Broken Street Lights, Debris Spark Safety Concerns in East San Jose Neighborhood

Broken street lights and debris that has been sitting out for months in a neighborhood in East San Jose are sparking safety concerns from residents, who are demanding the city take action.

The concerns also include a call to revitalize the entire Alum Rock Avenue, which residents said has too many massage parlors, trash and graffiti.

"My concern is graffiti and the trash along the whole corridor of Alum Rock Avenue," resident Jamie Arreola said. "That's where I shop and I make friends with store owners and tell them, 'Can I buy the paint? How can we clean this up?' And their response is the owner has to OK it."

Arreola wants to help form a business association to restore Alum Rock Avenue.

Nearby in Kentucky Place, broken street light have neighbors on edge. Resident Maria Martinez said it's too risky at night to walk in the area and that neighbors are forced to lock their doors early before it gets dark.

The chief of staff for new Councilwoman Magdalena Carrasco visited the neighborhood on Wednesday to assess the problem.

Carrasco in a phone interview said the problems in the area are unacceptable and should never happen in any part of San Jose. The councilwoman vowed to have the problem fixed within 48 hours.

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