Stop the 191 Unit 7-Story High Density Apartments at 1371 Kooser Road!!!
The Issue
The image above is an example of how these high density apartments overpower the adjacent neighborhoods.
**Demand Reduced Height and Density**
Residents of San Jose are alarmed by proposed high-density projects exceeding 7-8 stories, threatening our 1-2 story homes and straining vital public services.
**Integrate Housing with Community Character**
We insist on a reduction to a maximum of 3-4 stories to preserve our community's character, infrastructure and services.
**Oppose Long-Term Property Tax Exemptions**
The proposed 55-year property tax exemption will unfairly increase the tax burden on home owners.
**Address Parking and Transportation Shortages**
The 1371 Kooser Road project only has 147 parking spaces for 336 bedrooms, leading to overcrowded off-site parking in the neighborhood. Local public transport is infrequent and inadequate.
**Enforce Tenant Priorities**
The project originally committed to prioritize hosing for essential service workers - police/fire fighters, teachers and health care workers - but this commitment has been eliminated, raising safety and welfare concerns without restrictions on maximum unit occupancy or subleasing.
**Challenge City Funding Priorities**
The City’s funding policy favors maximum density housing developments, resulting in overpowering projects that disrupt our suburban fabric.
This project could set a troubling precedent for our community. We urge the City of San Jose to revise this high-density proposal.
Please sign and share this petition to protect our neighborhoods.
------------------- More information below -------------------
Reduce the Height and Density to more appropriately integrate into the community
We, the residents of San Jose, CA, are faced with a threat to our tranquil community - the rise of high-density residential structures exceeding 7-8 stories amidst our traditional 1 and 2 story homes. The projected addition of over 700 new tenants concentrated in our small area is alarming, not only because it will disrupt the established suburban aesthetic, but more importantly, it will place excessive strain on our public services, including fire, police, and schools.
Integrate New Housing into Existing Communities
There is an urgent need to curb this aggressive build-up and instead promote moderate growth that aligns with our community's character and infrastructure capacity. We propose the development project be reduced in its density and height to respect a maximum of 3 to 4 stories and accommodate a more manageable number of tenants into our community.
Property Tax Exemption of the Project
We have deep concerns about the impact of the proposed 55-year property tax exemption for this development. Such a long-term exemption will substantially increase the tax burden on our community's hardworking taxpayers. The move is doubly concerning considering the uncertainty surrounding the projected positive impact on housing the development expects to bring.
Parking and Transportation Congestion
As a resident directly impacted by the 1371 Kooser Road project, my neighborhood, and I feel the brunt of the current insufficient on-site parking spaces and strained public transportation system. The Kooser apartments includes 336 bedrooms, but only 147 on-site parking spaces provided for tenants - a disparity that has greatly exacerbated local parking issues. The current high density of development has led to an overflow of vehicles parking on the adjacent streets of Stanwood Drive and Dellwood Way, as residents are left with no other option.
The City has previously stated that tenants rely on public transportation, but unfortunately, the availability of public transport is far from adequate, with one intersecting VTA bus arriving per hour. This scarcity of service does not practically support the residents' commuting needs.
We request the City to seriously consider implementing parking permits for residents of the adjacent neighborhoods, easing the burden on existing residents and ensuring a balanced community.
Adhere to Original Tenant Descriptions
When the 1371 Kooser Road project was first introduced and until March 26, 2024, the City emphasized that the tenants would preferably be from three groups: Police, Fire, First Responders, Healthcare Workers, and Teachers. Sadly, it has been evident that there are no preferences given to these groups of essential residents. No proof of income verification or background checks, including drug or alcohol screening, are conducted, further raising concerns about the safety, welfare and security of our residential community. As best as we can tell, there will be no limit to the number of occupants in each unit and no restrictions on the possibility of subleasing a unit.
City Prioritizes Funding only to Developers that Maximize Density and Height
In October 2022, the city declared to:
“Direct the Housing Department to communicate clearly to all affordable housing builders seeking City financing that reductions of project unit count for reasons unsupported by City policy will result in their project being deprioritized for City funding.”
This memo came from Mayor Sam Liccardo, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Council Member Magdalena Carrasco.
This means that regardless of the community context and the fabric of the neighboring communities, any developer applying for City tax-dollar funding must build the tallest structure on a site. And they can ignore existing zoning for a site, as they are doing on the Chuck E. Cheese site, and build grotesque, overwhelming structures that negatively impact the adjacent communities. For example, the Chuck E. Cheese site is zoned Pedestrian/Commercial, not high density residential.
This development could set a precedent that will lead to the overrunning of suburban communities everywhere. Let's make sure that doesn't happen. Stand with us in demanding the City of San Jose to consider our concerns and revise the terms of this proposed high-density residential development.
Please sign and share this important petition
Thank you for your support.
Kooser Woods Coalition Neighborhood Association
If you would like to voice your concerns to our government representations directly, here is their contact information
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan
Email: mayor@sanjoseca.gov
408-535-4800
San Jose Council Member Pam Foley, District 9
Email: Pam.Foley@sanjoseca.gov
408-535-4909
San Jose Housing Director Erik Soliván
Email: erik.solivan@sanjoseca.gov
669-314-3611
San Jose City Manager Jennifer Maguire
Email: webmaster.manager@sanjoseca.gov
408-535-8111
Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas
Email: District1@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5010
1,631
The Issue
The image above is an example of how these high density apartments overpower the adjacent neighborhoods.
**Demand Reduced Height and Density**
Residents of San Jose are alarmed by proposed high-density projects exceeding 7-8 stories, threatening our 1-2 story homes and straining vital public services.
**Integrate Housing with Community Character**
We insist on a reduction to a maximum of 3-4 stories to preserve our community's character, infrastructure and services.
**Oppose Long-Term Property Tax Exemptions**
The proposed 55-year property tax exemption will unfairly increase the tax burden on home owners.
**Address Parking and Transportation Shortages**
The 1371 Kooser Road project only has 147 parking spaces for 336 bedrooms, leading to overcrowded off-site parking in the neighborhood. Local public transport is infrequent and inadequate.
**Enforce Tenant Priorities**
The project originally committed to prioritize hosing for essential service workers - police/fire fighters, teachers and health care workers - but this commitment has been eliminated, raising safety and welfare concerns without restrictions on maximum unit occupancy or subleasing.
**Challenge City Funding Priorities**
The City’s funding policy favors maximum density housing developments, resulting in overpowering projects that disrupt our suburban fabric.
This project could set a troubling precedent for our community. We urge the City of San Jose to revise this high-density proposal.
Please sign and share this petition to protect our neighborhoods.
------------------- More information below -------------------
Reduce the Height and Density to more appropriately integrate into the community
We, the residents of San Jose, CA, are faced with a threat to our tranquil community - the rise of high-density residential structures exceeding 7-8 stories amidst our traditional 1 and 2 story homes. The projected addition of over 700 new tenants concentrated in our small area is alarming, not only because it will disrupt the established suburban aesthetic, but more importantly, it will place excessive strain on our public services, including fire, police, and schools.
Integrate New Housing into Existing Communities
There is an urgent need to curb this aggressive build-up and instead promote moderate growth that aligns with our community's character and infrastructure capacity. We propose the development project be reduced in its density and height to respect a maximum of 3 to 4 stories and accommodate a more manageable number of tenants into our community.
Property Tax Exemption of the Project
We have deep concerns about the impact of the proposed 55-year property tax exemption for this development. Such a long-term exemption will substantially increase the tax burden on our community's hardworking taxpayers. The move is doubly concerning considering the uncertainty surrounding the projected positive impact on housing the development expects to bring.
Parking and Transportation Congestion
As a resident directly impacted by the 1371 Kooser Road project, my neighborhood, and I feel the brunt of the current insufficient on-site parking spaces and strained public transportation system. The Kooser apartments includes 336 bedrooms, but only 147 on-site parking spaces provided for tenants - a disparity that has greatly exacerbated local parking issues. The current high density of development has led to an overflow of vehicles parking on the adjacent streets of Stanwood Drive and Dellwood Way, as residents are left with no other option.
The City has previously stated that tenants rely on public transportation, but unfortunately, the availability of public transport is far from adequate, with one intersecting VTA bus arriving per hour. This scarcity of service does not practically support the residents' commuting needs.
We request the City to seriously consider implementing parking permits for residents of the adjacent neighborhoods, easing the burden on existing residents and ensuring a balanced community.
Adhere to Original Tenant Descriptions
When the 1371 Kooser Road project was first introduced and until March 26, 2024, the City emphasized that the tenants would preferably be from three groups: Police, Fire, First Responders, Healthcare Workers, and Teachers. Sadly, it has been evident that there are no preferences given to these groups of essential residents. No proof of income verification or background checks, including drug or alcohol screening, are conducted, further raising concerns about the safety, welfare and security of our residential community. As best as we can tell, there will be no limit to the number of occupants in each unit and no restrictions on the possibility of subleasing a unit.
City Prioritizes Funding only to Developers that Maximize Density and Height
In October 2022, the city declared to:
“Direct the Housing Department to communicate clearly to all affordable housing builders seeking City financing that reductions of project unit count for reasons unsupported by City policy will result in their project being deprioritized for City funding.”
This memo came from Mayor Sam Liccardo, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Council Member Magdalena Carrasco.
This means that regardless of the community context and the fabric of the neighboring communities, any developer applying for City tax-dollar funding must build the tallest structure on a site. And they can ignore existing zoning for a site, as they are doing on the Chuck E. Cheese site, and build grotesque, overwhelming structures that negatively impact the adjacent communities. For example, the Chuck E. Cheese site is zoned Pedestrian/Commercial, not high density residential.
This development could set a precedent that will lead to the overrunning of suburban communities everywhere. Let's make sure that doesn't happen. Stand with us in demanding the City of San Jose to consider our concerns and revise the terms of this proposed high-density residential development.
Please sign and share this important petition
Thank you for your support.
Kooser Woods Coalition Neighborhood Association
If you would like to voice your concerns to our government representations directly, here is their contact information
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan
Email: mayor@sanjoseca.gov
408-535-4800
San Jose Council Member Pam Foley, District 9
Email: Pam.Foley@sanjoseca.gov
408-535-4909
San Jose Housing Director Erik Soliván
Email: erik.solivan@sanjoseca.gov
669-314-3611
San Jose City Manager Jennifer Maguire
Email: webmaster.manager@sanjoseca.gov
408-535-8111
Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas
Email: District1@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5010
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Petition created on September 24, 2024