From official newsletter

A Message from Mayor Matt

Apr 03, 2026, 10:42 PM • Mayor Matt Mahan • mayormatt@sanjosecagov.ccsend.com

Summary

San José recently hosted NVIDIA’s GTC conference and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional, driving significant economic activity downtown with record visitor numbers and boosted local business revenues. Mayor Matt Mahan emphasizes the city’s commitment to becoming a premier destination for major events, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup. On homelessness, he and other California mayors are advocating against proposed state cuts to the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program (HHAP), urging for consistent, outcome-based funding to sustain interim housing efforts. The city is also launching a budget tour to engage residents on priorities and will convene community discussions on renaming city sites bearing Cesar Chavez’s name in light of recent allegations, prioritizing community input and healing.

Key positions and references

Key positions

Support consistent, flexible HHAP funding
Advocate outcome-based competition for homelessness funds
Prioritize community input on renaming Cesar Chavez sites
Promote San José as a destination for major events

Agenda items and issues mentioned

Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program (HHAP) funding cuts
March Budget Message and upcoming budget finalization
Inventory and renaming process for Cesar Chavez city sites

Meetings and events mentioned

NVIDIA GTC conference
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional
San José Budget Town Halls (April 6, April 20, May 4, May 18)
Community discussions on renaming Cesar Chavez sites

Full newsletter

Formatted for readability from newsletter text.

Most cities go green in March for Saint Patrick’s Day — in San José, we also go green for NVIDIA’s GTC conference, one of the most important gatherings in AI anywhere in the world. For San José, that Dear Neighbor,

With all that activity, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Super Bowl was back in town, and you’d be half-right — some call GTC the "Super Bowl of AI." And just like the Super Bowl, we saw record numbers for downtown. Over the course of the week, downtown welcomed more than 360,000 visitors, a 16% increase year-over-year, with attendees traveling from more than 900 ZIP codes nationwide.

You could see that impact block by block, storefront by storefront. Restaurants extended hours, added staff, and in some cases saw sales double or triple. Catering and private events created new revenue for small businesses that are usually dark early in the week. SoFA Market vendors reported GTC as their biggest week of the year, with sales up well beyond a typical winter week. Nightlife and entertainment venues were fully booked, and newer downtown businesses saw a clear jump in foot traffic and daily sales. That’s what a major event should do: not just fill a convention hall, but drive business and energy out into the surrounding area. Photos Courtesy of Ani & Cat After hosting an event of this magnitude, most cities might rest on their laurels — not San José. This week, we kept the momentum going as San José hosted the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional — bringing the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight to the SAP Center. It was another opportunity to put our city on the map, drive visitors downtown, and support our local businesses. Superfest at San Pedro Square featured Shaquille O'Neal — now better known as DJ Diesel — on the decks, drawing thousands of people downtown for a free, high-energy show. We also brought interactive art installations and a drone show over Discovery Meadow — giving residents and visitors alike a reason to stay, explore, and engage with downtown. Photos Courtesy of Miguel Ozuna Photography Whether it’s global tech conferences or major sporting events, we’re building San José into a go-to destination for big moments that deliver a big impact for our city. And with the FIFA World Cup around the corner, we’re just getting started. Sincerely, Mayor Matt This week, I joined other big city mayors from across the state in Sacramento to deliver a simple message: if we want to reduce homelessness, we need to invest in what’s working and the State must do its part. The State’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program (HHAP) is the primary state funding source for sheltering our homelessness neighbors. In San José, we’ve used these dollars – paired with our local Measure E funds – to build and operate a robust interim housing and shelter system that has allowed us to decommission dozens of large encampments and reduce the number of people living outside by nearly one-third in recent years. Sadly, whenever budgets get tight, Sacramento proposes spending cuts in areas like HHAP. This year, the Governor has proposed cutting HHAP in half, from $1 billion to $500 million statewide. Let’s be honest — homeless folks don’t have a team of lobbyists in Sacramento fighting to protect the 0.28% of the state budget that goes to keeping them sheltered. This is why the mayors of California’s 13 largest cities are united in fighting for consistent, flexible funding to bring people indoors.

Moreover, we advocate every year for total transparency and accountability for every dollar of HHAP spending. Of the $1 billion in HHAP funds distributed in most years, the majority doesn’t go to cities. Counties and local public/nonprofit consortiums receive most of the funds, and our position is that cities, counties and nonprofits within a given area should compete for these dollars on the basis of outcomes (e.g. cost per shelter bed built, cost per person sheltered, cost per job placement, etc.).

San José has led the way by building out over 2,000 interim housing and shelter placements in recent years and thereby moving thousands of people indoors. If we’re going to keep delivering on our residents’ number one priority, the State must continue its commitment to this work. We passed the March Budget Message earlier this month with your help at City Hall, and now it’s time to hit the road for a San José Budget tour! We have three major in-person stops and one virtual town hall so you can hear directly from me about this year’s budget, and I can hear directly from you about your priorities. If you’d like to participate, please join us at one of our budget town halls in the coming weeks:

• 6:00 p.m. April 6 at Mexican Heritage Plaza • 6:00 p.m. April 20 at CET • 6:00 p.m. May 4 at Santa Teresa Church • 6:00 p.m. May 18 Virtual Town Hall

Hearing from you helps ensure our final budget in June reflects the focus we’ve been fighting for, and our shared vision for the city we’re proud to call home. Please stay engaged! On Tuesday, we’ll mark Farmworkers Day on our calendars for the first time. This change reflects a broader conversation happening across our communities — one that asks us to take seriously deeply troubling allegations about the late Cesar Chavez, while staying focused on the people who bravely organized and fought for better working conditions while doing some of the most essential work in our society. As many have noted over the past week, the Farmworkers’ movement was always about more than one man.

Given the seriousness of the allegations, the City plans to convene community members to discuss renaming city facilities that bear Chavez’s name and likeness. In the coming weeks, city staff will return to Council with an inventory of such sites and a process for how any renaming would work. We’re not going to dictate outcomes from City Hall. This is about giving the community a voice in how we move forward—and making sure the result reflects our shared values.

My heart is with the women who have carried this pain for decades—who’ve had to see reminders of that trauma in the names of our schools, streets, and public spaces. We can’t change the past. But we can listen, acknowledge that harm, hear all perspectives, and take thoughtful steps forward as a community. San Jose Day April 8th to April 12th Downtown San Jose

Established in 2017, San José Day is an annual festival that celebrates the arts and culture of our city. Showcasing diverse music, performances, and vendors, San José Day is an act of cultural preservation and a display of home-town pride. Learn more here.

Fandomcon Silicon Valley April 10th to April 12th San Jose Convention Center

Get ready for an unforgettable day at FandomCon, where fans of comics, anime, gaming, sci-fi, fantasy, and pop culture come together under one roof! Whether you’re a lifelong superfan or just discovering your next obsession, FandomCon is the ultimate space to celebrate the stories and characters you love. Find more information here.

We Create 408 Month of April 2026 Locations Vary

Every week in April, we create! As part of Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month in April, the San José Office of Cultural Affairs is challenging San Joseans to use their creative expression every week throughout the month. Find more information, and the full list of events here.

Stars on Ice Sunday, May 17th at 4:00 PM SAP Center

Get ready to celebrate America’s skating superstars! Fresh off record-breaking World and National championship performances and bound for Olympic glory, the 2026 Stars on Ice tour brings the thrill of the Games to fans nationwide. Don’t miss out on the chance to catch Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, and other skating stars — grab your tickets here. Holla Mohalla The San José Gurdwara’s annual Hola Mohalla event was packed with people, food and music, as always. The Sikh community is an integral part of our city and it’s always a joy to spend time with community members at the Gurdwara, which is the largest outside of India! Animal Care Shelter and Habbas Law Every animal that comes through our shelter deserves a home. Our team works every day to make that possible, and it takes partners who share that commitment. Thanks to a generous donation from Habbas Law, we were able to waive adoption fees, helping more than half of our adoptable pets find their forever homes this weekend. Visit our Website!