On February 21st from 6-8 pm, the City of San Jose is holding a virtual Community Visioning Session for the site of the former Pleasant Hills Golf Course in East San Jose. Pleasant Hills, which has been closed and vacant since 2004, represents a rare opportunity for the City to achieve a significant amount of new housing as part of a robust mixed-use development. At 114 acres, this is the largest single development site in San Jose and holds regional importance in addressing the need for housing and affordability. 

Pleasant Hills is well-placed for a thriving mixed-use community with abundant housing for residents at a mix of income levels. The site is adjacent to Lake Cunningham Park and surrounded on the remaining three sides by existing homes. It lies about a mile from the forthcoming VTA Light Rail extension to Eastridge Mall, which will better connect East San Jose to local and regional transit. It is also about a mile from the Reid-Hillview Airport, which will be redeveloped following its closure in 2031. In recognition of the site’s significance, San Jose’s City Council is mandating that the developer exceed the minimum percentage of affordable homes required in similar developments in the city.

This site is large enough to meet a range of community needs, including affordable and market-rate housing, neighborhood-serving retail and commercial space, and open space. Given the size and potential of the development, the visioning process must be informed by broad community engagement and targeted stakeholder outreach across East San Jose and beyond. The city is leading a community engagement process to allow community members to comment on affordability, connectivity to transit, and potential uses such as urban open space, housing, and mixed-use development. Please attend the virtual Community Visioning Session on February 21st from 6-8 pm and weigh in on shared priorities!