San Jose City Council Member David Cohen's track record and values for District 4 -sandra mickanen reporting in Feb 2026

 

upon learning David Cohen is running for senate   -wish to share with voters the following, very researchable, track record and values 

1.   David Cohen is (was) personally okay with having 100 tiny homes, 400 homeless on a park, directly across the street from Noble Elementary School, the library and a daycare.

I had to ask three different times, in the presence of my husband, because I could not believe his answer.

Three times he confirmed, "YES.  I am perfectly okay with tiny homes on the perc ponds across from the elementary school."

Now, he voted differently, publicly; But he withheld the information of the stealth vote in the first place, from the residents of D4.  And did nothing but create extra obstacles for all of us who became NOTonNOBLE protestors; who did all the work, for the actual victory, while David Cohen, took credit at City Council Meetings.  His values are dangerous for our society.

2.  David Cohen is responsible for Berryessa having the largest 'safe RV parking site'     He did zero community outreach.  My husband and I went from business to business in the area, and no one, no employees, no managers, no store owners even knew he made these plans to place this very unsafe RV parking site within 1/2 mile of our newest, nicest Safeway, shopping plaza and residential apartments.

He destroys the safety, cleanliness, quality of life for everyone working, living, shopping within a 3 to 5 mile radius; completely ignores that, and calls it a success because it got built.

I repeat, his values and priorities are dangerous and counterproductive for our society.   We will continue to advocate for Dignity Acres Emergency Campground.   

3.  Despite multiple citizens calling, inquiring, letter writing, emailing; multiple efforts by multiple people over multiple YEARS:  David Cohen has done NOTHING to fix the multiple and growing issues with D4's Safeway Shopping Center, Berryessa Corners, on the corner of Berryessa & Capitol.   Again, the citizens are doing all the work.  A new neighborhood association was created exactly because David Cohen was doing nothing.   Many of us just continue to shop elsewhere to avoid the toxic garbage, the panhandling, the homeless hanging out near entry/exit doors, the stray dogs, the neglected landscape, the graffiti, the blight.

Based on those 3 direct experiences with David Cohen, I do wish he would choose an entirely different career and am only saddened to learn he is running for Senate.  

We do not yet have a person in mind, a person we are excited about voting for to replace David Cohen; someone who fights FOR, not against their own districts residents, families..   A leader who values the safety of the children at Elementary Schools; a leader who cares about the safety, cleanliness, quality of life for the hard working, tax paying, law abiding citizens who contribute, 

cc: the white house. 

CHAD BIANCO: IS Our solution to retaining & recruiting quality law enforcement officers; ='s PUBLIC SAFETY

 ALL Californians, and especially us here in Santa Clara County, San Jose, California

we have all witnessed and experienced over the past decade the following:

1)  an explosion of homeless; encampments; illegally parked RV's with no, or expired registrations

and with that; gross amounts of toxic trash; blight and alarming rise in criminal activity; violent crimes.

2)  an influx of billions of dollars to solve the problem, where the money utterly disappeared while the crisis continued to grow and metastasize  -and no one is being held accountable for the lack of tracking or ultimate disappearance of billions of dollars; the 'data desert'

3)  no where do we see 'the homeless' being lifted up and healed and transitioned into society at large; but in every direction we can see  'the homeless' (mentally ill, drug addicted, assaultive) being allowed to colonize and destroy otherwise and once thriving neighborhoods, shopping plazas, schools, parks, etc.

over and over we witness and experience the utter destruction of the safety, beauty, cleanliness, health and over all quality of life for people living, working and/or shopping near homeless shelters of various kinds.

the current 'solution' is not lifting them up; it is allowing them to pull everyone else down.

Yes..   a record number of people are leaving California.   The people leaving:   Hard-working, Tax-paying, Law-abiding Contributors   -Many who contributed for the good to Santa Clara County, to San Jose, who raised their children here, who contributed positively to the over all economy and diverse energetic culture   -they are being 'chased out' really; forced out..

while we continue to place a welcome mat out for people near and from very far who have mental illness, drug addictions, criminal track records..   some combination of all three..   

and if we continue to take that 'to scale'    -we are not far away from some third world looking surroundings.

PUBLIC SAFETY should be #1..    The safety of people living, working, shopping, going to and from schools, parks, libraries; hiking, biking..      

We also currently have a significant staffing issue with our law enforcement officers, peace officers,  who are first responders in ensuring public safety is #1.     

The best way we can turn this around, and successfully retain and recruit law enforcement and peace officers is first...    let them actually ENFORCE some laws..     

we can successfully retain and recruit by supporting our law enforcement officers

WHO BETTER EQUIPED & QUALIFIED TO ACCCOMPLISH THAT CRUCIAL GOAL THAN

CHAD BIANCO?    35 years in law enforcement; direct life, career experience with criminals and victims

When he becomes our governor, California's 'Sheriff' Governor,  -his position in leadership AUTOMATICALLY, by default, raises the status and empowers law enforcement officers at all levels.

    i'm hearing the anatomy song in my mind write now..   hip bone is connected to the thigh bone..

the governor is connected to our police force..

police force is connected to our  safety...

safety is connected to our freedom..

freedom is connected to our health and happiness..

From where i sit, and what I've witnessed, with a husband who also served in law enforcement, in the jails, for 27+ years..

when i add on:  the high school kids who had to have their own uprising because of the RV encampments/homeless colonizing their school; stealing, threatening, assaulting, trespassing..

add on:  the stores weve seen close due to homeless..    and no loitering laws enforced..

add on:  the 15 year old boy violently assaulted by a homeless person in front of peter's bakery..

add on:   the recent 15 year old girl kidnapped, sexually assaulted by the criminal with priors; assessed as high risk for re-offending; living in 'transitional' housing..

add on:  my husband's sister's murder; by her son who was on 'probation'

add on:  my direct experience sitting in on santa clara county superior courts 'criminal cattle call' sentencing day, and hearing how soft on crime/criminals and very hard on innocent victims/their families our lack of justice system has become..

   add on:  how our neighborhood, our districts council member representative, was (personally) IN FAVOR OF TINY HOMES going across the street from Noble Elementary School, on a park, water facility..     and voted no..  for image; but let all of us citizens do tons and hours and hours and hours of work to fight that battle; that should have never even been a battle..    how he has done ZERO to represent us; has, and continues to ignore years worth of complaints about our local safeway going to Sh*&!      

and in fact, cohen is making sure our newest, nicest Safeway goes down the toilet too, by forcing in the 'largest' safe (for who) RV parking site less than 1/2 mile away...

destroying the safety and quality of life for everyone living, working, shopping within a 3 mile radius and calls it a success.   Disgusting.  

there is more..   but, 

and so I am most grateful to have Chad Bianco even running for governor..   As mentioned, I've watched him in many different interviews; on many different platforms..    our values match.

hallelujah & amen. 

tiny home 'program' resident in San Jose kidnaps, assaults 15 year old girl on way to school -sandra mickanen reporting

THIS TRAUMATIC KIDNAPPING, SEXUAL ASSAULT WAS 100% PREVENTABLE.

 

 -and adds on to our advocacy for Dignity Acres Emergency Campground

Why are putting tiny homes & 'safe' [joke] RV parking sites in residential neighborhoods.

DO NOT CALL THESE A SUCCESS.   Not only do they result in higher crime rates and preventable traumas, violence

This quote by a resident living nearby speaks volumes about the effect on surrounding 

families:   We have seven cameras on our home. An alarm system. Doors are locked. Security Dogs.

IS THIS HOW WE WANT SAN JOSE/SANTA CLARA COUNTY RESIDENTS LIVING?

Our HTLC Community:  Hard-working, Tax-paying, Law-abiding, Contributors

 

TRUE COST of largest 'safe' parking site on Berryessa in San Jose, CA

 

We can't watch you destroy the quality of life for everyone working and living within a 3 mile radius of your 'safe' parking site and call it a success.  Dignity Acres Emergency Campground solves this ongoing problem. 

****

We are used to David Cohen unjustifiably claiming success with the opening of the 'safe' parking site on Berryessa.  To call it a success is a lie.  To bring leaders from other cities and use it as a template for what they should do is disgusting to us; and everyone working, shopping and living nearby

 

David Cohen is not factoring in, or regarding in any way, THE COST  -not just financially, but the cost to all the business owners, managers, employees, customers and families living nearby.  Not mentioning how the opening of this 'safe' parking site has destroyed the safety, cleanliness and healthy culture of the area.   -Our newest, cleanest, nicest Safeway is now surrounded by homeless, drug use, garbage   -unsafe.

 

We recently drove by and witnessed a dangerous fire.  Not an isolated event.

 

We also recently learned, that we know one of the people currently living in an RV at this Berryessa parking site.  That is, one of the people living there is a relative of a family friend.  So we directly know that this individual has destroyed any opportunity to be taken in by family who live in California due to addictions, untrustworthy track record, and  -this person is not from San Jose.

 

This confirmed what we already knew:  the population is not people who are temporarily experiencing financial hardship, and just need help finding a job  -these are people with serious addictions and criminal track records  AND!  San Jose, tax payers, are paying to host people with serious addictions, criminal track records who are not even from this area.  We are inviting, welcoming and paying for addicts and criminals from entirely different counties and states.

 

So,  -while we can predict David Cohen will not factor in the TRUE COST of the 'safe' parking site

 

We were especially disappointed to read in Mayor Matt Mahans recent email, about 'the largest safe parking site'    -To read, that he too, is regarding it as a 'bragging' point.

 

It sickens us to read this  -and to drive by and see dangerous fires; to drive by and see how the site itself is attracting even more homeless to the area; to see the beauty, cleanliness of our newest, nicest Safeway destroyed, to learn we are paying crazy amounts of tax payer dollars for acres and acres of land to give to addicts and criminals..     while letting all the local neighbors, families, businesses, restaurants suffering, and the price they are paying,  -go entirely ignored. 

 

It is why we continue to advocate for Dignity Acres Emergency Campground; because we need to relocate these 'safe' sites to the outskirts, so that everyday good, hard working, tax paying, contributing citizens aren't forced to pay the very high price for the poor decisions of addicts, criminals, or the high price for these very short sighted, selfish decisions made by council members. 

 

Do not claim this 'largest safe parking site' as a success story.  That is insulting and blatantly false.

 

  * Dignity Acres Emergency Campground

  *  Chad Bianco for Governor of California

cc:  The White House

 

SAYING IT LIKE IT REALLY IS .. in 60 seconds "GO!"

i have listened twice now to each (new) person's 60 seconds of truth..    [we've been hearing from non-profits, advocates for the homeless for years]; 

public safety is being utterly ignored, while homeless criminals are supported, enabled & empowered.

what law abiding, tax paying, hard working people of San Jose are being forced to put up with is CRIMINAL. just LISTEN to the testimonies regarding this truth begin at 3:21 on the youtube video of THIS MEETING.

my collage here is not of everyone who spoke at open mic. it is, on purpose, a collage of the people who shared their true horror stories of what is taking place because crimes by homeless people are allowed; ignored; excused. frustrating to me, that our government system gives people 60 seconds to encapsulate what they've been dealing with for years. But WOW to how well people condensed, highlighted and bullet pointed their experiences. VERY POWERFUL 60 SECOND SPEECHES!! all of them..

everyone here supports Mayor Matt Mahan's 'responsibility to shelter' initiative; for excellent reasons.

****

when time allows, i will post the various testimonies. it is one thing to be told, another to listen.. and another to read.

in progress..

My names is Elva Wilson.  I came here from Mexico with my family working the fields as a migrant worker, enduring the dangers of crop dusters dropping pesticides over our heads. 

As a woman and as a person of color, I have  experienced poverty.  I have experienced oppression.

My heart sinks when I see a drug addicted or mentally ill brown person living outdoors in squalor. 

A vote against Responsibility to Shelter is an oppressive act against a vulnerable people. 

This Council has the power to stop this oppression.  Help people, who can’t help themselves.  Please support the Mayor’s proposal.  

And please support the Mayor’s Pay for Progress/Performance proposal.  It would hold elected officials more accountable to residents.  There should be no hesitation from the Council to accept this.  Council should not be determining their own merit-based compensation utilizing public funds.  

This proposal would only bring the matter before voters to decide.  As Councilwoman Campos just stated, voters should always be the ultimate deciders.  

*

I am a witness

I have witnessed this pattern over and over:

You have a thriving business

Homeless park themselves in front of the business

Paying customers stop going  -the homeless remain.

The business loses customers, revenue, employees; and is forced to close.

The once thriving business is boarded up and covered in graffiti.

It is criminal to allow that to happen.

I am a witness

I have witnessed this pattern over and over:

You have a beautiful green belt, a lovely park, a dedicated walking/biking trail

enjoyed and respected by countless families.

Homeless set up camp and colonize. Destroy the health & beauty with toxic trash.

Countless Families avoid and then stop visiting the area. Never bring visitors.

These areas are literally being stolen from people who once enjoyed them

It is criminal to allow that to happen.

I stand 100% behind Mayor, Matt Mahan in his efforts to keep San Jose businesses open, and return our beautiful outdoor areas to safe and clean places people can enjoy again.

Sandra Mickanen

*

My sister’s son, who is mentally ill, drug addicted, and violent, has been in and out of jail for years for assaulting her. Each time he was released with no consequences, and no mandatory treatment. His assaultive attacks on her grew more violent each time. Six years ago, he murdered my sister. My sister and my family are the victims, not him.

Many of the homeless are mentally ill, drug addicted, and violent. They are committing multiple crimes in our city. They are not the victims, we are. They need to be held accountable for their crimes. Homelessness is not a free pass to commit crimes.

I worked as a Santa Clara County Correctional Deputy for 27 years. Many of the inmates are homeless, mentally ill, drug addicted, and violent. When they get released, they go back to living on the streets with no treatment. The city and county need to place these criminals in lockdown treatment facilities.

Robert Mickanen, Berryessa San Jose

*

 -Tom Wilson..

The squalor in encampments is an extreme health risk to all. Perhaps worse, is the danger brought about by mental illness, drugs, weapons, crime and violence.

We must do better, yet, many Council members are content funding the non-profits, who have failed for decades to bring homeless people indoors.

To perpetuate their funding, the non-profits have stacked this podium today with shills spouting misinformation so they can continue riding the gravy trains of government contracts.

I support the Mayor’s “Responsibility to Shelter” proposal.

No one should be living and dying on the streets in San Jose. While we’re building needed shelter, we must act immediately to move the drug addicted and mentally ill into treatment.

Too many people are refusing shelter and treatment, even when offered private units with bathrooms, kitchens, and services.

By continuing with the current failed policies—people suffer, but, with new innovative solutions, we can save lives.

I urge the Council to support the Mayor’s proposal. 

OPEN LETTER TO NYT REPORTER: WE SUPPORT San Jose, CA MAYOR, MATT MAHAN

 Hello Soumya, I've read, a few times, your 'San Jose Considers Arresting Homeless...' article; and have read your NYT bio, 

My husband and i have been very active regarding the issue of homelessness in our neighborhood and city

I will provide links at the end of this should you be interested to read more, but to keep this short in respect of your time, -request the following consideration:

We have been hearing, and re-reading, and as was covered in your article, the root cause of homelessness as an 'economic' issue; directly correlating with 'cost of living.' 

And the picture painted with your words:  tesla drivers, leather seats, charging their cars/cell phones, while directly across the street, charity groups handing out peanut butter sandwiches to homeless campers..

Actually,  -it is an easy picture to capture; contrast directly across the street. 

There is a more, equally real, equally worthy, but more difficult picture to capture, which, instead of juxtaposing tesla owners with homeless tent dwellers

juxtaposes homeless tent dwellers with: 

 the enormous amount of people who  -exactly because the cost of living is so high-  moved out of the area, to other places within california, to other states; to other countries.   These people responded to the high cost of living by MOVING out of the area; FINDING NEW EMPLOYMENT..   FINDING new places to work, contribute, raise their children.   There is a LARGE population of people who did not  -have not-  will not, respond to the current 'economic' circumstances by staying put, living on the streets, begging, panhandling, loitering, taking/selling drugs, colonizing store fronts, parks, creekways, accumulating toxic waste.

We would love to see this juxtaposition covered:  tent dwellers /  the hard working who relocated.   We have both friends and family members who have left the bay area; moved to Montana, moved to Idaho, moved to New Mexico, moved to Texas, moved to Washington; they would all rather be here

We have watched, what we call the HTLC Community [hard working, tax paying, law abiding, contributors] -leave

while we watch the homeless populations grow; colonize creekways with pollution, colonize shopping plazas closing stores (where people were working); one by one until entire shopping areas are boarded up, closed and covered in graffiti.

We stand with our Mayor, Matt Mahan, who seems to be working tirelessly on this issue.  We want to save our shopping plazas; support our local business owners; restore San Jose to its former glory

We want to bring people up; not ALL be brought further down.. which is the current trend, when homeless colonize and close once thriving areas. 

Thank You for reading and caring.

Additional reading if time/interest allow:

24 Powerful Testimonies

NOTonNOBLE.blogspot.com   [a long, hard fought victory to not have 100 bed homeless site built on our local park across from an elementary school]. 

Blessings,  Robert & Sandra Mickanen,  San Jose, CA

WriteousMom.com@gmail.com

 

No more WAITING 4 OR MORE HOURS to speak for 60 seconds AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

 "Thank You Natalie!"  

link:  sign this petition.  

Not knowing when, or whether, or how long the wait will be to speak during open mic at city council meetings is BLATANTLY DISRESPECTFUL and wrong.  It should be formally, legally, changed to recognize, respect and honor the people who volunteer their precious, valuable time and energy to participate in our democratic, free speech, process. 

our current system is of the council, by the council, for the council. 

we need to return to,  -of the people, by the people, for the people!

*************

it was during our very hard; very long; very time and life consuming 

NOTonNOBLE 

protest we experienced the following:

open mics at city council meetings were:

1.  on what days? at what times?   it was difficult to even access basic information

2.  open mics were sometimes suddenly canceled 

3.  open mic times were arbitrarily changed

4.  open mic times went from 2 minutes, to 1 minute even when there were only 12 people..

but the MOST GRIEVOUS practice 

is that the city council members could  (and did) talk for as long as they wanted; with enormous amounts of repetitiveness, intentionally droning on and on,  

causing anyone who showed up for open mic to wait

and wait...   and wait....   and wait...   FOR HOURS!  -The majority of these people already working full time, taking care of children, parents, commuting long hours, having to skip dinner and hire child care to even show up.  Already going way out of their way to arrive; to attend, TO SHARE 60 seconds of something very important to them, which they took the time to write in advance.

We suggest the following in rough draft form:

An easily accessible and very clear communication regarding set days and times for open mics.

That open mics be made available every city council meeting.

That there be alternating times;  day time availability; evening availability

i.e., Tues 7pm, open mic,  [first come, first serve/listen; a maximum time of 1 hour]

       Weds, noon, open mic...

*****

i further share, from our experience, having witnessed and sat through numerous city council meetings; that the length of your current meetings are very much self-inflicted.

if you had time limits, per council member, 

the same way open mics are restricted to 60 seconds, and force the speaker to edit accordingly

if you gave yourselves time limits per subject, this would also force you to pre-consider; force you to prioritize and organize your thoughts before you speak, 

which would save enormous amounts of time that is currently wasted

and help you to demonstrate the efficiency you desire from others. 

*** 

selah! & amen

from open mics @ San Jose City Council Budget Mtg 02/11/2025 by Robert & Sandra Mickanen, Tom Wilson

ROBERT MICKANEN’S 2 minute open mic @ san jose city council budget meeting 2/11/2025

youtube link here: @ 4:29:48   

  (which he waited nearly 4 hours in council chambers to share)

The term homeless is too one-sided and misleading. The homeless we see on the streets are not in their situation because of financial difficulty.  The people who end up homeless are the ones who destroy their relationships by their own actions. The actions that force friends, family, and apartment managers to have these dysfunctional people removed from their residence are as follows:

physical violent assaults,

intimidation,

 fear,

 threats,

stealing,

destroying the property,

drug addiction,

verbal assault,

conducting criminal activity,

 not respecting others,

not obeying the home rules,

 filth,

and refusing to be productive and get a job.

Just draining their friends and family financially and mentally. After many chances, there comes a point when their friends and family can’t take the abuse from them anymore and they must leave.

I worked as a Correctional Deputy for Santa Clara County for 27 years and spent a large portion of my time working the maximum-security jail units.  Many of the inmates housed in these units were homeless, violent, mentally ill, or drug addicted individuals. They were placed in single cells because they were a danger to others.  While they were in jail they were provided treatment.  When they got released, they went back to living on the streets with no treatment. 

These individuals need to be given a bed at a treatment facility, allowing them to get help, and by doing so, helps keep the public safe.  By not receiving treatment in a facility, these individuals not only get worse, but they also continue to commit crimes.  They are rearrested repeatedly.  Going in and out of jail. This is putting an unnecessary burden on our Law Enforcement.

My sister was murdered by her son, who was violent, mentally ill, and drug addicted.  He was for years in and out of jail for assaultive crimes.  Each time after being released, he did not receive treatment for his behavior.  His assaultive behavior grew exceedingly more violent each time, resulting in the murder of my sister.

*****

SANDRA MICKANEN’S 2 minute open mic @ san jose city council budget meeting 2/11/2025

  (which i waited nearly 4 hours in council chambers to share)

 

******

TOM WILSON'S 2 minute open mic @ san jose city council budget meeting 2/11/2025

  (which he waited nearly 4 hours in council chambers to share)

Our City’s budget deficit is alarming, but not surprising. The City Council has poured millions into non-profits to counter homelessness, but the spending is merely funding failure. Guided by homeless advocates, non-profits have enabled the unhoused to camp in squalor in our city, while providing little or no help to those in need of mental health and drug addiction treatment.

Surrounding, cities have had similar outcomes with their non-profits and advocates, and are now trying new, tough-love strategies, like strictly prohibiting camping in public. Unfortunately, the individuals displaced by other cities will go to where public camping is tolerated, like here in San Jose. To counter this, you must adopt similar policies to our neighbors. We cannot afford to house the entire Bay Area homeless population!

For our existing six thousand unhoused individuals, we must build temporary, emergency, congregate shelter like Dignity Acres, until permanent solutions are found.

Here is my 3-part plan for reducing the homeless population in our City:

Number one: Redefine San Jose’s “sanctuary city” policy. Since we have no sanctuary, or shelter to offer, we should not attract more unhoused people here with an offer of sanctuary.

Number two: Rather than investing in temporary, high cost, low density, tiny homes, we must partner with the County to build mental health and drug rehabilitation facilities. Until these are built and staffed, tent-cities like “Dignity Acres” must be implemented on an emergency basis. 

Number three: Hire more police dedicated to enforcing laws to: 

A. prohibit public camping and littering

B. to prohibit unregistered vehicles from parking on city streets, and…

C. to enforce a strict “no-return” policy for cleared encampments.

No to sabotage; YES to Dignity Acres Emergency Campground

 good morning beautiful. -we are opposed to having 80 RV's less than 1/2 mile from our new safeway & apartment complexes. -remember the memo about the high-school kids and how they had to have their own uprising because of the crime..   that was just a handful of RV's..   placing 80!?! that feels like sabotage to the businesses, grocery stores, families living nearby.   we vote to have them in the outskirts. and continue to advocate for Dignity Acres Emergency Campground.  and of GREAT CONCERN  -what we see at monterey & bernal: the tiny homes did not result in the absence or removal of an encampment JUST AN ADDITION, so now they co-exist as neighbors.  track record dictates that GOD FORBID, 80 sites get developed  -this will only ADD to.. we'll STILL have the issue on Berryessa.      We are actually grateful to learn this is not progressing...   

blessings!  Sandra & Robert

STILL MORE! REASONS for DIGNITY ACRES EMERGENCY CAMPGROUND

 

More reasons we need DIGNITY ACRES EMERGENCY CAMPGROUND

   -if this 80+ 'safe' RV site is created

we wonder these things:   when additional RV's show up to park along Berryessa or anywhere in the neighborhoods; but the site is full..  what then?

more than that, we wonder:  if the new safeway (and/or any local businesses in that plaza) need to start hiring more security; if the new safeway (and neighbor stores/businesses) need to start locking up their products; if paying customers stop feeling comfortable..  and start shopping at grocery stores further away...      

  -what criteria are you using to call your plan a success?   -that it gets built?  

or will you be paying attention to the RESULTS? 

this is preventable.    -that is what we believe; it seems like you are sabotaging one of our newer, nicer, cleaner grocery stores & shopping plazas

We continue to advocate for Dignity Acres Emergency Campground as the solution; and a win/win.