With a goal of strengthening connections among the 19 Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Neighborhood Action Coalitions, SNI leaders gathered on Monday, June 28, to form a new group to focus on common issues and challenges.
CNAC – Coalition of Neighborhood Action Coalitions – is made up of NAC members to represent each of the 19 SNI Areas. The organizing meeting was at the San Jose Athletic Club, 196 N. 3rd Street at St. James.
Proposed by NAC members Pete Kolstad, Market-Almaden, and Sandra Soellner, University, CNAC members are charged with bringing forward issues and priorities of the neighborhood associations and the NAC, represent neighborhoods’ and NAC’s needs, identify neighborhoods that need the most help and offer neighborhood and NAC skill sets to the broader community.
CNAC’s mission is to provide neighborhood insights, knowledge and resources to support the advancement of SNI’s four core goals. The CNAC will form committees that will work parallel with SNI staff on the goals that are set out in a new business plan:
- Stabilize neighborhoods in crisis
- Remove barriers to neighborhood action
- Connect resources to priorities
- Support neighborhood action.
At the June 28 meeting, CNAC seated coalition members, elected officers and formed committees. Also on the agenda, was an update of the SNI Business Plan, staffing and funding, and a presentation of a new approach to working with negligent landlords by the San Jose City Attorney’s office.
The next CNAC meeting will be in September.