Santa Clara County Grand Jury • 2025-2026

A Canopy in Decline: Is San José serious about expanding its tree coverage?

Published: May 19, 2026 34 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 6 findings

F1
The CFMP requires significant coordination across stakeholders, but the City has not designated a single agency or employee to own the implementation and coordination, which has resulted in confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of accountability.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The City should designate one department or official as accountable for implementing the recommendations in the CFMP. This should include setting priorities, coordinating efforts among stakeholders, and providing regular status reports. This recommendation should be implemented
F2
The Community Forest Advisory Committee lacks direction and accountability, and has not been meeting regularly as required to set direction and priorities.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The City should reactivate the Community Forest Advisory Committee and restore quarterly meetings led by the City department or official identified in Recommendation 1. This recommendation should be implemented
F3
The City’s plan to reach 20% canopy coverage by 2051 is likely to fail if the City continues to plant only 2,000 trees per year.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The City should develop and publish a comprehensive operational plan that outlines in detail how it plans to achieve its 20% canopy goal by 2051. This recommendation should be implemented
F4
The CFMP lacks interim benchmarks, reassessment mechanisms, and contingency planning that would enable the City to address shortfalls or changing conditions decisively rather than reactively.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4a
The City should establish clear interim targets and performance checkpoints toward its 2051 canopy goal, to include contingency strategies with defined triggers and actions to address potential underperformance. This recommendation should be implemented
R4b
The City should develop a contingency plan with defined trigger points tied to annual tree-planting levels. When planting falls below those thresholds, the plan should activate clear, actionable, and realistic measures to halt declines and restore planting levels. This recommendation should be implemented
F5
The City has explored options to reduce the burden on private-property owners for tree maintenance and sidewalk repair, including financial assistance and assuming greater responsibility for street trees, but has not completed a comprehensive evaluation to determine feasibility or inform a decision on whether to proceed.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The City should evaluate the costs, benefits, and funding options for programs that shift greater responsibility for street trees to the City, to include assisting homeowners with tree maintenance and root-related sidewalk repairs. This recommendation should be implemented
F6
While the City acknowledges its responsibility to provide education and outreach to private- property owners, there is limited evidence that San José is doing so in a proactive manner.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The City should comply with the CFMP directive to implement education and outreach programs that help residents understand the value of trees, their roles and responsibilities related to trees, and what support San José can provide for them. This recommendation should be implemented