A Message from Mayor Matt

• Support for safe sleeping sites as interim housing
• Advocacy for higher government funding for mental health and addiction services
• Commitment to reducing unsheltered homelessness to 50% sheltered rate by year-end
• Support for long-term Sharks deal and investment in SAP Center

• South Bay’s first safe sleeping site opening
• Columbus Park encampment cleanup and housing offers
• 25-year Sharks arena deal
• 2026 event preparations for Super Bowl, NCAA West Regionals, FIFA World Cup

• City Council approval of Sharks deal
• Columbus Park outreach and cleanup operations
• 2026 event watch parties and drone shows
• Community engagement via new microsite for 2026 events

Almost exactly a year ago, I stood at a site that looked a lot like the one you see below. But I was about 450 miles away, down in San Diego. Long Story Short... FYI, it’s been a big week! Here’s what you need to know this week — in 30 seconds or less: - San José opened the South Bay’s first-ever Safe Sleeping Site. - The Sharks are here to stay — locked in for 26 more years. - And we revealed a bold new look for 2026 as San José gets ready to host the world for Super Bowl, March Madness and World Cup. Keep scrolling for all the data and details. Dear Neighbor, Almost exactly a year ago, I stood at a site that looked a lot like the one you see below. But I was about 450 miles away, down in San Diego. Mayor Todd Gloria was showing me around something he was very proud of. Something that had made a difference in the lives of his residents — both housed and unhoused. And that was a safe sleeping site. A low-barrier community with tents, bathrooms, case management, security and a path toward self-sufficiency. Now, one year later, San Jose is opening our first safe sleeping site. The first safe sleeping site in the South Bay. We’re starting small. 56 tents with cots. On-site security. Regular trash pick-up. Three meals delivered a day. Mobile showers. Access to counseling and addiction treatment. We know this isn’t the perfect solution. It’s definitely not a permanent solution. But it’s a heck of a lot better than the status quo — for our communities, for our environment and for the people currently living in unmanaged conditions without access to running water. On a per unit basis, this site cost less than 1/20th what it costs to build an apartment building, and more importantly, it can be stood up in a few months, which means we can offer a safe, dignified alternative to unmanaged encampments quickly and cost-effectively, and therefore at scale. This matters when we have over 3,000 people living in these conditions and about 200 people per year die on our streets. Speaking of unsafe and unmanaged encampments, we’ve spent the last two weeks continuing to make steady progress in Columbus Park. Prior to beginning the clean up, our outreach teams offered housing repeatedly to everyone in the park. We are now methodically moving about 10 people per day indoors while clearing tons of trash and debris from the park. By embracing pragmatic approaches, such as interim housing and safe sleeping, and being willing to require that people accept shelter when it is available (and by extension, making clear that one cannot choose to camp in a public park when an alternative is available), we are making steady progress in reducing encampments and moving people indoors. In fact, by the end of this year, we are on track to reach an important milestone — a 50% sheltered rate across our city (vs. just 16% sheltered in 2020 with roughly the same number of people experiencing homelessness). That means that half of the nearly 6,000 homeless residents in our community aren’t sleeping along our creeks or on our streets any longer — they are sleeping in a bed each night. They are accessing the services they need to turn their lives around. They know where their next meal is coming from and they have a plan that they’ve created with a case manager to exit homelessness once and for all. Since taking office, I’ve made it my mission to end the most inhumane crisis of our time — unsheltered homelessness. And by the end of this year, we’ll be halfway there. Of course, the second half will be harder. We won’t reach functional zero — a 100% sheltered rate – without getting creative. That’s what this site is about. Trying new approaches and using an all-of-the-above strategy. We also won’t reach functional zero without getting help. Specifically, we need higher levels of government (Federal/State/County) to embrace the value of interim housing solutions, providing funding for services, and help enable greater housing construction at all levels of affordability. We also need them to do their jobs when it comes to providing adequate support to those on our streets who are unwilling or unable to accept the housing and shelter options the City is building. Just over one third of the people at Columbus Park have refused repeated offers of housing. Only our State and County can legally build and operate the mental health and addiction treatment beds we need to help those hardest-to-reach cases. I want to thank my Council colleagues and city staff for leaning in and getting creative on this project. As our operational leader, City Manager Jennifer Maguire helps create an environment at City Hall that allows people to try new things without the fear of failure. I promised to bring the spirit of innovation inherent to our Valley into local government and that is only possible when others are open to change. I also want to thank our newest Councilmember Anthony Tordillos who inherited this project but has become a champion of it. Stay tuned in the weeks and months ahead to see how this site is working! Sincerely, Mayor Matt We made history in San Jose this week. Not just because we opened the South Bay’s first safe sleeping site, appointed a new City Attorney, or announced the winners of a first-in-the-nation grant program for AI startups (keep scrolling for more on these items!). That was all easy compared to this next feat — our Council unanimously approved a deal that will keep the Sharks in San Jose for the next 25 years at least! After months of negotiation, we came up with a deal that’s a win for both the team and for the city. Our Sharks make us proud. They bring us together. And to be frank, they also bring in over $200M annually in economic activity that supports small businesses, thousands of jobs, and revenue for the services we all rely upon. But this deal isn’t just about the Sharks, although I have to say, it’s the part of the deal I’m most excited about. It’s also about maintaining a city-owned asset that brings in everything from top tier concerts like Billie Eilish, to family-friendly shows like Disney on Ice, and even professional wrestling events like WWE. That asset is our SAP Center. And as we’ve watched our post-pandemic comeback rely on what we’re calling the “experience economy,” it’s never been a better time to invest in the venues that host these experiences. Starting with SAP. When San José opened our iconic arena in 1993, it changed the trajectory of our city. Now, we’re poised to do so again. We’re ready to attract better acts, create a better fan experience, and win more games (right, Sharkie?). This week, we shared a vision for 2026. A look into how San Jose has been preparing to play host to Super Bowl LX, the NCAA Men’s Basketball West Regionals, and the FIFA World Cup next year. We unveiled branding, a new logo, a microsite that will help residents and visitors plan their event itineraries, and a lineup of watch parties, 13 drone shows or light projections, and 13 concerts with national headliners (all of which will be free or deeply affordable). We have developed a set of 20+ icons that are all slightly abstracted elements of real locations or things that were invented around the city. This art will not only welcome visitors at SJC and across public spaces but will also serve as a source of pride for residents who see their city’s history and creativity represented in a fresh, modern way. We’re doing all this not just because we want to bring more economic activity into the South Bay (although that’s a big plus) — we’re doing this because our residents deserve to be proud of the city you call home. You all deserve to be a part of the party even if you can’t afford a seat in the stands. So we're bringing the party to you. What we’re creating is more than a brand. It’s San Jose’s identity. Diversity, energy and innovation all rolled into one. I can’t wait to remind our residents what makes San Jose so special — and share that with the world. This week, as part of our broader push to make San Jose the world’s AI Capital, we announced the winners of our first-in-the-nation AI Incentive program. This program offered small cash prizes, complimentary technical support from local professional services firms, and free publicity to the top AI startup applicants who committed to expand or establish a physical presence in San Jose (selected by an external selection committee that included VCs and industry leaders). Our grantees are doing everything from working to reduce maternal mortality to working to get to space. They are ready and willing to solve civic problems. And we want them here in San Jose. We want them to succeed and we want them to join our well-established tech ecosystem because joining the world’s deepest talent pool here in San Jose is how these incredible companies will succeed, and it’s how we will continue to succeed as a city. Since we launched the GovAI Coalition, piloted AI applications in various city departments, recruited an AI incubator downtown, and established this incentive program, we’ve seen that AI indeed has the potential to help us solve a range of civic problems while also ensuring our future economic competitiveness and growth. If we want to stay on the cutting edge and continue to thrive in a competitive global economy, we need to keep attracting and supporting the world’s best entrepreneurs. I think we’ve found some of them in this current cohort. Congratulations to the winners! As our current City Attorney Nora Frimann approaches retirement I’d like to thank her for her many years of dedicated service to our city, including through tough budget years and a global pandemic, and introduce you to our new City Attorney. Last week, after a nationwide, months-long recruitment and hiring process, I brought forward my nominee for City Attorney, Susana Alcala Wood, who earned the Council’s unanimous approval vote. Photo Courtesy of the City of Sacramento Susana has proven to be a courageous, common sense leader who isn’t afraid to get creative when pushing for change. She comes to us with nearly 40 years of experience from three different city attorneys offices. Currently, she serves as the City Attorney in our state’s capital, Sacramento. (Sorry Mayor McCarty!) Susana knows this city. She has family members who call it home. And she’s excited to get to work fighting for our residents. Thank you Susana and thank you to my Council colleagues for unanimously appointing her to this important position. Silicon Valley PRIDE Sunday, August 31st Plaza de Cesar Chavez, 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113 Happening TODAY, celebrate 50 years of Pride with Silicon Valley Pride at their anniversary festival, "Unstoppable: 50 Years of Love, Legacy & Liberation." Featuring headliner, Snow Tha Product, this event promises to delight, excite, and honor five decades of Pride in the heart of Silicon Valley. Find more event information here. Chicano Soul Fest Saturday, September 6th History Park, 635 Phelan Avenue San Jose, CA 95112 Welcome to the 4th Annual Chicano Soul Fest, where Chicano culture is showcased through music, art, lowriders, food, community and more! Don’t miss out on the fun, and purchase your tickets here. Maker’s Market Art Fair Saturday, September 13th Santana Row MAKERS MARKET's Local Artist Street Fair is returning to Santana Row, showcasing the finest local artisans, creators, and small businesses for a shopping experience full of seasonal magic. Shop unique, handcrafted finds perfect for cozy weather and festive gifting, and RSVP here. Los Angeles Football Club vs. San Jose Earthquakes Saturday, September 13th Levi’s Stadium The Earthquakes will take on LAFC, bringing one of Major League Soccer’s most exciting rivalries back to the Bay. Set against the backdrop of Mexican Independence Day Weekend, this year’s game promises a vibrant atmosphere filled with cultural festivities and unforgettable moments. Fans can look forward to a celebration fostering community spirit and honoring Mexican heritage. Grab your tickets here. I had the honor of joining the Post Street community to celebrate the vibrant new mural by Danny Hanson. Just as Danny has made their mark on this street, this community has left its mark on downtown — a mark of Pride. And if you needed another reason to be proud of Post Street, it’s now home to San José’s very first entertainment zone activation. A record-breaking 40,000 students. Ranked No. 4 public university in America. More local tech hires than the Ivy League combined. That’s SJSU. And we’re proud they call San José home. Last week, I joined The Trash Punx, Councilmember Mulcahy, and 70 incredible volunteers to help beautify the Coe and Lincoln neighborhood! Their dedication to a cleaner, safer San Jose is what makes our city shine. n our community. Here’s to the next 10 years of bold innovation and the same fearless entrepreneurial spirit that has defined the last decade. Welcome Hillbrook to downtown San José! Hillbrook produces problem solvers, and they couldn’t have picked a better classroom than Downtown San José, where so many of our challenges and opportunities intersect. Visit our Website! Copyright © 2025 Office Of San José Mayor Matt Mahan, All rights reserved. | 200 E Santa Clara St # 18 | San José, CA 95113-1903 US | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice