We Advocate On
Your Behalf, As A Voice
For The Business Community.

CA State Assembly

The SVO successfully opposed AB 138 (Bloom) and sent letters to the State legislature as the bill would have placed unnecessary regulations on sugar-sweetened beverages.

The bill failed to pass the Committee process in the state assembly and subsequently was pulled by its author.

San Jose City Council (City Council Priority Setting)

The SVO supported the adoption of San Jose City Council’s 2019 Council Priorities. Specifically, we advocated in support of studying programs focused on

• Universal Development Fee:
creating a single fee that simplifies the planning process for development applications and provides more transparency to real estate investors in the capital markets.

• Childcare & Early Education:
implementing strategies focused on incentivizing and streamlining the development of child care facilities.
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San Jose City Council

After years of participating on various policy advisory panels, the SVO successfully advocated for an increase to San Jose’s downtown height limits, which received a unanimous approval from the San Jose City Council on April 12, 2019.

The SVO held a press conference on this issue on Tuesday March 12, 2019 and was featured in various media outlets including NBC Bay Area.
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CA State Assembly

The SVO successfully supported an increase to the informal bidding threshold for the Santa Clara Valley Water District by sending a letter to the State Legislature.

The bill, which was passed, allows more access to small contractors to be able to compete for public works’ contracts provided by the Water District.
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San Jose City Council

The SVO successfully opposed a switch in the election timing for San Jose’s Mayor. The proposed change would have shifted the election of the San Jose Mayor from the gubernatorial cycle to the Presidential cycle.

Instead of this change to increase voter turnout, The SVO supported more effective outreach by the City in partnership with the County of Santa Clara to reach voters.
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Milpitas City Council

The SVO successfully opposed a Rent Control & Just Cause Ordinance in the City of Milpitas on a narrow three to two vote.
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San Jose City Council

The SVO successfully supported the Mayor’s budget message which passed the City Council on a narrow six to five vote. The SVO was especially supportive of the Mayor’s deep commitment to expanding economic opportunities for underserved residents through funding of programs such as San Jose Works, which The SVO partners with through our Strive San Jose initiative.
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San Jose City Council

The SVO successfully advocated in support of extending San Jose’s DowntownHigh-Rise Fee Reduction Program. Without the extension, nine projects in downtown San Jose would have become unfeasible and with them 3,500 housing units not constructed. The SVO hosted a press conference ensuring that the narrative focused on providing homes in downtown San Jose as one way to address the housing crisis.

San Jose City Council (City Council Priority Setting)

The SVO successfully advocated against placing a countywide ballot measure to increase the sales tax by 5/8th cents. The proposal was withdrawn by the sponsoring Supervisor before being heard as the votes to place the item on the ballot were not there and many organizations like ours advocated against it.
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San Jose City Council

The SVO successfully advocated in support of the adoption of San Jose’s Co-living ordinance, the first dedicated co-living zoning code to be established in the U.S. Co-living provides an innovative way for San Jose to provide dense housing in the Downtown Zoning Districts as a form of naturally affordable housing. Co-living centers on the concept of a single bedroom with access to a shared kitchen, bath facilities, and common living space with a community of tenants. Starcity is currently pursuing an 18 story co-living project in downtown San Jose, amounting to 803 housing units.


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