East Santa Clara Street Urban Village wins 2017 APA Award

Author: Lauren Chun, Communications Specialist

When you walk along East Santa Clara Street, what do you think of? The unique shops? The mix of people that live along the corridor? Or maybe you just see the problems that need to be fixed. Unfortunately, there are things that need improvement. That’s why over 60 Urban and Regional Planning graduate students worked together to look at the neighborhood, analyze the problems, talk to the community and find a solution. Their solution was recognized by the American Planning Association on June 2nd at the APA 2017 Awards Gala. The plan won the Academic Project Award from the Northern California section of the APA. They are also in the running for the state APA awards, so keep an eye out for that!

These graduate students are people who have talent and dedication to their career. These students spent 16,100 service hours on this project. That equals about 670 days. The American Planning Association defines planning as “when government officials, business leaders, and citizens come together to build communities that enrich people’s lives, that’s planning.”

Planning is the result of communities working with professional planners and government officials to make the community stronger, better and more suited to the community’s needs and this neighborhood was enthusiastic about it! The San Jose State University students worked together to interview community members. The East Santa Clara Street Assessment is available for everyone to see what the students worked on and it is what will be sent to the City of San José.

The East Santa Clara Urban Village open house is on June 13, 2017. If you want to see what’s planned for this neighborhood, or maybe you have some input for the East Santa Clara Street Urban Village. This meeting is your last chance to voice your input on the Urban Village.

Special thanks to Rick Kos, Professor Hilary Nixon, the City of San José’s Planning Division, and the SJSU Urban and Regional Planning graduate students.