Van on the Issues

Public Safety & Neighborhood Quality of Life

Every resident deserves to feel safe walking through their neighborhood, visiting local parks, shopping in business corridors, and sending their children to school. Van believes public safety starts with responsive government, strong community partnerships, and visible neighborhood investment.

Residents throughout District 7 continue to raise concerns regarding illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, vandalism, unsafe intersections, and inconsistent City response times. Van believes City Hall must become more responsive and accountable to neighborhood concerns.

• Increase visible neighborhood policing and improve emergency response times.
• Strengthen partnerships between neighborhoods, schools, and public safety agencies.
• Improve coordination between 311, BeautifySJ, Parking Compliance, and Code Enforcement.
• Expand cleanup efforts for illegal dumping and blight.
• Improve street lighting, traffic calming, and pedestrian safety infrastructure.
• Support violence prevention and youth intervention programs.
• Prioritize public safety investments in underserved neighborhoods.

Van believes government should not wait until residents become frustrated before taking action. City services must work for the people who pay for them.

Homelessness & Compassionate Solutions

Homelessness remains one of San José’s greatest humanitarian and quality-of-life challenges. Van believes the City must pursue practical, compassionate, and accountable solutions that help people stabilize while also protecting neighborhoods and public spaces.

As an education leader, Van has firsthand experience working with vulnerable families, including students experiencing homelessness through McKinney-Vento programs. He understands the long-term impact instability has on children and families.

• Expand permanent affordable and supportive housing.
• Increase homelessness prevention and one-time rental assistance programs.
• Expand access to mental health and addiction treatment services.
• Improve coordination between the City, County, nonprofits, and service providers.
• Support pathways toward employment and long-term stability.
• Reduce bureaucratic delays that slow housing construction.
• Ensure temporary housing solutions lead toward permanent outcomes.

Van believes homelessness cannot simply be moved from one neighborhood to another. The City must focus on prevention, housing production, treatment, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

Affordable Housing & Cost of Living

Families across District 7 are struggling with rising housing costs, inflation, and economic uncertainty. Many longtime residents worry their children will no longer be able to afford living in San José.

Van believes San José must focus on protecting working families while responsibly planning for future growth.

• Increase affordable and workforce housing opportunities.
• Support first-time homebuyer assistance programs.
• Reduce unnecessary permitting delays and bureaucracy.
• Protect neighborhood character while allowing smart growth.
• Expand housing stability programs for seniors and fixed-income residents.
• Encourage mixed-income housing development near transit corridors.
• Hold developers accountable to community commitments.

Van supports balanced development that benefits existing residents, not just outside interests.

Economic Opportunity & Small Businesses

Van has owned and operated a successful small business for more than 25 years. He understands the challenges local businesses face, including rising costs, complicated permitting, public safety concerns, and economic uncertainty.

District 7’s small businesses are essential to preserving neighborhood identity, creating jobs, and supporting local families.

• Reduce unnecessary barriers and delays for small businesses.
• Improve City permitting assistance and responsiveness.
• Support immigrant-owned and family-owned businesses.
• Revitalize neighborhood commercial corridors.
• Improve public safety near shopping areas and business districts.
• Expand workforce development and career training opportunities.
• Strengthen partnerships between schools, employers, and community colleges.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Van helped businesses navigate relief programs and resources to keep their doors open. He believes City Hall should be a partner, not an obstacle, to local businesses.

Education & Youth Investment

Education has been central to Van’s life and public service. As a 16-year Trustee and current Board President of the East Side Union High School District, Van has worked to improve graduation rates, expand student programs, and strengthen opportunities for vulnerable students.

• Support strong partnerships between the City and local school districts.
• Expand after-school and youth enrichment programs.
• Improve youth mental health and wellness services.
• Support career technical education and workforce pathways.
• Invest in safe routes to school and neighborhood infrastructure.
• Support English Language Learners and immigrant families.
• Create opportunities for youth leadership and civic engagement.

Van helped advocate for Vietnamese language programs, increased support for immigrant students, and stronger services for students experiencing homelessness. He believes investing in young people strengthens the future of San José.

Vietnamese American Community & Cultural Preservation

District 7 is home to one of the nation’s largest Vietnamese American communities. Van arrived in the United States by boat with his family in 1975 and understands firsthand the sacrifices refugee and immigrant families made to build a better future.

For decades, Van has worked to preserve and elevate Vietnamese culture, history, and community representation throughout San José.

• Continue investment in the Vietnamese Heritage Garden.
• Support the growth and long-term success of the Viet Museum.
• Preserve Little Saigon as a cultural and economic center.
• Ensure meaningful language access for Vietnamese residents.
• Support cultural celebrations and community organizations.
• Promote refugee and immigrant history education.
• Support policies that strengthen immigrant and refugee families.

Van helped lead efforts supporting Vietnamese freeway signage, Vietnamese educational programs, and recognition of the Yellow Flag with Three Red Stripes. He founded and organized the Children’s Moon Festival beginning in 1992 and continues to advocate for preserving the community’s history and voice.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Residents deserve safe roads, reliable infrastructure, clean parks, and transportation systems that improve quality of life.

• Repair roads and sidewalks throughout District 7.
• Improve pedestrian and bicycle safety infrastructure.
• Expand traffic calming near schools and neighborhoods.
• Improve public transit accessibility and reliability.
• Increase investment in parks and recreational facilities.
• Expand neighborhood tree canopy and beautification projects.
• Prioritize infrastructure investments in historically underserved communities.

Van believes infrastructure investments should focus on the daily needs of residents and neighborhoods, not just large development projects.

Fiscal Responsibility & Government Accountability

Residents deserve a City government that is transparent, responsive, and fiscally responsible. Van has extensive experience overseeing public budgets, balancing priorities, and making difficult decisions as a school board leader.

• Promote transparency in City decision-making.
• Improve responsiveness from City departments.
• Reduce waste and improve operational efficiency.
• Ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.
• Increase community engagement before major decisions are made.
• Use data-driven approaches to measure results and outcomes.
• Strengthen trust between residents and City Hall.

Van believes public office is about service, accountability, and delivering real results for the community.