One prominent community leader’s bid for the open District 3 San Jose City Council seat is raising eyebrows — and questions about her commitment to the neighborhood.
Gabby Chavez-Lopez, executive director of Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, moved back into a family home in the historic downtown Hensley neighborhood on Nov. 16, just 11 days after disgraced former Councilmember Omar Torres resigned and was arrested amid child sex abuse charges. Chavez-Lopez announced her candidacy a month later to run in the April 8 special election to replace Torres.
The well-known nonprofit leader moved into the home — owned by her parents — a day after a one-year lease ended with the home’s tenants, a family with young children, Chavez-Lopez told San José Spotlight. She said her parents rented the home out while her father spent a year living and working in Los Angeles. Then they all moved back in when he returned from Southern California. She called the separation with the prior tenants “amicable” and said they understood the landlords would be moving back in.
The prior tenant on the lease, who asked not to be named for privacy, agreed the separation was friendly when contacted by San José Spotlight. The tenant said his family had no plans to renew the lease and made plans to move out once it expired.
“We still have a wonderful relationship with Gabby and her family,” the tenant told San José Spotlight. “They were always great to us and very respectful people. We wish them all the best in the future.”
Chavez-Lopez addressed the issue after some neighbors, including another community leader and downtown San Jose native noticed moving trucks outside the home before Chavez-Lopez announced her candidacy.
“She has lived in San Francisco. She has lived in New Mexico. So as a D3 resident, I would be very concerned about what she’s going to fix or know about the district,” Robert Parra told San José Spotlight. “If she just barely moved back into her home when the old renters’ lease was up, that would be a red flag. If she was committed to the district, she would have not moved out.”
He said he’s concerned Chavez-Lopez views District 3 as a stepping stone.
“Don’t be using us because you need to get somewhere,” Parra said.
Chavez-Lopez acknowledged living in different places throughout her life.
“I’ve moved quite a bit. I’ve lived in four different residences in the last six years — that’s the housing stability situation we’ve experienced,” she told San José Spotlight. “I live in a multigenerational household. My son lives with me, my mom lives with me and my dad lives with me. My dad is now retired and my mom’s about to retire — I’m keeping the family afloat. We’re just doing what we can to be able to live here.”
Chavez-Lopez said she grew up in the home on Third Street in downtown San Jose with her parents and has moved in and out of the district over the last 22 years. She owns two other homes in District 6 — one of which was located in District 3 before redistricting in 2020. She said she doesn’t spend time in those homes and raises her son in the home on Third Street.
She maintains she’s committed to the area and can advocate for its interests, touting her leadership of the downtown-based Latina Coalition and city recognitions from past District 3 councilmembers, such as Raul Peralez.
“I’m an award-winning District 3 resident. I’m a District 3 employer. I don’t know how much more D3 I could possibly be,” Chavez-Lopez told San José Spotlight. “I’ve been a decades-long D3 leader and named as such. Any elected official or neighbor that lives around here knows that about me.”
Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X.
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