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NewsKQED News — Bay Area tagOctober 27, 2026San Francisco County

San José City Council votes to rename Plaza de Cesar Chavez to Plaza de San José

Photo: KQED News — Bay Area tag

The San José City Council unanimously voted to rename Plaza de Cesar Chavez to Plaza de San José following a ranked-choice public survey. The renaming process began earlier this year after reports detailed allegations of sexual abuse against Cesar Chavez. City staff will put the park renaming work out to bid later this year, with a contract expected by spring.

Parks and RecreationCivic HistoryPublic EngagementLocal Government
Read the full story at KQED News — Bay Area tag

Why It Matters

Residents will see the downtown park's name changed and new signage installed following a public survey that drew over 10,500 responses.

Key Facts

  • The San José City Council voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon to rename the downtown park from Plaza de Cesar Chavez to Plaza de San José.
  • Plaza de San José won first place in a summer ranked-choice survey that received more than 10,500 responses from residents.
  • The survey results showed Plaza de San José earned more first-choice votes than the second and third place options combined.
  • The renaming process was initiated following a March New York Times report detailing allegations of sexual abuse against Cesar Chavez.
  • Farmworkers Plaza placed second in the resident survey, followed by Plaza del Pueblo in third, Plaza Park, and Plaza de Quetzalcoatl.
  • City staff plans to put the park renaming work out to bid later this year, with a contract expected to be completed in the spring.
  • Over 600 total suggestions for potential names were submitted by residents and organizations during community meetings and surveys.

Who's Mentioned

PersonDaisy Barocio“Parks and Recreation commissioner.”OrganizationAmigos de Guadalupe“Community group suggesting alternative park names.”PersonCesar Chavez“Historical figure the downtown park and plaza was previously named after.”OrganizationNew York Times“Published a report in March detailing allegations against Cesar Chavez.”OrganizationUnited Farm Workers“Labor union co-founded by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.”locationSan José“City where the park and plaza are located.”PersonMatt Mahan“Mayor of San José.”locationCalifornia“State where the plaza served as the site of the first State Capitol.”PersonMisrayn Mendoza“Representative of community group Amigos de Guadalupe.”PersonAnthony Tordillos“Councilmember representing downtown San José.”locationNorthern California“Region where the park serves as the oldest public space.”PersonDolores Huerta“Co-founder of what would become the United Farm Workers union.”