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PROPOSED 2025 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
PURPOSE
Mountain View’s Legislative Platform confirms the City Council’s position on current legislative matters with the potential to affect the City directly or indirectly. The Legislative Platform is a guiding document for the City to utilize to promote and pr eserve the City’s interests at the regional, state, and federal levels. City staff will coordinate with advocacy services and regional partners as appropriate to monitor and assess federal legislation and administrative or regulatory proposals and take ac tion in alignment with the adopted Legislative Platform to advance and protect the City interests, as necessary.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
The City of Mountain View provides many critical services, programs, and projects to fulfill its mission and help make Mountain View a great community in which to live, work, visit, and play.
In June 2021, the City Council adopted seven Strategic Priorities:
1. Community for All: Support Mountain View’s socioeconomic and cultural diversity. Engage and protect vulnerable populations through policies that promote access to housing, transportation, and other programs and services.
2. Livability and Quality of Life : Enhance Mountain View as a great place to live that values community health and well -being. Preserve Mountain View’s unique character, restore wildlife habitats, and promote arts and culture. Provide parks, open space, and other key amenities.
3. Intentional Development and Housing Options : Support and increase the quantity and diversity of housing options, including assistance for the unhoused. Provide opportunities for affordable housing as well as home ownership. Plan for neighborhoods with nearby transit, jobs, and amenities that bal ance density with livable, green, mixed -use development.
4. Mobility and Connectivity: Develop a mobility network that enhances connectivity across Mountain View and establishes green corridors. Promote transit and safe, active transportation options that reduce single -occupancy vehicle trips and traffic and increase walking and biking.
Attachment 4
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5. Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Through implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan and other actions, reduce and minimize the City’s greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for sea level rise. Protect and enhance local ecosystems and biodiversity through rewilding and other measur es. Support residents and businesses to adopt sustainable practices and use resources wisely.
6. Economic Vitality: Support a walkable, beautiful, vibrant downtown and accessible village centers that draw residents and visitors. Create an environment where small, local, and diverse businesses can thrive across the City alongside large employers. Continue to work in partnership with the business community to ensure Mountain View is a center for innovation with meaningful jobs for workers.
7. Organizational Strength and Good Governance : Continue to innovate, collaborate, and continuously improve to deliver a high level of customer service. Recruit, develop, and retain top -notch staff. Maintain fiscal responsibility and effective intergovernmental partnerships. Communicate and engage regularly and transparently with our multilingual community.
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM STATEMENTS
A. Expand Affordable and Work Force Housing
Significantly increase resources to achieve the City’s affordable housing pipeline, implement a middle-income strategy, and advance fair access to housing.
Congress:
1. Support extensions and expansion of the Low -Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program by restoring the increase of the 9% LIHTC ceiling by 12.5%, allowing states to allocate more credits for affordable housing projects. The federal LIHTC program has been the single largest and most important funding source for affordable housing.
However, the available funding is simply not enough for both the 4% and 9% programs.
It has been estimated that, based on historical LIHTC f unding levels available for California and Santa Clara County, it would take 215 years of LIHTC fund ing to meet the state-determined Regional Housing Needs Allocation for the County.
2. Provide full funding to renew all existing contracts for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and expand assistance to more households. The HCV Program, formerly known as Section 8, is the nation’s largest rental assistance program. It provides funding that enables extremely low -income families, seniors, and disabled residents to secure safe and affordable housing of their choice in the private rental market.
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3. Support the highest level of funding for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). HOME is the main Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program that provides significant resources to cities like Mountain View that are dedicated to housing, but in a flexible manner that allows the City to use funds for its top priorities.
4. Support the highest level of funding for HUD’s Pro Housing program and authorization of Yes in My Backyard legislation.
5. Increase the number of project-based vouchers available. Project-based vouchers are critical to each affordable housing development, especially as the City commits to building more supportive and extremely low -income units. The City partners closely with the Santa Clara County Housing Authority to advance the City’s affordable housing pipeline.
6. Support legislation that strengthens tenant protections.
Administration:
1. Work with cities to advance Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) initiatives while also addressing local needs. AFFH is critically important to reduce barriers and increase access to housing.
2. Work with the Administration to identify opportunities to expand affordable housing opportunities, including acquisition of federal property for the purpose of expanding affordable and work force housing.
3. Oppose regulatory and other efforts to weaken and/or eliminate tenant protections.
4. Oppose regulatory and other actions that preempt local control and authority.
4. Oppose federal regulations that impose undue burdens on local governments and limit their ability to respond to local challenges.
5. Support regulatory and other actions that provide local governments with discretion in how to allocate funds to address their specific community needs.
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B. Enhance Community and Economic Development
Enhance Mountain View as a great place to live that values community health and well - being. Preserve Mountain View’s unique character, restore wildlife habitats, and promote arts and culture. Provide parks, open space, and other key amenities.
Congress:
1. Support efforts to increase federal funding to prevent and reduce homelessness in Mountain View and throughout Santa Clara County, including support for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grant program and other federal programs.
2. Support funding and legislation that invests in urban parks and promotes open space, including support for the National Parks Service Outdoor Recreation and Legacy Partnership Program.
3. Support the highest level of funding for HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
4. Support the highest level of funding for the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration Public Works programs.
5. Support federal programs, like the New Market Tax Credit Program, that invests in businesses and community infrastructure in low-income, qualified census tracts.
6. Support work force development programs that prepare workers for in-demand, good jobs and can help employers and communities address work force shortages while also meeting their business needs.
7. Support the extension and expansion of the Child Care Tax Credit.
8. Support federal programs that provide tax incentives, work force training , and economic development assistance, and funding for including streetscape and other community infrastructure improvements, to help retain and grow Mountain View small businesses.
9. Fully reinstate the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.
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10. Monitor legislation and regulatory action that may impact and preempt Mountain View’s ability to adopt and/or regulate artificial intelligence (AI) policies. (CHECK NLC
LANGUAGE)
11. Monitor legislation and regulations regarding the deployment of autonomous vehicles and autonomous delivery vehicles.
12. Support federal legislation and funding that promotes domestic and international travel and tourism and music tourism.
Administration:
1. Streamline compliance procedures and adopt consistent compliance requirements across funding sources. Programs such as CDBG and HOME are complex and have different rules and requirements. Updating them to a more consistent, common set of standards would increase program efficacy and decrease administrative burden.
2. 2. Oppose federal regulations that impose undue burdens on local governments and limit their ability to respond to local challenges.
3. Support regulatory and other actions that provide local governments with discretion in how to allocate funds to address their specific community needs.
Oppose regulatory and other actions that preempt local control and authority.
C. Develop Travel Mobility and Community Infrastructure Develop a mobility network that enhances connectivity across Mountain View and establishes sustainable corridors. Promote transit and safe active transportation options that reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips and traffic and increase walking and biking.
Congress:
1. Support the reauthorization and funding for programs included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
2. Support the highest level of funding for the RAISE, SMART, and Safe Streets for All programs.
3. Support the highest level of funding for federal programs like the CRISI and Railroad Crossing Elimination, which can help programs that will establish quiet zones help CG/6/MGR
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the Mountain Viewand improve safety along critical rail crossing locations, including Rengstorff Avenue and Castro Street.
4. Oppose any effort to rescind funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation (BIL) during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations cycle.
5. Support the highest level of funding for the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, which funds New Starts projects.
6. Support robust funding for all water infrastructure financing mechanisms, including the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund programs and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA).
7. Protect the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds and reinstate the tax exemption for advance refunding of bonds.
8. Provide direct funding to local governments through grant programs, such as stormwater management, water infrastructure resilience, and sustainability, to reduce risk due to extreme weather events and protect recycled water, new/emerging technologies for cybersecurity im provements and water efficiency, work force development in the water sector, and other programs.
Administration:
1. 1. Oppose federal regulations that impose undue burdens on local governments and limit their ability to respond to local challenges.
2. Support regulatory and other actions that provide local governments with discretion in how to allocate funds to address their specific community needs.
Oppose regulatory and other actions that preempt local control and authority.
D. Bolster Mountain View’s Resiliency, Sustainability and Safety Support federal programs that invest in community mitigation, including against the adverse impacts of sea level rise and flooding , earthquakes, drought, wildfire, extreme heat and other disasters.
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Congress:
1. Support the highest level of federal funding and tax credits to grow support for climate-resilient infrastructure, microgrids, and electric vehicles, and update federal response to mitigate against future climate-related disasters.
2. Support the highest level of funding for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) programs.
3. Support the reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program.
4. Support streamlining Corps of Engineers programs to increase efficiency and responsiveness to the needs of small and midsize communities.
5. Support Environmental Infrastructure authorization and funding for City of Mountain View water resources projects in the next Water Resources Development Act.
6. Support the highest level of funding for State Homeland Security Grants and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Programs.
7. Support funding for FEMA’s State and Local Cyber Security program.
8. Support federal legislation and funding that authorizes and invests in the construction of new, resilient public safety facilities, including emergency operations centers, fire stations, and police department headquarters.
9. Support federal programs and legislation that provide funding for back -up power generation at community facilities, including libraries.
10. Reauthorize and fully fund the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) or other funding structure at the U.S. Department of Energy to further incentivize clean energy at the local level.
11. Support the highest level of Fiscal Year 2026 funding for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Water Smart program.
12. Oppose efforts to weaken and/or rescind Inflation Reduction Act funding, including direct/elective pay provisions.
13. Support federal policies and legislation that promote energy efficiency and protect local government authority to take measures, including implementing REACH codes, to protect their communities' public health and safety.
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Administration:
1. Allocate the highest level of funding, 6% for FEMA’s BRIC national competition.
2. Provide the highest level of federal cost-share for disaster-impacted communities.
3. 3. Oppose federal regulations that impose undue burdens on local governments and limit their ability to respond to local challenges.
4. Support regulatory and other actions that provide local governments with discretion in how to allocate funds to address their specific community needs.
Oppose regulatory and other actions that preempt local control and authority, including efforts to require police officers to carry out federal immigration policies.
5. 4. Oppose efforts to weaken and/or rescind IRA funding, including direct/elective pay provisions.