September 1, 2005

Breaking ground and saving lives

YouthBuild San Jose to build seven new homes across from Pioneer High

YouthBuild San Jose held a groundbreaking ceremony for seven new homes on Aug. 25 at a site across from Pioneer High School. Councilmembers Judy Chirco and Nancy Pyle and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren attended the ceremony.

Officials pose with shovels at the groundbreaking of the seven Hennessy Place homes, which will be built by students from YouthBuild San Jose. From left to right: SJSCC & CS Board Member Alex Torres, Mexican Consul General Bruno Figeroa, Board President Richard Balocco, Councilmember Nancy Pyle, SJSCC & CS Executive Director Robert Hennessy, Congressperson Zoe Lofgren, Councilmember Judy Chirco, Board Member Rich De La Rosa, Board Member Cheryl Jackson, Board Member Mark Lazzarini, Board Member Andrea Rodriguez and former Board Member Ray O'Flaherty.

YouthBuild San Jose is part of the San Jose Conservation Corps and Charter School. Its mission is to provide at-risk youth with high-quality high school educations and teach valuable work and life skills (such as building new homes) that empower them to become responsible, productive, and caring citizens. The program combines mandatory academics with paid on-site training in the high wage construction trades. Basic construction skills are taught by professional journeymen.

The seven homes, which will be located on Hennessy Place at Blossom Hill Road, will be single-family, two-story homes, similar to those built by Habitat for Humanity, and will be sold through an approval process to low income families for between $300,000 and $400,000. They will take at least a year to build, with approximately 20 students working full time on the project.

The program is funded by the federal government and the land is owned by the city. Once the homes are sold a percentage will go back into the city coffers.

During this past year, 80 high school diplomas were issued by YouthBuild to students who otherwise would be high school dropouts. One of the group’s most recent success stories is YouthBuild student Felipe Carrillo, who just earned his general contractor’s license last month. Most YouthBuild graduates go on to become carpenters, plumbers and electricians. The goal of the program is to give the students the tools to lift their families out from poverty and become successful citizens.

San Jose Conservation Corps & Charter School Founder Robert Hennessy and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren accept a check to cover for $700,000 the cost of the Hennessy Place homes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on the behalf of YouthBuild. This check will go towards paying the students in the program to build the houses.

The San Jose Conservation Corps & Charter School celebrates 18 years this year and has touched the lives of approximately fourteen thousand young men and women.

Currently, expansion plans are underway with the purchase of 68,000 square feet of building space and parking on three acres on Berger Drive in San Jose. This will enable 1,000 students to get their high school diplomas five years from now. However, to pay for the new building, the group must raise $7 million over the next three years.

For more information visit the Web site at www.sjcccharterschool.org If you would like to help support the program and the young adults contact SJCC Executive Director Bob Hennessy, for more information at (408) 918-100. To donate by mail make your check out to San Jose Conservation Corps & Charter School, and mail to: San Jose Conservation Corps & Charter School, 2650 Senter Road, San Jose, CA 95111.