Public Comments and Staff Responses
General Comments
Description Source Action/City Notes
Inadequate Analysis
Inadequate analysis for non-vacant sites and
probability of redevelopment is not thoroughly
analyzed; should do additional rezonings
MV YIMBY Questions in Staff Report
for EPC/Council about
additional rezonings. More
rezonings would need
environmental review. Use 5th Cycle projections to measure likelihood of development for 6th cycle; at current pace, MV
unlikely to meet requirements; should rezone so
housing capacity reflects realistic build-out
YIMBY Law & Greenbelt Alliance
MV YIMBY (2/14/22; 3/7/22)
Inaccurate/unrealistic/assumptions on affordability
levels
LWV (3/6/22)
Kevin Ma (2/15/22)
Serge Bonte (2/16/22; 5/13/22)
Daniel Hulse (3/7/22)
Assumptions based on HE
law
Unrealistic build-out of Pipeline Projects MVYIMBY
Daniel Hulse (3/7/22)
HCD informal input and
comparable approved
Housing Elements support
draft HEU methodology.
Alternate methodology may
require additional rezonings
(Questions in Staff Report).
Unrealistic build-out of Opportunity Sites League of Women Voters (2/15/22; 3/6/22; 5/16/22)
Daniel Hulse (3/7/22)
John Lashlee (3/8/22)
MV YIMBY (3/7/22)
Inadequate constraints analysis League of Women Voters (5/16/22) MV YIMBY (5/18/22)
Constraints analysis was
revised to include
additional information.
Attachment 6
Unrealistic ADU assumption; should use HCD’s safe
harbor estimate
MV YIMBY
Not a comment from HCD
Concerns about the likelihood of Master Plans
resulting in affordable housing build-out within 6th
Cycle; include progress benchmarks to development
MV YIMBY
SV@Home
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Not requirement of HE law;
could possibly discount
capacity; added more
details to projects’
benchmarks after HCD
feedback. Alternate
methodology may require
additional rezonings
(Questions in Staff Report).
Lacking Program Details
No connection between outreach, housing needs and
constraints to programs in draft; programs must
provide objectives, metrics, timelines
MV YIMBY (5/18/22; 6/14/22)
SV@Home
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
HCD Comment – revised
programs
Sites Inventory
Description Source Action/City Notes
Add Sites/Rezonings
Include a major rezoning component YIMBY Law & Greenbelt Alliance (4/21/22) Questions in Staff Report for EPC/Council about
additional rezonings. More
rezonings would need
environmental review.
Include underutilized sites Questions in Staff Report
for EPC/Council about
additional rezonings. More
rezonings would need
environmental review.
- Charleston Plaza Lenny Siegel (2/15/22; 3/7/22; 5/17/22) Serge Bonte (2/16/22)
Dave Offen & Gail Nyhan (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
- Downtown Serge Bonte (2/16/22; 5/13/22)
MV YIMBY
- R3 Zoning Update Serge Bonte (2/16/22)
MV YIMBY (6/10/22)
- Non-residentially zoned properties MV Chamber of Commerce (6/7/22) - R1, R2 Zones MV YIMBY (2/14/22; 3/7/22)
Daniel Hulse (3/7/22)
These areas would require
significant outreach before
including in Housing
Element
- Cuesta Annex Lenny Siegel (2/15/22; 3/7/22)
Serge Bonte (2/16/22)
Dave Offen & Gail Nyhan (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
MV YIMBY (3/7/22)
- Commercial-zoned properties YIMBY Law
Progressive Action (6/13/22)
Some sites are included in
Rezonings with HEU; some
sites are in Back-Pocket list
- Blossom Valley shopping center Lenny Siegel (2/15/22; 3/7/22; 5/17/22) Dave Offen & Gail Nyhan (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
MV YIMBY (3/7/22)
LWV
Included in Rezonings with
HEU
- On top of parking lots Serge Bonte (2/16/22)
May be facilitated through
commercial rezonings
- Housing on ECR/Phyllis Carolyn (8/25/22) Received letter from El Camino Health and
removed from inventory;
not viable site per property
owner request
- Add 901 N Rengstorff Mario & Liz Ambra (3/7/22; 5/17/22; 9/15/22)
Council declined to include
on June 14, 2022
- Add properties at corner of Castro and El
Camino
Bill Maston (5/17/22)
Lenny Siegel (5/17/22)
Sites should prioritize owner-occupied housing and
commercial uses over those with existing rent-
YIMBY Law Sites inventory reflects this
(Note: this is comment
controlled units or other rental housing with lower
income residents
against including R3 in the
HEU)
Location/Distribution of Sites
Infill should occur in all neighborhoods not just along El Camino Real
Edward Swierk (3/5/22) HEU sites and additional
programs (1.4, 1.7, 2.2)
distribute development
throughout the city; AFFH
analysis support site
distribution
Sites inventory is not distributed fairly across the City; does not include sites south of El Camino; does not
meet AFFH requirements
League of Women Voters (2/15/22, 3/6/22)
Kevin Ma (2/15/22)
Serge Bonte (2/16/22)
MV YIMBY (2/16/22; 6/14/22)
Sites are not located in Highest Opportunity Areas
(south of ECR); rezone in high resource, exclusionary
neighborhoods
YIMBY Law/California YIMBY
John Lashlee (3/8/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Leora Ross (3/9/22)
Integrate neighborhoods; high-level of multi-family
housing north of ECR; many Black/Latino population
around Castro school
MV YIMBY
Concerns about adding too many sites to inventory
(concerns about lack of infrastructure and water
shortages)
Carol and David Lewis (3/8/22)
Shari Emling (10/17/22)
Studied in EIR
Concerns about locating residential in high traffic
areas like Grant Road and creating unsafe area for
students
Nancy Ballweber (9/11/22)
Carolyn (9/3/22)
Tom & Nancy Anderson
Carolyn Blatt (8/2/22)
Removing Grant Park Plaza
would require upzoning in
another area to replace the
lost units under SB330.
Concerns related to loss of commercial retail within
neighborhoods; traffic impacts; or infrastructure;
water/electricity usage due to future redevelopment
of shopping centers
Stephen Carney (7/4/22)
Norma Jean Galiher (8/14/22)
Lisa Weyland (8/27/22)
Tom & Nancy Anderson (8/31/22)
No loss of retail with Village
Center zoning;
Environmental review will
occur with project review.
Tracy Yuan (8/27/22)
Carolyn (9/3/22)
Nancy Ballweber (9/11/22)
Sharon Calcagno (6/12/22)
Ron Sackman (6/14/22)
Marit Barton (6/14/22)
Tracy Hovda (5/22/22)
Support future redevelopment of shopping centers
but should require commercial retail (density =
walkability and diversity in commercial tenants;
improve livable neighborhoods)
Livable Mountain View (2/14/22)
Serge Bonte (5/13/22)
Dwight Rodgers (6/12/22)
Allison Davis (6/12/22)
Terri Goldberg (6/12/22)
Fariba Samadani (6/13/22)
Jean Myer (6/13/22)
Toni Rath (6/13/22)
Mary Hodder & Edward Falk (6/13/22)
Constraints
Description Source Action/City Notes
Parkland Fees
Revise the basis and process for Parkland Dedication Fee calculation to increase predictability and decrease the per-unit cost of the fee and changes should have
meaningful impact on housing feasibility
MV Chamber of Commerce (6/7/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22;
8/2/22)
MV YIMBY
Included in Program 1.8
Parkland is important and should find creative land use and funding solutions
Bill Lambert (5/18/22)
Robin Lin (6/14/22)
Do not reduce developer fees and do not reduce
standards as any reductions only benefit developers
Carol and David Lewis (3/8/22)
Toni Rath (6/13/22)
Some fees and standards
are constraints and will
Support collection of fees, such as Parkland Dedication Fee, to be put in real estate public investment trust
(REPIT) fund to develop larger parklands instead of
accepting small parks
Daniel Shane (6/2/22) need to be reduced
pursuant to purpose and
intent of HE law (Program
1.8); detailed procedures
for parkland will be
determined through the
Parks and Rec Strategic
Plan.
Other Impact Fees
Increase Housing Impact Fee Progressive Action (6/13/22) Addressed in Program 4.3 Cap fees on all new housing; evaluate timing of collecting fees at various points (like at final occupancy instead of early in the process)
YIMBY Law Various programs include
fee reductions. Alternate
times of collection can be
studied with those fee
reductions.
City should study readjusting in-lieu fee/onsite
inclusionary requirement to maximize the # of BMR units MV YIMBY Program 1.9 - BMR Study
already includes evaluation
Cumulative impact of combined impact fee stack is a
constraint and not evaluated thoroughly
SV@Home Revisions address
cumulative impact
Process and Staffing
Ease government constraints such as discretionary
approval processes or impact fees, that may impede the
rate of development
YIMBY Law & Greenbelt Alliance
(4/21/22)
Program 4.1 includes
review of timelines,
processes, and approval
body levels
Delays in approval process; streamline permitting
process; reduce public meetings, leaving as much to
administrative processes as possible
MV YIMBY (6/10/22)
SV@Home
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Program 4.1 includes
review of timelines,
processes, and approval
body levels
Include specific process improvements (as listed in Matrix Study) to reduce entitlement and building permitting
processes
MV Chamber of Commerce (6/7/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Program 4.1 includes
review of timelines,
processes, and approval
body levels
Remove requirement for Council approval from higher
tier densities in precise plans
MV YIMBY (3/7/22)
Leora Ross (3/9/22)
Addressed in Rezonings
part of HEU
Application process:
• Compile SB35 objective standards into one
accessible document
• Simplify application materials to a minimum and
streamline deadlines
• Limit staff comments to compliance with
objective development and design standards for all
projects
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Program 1.3 includes a
review of all multifamily
residential standards, which
can support simplification
of requirements
Low staff capacity MV YIMBY (6/10/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
This is affected by other
City priorities (not a
Housing Element issue)
Current Project List to include original app date, most recent app date, other milestones (Transparency)
MV YIMBY (6/10/22)
HCD Comment – addressed
in Program 4.1
City should make housing feasible to build without need to rely on office construction (like job-housing linkage) to get affordable housing
MV YIMBY (6/10/22)
Multiple programs address
issue of feasibility and
constraints
Unsure about effectiveness of community engagement;
more outreach has not reduced community opposition;
outreach only reaches 15% of renters despite MV being
renter-majority
League of Women Voters Updated Program 4.7 to
change focus
More and earlier public engagement during development
review process
Daniel Shane (5/18/22) Partially included in
Program 4.7
Parking Standards
Eliminate/reduce minimum residential parking
requirements; unbundle parking for rental units; set
parking maximums for residential near transit; reduce
James Kuszmaul (2/14/22; 3/7/22)
YIMBY Law
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Program 1.2 responds to
parking standards for
affordable housing
parking per AB2097; clearer regulations tying the relation between TDM policies and parking reductions
Mountain View Coalition for
Sustainable Planning & GreenspacesMV
(5/18/22)
Leora Ross (3/9/22)
development; also a
question for EPC and
Council in this Staff Report
(for all residential
development) Reduce parking requirements as spaces go unused MV Chamber of Commerce (6/7/22) Reduce or eliminate parking minimums especially for
senior and affordable housing; require unbundled
parking for TOD; Implement TDM (VTA smart passes for
residents)
Transform
Do not reduce parking requirements; developers should
provide sufficient parking
Carol & David Lewis (3/8/22)
Toni Rath (6/13/22)
Opposite view of same
question
Other Zoning Standards
Removing the 1-acre minimum in the R4 guidelines
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Adopting amendment to
reduce minimum lot size,
and lot width for 100%
affordable housing
Multi-family housing should not require CUPs YIMBY Law CUPs do not add to constraints – DRP is
concurrent and has same
level of review
Tree preservation requirements can be constraint to
development
League of Women Voters
Would not constrain
zoning-compliant
residential project
Permitting emergency shelters by-right in more zones League of Women Voters (5/16/22) CUPs have not been shown to be a constraint on this
use
Zoning standards should not conflict with density; ensure density will accommodate the presumed density
YIMBY Law Addressed in Program 1.3
Provide sufficiently zoned capacity to accommodate all
income levels and 30% minimum No Net Loss buffer
YIMBY Law Draft HEU includes this for
lower-income
Lack of by-right capacity means projects require to apply for zone change and EIR
MV YIMBY Issue is not zoning capacity;
those seeking the longer
process choose that when
there are many other viable
residential sites (rezoning is
profitable because land is
cheaper without zoning in
place)
Gatekeeper process requiring Council authorization is
preventing housing developments
MV Chamber of Commerce (6/7/22)
Specific Program Recommendations
Below Market Rate/Affordable Housing
Provide an accessible single source BMR housing portal
to reduce the # of times applicants need to resubmit
their information
MV YIMBY (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
Mountain View Tenants Coalition
(3/8/22; 6/10/22)
John Lashlee (3/8/22)
Already have for affordable
units; will join regional
effort when created;
improvements in Program
2.4 Build an intradepartmental dedicated permitting team to handle all affordable housing applications and assign a Permit Navigator per Matrix Study
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
MV YIMBY (6/10/22)
MV Chamber of Commerce (6/7/22)
Already addressed in
Program 4.1
Set affordable housing projects as the top priority for processing ASAP
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Affordable housing is
already prioritized and have
different process (NOFA);
Program 4.1 will review
NOFA process
Update 1.11 BMR Review to define concrete steps Housing Choices (6/21/22) Included additional steps in Program 1.9
Incentivize land donations for BMR inclusionary housing; avoid trap of requiring affordable units be sprinkled
YIMBY Law Already an option in BMR
program, will study further
through Program 1.9.
throughout market-rate or look exactly the same as
market-rate
Update BMR program guidelines to prioritize people with disabilities requiring modified units in all available
accessible housing
Housing Choices (6/21/22)
Will explore in Programs
1.9, 2.1
Displacement/Relocation/Tenant Protection
Discourage the loss of rent-controlled or other naturally affordable housing
Lenny Siegel (2/15/22; 3/7/22)
Mountain View Housing Justice
(6/12/22)
Terri Goldberg (6/12/22)
Program 3.2 partially
addresses this, as well as
the replacement question
for EPC and Council in this
Staff Report. Also, the Sites
Inventory and rezonings do
not include any sites with
existing housing.
Develop local No Net Loss for rent-controlled units; 1:1 replacement with right of return at current rate;
temporary relocation assistance
MV YIMBY (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
Mountain View Housing Justice
(6/12/22)
Question in Staff Report for
EPC/Council about rent-
controlled unit
replacement.
Expand Eviction Prevention Program; more staff
resources and funding for MEP Team; educate tenants
and landlords about rental rights
MV YIMBY (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
Mountain View Tenants Coalition
(3/8/22; 6/10/22)
Mountain View Housing Justice
(6/12/22)
Included in Programs 1.12,
2.5 Tenant protection (housing replacement program, temp housing vouchers, right of return, demolition controls) YIMBY Law/California YIMBY Program 3.2 partially
addresses this, as well as
the replacement question
for EPC and Council in this
Staff Report.
Specify strategies to replace the VTA safe parking lot on Evelyn; add more safe parking with emphasis on
League of Women Voters 3/6/22;
5/16/22)
Not specific to HE;
proposed expansion to
locations for long-term RV dwellers; provide permanent, low-rent mobile home park
Lenny Siegel (2/15/22; 3/7/22)
MV YIMBY (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
Mountain View Housing Justice
(6/12/22)
increase the City’s Safe
Parking program to over
120 spaces (requires
collaboration with State
and County to remediate
environmental impacts)
Mobile home protections: costs are too high and will
force tenants to homelessness; MHRSO not strong
enough; put cap on annual general adjustment to “$150
or whichever is lower”; mobile homes no longer an
affordable option; property owners are not complying
with law to provide rental data for MV’s Rent Registry
MV Mobilehome Alliance (9/28/22)
Anna Marie Morales (9/28/22)
Susan Morales (9/28/22)
Alex Brown (5/18/22)
Already in Programs 1.12,
3.2 Update 3.2 to specifically include mobile home residents and strong right of return policy based on SB330 (part of Displacement Response Strategy)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Added to Program 3.2
Include Displacement Response Strategy League of Women Voters (5/16/22) Cafecito (5/18/22)
Already in Program 3.2
Include community-owned housing opportunities like
COPA/TOPA, CDCs, CLTs
MV YIMBY (2/16/22; 3/7/22)
Mountain View Tenants Coalition
(3/8/22; 6/10/22)
Cafecito (5/18/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Mountain View Housing Justice
(6/12/22)
Marilu Cuesta (6/14/22)
Already in Program 2.1
Funding
Develop strategy to overcome weak links that arise in the funding chain for affordable housing
Lenny Siegel Addressed in Programs 2.1,
4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5
Provide local funding through transfer tax, vacancy tax, commercial linkage fee; expand preservation of existing housing and clearly define types of revenue sources to be YIMBY Law
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Progressive Action (6/13/22)
Addressed in Program 4.3
examined such as vacancy and transfer taxes and clearly define steps
Increase relocation assistance funds Mountain View Tenants Coalition (3/8/22; 6/10/22)
Addressed in Program 3.2
Update 2.1 to provide more detail on how funding will
meet housing needs of underserved populations (such as
supportive services and ELI household) and clearly define steps
Housing Choices (6/21/22) Addressed in Program 4.3
Special Needs/Groups Population
Update Reasonable Accommodation to include review of
townhouse/rowhouse elevator access standards so
seniors can age in place in these developments and
increase marketing and awareness to new tenant about
rights and community resources to request Reasonable
Accommodations and offer one annual Reasonable
Accommodations training for tenants and landlords
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Housing Choices (6/21/22)
Review of Reasonable
Accommodation
requirements included in
Program 2.3
Update 3.1 to acknowledge that ELI are most likely to
experience homelessness and must make commitments
to incentivize and increase production of ELI housing
Housing Choices (6/21/22) Addressed in other
programs
Update Goal 2 to include amendments to building code
to improve inclusive design addressing cross-disability beyond ADA requirements
Housing Choices (6/21/22)
Added to Program 2.1 for
subsidized projects
Market accessible units to community organizations that support those with disabilities; require developers to
expand outreach beyond local neighbors of the project
and include special needs groups (disabilities, unhoused, seniors)
Housing Choices (6/21/22)
Added to Program 4.7
Support homeownership by creating opportunities for-
sale housing to excluded groups
YIMBY Law
Allison Davis (6/12/22)
Already in Program 2.1
Provide teacher housing Olya Sorokina (7/14/22) Employee housing addressed in Program 4.6
Provide special housing protections and prioritization for essential workers
Mountain View Tenants Coalition
(3/8/22; 6/10/22)
Program 3.2 includes anti-
displacement measures
that will protect many
essential workers
ADUs
Incentivize ADUS, including those that are rent-restricted or low/no interest loans; reduced ADU standards to
increase quantity and diversity of housing options;
increase incentives for ADU production such as financing program and deed-restriction for ELI rent for 15 years
YIMBY Law/California YIMBY
Housing Choices (6/21/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
HCD Comment; Council
request; included in
Programs 1.7, 2.2
Incentivize SB9 subdivisions and DUO such as financing
assistance
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Other
Addressing the jobs/housing imbalance (such as the East Whisman Linkage Program)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
Lenny Siegel (2/15/22; 3/7/22)
Dave Offen & Gail Nyhan (5/18/22)
Programs 4.2, 4.3, and 4.6
addresses the impacts of
jobs/housing imbalance on
housing costs
Update 1.5 to commit to additional local Density Bonus
incentives beyond State Law (such as incentives for ELI); allow additional Bonus FAR on top of Precise Plan
standards
Housing Choices (6/21/22)
League of Women Voters (5/16/22)
City’s density bonus
program already includes
additional density for 100%
affordable projects
Historic Home registry and designation process is unclear and needs significant changes.
Deniece Smith (9/28/22) Not specific to HE law;
project currently underway
to update the Historic
Preservation Ordinance and
the Register of Historic
Resources
RV ban on streets against AFFH Kevin Ma (8/31/22)
Salim Damerdji (8/31/22)
Housing Element is focused
on the construction of
dwelling units, as defined
by State
Consider fair labor standards Mountain View Coalition for Sustainable Planning & GreenspacesMV
(5/18/22)
City has adopted Wage
Theft Ordinance
Rent moratorium to prevent rent increases (not to
exceed 1-2%)
Maria O (6/13/22) CSFRA controls rent
increases
Support quality, low-carbon buildings, and infrastructure- sensible landscaping
Mountain View Coalition for
Sustainable Planning & GreenspacesMV
(5/18/22)
Addressed in Program 1.13;
other requirements may
add constraints
Make green building rules even stricter with respect to construction waste, using less cement, insulation and
efficiency and use of recycled products, solar and built to high electric standards.
Allison Davis (6/12/22)
Include environmental and natural requirements such as
tree protections, sensible landscaping, native
biodiversity; hire qualified environmental staff
Daniel Shane (5/18/22)
Waive any city fees and expedite permits for installing solar panels/electric upgrades
Serge Bonte (6/13/22) Environmental
Sustainability Action Plan
includes fee waivers. Other
processing exemptions also
apply.
Plan for more housing to strengthen school districts due to low enrollment; housing insecurity affecting student performance
Olya Sorokina (7/14/22) Sites inventory addresses
comment’s goal to increase
housing
The loss of trees and green space, increase in tenants and vehicles have worsened air quality.
Kaia Wang (8/14/22) Studied in EIR
Feels that neighborhood streets are currently unsafe with homeless and litter
Kaia Wang (8/14/22) Several programs in HEU
address this issue
The cost of housing is expensive which drives up housing rental costs and forces businesses to cut operations/close Kaia Wang (8/14/22) Several programs in HEU
address this issue