Environmental Justice in Gilroy

As we make progress on implementing our General Plan 2040, we are going to need help from our Community Based Organizations (CBO). The past two years we have reported back to the State regarding our Environmental Justice section that we have been implementing Spanish translation for newsletter, meetings, and more. There's so much more happening in the community that we can report back on and implement as a community. 

Gilroy General Plan 2040 Environmental Justice- Today, and throughout much of California and United States history, communities with lower incomes, lower levels of education, and higher proportions of minority residents often bear a disproportionately large burden of exposure to environmental hazards. These environmental inequities are largely a result of land use policy and zoning regulations.

Environmental justice objectives and policies should seek to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities through strategies such as reducing pollution exposure, improving air quality, and promoting public facilities, food access, safe and sanitary homes, and physical activity; promote civil engagement in the public decision-making process; and prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities.

I hope that our new Housing and Community Services Division can begin to attend and actively participate in these events, so that next year’s General Plan update can be more robust. 

When I attended the State of the Valley this year the Second Harvest CEO was there, and she stated that 1 out of 6 residents in Silicon Valley needs their services for free food. Second Harvest has been providing free groceries on Tuesdays at San Ysidro Park for years. Santa Clara County Public Health is about to launch their $2.5 million Caltrans ATP grant in East Gilroy called Gilroy Moves and it is focused around physical activity and promoting public facilities. 

Currently Berkeley Food Institute, in partnership with Nueva Vida Community is working on a Food Justice Vision which had a kickoff event March 21 at Gilroy Unified School District 5:30-7pm and local residents from the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley are researching our implementation of our General Plan 2040 Environmental Justice section too.

When visiting neighborhood groups, the topic of safety always comes up. While sometimes the request is for more police patrols, their perception of safe communities is clean streets, smooth streets, and the absence of empty lots. The physical environment is the biggest factor in perceived and real safety of the community. 

Our residents deserve to feel safe walking on any sidewalk in Gilroy. I support repairing sidewalks, adding more trees for shade, and enhanced lighting. The burden of replacing sidewalks should not be with the homeowners who were not a part of the decisions to place trees that would do so much damage to the public sidewalks. Year-to-date my office has worked with our State and Federal legislators to secure $5.2 million for project funding that directly benefits our residents, from a bike/ped trail extension on the westside, San Ysidro Park on the eastside, and an enhanced crosswalk for senior housing on the southside. 

As a Silicon Valley Clean Energy Director, we recently approved $12 million of program funding for our Multi-Family Direct Install Program and built into the program are tenant protections referred to as "renovictions". Gilroy has the largest number of 100% deed restricted low-income units (1,770) in SVCE's affordable housing stock. There are many smaller projects 5+ units that could benefit by converting their old gas wall heaters for a heat pump unit that can provide air conditioning in extreme heat, and improve indoor air quality. I look forward to working with SVCE, consultants, and local community-based organizations in getting some of this funding for our residents. 

Safe communities are climate resilient communities. Gilroy faces significant climate risks including fire, flooding, and extreme heat. Severe flooding and wildfires have historically and recently caused serious property damage and economic challenges for local residents—a community that is also grappling with health issues caused by rising temperatures. Gilroy’s location at the edge of Santa Clara County along the Highway 101 corridor and in between two large landscape blocks has resulted in high sprawl development that threatens vital farmland and lands that are critical for conservation goals. 

Cities Selection Committee Interview for LAFCO

Thank you to the Cities Selection Committee (Mayors of Santa Clara County) and I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for the Cities Association's Alternate Commissioner to Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). LAFCO is where cities go to expand their boundaries. Gilroy continues to be pressured into expanding their city boundaries by developers and local electeds who want to build expensive single family homes. Those of us that want to prevent sprawl, value smart growth, know sprawl would be costly for our city which can't afford to provide urban services to these new developments, will continue to apply to be in these positions. Video of Interview • Gilroy Dispatch OpEd 

I have been watching and participating in LAFCO meetings since I was Chair of the Gilroy Bicycle Pedestrian Commission from 2017-2020 and elected as an At-Large Gilroy City Council Member in 2020. I value LAFCO’s mission of minimizing sprawl, preserving open space, encouraging efficiency of services, fiscal sustainability, and accountability and transparency. I have been deeply involved with Gilroy’s General Plan 2040 implementation and getting our Housing Element certified with State HCD. I promote the values of smart growth in Santa Clara County, and we will need to continue to examine the ways in which land use patterns can be the limiting factor as we work towards affordability and equity. 

As a Firefighter/Paramedic, I bring a unique and valuable perspective to the Service Review process that LAFCO conducts for each of our cities. I have hands-on experience with what it takes to provide these services efficiently and effectively, as required by LAFCO. I believe my independent 3rd party perspective would be of great benefit for all the cities of Santa Clara County, and I’m excited to be able to serve you all in this way. 

I am also a firm believer in LAFCO’s policies of protecting agricultural lands and open space from premature conversion to development. While many cities in our County are built out, I see Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy as areas that we need to protect from further urban sprawl. As a Council Member for the City of Gilroy, I represent those in Gilroy and the rest of South County who support sustainable land use planning in line with LAFCO policies. 

I was proud to publicly support LAFCO staff’s recommendation in 2023 for the City of Gilroy to focus its future housing growth in our Downtown and transit corridors, rather than through the City’s application to expand the Urban Service Area to allow single-family home sprawl on adjacent unincorporated farmland. I supported the staff recommendation not only because Gilroy has eight years of capacity for building in infill areas and thus has no need to expand our city boundaries for housing, but also because more sprawl would be costly for our city, which cannot afford to provide urban services to this new development. 

At least once a year the Cities Selection Committee (Mayors of Santa Clara County) appoints local electeds to many other regional bodies, including the Association of Bay Area (ABAG) Executive Board and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Regional Planning Committee. 

ABAG is the official comprehensive planning agency for the San Francisco Bay Area region and Plan Bay Area 2050 which connects the elements of housing, the economy, transportation, and the environment. ABAG's mission is to strengthen cooperation and coordination among local governments. In doing so, ABAG addresses social, environmental, and economic issues that transcend local borders. Gilroy has a seat at the table through General Assembly (GA) meetings which are held in the spring and fall each year as part of the GA Conference, where they determine policy, adopt the annual budget and work program. In addition, the GA reviews policy recommendations from the ABAG Executive Board (made up of local electeds) and reviews the bylaws of the ABAG Association. 

Every year a General Assembly and Business Meeting conference is held. Their annual conference explores vital issues that impact our region and any official delegate or alternate may propose a subject of consideration. Business and civic leaders, elected officials, academic scholars, city planners and private citizens attend this popular conference as well. It’s never too late to get involved and please vote March 5th.