Penitencia Creek Trail

The Authority contributed $400,000 to help the City of San Jose transform a neglected utility corridor into a recreational parkway with a meandering trail and landscaping that includes many native plants. Interpretive signage describes bio-retention swales that are part of the project and tell the story of Gary Albertson, a highway safety activist. The parkway is named in his memory.

The Authority grant funded the San Jose State University Research Foundation's project, a signature CommUniverCity program, that aims to create a self-sustaining food system for low-income communities in Central San Jose where each child has opportunities to garden at a school garden or urban farm in their neighborhood. The program increases awareness of the importance of eating healthy, fresh foods, and promotes environmental stewardship among low-income children and their families.

The Authority helped to fund Veggielution’s Eastside Explorers, an experiential, hands-on field trip program which engages hundreds of middle school students each year. Field trip activities are centered around collaborative group tasks focused on urban agriculture, nutrition, human impacts, and ecological interconnections. Veggielution's historical location in East San José encourages discovery while pushing students and teachers to develop a sense of teamwork and fostering a strong sense of place.