On Monday, February 26, the long-awaited San Jose tenant preference policy came before the City’s Community and Economic Development Committee (CEDC) – the last step before coming before the full City Council in mid-March. 

The policy would set aside a total of 35% percent of new homes in affordable housing developments funded by the city.  Fifteen percent of new units would be reserved for neighborhood residents where the project is built, and twenty percent would be reserved for households living in areas with the greatest displacement risks. The policy is designed to better leverage affordable housing development where the risks are the highest and support opportunities for people to receive access to housing they can afford while remaining connected to their communities. SV@Home worked with city staff, community partners, and affordable housing developers to educate and solicit feedback on the policy through outreach opportunities, including our Policy in Action event back in September. 

SV@Home submitted a community partner letter of support in coordination with the REAL Coalition. We also joined community partners, SOMOS Mayfair’s Vecinos Activos with Amigos de Guadalupe, AACI, Asian Law Alliance, Bill Wilson Center, Democratic Socialists of America, Hero Tent, Lead Filipino, LUNA, Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee, Sacred Heart Community Services, South Bay Community Land Trust, the Si Se Puede Collective, and SVCN in a rally that showed support for the policy ahead of Monday’s CEDC meeting.

SV@Home strongly supports the passage of this policy, which has been a part of the City’s Anti-Displacement Strategy and San Jose’s state-certified Housing Element.