Housing development could loom over Los Gatos backyards

A quiet neighborhood just off bustling Los Gatos Boulevard could be forever changed if a massive housing project comes to fruition.

Benedict Lane residents voiced concerns at a Los Gatos Town Council meeting earlier this month about the height of a proposed seven-story housing development that would abut against their backyards. The project is in the early stage and includes about 238 apartments, of which 47 would be affordable, and two parking levels with one underground. The development could replace a portion of New Town Shopping Center if it makes it through the town processes.

San Jose-based developer Green Valley Corporation submitted a preliminary application March 19 under Senate Bill 330, a law making it easier to build affordable and moderately priced housing. The developer has to submit a formal application by Sept. 15 or the initial application will expire. In this early stage, the design can be changed based on public or town comments or the application could be withdrawn.

Similar projects are popping up across Santa Clara County and rattling communities unaccustomed to larger housing projects as cities try to meet state requirements.

Los Gatos resident Carin Yamamoto, who has lived on Benedict Lane for roughly 25 years, said the development would back up against her fence, allowing residents of the building to peer into her backyard.

“I will absolutely be looking at a wall of windows and noise and when you have a child that has special needs, you don’t need that extra noise,” she told San José Spotlight. “If I wanted to be next to a seven-story building, I would have moved into San Jose where it’s a hell of a lot cheaper.”

Los Gatos could see change to its landscape faster than residents are used to because of its noncompliance with state housing laws. The town submitted its housing element — a comprehensive document laying out how it will accommodate more affordable and market-rate housing over the next eight years — more than a year late in March and is waiting on state review. The town has to build at least 1,993 homes, 847 deemed affordable to low-income residents, by 2031.

Los Gatos has nine preliminary and five formal SB 330 applications which could lead to “builder’s remedy” projects, a state law enacted in municipalities without compliant housing elements that exempts developments from certain local zoning regulations. The town can’t do much to stop developments under that provision.

Councilmember Maria Ristow said while the latest housing element identifies Los Gatos Boulevard as a site for future housing, she understands residents’ frustration with these changes.

“We’re trying to do two really hard things. One is preserve what people always thought they’d have, and the other is make space for the people that belong in our community,” she told San José Spotlight.

Los Gatos isn’t the only town facing development woes. A six-story affordable housing development on San Jose and Campbell’s border is being built feet away from the backyards of Campbell residents.

Scott Savage, a Los Gatos resident who has lived on Benedict Lane for about 30 years, said he wants an open discussion between the town, developers and residents. He also said he wished the town didn’t revise its story pole policy earlier this month so he could see what the development across the street would look like.

“Don’t just discount everybody that lives here,” he told San José Spotlight.

The town encourages concerned residents to reach out to the developer and work with them to find solutions, such as building the project in tiers, with the lowest tier closest to their fences. The developer did not respond to a request for comment.

Sujatha Venkatraman, executive director of homelessness and hunger nonprofit West Valley Community Services, said there are other communities who have made developments like the one proposed for Los Gatos Boulevard work — with open conversation and compromise. She said West Valley communities need affordable housing.

“We have missed out on building affordable housing. So this is catch up time, and it’s catch up time for the generations who will want to live there,” she told San José Spotlight. “So we have to think from a futuristic perspective.”

Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X, formerly known as Twitter.