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Many residents in San Jose’s low-income communities don’t have access to fresh produce or can’t afford it, which is one reason they experience higher rates of nutrition-related diseases than residents of more affluent areas. Some city policies make it difficult to bring new community gardens, farmers’ markets and mobile produce vendors into low-income communities. The Campaign for Healthy Food San Jose was a year-long coalition started in September 2011. They had many big dreams for the city, like getting healthier foods into the neighborhoods that don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. In the end, the City of San Jose adopted a new Specific Use Regulation for the permit process of Certified Farmers’ Markets (CFMs) located on private property. The Regulation states that land use permits are no longer required for CFMs with 15 or fewer vendors, and all CFMs are required to establish a means by which food assistance benefits (such as CalFresh and WIC) can be redeemed as a form of customer payment. The new ordinance enables faster, less expensive approval for CFMs while ensuring public safety. It also expands fresh produce access to food assistance beneficiaries and low-income residents.
By The Numbers
1
Supermarket
for every Latino neighborhood, compared to 3 for every non-Latino neighborhood
