Residents renew calls to close East San Jose airport after recent crashes

Two recent airplane crashes stemming from an East San Jose airport are prompting residents and elected officials to renew efforts to close it.

Residents living in the proximity of Reid-Hillview Airport shared their concerns during a Friday news conference at Hillview Park organized by community advocacy group SOMOS Mayfair. They pointed to a crash from a landing equipment issue at the airport Oct. 16 and a crash on Capitol Expressway Oct. 17 that injured three people aboard a small plane that had taken off from Reid-Hillview.

The incidents have renewed concerns in a neighborhood where residents have spent years pushing to close the county-owned airport. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted in 2020 to begin planning for its closure and repurposing of the property, but 2031 is the earliest possible closure date due to federal obligations.

“Our families are still waiting for an answer about what happens between now and then,” Dilza Gonzalez, an East San Jose resident and organizer with SOMOS Mayfair, said at the news conference.

For residents who live near the airport, the debate is not just about what happens after the closure, but how to address their concerns in the meantime. Maria Reyes, who has lived in the same home about a block and a half from the airport for 55 years, said she has spent more than two decades advocating for it to close. She’d like to see a community center replace the airport, as well as more green space and places for children to play. The airport covers approximately 179 acres.

Reyes and Gonzalez raised the issue of the airport’s potential negative health effects, including aircraft noise and lead exposure. Santa Clara County previously restricted the use of leaded aviation fuel at its airports in 2021, following concerns about children’s exposure to lead near Reid-Hillview. Still, Reyes said there are brown clouds due to the continuous airplane traffic.

“It’s not just the plane crashes, it’s also the noise,” Reyes told San José Spotlight. “Every two minutes you can hear a plane flying by.”

Community advocates are also pressing county officials to take immediate steps to protect families while the airport remains operational. A 2022 San José Spotlight analysis of federal data found Reid-Hillview had 11 crashes over the previous decade, though its crash total was not higher than that of some comparable California airports.

“2031 is a deadline for closure, not the deadline for protecting our children and families,” Corina Herrera-Loera, an Alum Rock Union School District trustee, said at the news conference.

District 2 County Supervisor Betty Duong, who represents East San Jose, said the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the Oct. 17 crash on Capitol Expressway. The county has not received findings from either agency, she said.

“If there was something critical that was within the county’s ability to address immediately, the (transportation safety board) would not hesitate to reach out, ” Duong told San José Spotlight.

San Jose State University spokesperson Michelle Smith McDonald said the plane involved in the Oct. 17 crash was owned and operated by Flying20, an independent flying club that includes some university alumni, employees and students but is not operated by SJSU. The university was not aware of anyone affiliated with SJSU being aboard the aircraft.

Scott Riddle, interim director of Santa Clara County Airports, was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, the county has begun the next phase of planning for the airport property’s future. Duong said county officials are finalizing bids to hire a vendor who will develop cost estimates and identify potential barriers and opportunities for projects outlined in the 2020 Reid-Hillview Vision Plan.

Duong said her predecessor, former Supervisor Cindy Chavez, earmarked about $300,000 for the process. Residents will continue to provide input, although not every proposed project will move forward.

Reyes said residents have also experienced health problems they worry may be connected to conditions in the neighborhood such as cancer, depression and other medical issues. After decades of advocating for the airport’s closure, Reyes said residents want county officials to follow through on their commitments.

Reyes’ concerns come amid broader health disparities affecting Latino residents in Santa Clara County, many of whom live in East San Jose and South County. A 2025 county health assessment documented disparities in areas including mental health and life expectancy, prompting the board of supervisors to declare a public health crisis for Latino residents. The assessment examined broader health needs and did not establish that the airport caused the health problems.

“My community doesn’t want promises anymore. We want action,” Reyes said.

[email protected] or @CasasPerezRed on X.