seniors

Staying in the Community You Built

Gordon wants District 9 seniors to stay in the homes and neighborhoods they built by connecting them to property tax relief, fast-tracking accessibility and ADU permits, fixing sidewalks and crosswalks for older pedestrians, and protecting Camden Community Center's meal and legal programs. He supports smart growth –  building new housing, including senior housing, along transit corridors, while protecting the character of established neighborhoods. As an 11-year City of San José building and public works employee, he knows exactly which department owns which problem and how to get it fixed.

Listening First: Your Safety Concerns Drive This Campaign

District 9 is full of people who bought a house on one income in the 1970s, raised their kids here, and are now doing arithmetic every month to see if they can stay. Some of them are my neighbors. Some of them are the reason I knocked on 2,000 doors before I ever asked anyone for a vote.

Here is what I hear at those doors, over and over. The property tax bill went up again. The sidewalk in front of the house is a trip hazard, and nobody will tell me who fixes it. I stopped driving at night. My daughter wants me closer to her, but the city will not let her build the unit in the back. Someone called about my Medicare, and I almost gave them my number.

None of those are big abstract policy problems. They are city problems, and most of them have city answers. That is the difference between caring about seniors and doing something about it.

Take the District 9 Safety Survey

Gordon wants to hear from you directly. Take our quick safety survey; it takes less than 2 minutes and helps Gordon understand exactly where the community needs support most. Your input directly shapes his public safety agenda. Take the Survey Now!

Partnering With Organizations That Know Our Community

Gordon knows that keeping our community safe requires more than elected officials; it requires a network of trusted organizations already doing the work. That's why Gordon will create deep working partnerships with nonprofits and community organizations focused on safety in our district.

Gordon is actively reaching out to nonprofit partners to expand this network. If your organization is working on safety in District 9, Gordon wants to hear from you.

Beyond nonprofits, Gordon is personally committed to working alongside our first responders. He will initiate direct lines of communication with San Jose Fire and SJPD leadership and will hold regular collaborative meetings to ensure District 9 gets the responsive, community-oriented support it deserves. Gordon believes in a strong, accountable partnership between residents and law enforcement built on mutual respect and shared goals.

Tracking the Data: Where Are the Hotspots?

Gordon is actively tracking crime trends and hotspots in District 9 because you can't solve a problem you aren't measuring.

Using publicly available safety data and crime mapping tools, combined with resident reports gathered through door-to-door canvassing and the District 9 Safety Survey, Gordon and his team are building a real-time picture of where safety concerns are concentrated.

Gordon will publish quarterly safety updates that track progress on these specific issues, holding himself and city agencies accountable with real numbers, not political promises. The data will be shared transparently with residents through every available channel.

Keeping You Informed: District 9 Safety Updates

A safe community is an informed community. Gordon is committed to making sure residents always know what's happening in their neighborhood and what's being done about it. Gordon will use his social media presence to keep the community informed. He will meet you where you are and not wait to hear from you.

Leading from the Front: Neighborhood Watch & SJPD Partnerships

Gordon will be an active, hands-on partner to every Neighborhood Watch program in District 9. Not just a name on a flyer but a leader who shows up, organizes, and follows through.

Gordon’s plan includes:

• Regular meetings with Neighborhood Watch coordinators across the district to share information, resources, and strategies. And Safety Workshops co-hosted with Neighborhood Watch programs, the San Jose Parks and Recreation Department, San Jose Fire, and the San Jose Police Department, covering topics such as senior citizen safety at home, public transportation, fire safety, crime reporting best practices, personal safety awareness, and how to effectively use all community resources.

• A Youth Safety Education Initiative bringing crime prevention education into schools and community centers in partnership with San Jose Fire, the Office of the Independent Police Auditor, and SJPD's Community Affairs Unit

• Gordon's core belief is simple: Crime prevention happens through education and collaboration. When neighbors are informed, connected, and supported by strong civic leadership, communities become harder targets for crime and stronger support systems for everyone who lives there.

Gordon's Safety Pledge to District 9

"I will not govern from a distance on public safety. I will be present at the forums, at the doors, at the workshops, and at the table with first responders and community organizations. District 9 deserves a councilmember who treats safety not as a campaign issue, but as a daily responsibility. That is exactly what I will do."

- Gordon Chester, Candidate, San Jose City Council District 9