The previous structure "wasn't matching the needs" of the neighborhood, said outgoing president Alison England.

"Originally we were just guessing on the number of people and responsibilities, now we're fine-tuning," she said.

Sixteen association members elected Tom Smith as president, Harvey Darnell as vice president and Ken Eklund and Dana Rysavy as secretary and treasurer and added Debbie Palmer, Dan Erceg, Mike Gaines and past president Alison England as the four new directors to head various committees. Eklund and Gaines are the only new members on the board.

Newly elected president Tom Smith said the board's expansion "will provide more input and prevent burnout" of the core, committed members.

It was Gaines' first association meeting and he volunteered to run for the board.

"We like that new energy," Smith said.

Smith hopes to attract a new and more diverse membership and focus on land-use development, especially high-density housing.

Members also rallied support to oppose the Tamien Place project that has been recommended for approval by the San Jose Planning Commission and is now heading to the San Jose City Council, where it will be reviewed on Sept. 30.

"Many people thought the game was over," said England, about the commission's decision on Tamien. But she explained to residents that the planning commission only makes a recommendation, it's the city council that has the final decision.

England noted people were "pleased" to hear the fight was not over and a "fair amount of people were interested" in passing out flyers to announce the council's upcoming vote, she said.

The group's next project is to "add character" to their neighborhood by surrounding city surplus lots with "low, decorative, ranch-style" white fences, England said.