San Jose United

San Jose San Jose’s Community Action and Pride grant program was saved for another year thanks to money leftover from other years, San Jose City Council support and lobbying from residents.

Neighborhood Associations across San Jose are hoping that funding for projects, activities and events will continue beyond the 2012-2013 budget.

“It’s integral to the life of the city’s neighborhood associations,” said Bob Dolci,Lyndale board member of Neighborhood Association in East San Jose. “It’s integral to what we do.”

Fifty-four groups applied by the June 22, 2012, deadline for grants ranging from $300 to $1,500 in Cycle 26.  The groups will be notified in mid-July if they received some of the $100,000 grant fund, said Ken Podgorsek, director of United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County, the agency that administers the CAP grants for the city. » Read more

Nothing brings out Park Pleasant neighbors like a Dumpster Day.

“That’s the one time we get people out,” said Chris Clark of the Park Pleasant Neighborhood Association. “People have a good time. Dumpster Day is something they really want. “

It’s also, of course, a way for residents to make their yards, homes and neighborhoods cleaner and safer.

“Lots of people in my neighborhood might buy some stuff second hand, and when that goes, you can’t take it anywhere to be recycled,” Clark said.

Renting a dumpster can cost $300 to $515, according to neighborhood association members. Insurance for an event is $111, and permit fees are $35.

“If we didn’t get the CAP grant money, we wouldn’t have a dumpster day,” Clark said. “They just make the city a safe city and a good city if neighbors know each other.”

To the Lyndale Neighborhood Association in San Jose Council District 5, receiving a CAP grant is vital to keep information flowing.

“Without a CAP grant, we would really suffer,” said board member Bob Dolci. “We wouldn’t be able to do newsletters. Our newsletter is critical to share information and advertise our meetings.”

LNA distributes its newsletter to 850 households at a printing cost of about $150.
For years, the newsletter was copied for free through the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, but now the group pays for printing the publication in English and Spanish.

Over the years, LNA’s CAP grants have also paid for cleanups, National Night Out events, a holiday decorating contest, children’s book giveaways, family nights, supplies for meetings.

The group also receives donations from the District 5 Council office and other sources, but “not having a CAP grant would be very challenging,” Dorci said.