Quality of Life?!

On November 23, 2020, I received an email from the office of San Jose District 3 City Councilperson Raul Peralez.

D3 and SJPD Quality of Life Meeting

**YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS EMAIL BECAUSE YOU ARE ON THE DISTRICT 3 DOWNTOWN CORE, GARDNER, GOODYEAR MASTIC, OR TAMIEN EMAILING LIST**

You are invited to participate in a quality of life meeting hosted by Councilmember Raul Peralez and the San Jose Police Department.

The meeting will include information regarding:

• City resources & responses
• Crime trends in Central Division
• SJPD Air 3 information
• Homeless encampment general information and current service allocations
• Blight accumulation response and removal services

Meeting Information

Date: December 7th, 2020

Time: 6:00–8:00pm

Platform: Zoom

Please see flyer attracted on this e-mail

Register in advance for this webinar …

My reaction email

Dear Assistant and Raul Peralez:

I am struggling with this event’s concept under the principle of quality of life. I have a larger number of other issues that I equate to quality of life and police influence is not one of them. Sadly, the ongoing mistreatment of “othered” populations is not necessarily a determiner of quality of life.

“Quality of life is the general well-being of individuals and societies, outlining negative and positive features of life. It consists of the expectations of an individual or society for a good life. These expectations are guided by the values, goals and socio-cultural context in which an individual lives.”

Police will rarely factor in to my quality of life and, in fact, they detract from it. The helicopter usually signals surveillance and more violations of the quality of life of many.

Trash and blight are easily remedied and not by paying the unhoused $4 per bag with a limit of $20 per day. San Francisco and Oakland at least with the Street Sheet were funding an unhoused ability to have a room for the night based on donations received while sharing a newspaper that had stories to break down the attitudes and biases that people in our capitalistic society have ingrained.

I would much rather see an event about meeting the human needs and not policing them. Especially considering that those who have are mostly dealing okay with the limitations of COVID-19 while those without are struggling more and more. When will that event be scheduled?

Regards,

Michele Mashburn

D3 Resident

I will give Peralez’ assistant credit. Their response came the next day:

Dear Michele,

Thank you for your message. SJPD reached out to our office to facilitate this meeting to address concerns and questions we have both frequently received from residents since March. The meeting will be informational. I understand that term “quality of life” is used widely and can be interpreted differently based on context. For the purpose of this meeting “quality of life” is simply used as an umbrella term for the concerns that will be discussed.

Could you elaborate more on the meeting about human needs that you have suggested? What would be discussed? Who would be appropriate to speak? Once I hear back from you, I will share the suggestion with our team to see if it is something out office can help facilitate or if a different community group may be better suited to facilitate something like this.

Best,

Assistant

Thanks for the reply Assistant. There isn’t an easy fix.

Reality is that even with the various programs going, people still have unmet needs that may or may not be addressed by the current programs. I continue to experience many of these issues including a readily accessible testing center close to downtown that I can use as a disabled person who does not own my own vehicle. Roots was my planned go to location if I ever become symptomatic but thanks to the holiday, they are closed this week. Even at that 1 place 1 day of the week is very restrictive. And as I live in a senior building, the risks of COVID could be devastating for many.

Food bank services, meal delivery services programs for seniors, accessing stores and shopping, flu shots, and more are all filled with hoops and loops that actually disqualify people if they are already receiving services no matter the amount and/or contain high risks for those most at risk. Services for the unhoused are being filled by grassroots mutual aid programs and the tensions are high due to the ongoing unmet needs by those most marginalized and impacted. As evidenced by the stabbing incident at Grace Church.

Lower income households bear a much greater burden than households at the median income levels.

Evictions are starting with landlords putting pressure on residents who are already struggling with the ongoing need to survive. Unemployment benefits are set to expire or have already expired. Essential workers are having to work harder during enormously risky times. Deaths continue to climb.

Sadly, I know people would not attend an event on quality of life as they are too busy struggling to survive. Also, when you’re office framed things sound policing as quality of life when the George Floyd rallies are not too distant to remember the reality that police do more to endanger BIPOC communities than to ensure their safety. Can you seriously say this meeting is the best framing around PR by the police in this time we currently are operating?

I understand this event is an opportunity to appease your more police-endorsing groups like the residents in the high rises in downtown. It is an event that will continue the ongoing othering of the many marginalized communities in our district. That vocal minority who want to see more police to protect their property will be appeased and maybe support Raul in the next election.

I highly encourage your office to attend the next Access and Functional Needs (AFN) meeting in December. If you need an invite, please reach out to SVILC. It also may be a good idea to review this guide from a group that has been hosting calls on a daily basis since the start of COVID-19.

That said, this is about all communities and not solely disabled and seniors. Parents with kids are feeling the brunt of burden also and for some the reopening of schools ads more complexities than reducing it.

Thanks,

Michele