The Almaden Valley Homeowners Association (AVHA) was founded in 1961 to provide the citizens of the developing community in the Almaden Valley with an organization that would inform and reflect the views of that community. At that time, planned developments weren't required to have a homeowner's association, so the voice provided by AVHA served to focus on quality of life issues.

 

In 1990 the original AVHA constitution was restructured into what became the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation for designation as a nonprofit corporation. The name was also changed to the Almaden Valley Community Association (AVCA) to reflect the diversity of the community, which now included not just homeowners, but also renters, merchants, and businesses. At that time, membership was at its high of 365.

 

AVCA lobbied hard and long to secure funding for the Los Alamitos/Calero Creek Park/Trail, raised funds during the Books-for-Almaden drive for the Almaden branch of the library, participated in raising funds for the Trees for Almaden drive to landscape the median on Almaden Expressway, and provided funds and hard work to get the Stile Ranch Trail built.

 

Shortly after the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, AVCA initiated an Almaden Valley Emergency Response Team (A.V.E.R.T.) program. Various community grants and fund raising events provided the means to place three 'ARKs' in the Almaden Valley and stock them with emergency supplies. In 2001 these ARKs were donated to the Red Cross with the understanding that the Red Cross would maintain them and keep them in the Almaden Valley.

 

Beginning in early 1995, AVCA initiated and co-sponsored two District 10 candidate debates with the League of Women Voters. These candidate forums have continued on a yearly basis and now are being conducted solely by AVCA.

 

AVCA also monitored development activities affecting the community: the Guadalupe Landfill, the Winfield Avenue Bridge extension, etc.  AVCA also hosted community meetings on the proposed sale of the Henderson School property and on Pac Bell's plans to lay fiber optic cable in Almaden. It co-sponsored a community daffodil planting on the Almaden Expressway with Council Member Pat Dando. On the more social side, AVCA put together a community salute and farewell to an Almaden native son, San Francisco 49er Brent Jones.

 

AVCA's focus is on improved communication. This web site, established in 1996, is part of AVCA's strategy to involve more Almaden residents in community issues. In 2000, an AVCA E-MAIL Network was established. In 2001, the quarterly newsletter was replaced by a monthly column in the Almaden Times.

 

Some of the next activities, for example, were public meetings on the IBM Harry Road Development Proposal, on the Calpine Metcalf Power Plant, the Almaden Youth Association McKean Road Sports complex, the proposal to rename the Almaden Branch Library, Secondary Housing for San Jose, the Winfield Bridge Proposal, and the changing of the San Jose Unified School District Proposal.  When other changes are proposed for the Almaden Valley area, AVCA arranges for speakers at our monthly meetings so that residents can hear more about the proposals and decide how they feel about the possible changes.

 

If you have someone that you would like to hear speak at one of the AVCA meetings, please email Gary Hector, AVCA Vice President, at vicepresident@avcasj.org to ask if that person's visit might be arranged.

 

You can make a difference!  To discuss how you can help your community and maintain the quality of life we enjoy in the Almaden Valley, contact Michele Dexter, AVCA President, at president@avcasj.org