VTA wants to increase its presence, and ridership numbers, by pumping dollars into community groups near its light rail stations.
To kick off the effort, VTA officials have started a transit-oriented community grant giving program to help retain nearby small businesses and uplift residents. The public transit agency has given more than $400,000 to various nonprofits in East San Jose, as well as cities such as Santa Clara and San Jose to support light rail-adjacent urban villages — aimed at creating more job and housing opportunities near public transit corridors.
Jessica Paz-Cedillos, director of the School of Arts & Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza and San José Spotlight columnist, said the nearly $100,000 the school received from VTA is a huge boost for fundraising efforts to establish a nearby cultural district, referred to as La Avenida. The cultural district is located along the Alum Rock Avenue corridor dubbed La Placita.
“We’re really excited that the VTA has undertaken this new grant initiative and they’re being flexible in terms of how they roll it out and how they work with us,” Paz-Cedillos told San José Spotlight.
Though Paz-Cedillos said the summer has been rough with the death of Community Development Director Chris Esparza, the Mexican Heritage Plaza wants to celebrate his legacy by picking up where he left off.
“La Avenida was an undertaking that he felt passionate about, and we feel a moral responsibility, not just for him, but for the community, to ensure that we are able to champion some of his first cultural districts,” Paz-Cedillos said.
VTA hosted the grant ceremony at the MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana) art center where Executive Director Anjee Helstrup-Alvarez helped present the awards. She said the art center received $15,000 from the transit agency to put on events celebrating Puerto Rican dance, music and culture.
“For communities of color that have been under invested, they’re thinking about existing assets in a community and how we’re going to preserve and build upon them,” Helstrup-Alvarez told San José Spotlight. “We need cities that are walkable, livable and really are accessible to people at all price points.”
About $100,000 in VTA grant funds also went toward organizations such as Prosperity Lab and Carry The Vision.
Janine De La Vega, spokesperson for Santa Clara, said the city received $120,000 that will be used to hire a consultant to develop a new zoning code in the Santa Clara Station Area. De La Vega said this framework will help construct a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood and better pedestrian and traffic flow.
“We are grateful for our partnership with the VTA and are thankful for this grant funding and what it will provide as we plan for future development close to transit,” she told San José Spotlight.
San Jose received a $175,000 grant to help support its housing developments along transit-focused urban villages, city officials said.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission in 2022 required cities including San Jose to develop transit-focused urban villages within a half-mile of planned stops and stations. VTA owns 29 development sites focused on affordable housing. The San Jose City Council has approved hundreds of residences at one of those sites.
San Jose Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Director Chris Burton said the city works with numerous partners to make sure the city is a place where everyone can live, work and play.
“Centering development around public transit helps us keep an important promise to future generations to grow responsibly,” he told San José Spotlight. “This grant will help us continue to build a San Jose that thrives economically and environmentally.”
Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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