Withering criticism devastates SJ redistricting plans that would split up established communities

Furious accusations of "gerrymandering" met the Redistricting Commission's recent plans to redraw council district areas in San Jose, as those plans would effectively destroy the decades-old ties of long-established neighborhoods and communities in San Jose. Naglee Park, Japantown and Vendome (three of the historic neighborhoods in line to be cut into pieces) residents showed up at the October 14 meeting to express their disbelief and opposition to the plans.

On punishing successful neighborhood advocacy:
"Are we victims of our own success? Have we become a strong voice, and so become a political force that is too vocal? Maybe that's why each of the maps have some of these incredible oversights--splitting the University between districts, cutting up Japantown, dividing Northside into multiple districts, cutting Naglee Park itself into two separate districts --I repeat, it does not make any sense, especially since no other district has been manipulated as egregiously."

On flawed process:
"I understand that the Commissioner for D3 quit and has not been replaced therefore there is no one speaking on our behalf. This is a travesty and needs to be rectified ASAP. In the meantime the interest groups are picking and choosing what they want to fortify their interests with no one defending the current D3 and specifically Naglee Park which falls within D3. We are not pawns and deserve better."

On dividing communities of interest:
"We connect with Northside, our neighbors across Santa Clara Street, with concerns about housing at the old hospital site, and the major concerns about traffic and mayhem associated with the week of Cinco de Mayo, which impacts us so much that the new police chief had a zoom meeting with both neighborhoods to learn how he could help us cope with the disruptions the week brings. We connect with The Historic Hensley District through our shared passion for older homes. And the University--we walk through it, we go to the gym, we work with them on issues concerning the fraternities and sororities that border our neighborhood, and we attend events--the recent Silicon Valley Symphony event on the Campus was attended by scores of neighbors. We have worked together for years to make Downtown San Jose a vibrant and thriving City, and it just does not make any sense that these alliances are being ripped apart."
"As a resident of District 3, I have lived in my Northside neighborhood since I immigrated at the age of 3 from Mexico. That longevity, I believe, gives me a special appreciation for the issues and concerns of not just my neighborhood but many other neighborhoods in the greater downtown area. Any attempt to pull these neighborhoods apart, these Communities of Interest, into various other council districts would be detrimental to the viability of the neighborhoods who coalesced as unified neighborhood associations which is ultimately the legacy of SNI. All of the current greater downtown neighborhood communities therefore should remain within Council District 3."
"Alum Rock has completely different concerns being on the edge of the city and into the open spaces, than we do where every day what happens at SJSU effect Naglee Park. Just look at the parking restrictions throughout our neighborhood and it’s obvious that SJSU touches our lives. And it’s more than parking, we support events at SJSU, where you would find a large percentage of Naglee Park residents at many events on the campus, Concert Series for one. We share many of the same concerns as Japantown, traffic, public transit, parking which we would not have in common with the Eastern foothills."

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