Berryessa Flea Market Vendor Engagement

English - Español* - Tiếng Việt*

The Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA) is working to inform, engage, and support vendors at the Berryessa Flea Market as the site transitions from the market to a transit-oriented development. We are implementing a variety of requirements and directions to staff included in the San José Flea Market Southside Rezoning project, which City Council approved in June 2021. This website provides background information, updates, and opportunities to get involved in this work. Thanks for your interest!

UPDATES

City Publishes Economic Studies to Inform Planning for Future Market

As directed by City Council, OEDCA staff hired a consultant team led by Estolano Advisors to conduct the following inter-related studies that have recently been published:

Economic and Cultural Impact Study that documents the cultural, social, and economic benefit of the Flea Market (Published July 2024) (Resumen Ejecutivo en Español)
Alternative Site Assessment to explore potential market relocation options (Published August 2024); (Resumen Ejecutivo en Español)
Market Operational Research Report to understand the existing market’s operating model and models for sustainable operations for a future market (Published August 2024). (Resumen Ejecutivo en Español)

These studies help tell the story of the Flea Market and will help the Advisory Group and policymakers understand the value of the Flea Market and to plan for next steps. The reports may be used for fund raising, analysis, planning, and policy-making purposes.

Along with these consultant-led studies, staff is also exploring opportunities and ideas to support the relocation of individual vendors or subsets of the community – either temporarily, permanently, or as interim solutions before a new market is established.

Staff will share progress on these efforts with the Advisory Group and broader community for feedback and discussion.

Flea Market Advisory Group Meeting #4:

The City of San José hosted the fourth meeting of the Berryessa Flea Market Advisory Group on Wednesday, September 11 at the Berryessa Community Center. The focus of the meeting was to review the reports' findings, alternative sites update, and Mission Asset Fund update and opportunities. View the meeting's presentation slides in English and in Spanish.

See the Past Engagement Activities pages for information on the previous three Advisory Group meetings including links to summary memos, presentation slides and recordings. Jump to the Advisory Group section below for more information about the Advisory Group's role and workplan.

Earliest One-Year Notice Date: July 1, 2025:

Since the City Council's June 2021 approval of the San Jose Flea Market Southside Rezoning Project, the Property Owners have provided the City quarterly status reports. The approved rezoning project states that the property owner must provide a one-year notice to vendors before removing any stalls for any construction. Most recently, in their October 2024 Quarterly Status Report, they informed the City that a potential closure notice will not be issued before July 1st, 2025.

Flea Market Advisory Group

Consistent with direction from the City Council as part of the approved rezoning project, we established the Flea Market Advisory Group to advise the City on the following topics:

the uses of the Vendor Transition Fund, including funding from the property owner and the City
the design, operation, and parking for a new urban market to be located on approximately five acres of the site
the process for allocating vendor space in the new urban market to existing Berryessa Flea Market vendors

Another role of the Advisory Group members is to assist the City with informing and involving the broader vendor community in these processes. Having the property owner involved will support coordination with the City and vendors on plans for the 5-acre urban market area on the Berryessa site.

The input from Advisory Group members and the broader vendor community will be invaluable as we work together to find solutions and provide support through the transition.

Workplan

The immediate focus of the City’s work with the Advisory Group is to prepare for the closure of the Flea Market, which may occur as soon as January 2026 (the closure timing is still unknown). With that in mind, the current goal is to prepare a high-level plan for the unallocated funds in the Vendor Transition Fund. The high-level plan will be based on the studies and feedback from the Advisory Group and broader vendor community.

At Advisory Group meetings, staff have reported on the various studies to inform uses of the Vendor Transition Fund and other decisions affecting the vendor community.

Staff continue to work with vendors and community partners to explore various opportunities for relocating the small businesses selling at the market following the closure of the market. The goal is to generate a high-level plan for how to the spend the Transition Fund, based on the studies and feedback from the Advisory Group and broader vendor community.

The Advisory Group meetings will provide a focal point for engaging vendors in the process, and staff will coordinate with Advisory Group members to inform and involve the broader community in providing feedback.

Meetings

See the Past Engagement Activities page for information on past meetings, including a summary and the slideshows in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Advisory Group Membership

The Advisory Group has a total of 11 voting members, including six nominations from the Berryessa Flea Market Vendor Association, four general vendor representatives, and one representative of the property owner. There is also a property owner alternate. See this Info Memo for the list of Advisory Group members and the selection process.

Ongoing Studies

In addition to establishing a new Advisory Group, City Council directed OEDCA staff to undertake studies to help inform future decisions. Staff hired a consultant team led by Estolano Advisors to conduct the following inter-related studies:

Economic and Cultural Impact Study that documents the cultural, social, and economic benefit of the Flea Market (Published July 2024) (Resumen Ejecutivo en Español);
Alternative Site Assessment to explore potential relocation options (Published August 2024) (Resumen Ejecutivo en Español);
Market Operational Research Report to understand the existing market’s operating model and models for sustainable operations for a future market (Published August 2024) (Resumen Ejecutivo en Español)

Together, these studies will help inform the uses of the Vendor Transition Fund, plans for the five-acre urban market area on the Berryessa site, and relocation options for a new flea market. For example, the Economic and Cultural Impact Study could help create the business case for a future market and provide supportive data for other decisions. The specific format for sharing the results of the impact study is still to be determined. View this memo and this presentation for more information.

Mission Asset Fund’s Business Transition Program

Since April 2023, the City has partnered with Mission Asset Fund to support Flea Market vendors through their business and financial needs and provide financial tools such as zero-interest loans and grants to help build the credit and capacity of Flea Market vendors. Mission Asset Fund has been actively engaging with vendors, providing their services, and conducting numerous in-person and virtual information sessions, workshops, and setting up a booth at the Flea Market. For more information or to register, please reach out to berryessa@missionassetfund.org.

Sign-Up for Email Notifications on the City's Flea Market activities.

Overview of the Southside Rezoning Project

On June 29, 2021, the City Council approved the San Jose Flea Market Southside Rezoning. The new zoning allows more development than previously planned on the approximately 60-acre site, as shown on the land use diagram below. Future development may now include up to 3,450 residential units and up to 3,400,000 square feet for commercial uses. The new zoning also requires parks and open space and five acres dedicated to an urban market. For the full description of the rezoning and related documents, check the Planning Division project page.

How soon will changes to the Flea Market site happen?

The City anticipates that the Flea Market will remain open, as is, for several more years. Development under the approved rezoning is likely to occur in phases over many years.

According to the approved rezoning project, the property owner must provide a one-year notice to vendors before removing any stalls for any construction work; they cannot provide this notice before July 2023, meaning the existing Flea Market could not close until July 2024 at the earliest. However, in the January 2024 quarterly status report from the Property Owners, they state that any one-year closure notices would not be given prior to January 1, 2025 (instead of July 1, 2023 as previously required).

In order to build anything new on the site, the property owner must first submit a development application and designs to the City. When this occurs, staff will conduct the development review process, including public engagement and environmental analysis. For large projects such as this, this typically takes over a year to complete, followed by additional months or years to issue building permits. See the rezoning project page for details.

There are no details about the five-acre market concept at this time, as the development process has not yet begun – the recent approval was only for land use and development capacity changes.

What is the City doing to help Flea Market vendors?

A major focus of the Council discussion was the vendor community and how to support the vendors while allowing development adjacent to San Jose’s only BART station to proceed. The approved rezoning includes several provisions intended to help the vendors through the transition.

For example, the requirement to designate five acres for a new urban market on the Berryessa site is intended to enable many of the existing vendors to stay in this location.

In addition, the property owner was required to pay $500,000 into a new Vendor Transition Fund. In the future, the property owner is required to contribute an additional $4.5 million to the Fund, and the City has earmarked another $2.5 million for the Fund. The primary purpose of the Vendor Business Transition Fund is to cover direct expenses that vendors experience due to redevelopment of the site, such as moving to another location. Consistent with Council direction, funds are also going to: several studies that will inform opportunities and decisions related to vendor relocation, the creation and administration of the Flea Market Advisory Group, and ongoing outreach to the vendor community (including translation and interpretation costs).

In addition, the approved rezoning project included two provisions intended to provide more certainty for the vendors about their ability to operate at the Flea Market until redevelopment occurs:

All vendors who follow the rules and terms in their agreement to rent a stall at the market shall not be evicted prior to the planned closure or relocation of the market.
Any existing vendor of record on July 1st, 2021 can opt-in to 6-month license agreements.

Lastly, Council directed Office of Economic Development & Cultural Affairs (OEDCA) staff to work with and support the Flea Market vendors, as plans to redevelop the site advance. OEDCA is responsible for ensuring the City is fully involved in supporting the Flea Market vendors through and beyond the development process initiated by the property owners of the Flea Market.

For details on City Council’s requirements of the property owner and directions to staff, please refer to this summary, organized into categories.

What has happened since project approval?

Following approval of the rezoning project, the OEDCA team began to meet with a group of vendor representatives and coalition of community leaders on a regular basis. The OEDCA team has conducted several outreach events and provided reports to City Council on progress with implementing the measures intended to support vendors. The OEDCA team created this website to share information with vendors and other interested community members. For details about all of the engagement activities and public meetings completed to date, please refer to this page.

Quarterly Reports from the Property Owner

When the City Council approved the Flea Market Rezoning Project, the Flea Market property owner was required to submit quarterly status reports to the City. The reports are intended to summarize construction, demolition and planning activities affecting the site, and to quantify any displacement of vendors. The City has received the following reports:

How to learn more about the Project

Planning Department Project information
June 29, 2021 City Council meeting on the Flea Market Rezoning: Item 10.4 materials and recording
Approved rezoning ordinance – Council’s directions to staff listed in Section 3
June 16, 2021 City-hosted Meeting with the Vendors: Presentation in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Berryessa BART Urban Village Plan
San Jose Flea Market website
Berryessa Flea Market Vendors Association
Summary of Council Direction
Framework for $500,000 fund
OEDCA Workplan for 2021—2022
Presentation to BFVA, Dec. 2021 (English)
Presentation to BFVA, Dec. 2021 (Spanish)
February 23, 2022 Presentation - English, Spanish, Vietnamese
Event Flyer
Meeting Summary with Notes

Resources for Flea Market Vendors from the City of San José

Market 3

CONTACT CITY STAFF WORKING ON VENDOR SUPPORT AND THE FUTURE OF THE FLEA MARKET

For questions/comments related to vendor support, future market concept, and future Advisory Group and/or to sign up for email updates:

fleamarketsj@sanjoseca.gov
Hotline: 408-535-8181 (you may leave a message for a call back in Spanish or Vietnamese)

For questions/comments related to the rezoning and planning process, please refer to the Planning Division page for the project: www.sanjoseca.gov/FleaMarketProject.

Market 4

City of San José

Berryessa Flea Market Vendor Engagement

Sign Up for Updates

Advisory Group Meetings

Past Engagement Activities

Help for Vendors

UPDATES

Flea Market Advisory Group

Ongoing Studies

Mission Asset Fund’s Business Transition Program