges, he added.
The Breeze of Innovation’s 500-light rod design was selected in 2021 after judges reviewed almost 1,000 submissions for San Jose’s next iconic landmark. City leaders first envisioned a plan to erect a light tower in 2019 before replacing it with an international ideas competition — leading to the creation of Urban Confluence.

“We’ll share updates soon, including preliminary concepts for our new Plaza de César Chávez vision,” Borkenhagen said in his email. “Thank you for your continued support, patience, and trust. Please reach out with questions, ideas, or partnership opportunities.”

Contact Vicente Vera at vicente@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @VicenteJVera on X.

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The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees on Thursday voted unanimously 4-0, with Trustee Minh Nguyen absent, to extend the deadline for deciding the youth center’s fate. This will allow time for forging a partnership with the Si Se Puede Collective to help manage the facility.

Board Vice President Andres Quintero said liability for the Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) center is a serious concern for the district, especially as the building is in bad shape.

“We’ve held off … providing an extension to allow this proposal to move forward,” Quintero said. “I see a path forward and the ability for Alum Rock to be able to shed the liability. I’m excited.”

The room was filled with community members as the board heard a presentation by Victor Vasquez, co-executive director of SOMOS Mayfair, and Jessica Paz-Cedillos, co-executive director of the School of Arts and Culture and San José Spotlight columnist. The nonprofits would be responsible for raising funds to renovate the youth center and ongoing operations. The group requested a 60-day extension to continue conversations with the board and create an operating agreement as they await a land and site appraisal.

“This effort is about more than restoring a building,” Vasquez told San Jose Spotlight. “It is about addressing the holistic needs of East Side youth, cultivating collective power and modeling racial solidarity at a time when our communities need it the most.”

San Jose Deputy City Manager Angel Rios, Jr. said between the city and county, they’ve identified $2 million in funding. On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant for the facility contingent on the release of federal funds. He said the city is committed to the project and if the grant doesn’t come through, it will find alternative funding.

“What we got today is a downpayment in hope,” Rios, Jr. told San José Spotlight. “Now we gotta dial in on what it’s actually going to cost to revitalize it and raise that money. The best response to poverty is access to opportunity and that’s all this is about.”

District 5 San Jose Councilmember Peter Ortiz said MACSA empowered youth and uplifted families and was a space rooted in community, culture and care. He said his office is proud to have secured the grant to support its revitalization.

“We are working together to bring MACSA back to life,” Ortiz told San José Spotlight. “We envision a future where MACSA is once again a vibrant, community-led hub, a safe, welcoming space where youth thrive, families connect to resources and our culture is celebrated.” 

Vasquez envisions creating a place rooted in community where young people can thrive and families feel supported. He is grateful to those who stand with them, including Ha Trieu, president of the United Vietnamese American Community of Northern California, Van Le, vice president of East Side Union High School District, and District 2 County Supervisor Betty Duong.

“The county’s recent Latino Health Assessment has revealed devastating outcomes,” Duong said at the meeting. “So, when we have an opportunity to preserve something that means so much to people … this is an opportunity that I urge you to pursue. I commit to being with you all every step of the way, with this board, with this district and with our residents here to find a solution for a sustainable operations fund.”

Paz-Cedillos said MACSA will focus on cultural, educational and wrap around services. In recognition of the collective’s capital investment and providing long-term community benefit, she requested it not pay rent to the district.

“The district came to the table,” Paz-Cedillos told San José Spotlight. “They are open to a partnership that can be transformative.”

Contact Lorraine Gabbert at lorrainegabbertsjspotlight@gmail.com.

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The party endorsed Gabby Chavez-Lopez, executive director of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, and Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos over five other candidates in the April 8 special election. The dual endorsement won’t change — despite both candidates competing against each other — because insiders say the party historically hasn’t changed its endorsements.

“The Democratic Party can make a dual endorsement if the Central Committee doesn’t have a sufficiently high consensus for a sole endorsement,” Bill James, chair of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, told San José Spotlight. “A sole endorsement requires two-thirds consensus.”

He said dual endorsements aren’t common, but happen in open seat races with multiple Democrats running, as is the case with District 3. The seat became open following former Councilmember Omar Torres’ resignation and arrest last November on Election Day. Torres pleaded no contest earlier this year to alleged child sex abuse and faces up to 24 years in jail.

“Then their supporters band together to get those candidates included in a multiple endorsement,” James said. “The circumstances under which this arises is unique given the way Torres left the seat.”

Both Chavez-Lopez and Tordillos tout the dual endorsement.

“I’m proud to have the Democratic Party supporting me in my campaign. Obviously I share a lot of values the party has, and have a proven track record of doing so,” Chavez-Lopez told San José Spotlight. “I’m the only candidate with the breadth and the depth of experience on the variety of issues beyond just housing that’s happening in our district.”

Chavez-Lopez said she remains the only candidate endorsed by the South Bay Labor Council — the city’s largest labor union coalition — and wants to remain focused on the core issues of the District 3 campaign including housing, downtown and City Hall.
Kurt Frewing, spokesperson for Tordillos, cited recent San José Spotlight stories about Chavez-Lopez re-establishing residency in the district and her campaign ties to PG&E as examples of her breaking voter trust.

“Numerous labor unions and Democratic clubs know they simply can’t count on Gabby and have solely endorsed Anthony’s campaign,” Frewing told San José Spotlight. “Anthony is building a unique coalition that stands up to special interests and focuses on progress. He’s proud to be endorsed by the Democratic Party, local labor unions, Mayor Matt Mahan, San Jose’s police officers and thousands of District 3 neighbors.”

Contact Vicente Vera at vicente@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @VicenteJVera on X.

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