The city of San Jose is proposing changing a rule that would allow schools to more easily sell property, a potential win for education budgets and affordable housing. It seems like a win-win, but not everyone is in favor of the change
Video Transcript
– And there is growing debate in the South Bay over development, also about housing. The city of San Jose proposes changing a rule that would allow schools to more easily sell property, a potential win for education budgets and for affordable housing.
Now, one of the proposed properties is right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. And as ABC 7 News reporter Dustin Dorsey explains, not everyone is in favor of this change.
DUSTIN DORSEY: Empty playgrounds, no students in sight. It’s not summer vacation in the Oak Grove School District, but this school is permanently closed, a problem in San Jose, victim of budget cuts and declining enrollment. But this valuable real estate in the heart of Silicon Valley can’t be easily sold, at least not yet.
MICHAEL BRILLIOT: I’m trying to figure out a win-win. What is the way to allow some flexibility for school districts to monetize some of the value they have in their land to help, you know, pay for their services, while also getting at many– getting at some– some of the city’s [INAUDIBLE] that we have in our community.
DUSTIN DORSEY: The proposal, make it easier for schools to sell their land. Under current rules, San Jose school districts can only sell their properties for public use, such as private schools, churches, or day cares. But the new proposal will let them sell to private developers, who could build desperately needed housing and other projects.
Glider Elementary is one of the proposed sites for redevelopment, something that neighbors of the school are not excited about.
JANET WILLIAMS: We’re worried about our home values. We’re worried about our privacy.
DUSTIN DORSEY: One of the proposed projects is high-density housing in the middle of the residential neighborhood. Janet Williams and neighbors do not like that.
JANET WILLIAMS: We’re worried about our quality of life, the traffic, the parking. All of that plays into– into the decision.
DUSTIN DORSEY: Oak Grove School District Superintendent Jose Manzo said in a statement, “The specific future use and development of the site has not yet been decided. The district has been and will remain transparent through this process.”
Even outside of the development issues for themselves, neighbors say class sizes are already impacted due to closing schools, and this could make it worse.
CARLOS GONZALES: Just imagine, all along, how much chaos it’s going to create in this neighborhood. Even if they sell this area and do their redevelopment with 160 units, where are those kids going to go?
DUSTIN DORSEY: The neighbors plan to hold a rally at the school on June 10. In San Jose, Dustin Dorsey, ABC 7 News.
