San Jose council to study cost of living Monday as city survey finds 59% struggle to afford housing
The Nov. 16 study session has no votes. A county family of four needs $145,539 a year for basics, a staff memo says.
The San Jose City Council will hold a study session, an informational meeting with no votes, on the cost of living Monday, Nov. 16, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, according to the agenda. A staff memo says 59% of residents in a city survey report some trouble affording housing, and 27% report great trouble.
The memo uses the Real Cost Measure, a United Ways of California estimate of the least a household needs for basics. In Santa Clara County that is $58,436 a year for one adult and $145,539 for two adults with a school-age child and a preschooler. About 25% of county households fall short.
Staff will cover housing, utilities, transportation, child care and food, then ways to raise incomes. Speakers include Camille Llanes-Fontanilla of the Sobrato Organization and David Garcia of UC Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation.
The council asked for this review in June budget talks.
Can residents speak?
Yes. The session is meant to give the council background, and no vote is scheduled, but the agenda sets aside time for public comment at the end. People may speak only about the cost-of-living topics on the agenda, because there is no Open Forum for other subjects.
It is a chance for residents to tell the council directly what housing, utilities, transportation, child care or food cost them, and what they would like the city to try. Speakers usually get one minute each, according to the agenda, and the chair may shorten that or limit the total comment time.
- In person: Fill out a speaker's card and drop it in the boxes at the bottom of the Council Chambers, at City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St., before the item is heard. You may write "anonymous speaker" instead of your name.
- By phone: Call (888) 475-4499 and enter webinar ID 982 2147 4336. Press # when asked for a participant ID, and *9 to raise your hand.
- Online: Join on Zoom, enter a name and email, and click "raise hand" when the mayor calls for comment.
- In writing: Use the eComment link on the city's Legistar calendar, or email city.clerk@sanjoseca.gov with File 26-1219 in the subject line by 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.
- To watch: Cable Channel 24, the city's meeting video page or its YouTube channel.
Source: City of San Jose staff memo, File 26-1219, Nov. 10, 2026; City Council agenda for Nov. 16, 2026 (public comment instructions, pp. 2-4).