Fixing D3’s neighborhood outreach

Two recent examples where the City — and D3 — have come up short on getting community input on big projects that effect D3:

1.) Watson Park homeless sanctioned encampment — late communication

It wasn’t until months after SJCC unanimously approved the site that the D3/Mayor’s office flyered neighbors adjacent to the proposed site to inform them that it was coming, and belatedly solicited their input.

2.) Infill development on D3’s transit corridors — public input deprioritized

On 12/17/24, City Council of SJ unanimously decided that it would no longer require public hearings on neighborhood issues for major infill projects along E. Santa Clara, N 1st St. and other high-density D3-areas..

The City of San Jose and D3 act like it’s 1973 when it comes to soliciting, analyzing, and sharing what citizens think about major decisions. No online polling. No expansive focus groups. No publicly-viewable dashboards.

It’s 2025, and a few in-person meetings run by consultants just won’t cut it. This is why so many of us in D3 feel as though City Hall’s community outreach efforts don’t work, and that local gov’t doesn’t listen to us.

Here’s my commitment to you: A total reimagining of D3 public input once I’m in office that will include the sort of outreach efforts common to business and more sophisticated municipalities:

1. Ongoing online polling around key issues — shared publicly.
2. Rolling online and in person focus groups around key issues — results and analysis shared publicly.
3. Public summaries and analysis of all submitted emails and public comments.
4. A D3 Citizen Input Dashboard which consolidates all of the above and any other public input we will receive from our neighbors.

Our voice in D3 has not been heard for a long time. I promise to use modern, cutting-edge tools to listen — and make sure everyone at City Hall hears what we have to say.

For a full essay on my public input thoughts, visit: Officer of public outreach to improve resident input and trust in our government

Together,

Irene

Photo by Product School on Unsplash

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