Sunnyvale’s new partnership with Santa Clara County Animal Services has some major glitches. The county doesn’t accept healthy stray cats. Its spay and neutering services are limited and it’s more than 40 miles away to the animal services facility in San Martin. Peter Hoang, senior management analyst with the city’s Department of Public Safety, presented...
Santa Clara County expands hotel program for homeless residents
Santa Clara County is expanding its hotel shelter program for North County homeless residents following the delayed opening of a modular housing site in Palo Alto. The county has selected WeHope, a nonprofit homeless service provider, to work with up to 40 unhoused adults who will be temporarily housed at a hotel in Sunnyvale or...
Sunnyvale public safety chief retiring in April
Sunnyvale’s top public safety officer is retiring after eight years of service. Public Safety Chief Phan Ngo will step down at the end of April, after steering the city through its COVID-19 emergency response and bolstering community trust in the department. City Manager Tim Kirby will appoint an interim chief while officials search for Ngo...
Sunnyvale aims to preserve retail spaces in northern neighborhoods
Sunnyvale wants to preserve retail space in an underserved community, but the city will have to convince developers the investment is worthwhile. The Sunnyvale City Council voted unanimously Tuesday, with Councilmember Murali Srinivasan absent, to approve a retail preservation program for two aging retail centers slated to be turned into townhomes. The program would allow...
Sunnyvale houses homeless residents in hotels after sweep
Sunnyvale is trying a new approach to homeless encampment sweeps by putting people in motels and giving them an opportunity to make necessary life changes. The city on Feb. 26 placed about 25 unhoused people in 18 rooms across two Larkspur Landing hotels — one in Sunnyvale and one in Milpitas — for 30 days,...
Sunnyvale residents split on improvements to dangerous road
As Sunnyvale expands its bicycling network, one neighborhood is grappling with decades-old limitations. Residents in North Sunnyvale, a portion of the city that historically lacks resources, are excited about planned safe transit infrastructure on Tasman Drive, from Fair Oaks Avenue to Lawrence Expressway. Other residents are less enthusiastic, saying the proposed changes — bike lanes and...
Sunnyvale searches for solution to paramedic shortage
Sunnyvale public safety officers are optimistic a new study will find solutions to the city’s lack of paramedics. The Sunnyvale City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to study expanding the city’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) to include city-operated paramedic services. The Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association raised the alarm last year about the...
Sunnyvale’s lack of protected bike lanes frustrates residents
Sunnyvale residents have been waiting for the city to implement its grand plan for a bicycle safety network, but a lack of action has led to mounting frustration. The city’s plan to build more bike lanes with protective barriers remains stalled, because officials haven’t prioritized funding or a way to keep the bike lanes clear of...
Sunnyvale traffic deaths spark safety concerns
Sunnyvale officials want to tighten traffic safety near Fair Oaks Park after multiple pedestrian deaths over the past six years. Fair Oaks Avenue has become a top safety concern for residents and cyclists. The heavily traveled road poses an immediate danger to pedestrians and bicycles, with speeds up to 40 mph and limited crosswalks. On...
Sunnyvale eyes former hardware store for housing
Sunnyvale wants to replace a vacant Orchard Supply Hardware site with hundreds of new homes. The Sunnyvale Planning Commission heard proposed plans on Jan. 27 for a 5.24-acre development at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road, which would include one 7-story building with 162 apartments and close to a dozen 3-story buildings with 80 condos. The project...