Sunnyvale has a unique strategy to support affordable housing development: purchasing the land for developers. Most recently, as part of a $29.5 million roundup of affordable housing expenditures, the Sunnyvale City Council unanimously approved spending $12.5 million to buy a lot at 1171 Sonora Court, to help developers MidPen Housing build 170 affordable apartments. It will...
San Jose tiny homes could become jail diversion site
Santa Clara County wants to purchase a tiny home village for homeless residents from San Jose and use it to house formerly incarcerated people — sparking safety concerns from nearby homeowners. San Jose launched the Monterey/Bernal tiny home site as emergency housing in October 2020 to house residents who became homeless during the pandemic, with...
San Jose apartments designed for people with disabilities
There is no housing market in the U.S. where someone who is disabled and living on Supplemental Security Income can afford an apartment without rental assistance. A disability-forward housing nonprofit wants to change that. The Kelsey is changing how housing developments are built for low and moderate-income households and people with disability needs, with its first project...
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...
Historic Japanese farmhouse in San Jose will be saved
San Jose officials want to save the historically significant residence once home to a Japanese community leader, farmer and survivor of World War II internment camps in California. Preservationists pledged last week to save the North San Jose farmhouse once owned by Eiichi “Ed” Sakauye after the San Jose City Council approved 1,472 apartments and townhomes on 23...
Sunnyvale replaces homeless outreach provider
Sunnyvale will have a new outreach team assisting its homeless residents after scrutinizing the city’s previous provider. The Sunnyvale City Council unanimously approved a more than $900,000 one year contract with homeless service provider WeHOPE earlier this month. The contract begins Sept. 1 and includes a five person outreach team and the organization’s Dignity on...
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...
Santa Clara County officials want to toughen eviction protections
Santa Clara County landlords are dodging a decades-old law that requires they pay to relocate evicted tenants. To combat that, county leaders could give unincorporated neighborhoods stronger eviction protections than surrounding cities. The Board of Supervisors next month will discuss expanding their 1993 tenant relocation assistance policy which covers renters in unincorporated areas. The changes...