2023 Q1 Legislative Action Summary
Below is a summary of the actions that were taken during 2023 Q1 as they align with the City of Santa Clara’s 2022/2023 Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs), guiding principles for legislative advocacy, approved City policies (e.g. City Council Goals and Priorities), or Council action. The letters and bill analysis are attached to this document.
Council Pillar: Deliver and Enhance High-Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
• February 28, 2023 Letter of Support to Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla and Congressman Ro Khanna RE: City of Santa Clara’s FY 2024 Federal Appropriations Request
• April 11, 2023 Letter of Support to Assemblymember Evan Low RE: City of Santa Clara’s 2023 State Budget Requests
• April 11, 2023 Letter of Support to State Senator Aisha Wahab RE: City of Santa Clara’s 2023 State Budget Requests
Council Policy: Resolution 20-8823 Support for Workers Cooperatives • March 29, 2023 Letter of support to State Budget Leadership RE: funding the Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development
Housing LAP
• March 22, 2023 Letter of support to Assemblymember Ash Kalra RE: AB 1469 – Valley Water - Assisting Unsheltered People
Regional Issues and Collaboration LAP
• March 22, 2023 Letter of support to Governor’s Office of Planning and Research RE: Valley Water’s Adaption Planning Grant Application for San Tomas Aquino Creek Planning Study
Sustainability and Environmental Protection LAP
• December 12, 2022 Letter of Support to Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnelRE: Water Resources Development Act of 2022 as it related to the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project
Water Supply and Conservation LAP
• February 21, 2023 Letter of support to Bureau of Reclamation RE: Valley Water’s San Jose-Santa Clara Purified Project Feasibility Study Application for Funding Assistance
• February 21, 2023 Letter of support to Bureau of Reclamation RE: South County Water Reuse Program Feasibility Study Application for Funding Assistance
Multiple Legislative Priorities
• Bill analysis for March 9, 2023 Cities Association Legislative Action Committee Meeting
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
February 28, 2023
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein The Honorable Ro Khanna United States Senate United States House of Representatives 331 Hart Senate Office Building 306 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Alex Padilla
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Re: Support for the City of Santa Clara’s Fiscal Year 2024 Federal Appropriations Request
Dear Senator Feinstein, Senator Padilla, and Congressman Khanna:
I am writing to express my strong support for the City of Santa Clara’s three community project requests for which we are seeking funding: Public Safety Communications Infrastructure Funding, Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvement Project, and Harrison St. and North Winchester Drive Storm Drain Flood Protection Project.
The City of Santa Clara is requesting funding for these projects as they will enhance regional public safety response, improve traffic congestion at a key regional intersection, and provide flood protection benefits to a Santa Clara neighborhood.
• Public Safety Communications Infrastructure Funding - The City is a member of a countywide organization dedicated to facilitating interoperable voice and data communications known as Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA). This system operates on a P25 digital radio system that allows public safety entities throughout Santa Clara County interoperability in situations where a multi-jurisdictional response is necessary, such as severe storm, flooding, fires, earthquake, active shooter, mutual aid situations, and domestic terrorism. Critical incidents that have required the use of these radios include the Gilroy Garlic Festival and Valley Transportation Authority shootings. The City’s Police and Fire Departments also respond to the daily needs of the community, and routinely prepare to respond to critical incidents in the City, region, and throughout the state. In 2022, the Communications Center received 161,398 emergency and non-emergency calls for service. Many of the City’s portable and mobile radios are nearing the end of their serviceable life and are in need of replacement. As technology changes and new radio features are introduced, new radios are important to the City’s communication infrastructure as well as the regional success of SVRIA and the protection of the communities we serve.
Support for the City of Santa Clara’s Fiscal Year 2024 Federal Appropriations Request February 28, 2023
• Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvement Project - Great America Parkway/Mission College Blvd is a regionally significant intersection that connects the US-101 and State Route 237 freeways to key destinations in the heart of Silicon Valley, including: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara Convention Center, Great America Amusement Park, Mission College, as well as the headquarters of companies having a combined stock market capitalization of over $500 billion such as Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Applied Materials, Chegg, and Marvell Technology. The project will improve roadways at the intersection through the installation of buffered bicycle lanes, new sidewalks, additional travel lanes, traffic signals modifications, and pavement improvements with the goal of reducing traffic congestion for 64,000 vehicles that currently use the intersection each day. The project was approved by the Santa Clara City Council to reduce traffic congestion anticipated by future development of over 20,000 housing units, 12 million square feet of office, and 2 million square feet of retail in the area. Over the next 20 years, the project is anticipated to save 22 million hours of time, 10,300 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and 2.8 million gallons of fuel. These benefits achieve goals within the City’s General Plan, the Valley Transportation Authority Congestion Management Program, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.
• Harrison St. and North Winchester Drive Storm Drain Flood Protection Project - The Harrison St. neighborhood east of San Tomas Aquino Creek and North Winchester Drive area is bounded by residential homes and commercial businesses. The affected areas are constantly experiencing flooding during annual storm events and the project is one of the highest priority flood protection storm drain system improvement projects identified in the City’s Storm Drain Master Plan. The project will meet current flood protection requirements by upsizing an existing storm drain system at Harrison St. in which approximately 3,200 linear feet of storm drain pipeline ranging in diameters between 12-inch and 21-inch will be improved. For the North Winchester Drive area, proposed work includes installation of approximately 500 feet of 12-inch storm drain pipelines and various catch basins and manholes. Hundreds of residents and businesses will benefit and receive flood protection from the project.
These projects are critical for Santa Clara and will provide long term benefits to residents, businesses, and visitors in the greater Silicon Valley region. For these reasons, I ask that you give positive consideration to the City’s requests for funding.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
April 11, 2023
The Honorable Evan Low
Assemblymember, 26th District
1021 O Street, Suite 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: 2023 State Budget Requests from the City of Santa Clara
Dear Assemblymember Low:
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I want to express my enthusiasm about continuing to build a strong relationship between the City and your office.
As the State Legislature continues to evaluate funding priorities, as part of the FY 2023 -24 Budget process, I am respectfully presenting a list of priority projects that the City would like to partner with you on.
Through discussions with City officials, the City has identified four priority projects that we believe would be worthy recipients of state funding given their significant local and regional impacts. As such, we seek to partner with you to secure funding in the 2023 State Budget. The funding requests have been placed in order of priority.
1. Regional Public Safety Interoperable Radio Communications Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Description: The City is a member of a countywide organization dedicated to facilitating interoperable voice and data communications known as Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA). This system operates on a P25 digital radio system that allows public safety entities throughout Santa Clara County interoperability in situations where a multi -jurisdictional response is necessary, such as severe storm, flooding, fires, earthquake, active shooter, mutual aid situations, and domestic terrorism. Critical incidents that have required the use of these radios include the Gilroy Garlic Festival and Valley Transportation Authority shootings. This two -way radio infrastructure is also critical in managing large-scale events at Levi's Stadium as local, state and federal law enforcement is necessary to carry out each major event at this venue.
The City’s Police and Fire Departments respond to the daily needs of the community, and routinely prepare to respond to critical incidents in the City, region, and throughout the state.
In 2022, the Communications Center received 161,398 emergency and non -emergency calls for service. Many of the City’s portable and mobile radios are nearing the end of their serviceable life and are in need of replacement. This request, if funded, would allow the City to secure a significant portion of the radios that need replacing.
City of
Santa Clara
Tho Ccntor of Whan Posslb ..
The Honorable Evan Low
2023 State Budget Requests from the City of Santa Clara March 23, 2023
2. Cupertino-Santa Clara On-Demand Micro-Transit Shuttle Project Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Description: The City of Santa Clara is partnering with the City of Cupertino to implement an on-demand micro-transit shuttle project to serve those who live and work in Cupertino and Santa Clara. With support from a California State Transportation Agency State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant, the goal is to continue Cupertino’s existing On-Demand Micro-Transit Shuttle program and expand service into Santa Clara with a fleet of zero-emissions vehicles. Service is being designed to focus on offering improved and affordable connections between local Caltrain, Amtrak, VTA stations to job centers and other key destinations in Cupertino and Santa Clara while providing increased transit access for disadvantaged communities, high poverty zones, and senior populations.
3. Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvements Project Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Description: This project will relieve congestion and improve the City’s multimodal environment by constructing bicycle facilities and travel lane and traffic signal improvements at a major intersection in the North Santa Clara area. The project is located at the intersection of Great America Parkway and Mission College Boulevard and connects the US-101 and State Route 237 freeways to key destinations in the heart of Silicon Valley, including Levi's Stadium (1.1 million visitors in 2019), the Santa Clara Convention Center (318,000 visitors in 2019), Great America Amusement Park (1.5 million visitors in 2019), Mission Communi ty College (serves over 10,000 students), Mercado Shopping Center (over 200,000 square feet of retail), as well as the headquarters of major companies like Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Applied Materials, Marvell Technology, and Chegg. In addition to serving these destinations, the City is working on Long Range Plans to add over 20,000 housing units, 12 million square feet of office space, and 2 million square feet of retail in the North Santa Clara area that is served by this intersection. This project wi ll improve safety and increase mobility for all users of this major transportation corridor in Santa Clara.
4. SC Overnight Care Locations
Amount Requested: $1,800,000
Project Description: Unprecedented weather events of the past year have amplified the need for the City to address basic needs of people living outside for shelter, health, and hygiene. While the City opens warming/cooling centers in City facilities during normal business hours, there is a need to extend hours to include overnight hours. Modeled after the OWL (Overnight Warming Location) Program in San Jose, this project seeks to establish up to two sites in Santa Clara where the unhoused will have a safe place to gain respite from inclement weather conditions, address immediate needs for food a nd access support services. The City recently drafted a Homelessness Response Plan which has identified this gap in service as a critical need. While the City is piloting a mobile shower and laundry service and works collaboratively with local non -profits to provide support services, there is currently no overnight shelter or emergency interim housing in Santa Clara. Consequently, the basic needs, health, and welfare of unhoused individuals in Santa Clara are going unmet.
This project would fund the initial investment to launch pop -up emergency overnight facilities, fund a dedicated street and encampment outreach team and staff overnight care locations for a two -year period. Funding would also be used to explore partnerships with The Honorable Evan Low
2023 State Budget Requests from the City of Santa Clara March 23, 2023
Valley Water, the County, Ca ltrans, railroads, businesses, nonprofits, faith -based and volunteer organizations to leverage funding, facilities, expertise and staffing to manage the impacts of encampments and support clean -up activities near encampments, parks, creeks and other locati ons in the City in an effort to create a more comprehensive homelessness response.
I am optimistic that these project requests align with state goals and would be a worthy investment of state funds. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
April 11, 2023
The Honorable Aisha Wahab
State Senator, 10th District
1021 O Street, Suite 6530
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: 2023 State Budget Requests from the City of Santa Clara
Dear Senator Wahab:
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I want to express my enthusiasm about continuing to build a strong relationship between the City and your office.
As the State Legislature continues to evaluate funding priorities, as part of the FY 2023-24 Budget process, I am respectfully presenting a list of priority projects that the City would like to partner with you on.
Through discussions with City officials, the City has identified four priority projects that we believe would be worthy recipients of state funding given their significant local and regional impacts. As such, we seek to partner with you to secure funding in the 2023 State Budget. The funding requests have been placed in order of priority.
1. Regional Public Safety Interoperable Radio Communications Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Description: The City is a member of a countywide organization dedicated to facilitating interoperable voice and data communications known as Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA). This system opera tes on a P25 digital radio system that allows public safety entities throughout Santa Clara County interoperability in situations where a multi -jurisdictional response is necessary, such as severe storm, flooding, fires, earthquake, active shooter, mutual aid situations, and domestic terrorism. Critical incidents that have required the use of these radios include the Gilroy Garlic Festival and Valley Transportation Authority shootings. This two -way radio infrastructure is also critical in managing large-scale events at Levi's Stadium as local, state and federal law enforcement is necessary to carry out each major event at this venue.
The City’s Police and Fire Departments respond to the daily needs of the community, and routinely prepare to respond to critical incidents in the City, region, and throughout the state.
In 2022, the Communications Center received 161,398 emergency and non -emergency calls for service. Many of the City’s portable and mobile radios are nearing the end of their serviceable life and are in need of replacement. This request, if funded, would allow the City to secure a significant portion of the radios that need replacing.
City of
Santa Clara
Tho Ccntor of Whan Posslb ..
The Honorable Aisha Wahab
2023 State Budget Requests from the City of Santa Clara April 11, 2023
2. Cupertino-Santa Clara On-Demand Micro-Transit Shuttle Project Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Description: The City of Santa Clara is partnering with the City of Cupertino to implement an on-demand micro-transit shuttle project to serve those who live and work in Cupertino and Santa Clara. With support from a California State Transportation Agency State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) grant, the goal is to continue Cupertino’s existing On-Demand Micro-Transit Shuttle program and expand service into Santa Clara with a fleet of zero-emissions vehicles. Service is being designed to focus on offering improved and affordable connections between local Caltrain, Amtrak, VTA stations to job centers and other key destinations in Cupertino and Santa Clara while providing increased transit access for disadvantaged communities, high poverty zones, and senior populations.
3. Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvements Project Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Description: This project will relieve congestion and improve the City’s multimodal environment by constructing bicycle facilities and travel lane and traffic signal improvements at a major intersection in the North Santa Clara area. The project is located at the intersection of Great America Parkway and Mission College Boulevard and connects the US-101 and State Route 237 freeways to key destinations in the heart of Silicon Valley, including Levi's Stadium (1.1 million visitors in 2019), the Santa Clara Convention Center (318,000 visitors in 2019), Great America Amusement Park (1.5 million visitors in 2019), Mission Community Col lege (serves over 10,000 students), Mercado Shopping Center (over 200,000 square feet of retail), as well as the headquarters of major companies like Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Applied Materials, Marvell Technology, and Chegg. In addition to serving th ese destinations, the City is working on Long Range Plans to add over 20,000 housing units, 12 million square feet of office space, and 2 million square feet of retail in the North Santa Clara area that is served by this intersection. This project will imp rove safety and increase mobility for all users of this major transportation corridor in Santa Clara.
4. SC Overnight Care Locations
Amount Requested: $1,800,000
Project Description: Unprecedented weather events of the past year have amplified the need for the City to address basic needs of people living outside for shelter, health , and hygiene. While the City opens warming/cooling centers in City facilities during normal business hours, there is a need to extend hours to include overnight hours. Modeled after the OWL (Overnight Warming Location) Program in San Jose, this project seeks to establish up to two sites in Santa Clara where the unhoused will have a safe place to gain respite from inclement weather conditions, address immediate needs for food an d access support services. The City recently drafted a Homelessness Response Plan which has identified this gap in service as a critical need. While the City is piloting a mobile shower and laundry service and works collaboratively with local non -profits t o provide support services, there is currently no overnight shelter or emergency interim housing in Santa Clara. Consequently, the basic needs, health, and welfare of unhoused individuals in Santa Clara are going unmet.
This project would fund the initial investment to launch pop -up emergency overnight facilities, fund a dedicated street and encampment outreach team and staff overnight care locations for a two -year period. Funding would also be used to explore partnerships with The Honorable Aisha Wahab
2023 State Budget Requests from the City of Santa Clara April 11, 2023
Valley Water, the County, Cal trans, railroads, businesses, nonprofits, faith -based and volunteer organizations to leverage funding, facilities, expertise and staffing to manage the impacts of encampments and support clean -up activities near encampments, parks, creeks and other locatio ns in the City in an effort to create a more comprehensive homelessness response.
I am optimistic that these project requests align with state goals and would be a worthy investment of state funds. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● SantaClaraCA.gov
The Honorable Phil Ting The Honorable Vince Fong
Chair, Assembly Budget Committee Vice Chair, Assembly Budget Committee 1021 O Street, Suite 8230 1021 O Street, Suite 4630
Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814
The Honorable Nancy Skinner The Honorable Roger Niello Chair, Senate Budget Committee Vice Chair, Senate Budget Committee 1021 O Street, Suite 8630 1021 O Street, Suite 7110
Sacramento, CA 95814 Sacramento, CA 95814
March 29, 2023
RE: Request for $5 million to fund the recently -established Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Dear California Legislative Budget Leadership,
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I write in support of a request for a one -time budget allocation of $5 million to fund the recently -established Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development which was created in 2022 through the passage of SB 1407, the California Employee Ownership Act.
The Employee Ownership Hub will help establish the infrastructure necessary to increase employee ownership throughout California. As the Legislature prepares for a potential budget shortfall, it is vital that we remain steadfast in the commitment to bolster local economies and protect jobs. This $5 million investment will not only help develop more wealth building opportunities, but will create more resiliency in the economy. Research shows that worker -owned businesses are less likely to lay off workers, and more prepared to pivot business strategy, during downturns. Employee- owned firms were four times more likely to retain jobs at the height of the COVID -19 pandemic. This trend of business resiliency has held true over multiple past recessions. With wide-reaching worker ownership, more businesses would be able to weather the storm of economic stagnation. Investment in employee ownership can serve as a key element of California’s strategy for economic resilience, and a safety net for our state’s small businesses.
Employee-owned businesses, commonly formed as worker cooperatives (co -ops) or Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), provide proven benefits including stronger business performance, and quality jobs and wealth building opportunities for employees. Ex panding employee ownership benefits businesses, workers, and local economies.
There is no better time for California to embrace employee ownership to preserve small businesses.
According to national surveys, 79% of business owners want to retire within 10 years, 60% in less than 5 years, and 33% in less than 3 years. Without intervention, many of these businesses will close.
Only 15% of businesses successfully transition to the next generation in the family. Most business owners who attempt to sell are not able to, with only 20% of commercial listings actually selling.
Rather than closing for good or selling to large, out -of-state buyers, small business owners can find willing buyers in the people who work alongside them every day & know their businesses be st: their City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What 's Possible
Re: Request for $5 million to fund the recently-established Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
March 29, 2023
workers. Doing so will anchor essential production and services in communities, protect livelihoods, avert layoffs, and save the State money.
Investment in employee ownership can also serve as a component of California’s strategy to close the racial wealth gap. The average Black and Latino household in the United States holds only fifteen to twenty percent of the wealth of the average white household. Alarmingly, this racial wealth gap has been widening over the last decades rather than shrinking . California needs to take bold action to address the racial wealth gap, and investment in employee ownership can be part of the plan. Research shows that employee ownership narrows the racial wealth gap, with Black and Latino workers at employee-owned fir ms building on average tens of thousands of dollars more in wealth than the average U.S. worker.
Building on provisions in the 2022 Budget, and recent recommendations from state entities such as The Little Hoover Commission’s recent report, First Steps toward Recovery: Saving Small Businesses, we respectfully submit the following for consideration in the 2023-24 Budget:
Employee Ownership Hub – $5M to fund for three years the newly created Employee Ownership Hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. The Hub will provide support and align the work of various state agencies in support of broad-based employee ownership.
Despite its long -proven benefits, awareness of employee ownership remains low. Funding the Employee Ownership Hub is critical to sharing information on and reducing barriers to employee ownership, thus maximizing benefits for California workers, businesses, and local economies.
Workers becoming owners creates opportunities for wealth-building, community stability, as well as union partnership, and helps California create a more inclusive, equitable and stable economy fit for the 21st century. We appreciate your consideration of these evidence-based recommendations for this year's proposed budget.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 22, 2023
The Honorable Ash Kalra
Member, California State Assembly
State Capitol, 1020 O Street, Suite 4610
Sacramento, CA 95814
Subject: AB 1469 (Kalra) Valley Water – Assisting Unsheltered People – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Kalra:
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I would like to express our strong support for AB 1469, which makes changes to the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act to allow the agency to do more to assist unsheltered people living along creeks and streams, including providing housing or improved outcomes for unsheltered individuals.
Santa Clara County is currently experiencing unprecedented increases in the number of unhoused people taking refuge along waterways that run through neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces, as well as through commercial districts and industrial areas. As the regional agency responsible for water supply, flood protection, and the environmental stewardship of creeks and streams, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) owns hundreds of miles of property along waterways as well as other public lands. These locations are a preferred refuge for unsheltered people because of their proximity to surface water and the sheltering effects of riparian veget ation, canyons, and creek banks.
Valley Water estimated in February 2023 that more than 2,000 unsheltered people were taking refuge on the agency’s properties and easements.
AB 1469 (Kalra) would provide Valley Water with the statutory authorization to us e its land and a portion of its general tax revenue to humanely assist unsheltered people living along waterways to provide outreach, transitional housing, or other supportive services through contracts with cities, the County, or non-governmental organizations. The goal is to bring more resources to the table to facilitate solutions to serious environmental and operational impacts of large numbers of unsheltered people living along creeks and streams.
The City of Santa Clara strongly supports AB 1469 bec ause it will enable Valley Water to do more to assist unsheltered people taking refuge along waterways, provide more resources to support the efforts of cities, the County, and non -governmental organizations to address the homelessness crisis in our region, and will give Valley Water the tools it needs to improve water quality and protect sensitive, threatened, and endangered species. We urge the Legislature and the Governor to enact this important legislation.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
City of
Santa Clara
Tho Ccntor of Whan Posslb ..
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 22, 2023
The Honorable Ash Kalra
Member, California State Assembly
State Capitol, 1020 O Street, Suite 4610
Sacramento, CA 95814
Subject: AB 1469 (Kalra) Valley Water – Assisting Unsheltered People – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Kalra:
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I would like to express our strong support for AB 1469, which makes changes to the Santa Clara Valley Water District Act to allow the agency to do more to assist unsheltered people living along creeks and streams, including providing housing or improved outcomes for unsheltered individuals.
Santa Clara County is currently experiencing unprecedented increases in the number of unhoused people taking refuge along waterways that run through neighborhoods, parks, and open spaces, as well as through commercial districts and industrial areas. As the regional agency responsible for water supply, flood protection, and the environmental stewardship of creeks and streams, the Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) owns hundreds of miles of property along waterways as well as other public lands. These locations are a preferred refuge for unsheltered people because of their proximity to surface water and the sheltering effects of riparian veget ation, canyons, and creek banks.
Valley Water estimated in February 2023 that more than 2,000 unsheltered people were taking refuge on the agency’s properties and easements.
AB 1469 (Kalra) would provide Valley Water with the statutory authorization to us e its land and a portion of its general tax revenue to humanely assist unsheltered people living along waterways to provide outreach, transitional housing, or other supportive services through contracts with cities, the County, or non-governmental organizations. The goal is to bring more resources to the table to facilitate solutions to serious environmental and operational impacts of large numbers of unsheltered people living along creeks and streams.
The City of Santa Clara strongly supports AB 1469 bec ause it will enable Valley Water to do more to assist unsheltered people taking refuge along waterways, provide more resources to support the efforts of cities, the County, and non -governmental organizations to address the homelessness crisis in our region, and will give Valley Water the tools it needs to improve water quality and protect sensitive, threatened, and endangered species. We urge the Legislature and the Governor to enact this important legislation.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
City of
Santa Clara
Tho Ccntor of Whan Posslb ..
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 22, 2023
Abby Edwards
Adaptation Planning Grant Program Manager
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
1400 10th St #100
Sacramento, CA 95814
Subject: Letter of Support for Valley Water’s Adaptation Planning Grant Application for San Tomas Aquino Creek Planning Study
Dear Ms. Edwards,
I am writing to express the City of Santa Clara’s support for the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s (Valley Water) application for a $350,000 Adaptation Planning Grant to conduct a planning study on San Tomas Aquino Creek. The planning study will be conducted along a segment of San Tomas Aquino Creek in the City of Santa Clara, between Highway 101 to Highway 237. The purpose of this study is to seek sustainable solutions for flood risk reduction.
As part of Valley Water’s Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program, Project F8 (“Sustainable Creek Infrastructure for Continued Public Safety”) evaluated a variety of creeks and prioritized the creeks based on factors, including flood risk, deteriorating infrastructure, and operations and maintenance. It was determined that a project for San Tomas Aquino Creek should be undertaken as priority number one, with emphasis on specific reaches from the San Francisco Bay to t he Wildcat Creek confluence. As the Mayor representing the city that would benefit from additional flood risk reduction measures, I offer my full support for a planning study for this project.
Currently, Valley Water has undertaken an aggressive and expensive sediment and vegetation removal program downstream of Highway 237 to maintain conveyance upstream of Highway 237 to its level of service. The proposed planning study will research and develop a more holistic approach to address concerns throughout the channel to reduce flood risk and meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards, stabilize the channel to minimize maintenance costs, consider the effects of sea level rise, and rehabilitate aging infrastructure in the most cost-effective manner, and will ultimately benefit Santa Clara residents and the greater San Francisco Bay Area community.
The City of Santa Clara is pleased to support Valley Water on this important grant application and planning study, and we respectfully request that you favorably consider Valley Water’s grant application for the San Tomas Aquino Creek Planning Study.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
December 12, 2022
The Honorable Charles Schumer
Majority Leader
United States Senate
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Minority Leader
United States Senate
Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell,
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I am writing to express our support for the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA).
This legislation includes a critical provision to support the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Shoreline Project). The Shoreline Project was originally authorized in WRDA 2014, and at that time, it was the first in the nation to incorporate sea level rise into its design and analysis. With each passing year, we experience more extreme weather and rising tides, which have amplified the urgency to deliver flood risk reduction to the area along the South San Francisco shoreline. We are committed to ensuring that the surrounding community there is provided with the protections that it needs and deserves. In this regard, we applaud the Administration’s goals of combating climate change and advancing equity. However, institutional barriers within the federal system threaten to keep this community down. The language in WRDA 2022 will help to raise this community up.
We strongly support congressional action to maintain WRDA’s biannual schedule, and we urge a final vote on this legislation before the end of the 117th Congress.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
Cc: The Honorable Tom Carper, Chair, Senate Environment & Public Works Committee The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member, Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, United States Senate
The Honorable Alex Padilla, United States Senate
1 March 9, 2023 Cities Association
Legislative Action Committee – Bill Analysis
Legislative Action Committee Meeting
Item 3. Valley Water Bills
Bill Number Summary Recommended
Position
Legislative Priority Alignment
AB 939
(Pellerin)
This bill would authorize
Santa Clara Valley Water
District to utilize revenue
from ad valorem taxes or
assessments to help pay
for bonds issued by the
District. Additionally, the
bill would allow the District
to repay bonds from net
revenues, as opposed to
gross revenues, of its
water system. The bill also
makes additional changes
to the District’s enabling
act related to borrowing
limits, extending existing
director compensation
levels, and other minor
changes.
Support Water Supply and Conservation
LAP: Support efforts to
establish alternative funding
sources for water infrastructure
and improved water quality
projects.
AB 1469
(Kalra)
This bill would authorize
Santa Clara Valley Water
District to assist
unsheltered people living
along streams, in riparian
corridors, or otherwise
within the district’s
jurisdiction, in consultation
with cities and Santa Clara
County, to provide
solutions or improve
outcomes for unsheltered
individuals.
Support Housing LAP: Support
legislation and efforts that
provide resources to address
the needs of the most
vulnerable residents through
shelter, supportive housing, and
homelessness prevention
services.