NEWS RELEASE: City of San José and Partners Provide Swift Support to Residents of David Avenue Apartment Fire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT City Manager's Office of Communications 408-535-7777; [email protected] Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan 510-612-6488; [email protected] City of San José, Partners Provide Swift Support to Residents After David Avenue Apartment Fire Ensuring Families Are Safe and Stably Housed SAN JOSÉ, Calif. (Oct. 7, 2025) - Within hours of a Sept. 25 apartment fire that displaced approximately 70 residents, the City of San José and its partners mobilized to provide shelter, food, and housing support, demonstrating the power of preparation and teamwork in an emergency. The City's One Team approach, led by the City Manager's Office of Emergency Management's Incident Management Team, brought together multiple departments and community partners to provide emergency response, care, and housing for affected families. "I am proud of the City's One Team coordination to provide emergency response and services to our community when they are going through difficult times," said City Manager Jennifer Maguire. "Our emergency response operations prepare and plan for all types of emergencies year-round to protect lives, property, and the environment. This commitment to preparation ensures we can deploy the right resources at the right times. This effort shows what strong partnerships and preparedness can accomplish when our residents need us most." At 5:11 p.m. on Sept. 25, the San José Fire Department responded to reports of smoke at the two-story David Avenue Apartments. The first engine arrived within six minutes. Due to significant life hazards and fire conditions, the response quickly escalated to a third alarm. Firefighters prioritized life safety, swiftly evacuating all occupied apartments, resulting in no resident or firefighter injuries and the safe rescue of multiple pets. "Our first concern in any incident is always protecting lives," said Fire Chief Robert Sapien, Jr. "Our firefighters are trained to respond effectively in critical moments like this and worked diligently to limit damage to homes and personal belongings. We deeply appreciate our responders, the City, the Red Cross, and all community partners who quickly mobilized to support residents through this difficult time." "Losing your home and your belongings is hard enough - but it's made harder if you don't have a safe place to land," said Mayor Matt Mahan. "I want to thank our city departments for responding immediately to ensure no lives were lost and partnering with the Red Cross to ensure the people who were displaced knew that they were not alone. This response was a masterclass in emergency management and homelessness prevention." Within an hour, the City Manager's Office of Emergency Management activated and began coordinating communication between City departments and partners. This coordination followed pre-established plans designed to ensure a quick emergency response. The American Red Cross arrived on scene to support the City's efforts. Working closely with the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department, the American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at a City community center by 9:45 p.m. that evening. Valley Transportation provided buses for those who needed transportation to the shelter where they received safe sleeping areas, meals, and connections to much-needed resources. The City's Animal Care and Services team also offered on-site comfort and care for pets. A resource center was set up to connect impacted families with services, address language and accessibility needs, and guide them through their next steps. "We are grateful to our volunteers who are trained and ready to respond at a moment's notice to support neighbors in need," said Pooja Klebig, Communications Director for the American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region. "From setting up a safe place to stay to offering translation assistance and individualized care for people with functional needs, our teams worked alongside the City of San José and local partners to ensure every family received the support they needed. The Red Cross remains committed to supporting those affected throughout their recovery." Following the immediate on-site response from the Red Cross, the City's Housing Department pivoted quickly to meet the urgent need for safe and stable housing for displaced residents. Using the City's diverse housing resources, staff identified emergency funding to temporarily house the families displaced by the fire. Eleven families were placed in hotels at city-negotiated rates and nine additional households were provided resources, information, and guidance on next steps. The Housing Department, property owner, and management company are in touch with all households displaced by the fire and will continue to provide support, including relocation assistance distribution, starting this week, throughout this challenging transition period. A fundamental part of San José's housing strategy is to prevent families affected by emergencies from becoming unhoused. The Housing Department's ability to rapidly adapt, leverage partnerships, and align resources helps San José respond compassionately and effectively when residents need help the most. The City Manager's Office of Emergency Management played a critical role in coordinating the overall response to the David Avenue fire. This office leads efforts to protect life, property, and the environment by developing and managing programs that help the City prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. During this incident, they brought departments and partners together through regular coordination meetings, real-time information sharing, and clear communication. This collaboration ensured that all teams worked toward common goals of keeping residents safe and connecting them with the resources and support needed to regain stability. The City's coordinated response involved the Fire Department, the City Manager's Office of Emergency Management, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department, Housing Department, Police Department, Public Works Department, and Animal Care and Services-alongside partners including the American Red Cross and Valley Transportation Authority. This response showcased the importance of emergency planning and strong partnerships. From firefighters' swift action to Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department and American Red Cross' quick setup of care and shelter, every team played a vital role in helping neighbors through a difficult time. The City remains ready to respond to emergencies and continues to strengthen its preparedness for any upcoming emergencies, such as winter storms and earthquakes. About the City of San José With almost 1 million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States and is Northern California's largest city and the 12th largest city in the nation. San José's transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world. ###