After only consuming water since the beginning of the week, San Jose flea market vendors ended their hunger strike Wednesday.
"Their demand has been met," said Jeffrey Buchanan, the director of public policy at Working Partnership USA, an economic equity focused organization based in Silicon Valley.
The demand was to delay the City Council ruling that would effectively shrink the market by two-thirds of its current size.
The historic flea market, which attracts some 4 million visitors a year, would be replaced by proposed mixed-use development in its place.
The City Council met Tuesday to consider plans for the Berryessa BART Urban Village, and continued meeting Wednesday. Councilmembers ultimately voted to continue the item for one week.
The plan as it is now would devastate the small businesses of the flea market. "That would put 450 plus vendors, largely immigrants and people of color-owned businesses out of business," said Buchanan.
But with the delay in the decision, "We are hopeful that the landowner and the city will meet with the vendors’ coalition to try to negotiate out a win-win solution," Buchanan said.
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