Attachment A
1 6th Cycle Housing Element Update—Public Engagement Activities to date This attachment provides more detail on the public engagement and outreach activities for the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update.
Housing Element Update pages on EngageCupertino.org
Through the existing www.EngageCupertino.org website, distinctive Housing Element Update pages were created in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, and Russian. The initial pages launched in September 2021 and an updated and improved version of the pages launched December 6, 2021. Providing access to new contributors to this policy discussion in Cupertino is in keeping with goals for meeting AB 686 equity and inclusiveness requirements.
These dedicated Housing Element pages serve as the project hub of online activity, including important information, updates, engagement opportunities, and more. It is updated regularly and users can subscribe for updates.
Cupertino Housing Simulator Tool (Balancing Act)
To date, Cupertino residents have submitted 20 responses to the Cupertino Housing Simulator tool (Balancing Act), and there have been a total of 602 pageviews.
The first version of the Cupertino Housing Simulator was introduced at the December 9, 2021 Community Workshop. This initial version allowed residents to distribute housing across Cupertino’s Neighborhoods and Special Areas that are designated in the General Plan.
To gain additional feedback, the mapping exercise and instructional video will remain active and online for approximately one additional month. As intended, more mapping exercises will follow the initial Balancing Act version with iterative maps becoming more focused on specific potential sites based on feedback from the community.
Working with West Valley Community Services (WVCS)
Since September, EMC has met with WVCS on a bi‐weekly basis to develop outreach materials and engagement opportunities for their homeless and low‐income clients. This includes:
Developing a dedicated webpage on the WVCS website;
Distributing educational fliers in 5 languages at the 12/11/21 Gift of Hope drive‐through event; Distributing a Housing Needs & Desires survey in 5 languages at WVCS mobile food markets; Working with WVCS staff to leverage contacts at other community‐based organizations that serve Cupertino‐area residents
City Council, Planning Commission, and Housing Commission Meetings EMC has provided Housing Element progress updates on the at the following meetings:
October 5, 2021 City Council Study Session
November 16, 2021 City Council Meeting
December 9, 2021 Housing Commission Meeting
December 9, 2021 Housing Element Update Community Workshop January 25, 2022 Planning Commission Meeting
February 22, 2022 Planning Commission
February 28, 2022 Planning Commission
Attachment A
2 EMC will provide additional progress updates at public meetings for the City Council, Planning Commission, and Housing Commission through adoption of the final, certified Housing Element. It is anticipated that decision‐making bodies will provide input at four stages: Sites Inventory; Housing Policy; Draft Housing Element adoption and Final Housing Element adoption.
December 9, 2021 Virtual Community Workshop
The purpose of this workshop was to introduce the public to the Housing Element Update process, help them understand the importance of their participation, and show them how to contribute their feedback on potential sites in the Cupertino Housing Simulator tool.
The following posts were made on relevant Cupertino social media channels to promote the workshop:
Facebook Nextdoor T witter eNotification
Post 1 (11/30/21)
Housing Element
Community
Workshop
Reach: 453
Engagement: 10
Reach: 1013
Engagement: 1
Reach: 783
Engagement: 1
Reach: 15010
Engagement: 594
Post 2 (12/6/21)
Workshop
Reminder
Reach: 303
Engagement: 1
Reach: 656
Engagement: 1
Reach: 1096
Engagement: 16
Reach: 1444
Engagement: 118
Reach refers to the number of people who saw the post, and engagement refers to any clicks, likes, comments, and shares.
A total of 40 residents attended the workshop and approximately 7 submissions were made to the Housing Simulator tool during or soon after the workshop.
Scene Newsletter and Items of Interest Newsletter
Housing Element updates were featured in the Scene Newsletter that went out on December 1, 2021 and February 1, 2022. Updates were also featured in the City Manager’s Items of Interest newsletter, which is provided to City Council and 685 email subscribers, on December 9 and December 22, 2021.
Mailed Postcards
Postcards introducing the Housing Element Update website were mailed to 23,351 Cupertino households the week of January 10‐14, 2022. The postcard focused on announcing the Housing Element webpages, promoting the Stakeholder Group application process, and inviting residents to participate in the Cupertino Housing Simulator tool.
Stakeholder Group
The Stakeholders Group application period was extended from its original deadline of January 31 to February 11, 2022, due to an initially slow response. However, by February 11, 30 applications for the Sttakeholder Group were received. The Stakeholders Group application was made available online on January 10. Hard copies of the application were also made available at the Library and Senior Center.
Letters to Property Owners and Property Interest Form
EMC and City staff also sent out letters of interest to groups of property owners throughout Cupertino to gauge their interest in adding housing opportunities on their property. These letters focused on prior Attachment A
3 housing opportunity sites, sites between 0.5‐10 acres in area (a size range specified by HCD) and sites located along major transportation corridors.