Campbell is slated to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars for affordable housing annually, thanks to a decision to collect developer fees from projects without housing. The Campbell City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to establish a commercial linkage fee, which is a flat rate of $9 per square foot developers must pay for all...
Silicon Valley housing coalition rethinks future without bond measure
With the stripping of a November ballot measure that proposed putting billions of dollars into building affordable homes in the Bay Area, housing advocates are pivoting their efforts. Regional Measure 4 would’ve infused $20 billion in affordable housing funds across nine Bay Area counties if it had remained on the ballot and passed. Santa Clara County would’ve...
Campbell townhomes planned for vacant water well site
Empty land is a rarity in developed Campbell. City officials say vacant sites are an opportunity to build needed housing, but nearby residents have mixed feelings. The Campbell Planning Commission voted 6-1 last month, with Vice Chair Matt Kamkar voting no, to approve a three-story, 40 townhome development located at 320 Virginia Ave. Six homes will...
Legal woes won’t stop downtown San Jose park revamp
San Jose is on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars after being sued over a planned concert venue at its historic but blighted St. James Park. Yet the plans are undeterred – and poised to start this year. The San Jose City Council on Aug. 27 is slated to approve a $400,000 settlement to...
Campbell unsure about affordable housing policy change
Campbell officials are hesitant about a policy change that could increase affordable housing in a city advocates say has been at the forefront of housing solutions. The Campbell Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously recommended the city refrain from expanding its inclusionary housing policy, which would require smaller projects to convert at least 15% of homes into affordable housing or...
UPDATE: Bay Area $20B housing bond stripped from November ballot
A $20 billion regional housing bond that promised tens of thousands of affordable homes won’t go before voters in November. Previously known as Regional Measure 4, the bond was originally proposed and authorized by the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) and sought to fund up to 90,000 affordable homes across nine Bay Area counties....
Los Gatos hardware store could stay as part of development
Bright red flyers rallying neighbors against a proposed housing development with seven stories of homes hang from a development sign in Los Gatos, where a beloved hardware store sits. Rumors have been swirling the store will be razed and the “quaint town” will be damaged — but that might not be true. The Arya, a...
Sunnyvale developments could result in food deserts
A Sunnyvale project to create walkable, interconnected neighborhoods could come up short, with advocates worried that vital retail services will be slashed. City officials have identified seven aging shopping centers, with a variety of grocery stores and restaurants, throughout the city that are considered underutilized. The plan for these sites, called village centers, is to...
Cupertino housing project designed for people with disabilities
A first-of-its-kind Cupertino development could advance housing accessibility at a low cost to future residents. The project along Mary Avenue could bring about 40 affordable apartments to the city in a unique mix — 19 apartments designated for adults and families with children who have developmental disabilities and 20 for low-income residents. The two-story project...
Bay Area fund aims to speed up housing construction
A model Bay Area partnership aims to fill the gap in affordable housing projects that are short capital, seeing it as a way to accelerate much needed construction. The Bay Area Housing Innovation Fund — launched by Destination: Home in partnership with the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund, Sobrato Philanthropies and Apple — will put...