Santa Clara County Housing Digest

Federal judge David O. Carter has declined to dismiss a lawsuit that could force the Veterans Administration to house veterans experiencing homelessness in the Los Angeles area. Carter’s 41-page ruling could pave the way for a trial in mid-2024.

Mountain View has ramped up affordable housing production in recent years. Looking to build on that success, city officials are looking for new ways to spur the creation of more affordable units.

Palo Alto’s plan to transform downtown parking lots into housing hubs may soon kick off on Lytton Avenue and Kipling Street, where the City Council hopes to encourage construction of a six-story project for low-income residents.

The Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust recently paid almost $10 million for a 1.86-acre site formerly used for oil drilling. It could be converted into a community center, park and affordable housing.

A coyote recently was found at the $27 million Russian Hill home of AI mogul Sam Altman. This relates to a study, which found that coyote sightings were more frequent in higher-income areas of San Francisco.

Taking steps to address the region’s housing crisis, Santa Clara County has committed $47.4 million to help pay for six affordable housing developments, with $31.4 million allocated for projects in Mountain View and Palo Alto.

Even though California is facing a crippling housing shortage, one potential source remains untapped. The state allows thousands of apartments used for part of the year by farmworkers to otherwise sit vacant for three to six months.

California energy regulators are considering requiring homeowners to replace broken air-conditioning systems with heat pumps or HVAC systems that are more energy efficient. The change would go into effect in 2026.

A proposed Sunnyvale housing development may be put on hold over concerns about exposure to cancerous chemicals.

A big, empty office campus in Sunnyvale that has flopped into a default on its loan could be replaced by a large housing development whose approval could proceed through a “builder’s remedy” gambit.

Now nearly a year late, San Jose is hoping its mandated housing plan is no longer a dollar short in the eyes of state officials.

San Jose officials have signed off on plans for more than 900 apartments near a future BART station east of downtown.

Sunnyvale has greenlit a new vision for the future of the Lawrence Caltrain station that will make it more convenient for residents and workers along the transit corridor.

Sunnyvale’s downtown housing explosion is thanks to CityLine, a group of developers and investors who have been building retail space, offices and housing in the area. The group plans to build 1,066 apartments in three phases over the next few years, mostly along McKinley Avenue.

Construction is underway to convert the 61-room Pavilion Inn, a former hotel on North Fourth Street in San Jose, into affordable, supportive housing to help young adults become self-sufficient and avoid a lifetime of homelessness.

Palo Alto Renters' Association, a non-profit that formed in 2020 to support local tenants, will soon be no more. It is being absorbed by Palo Alto Forward, another housing-focused non-profit, leaders of the both organizations said.

The state is making nearly $300 million in additional grant money available for local governments to clear homeless encampments, with a focus on areas near state highways and Interstate Highways, and provide housing options for people.

A 2021 state law has radically changed the housing equation in San Diego. Advocates, developers, and policymakers are split on whether it should be exported to other jurisdictions.

As the Palo Alto City Council voted to advance the city's rental registry, members left one critical question outstanding: What should the city do with the data once it has been collected?

The Milpitas City Council heard early plans to convert the Sobrato Centers for Nonprofits location in the city into a 244-home community with 140 affordable apartments.

Once an auto repair shop, a new three-story commercial development is going up in downtown Mountain View, despite the developer raising some eyebrows by sharing only part of the project plans online prior to the vote.

As Palo Alto prepares to adopt a rental registry to track vacancies, rent hikes and property turnover, one type of development will likely be initially excluded from the tally: single-family homes.

San Jose leaders are green-lighting a developer's initiative that includes converting a market-rate apartment complex on The Alameda into affordable apartments.

The Santa Clara City Council voted to approve plans for a low-income housing project on Civic Center Drive.

Seeking to ensure that recently approved housing projects actually get built, Palo Alto is preparing to give developers more time to secure financing and finalize building plans before their planning permits expire.

Santa Clara County is the second-most expensive county in the nation to buy a home, yet demand is still strong.

Sunnyvale leaders are considering opening the door for a developer to build eight, two-story homes where one currently stands.

As part of a push for more housing, Palo Alto relaxed height, density and parking rules in several sections on the city. One casualty of the change? The city's 50-foot height limit, which has long been seen as sacrosanct.

The Milpitas City Council unanimously approved plans to demolish a vacant, one-story industrial building on 6.69 acres of land at 1355 California Circle and replace it with 206 townhomes and apartments.

Palo Alto's contentious effort to update its historic registry kicked off when the Historical Resources Board considered more than 30 buildings for listings. But faced with opposition, it delayed reviews for about 30 others.

San Jose leaders pushed forward plans for five new homes in the city’s upscale Willow Glen neighborhood.

“All that money that’s tied up in a vacant house is money that’s lost opportunity for us to do good in the community,” says PACE’s executive director.