December 30, 2004


Changing for the better

San Jose responds to housing needs at Hoffman Via Monte area

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

The entrance to Almaden Valley is changing for the better. The once-blighted Hoffman Via Monte neighborhood celebrated the completion of housing improvements on four multi-family units last week with Vice Mayor and District 10 Councilwoman Pat Dando, community leaders and residents.

Neighbors and city working together. From left, Suzanne Alaj, Gilbert Wong, Vice Mayor Pat Dando, South Hills Community Church Coordinator serving Hoffman Via Monte, Juan Flores. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“The real success story of Strong Neighborhoods Initiative [SNI] goes to the community,” Dando said.

“It’s you, the individuals who live, work and own properties in these communities. And this was the very first partnership of multi-family rental units. In early spring, the second phase will start.”

Dando introduced the Neighborhood Advisory Committee members, President Nubia Ramirez, Vice President Bill Santos, Treasurer Gilbert Wong and Co-Chair Larry Brundage, who either own or live in the area. But many other residents worked hand in hand with the city to accomplish the goal of better housing. Like Frank Tarling, who helped rid the neighborhood of dozens of abandoned shopping carts. Or Suzanne Alaj, who was instrumental in procuring an agreement for towing abandoned vehicles.

Exterior housing was identified as a top-10 priority of the Hoffman Via Monte Strong Neighborhood Area, while the first priority was to focus on tenant improvements and the rehabilitation of rental housing. A requirement of the program is that at least 50 percent of tenants must be low-income residents. In San Jose, a family of four is considered low income when the household income is less than $84,900.

The improvements of the four multi-family units consisted of exterior paint, gutters and carport repair, landscape, fencing and iron guard rails, concrete driveways, new front doors, and when needed, structural repairs. But that just touches the surface. With the support of the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, city and residents, crime has been greatly reduced.

“In February 2001, we came out every Tuesday morning, citing and towing vehicles,” San Jose Police Sgt. Mike Fehr, a 32-year veteran of the force, said at the event. “We’d find stolen vehicles. Four years ago, there would be 75 shopping carts picked up. This morning there was only about a half dozen. It’s really a great cooperative effort.”

The successful completion of the first Hoffman Via Monte project has prompted the Redevelopment Agency to allocate $250,000 for additional exterior housing improvements in the area that will begin in the spring of 2005.

“The neighborhood is very grateful to Vice Mayor Dando and her staff, as well as staff from all the city departments, for all their hard work to make this a better neighborhood for everyone,” Neighborhood Advisory Committee President Nubia Ramirez said, who presented a special plaque to Dando at the event. “We hope this very important effort is just the beginning.

Refurbished four-plex on Almaden Road.

In honor of Vice Mayor Dando’s commitment to the area, there will be a groundbreaking of a new community center soon, which will be named after Dando. The Hoffman Via Monte Neighborhood Advisory Committee listed the center as its top priority. The 2,400 square-foot facility will include early childhood classes, youth leisure and after-school recreation.

Construction of the center will begin soon and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2005.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with many neighborhoods across the city,” Dando said in response to the center being named after her. “This is my favorite and my heart is here. I am very, very honored. It could not happen in a neighborhood that I would be more proud of.”