A controversial nonprofit housing project in Cupertino that’s been under consideration for about 20 years has the green light to move forward. After a three-hour marathon of presentations and public comment Tuesday, the City Council voted 3-1-1 to narrowly approve a first-of-its-kind housing mix with 40 affordable apartments. Of those, 19 will be set aside...
Cupertino’s sheriff contract hike upends budget
Cupertino is looking at a problematic increase in its contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, its public safety arm. The situation could force the city to consider a tax increase or budget cuts. Rather than maintain its own police force, Cupertino has always contracted with the sheriff’s office to provide law enforcement. The...
Cupertino not meeting its housing goals
Cupertino is falling short in its state-mandated housing goals as developers roll out projects with fewer homes than expected. The upshot is Cupertino will have to add more high-density projects — a move not likely to be popular in a community that frequently resists multifamily housing. Like many California cities, Cupertino is caught between state...
Cupertino mayor blocks ally from becoming vice mayor
Kitty Moore, Cupertino’s new mayor, blocked a City Council ally from becoming vice mayor at a recent meeting — even though both belong to the same political faction in the sharply divided city. The five-member council voted in Moore as mayor Dec. 11 and Mayor Liang Chao as vice mayor, though Councilmember R “Ray” Wang...
Cupertino Vallco development reduces its affordable housing
The developer of a massive residential, office and retail development at the former Vallco shopping mall in Cupertino is reducing affordable housing by 60% and office space by 25% to make the project “financially feasible.” Sand Hill Property Company delivered a revised plan to Cupertino’s city manager Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving, and the...
Cupertino City Council appoints familiar face as new city manager
The Cupertino City Council has removed the word “interim” from Tina Kapoor’s title and appointed her as city manager. The position has been a high-profile and high-tension job filled by a parade of nine permanent and temporary hires since 2018. Kapoor was deputy city manager in May when her predecessor, Pamela Wu, was placed on...
Cupertino may enter the limelight with TV show
Cupertino is about to join the rarified list of California cities — including Beverly Hills, San Francisco and Santa Barbara — that have given their names to TV shows. “Cupertino” will premiere on CBS in the fall of 2026. The show is billed as a “David vs. Goliath legal drama set in the heart of...
Cupertino’s homeless percentage skyrockets
One city saw the highest percentage increase in homelessness across Santa Clara County in two years — and it comes as no surprise to advocates. Cupertino’s homeless population surged 110.4% between 2023 and 2025, from 48 unhoused, unsheltered residents to 101. The city of about 60,000, home to Apple’s headquarters, topped Palo Alto, which increased 102.9% from...
Cupertino residents oppose affordable housing project
One of the first 100% affordable housing developments in Cupertino poised to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable residents is drawing backlash from the surrounding neighborhood. A local grassroots effort with more than 450 online signatures wants to stop a 40-home affordable development along Mary Avenue. The project proposes a first-of-its-kind housing mix of 19...
Cupertino could limit Bicycle Pedestrian Commission powers
The power of Cupertino’s Bicycle Pedestrian Commission is up in the air, leaving transit advocates worried about safety. The City Council on Tuesday will decide how much oversight should be given to those commissioners. Councilmembers will review four options, including splitting the commission’s responsibilities with the Planning Commission or expanding the planning commission’s role to...