Advocating for MORE housing of all kinds! 
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"We need to send a clear message that we've very dedicated to balancing out the number of housing units and jobs." Dude, you literally had years to have an all-housing project get permitted. Years.pic.twitter.com/iIWrCj86IU
"We're in a significant housing crisis. Yes, we need to be going long on housing." So... you're going to speed up housing production all over Cupertino? Yes?pic.twitter.com/d7Uz1fLQPZ
"I think we left too much on the table." Mayor Paul thinks we should be demanding more from developers, who are already walking away from this nonsense to opt for SB 35. I'm sure he's equally committed to Prop 13 reform...
Councilmember Chang proposed a "thought experiment" last night of 9,600 units. Now he says he remembers it as 12,000 units. We do not hate this thought experiment.pic.twitter.com/JmP4Fj3bZS
"If we allow for 12 stories, 25 acres would be available for roads, open space, parks..."pic.twitter.com/wZKq1ZxUNc
This would have been super fun maybe like 3 years ago. Right now, it's pure hail-mary-please-don't-make-us-do-anything nonsense.
Chang talks about the time that went into all of these negotiations. Paul thinks he could have negotiated a better deal. Chang says many people think they can just demand a deal and get it, coughtrumpcough, but that's not how it works.
Paul makes it clear that he was counting who was a "nonresident" speaking, 24 RESIDENTS came to oppose. "Cupertino has 65,000 residents... So, you want to make a decision based on 24 residents or 65k?" says Chang.pic.twitter.com/OfZbAVMLPQ
"Whether or not Vallco ever gets built...and this will take years and years and years... we know what's happening in other cities... they're building more and more. ...If we don't get mass transit solutions, we will suffer the consequences."
Councilmember mentions, "You can read about projects in San Francisco where the entitlements are being sold." (The pipeline in SF is completely dead, btw. Alert Alert Alert.)
"We are a transit-starved city." Good conversation about how transit must be improved no matter what happens here tonight. Regional transit solutions are needed!
"I think we're losing ground on what we SAY we all want. Construction costs are going up by about 8% a year...incomes from the low and medium incom people aren't keeping up...projects just aren't getting built...people are just walking away..." says Councilmember Sinks.
Mountain View is telling the councilmember, they're "having to waive some of our mitigation fees just to get affordable housing built." (Will SF be as brave as ... Mountain View?)
Hard Pivot by Sinks: "and being respectful, we do have a single family home community to the west of the project...if I lived on Denison Ave I'm not sure I'd want to look up at a skyscraper with a millionaire in it with his telescope..." (Homeowners there are multimillionaires.)
"...and looking up at an angle wouldn't be MY idea of fun. ...and when I talk to planners... they say they're not getting a lot of love for the green roof."
Sinks pivots back: "I came to Cupertino here long ago because I knew the schools were great..and we should support them. Yes, we could go longer on housing, but this strikes a good balance between the viewshed and the affordable housing, and other concerns."
"Many are saying they can't afford it here... and can't stand to commute from a place we can afford. Think about all the people who keep our city going, the service workers, restaurant workers, the people who tutor your kids... This project really does provide a lot of value."
If you ever doubt if your one public comment, your one email can make a difference, listen to Councilmember Sink read @rachelln89's moving email:pic.twitter.com/9qtIGZj2rH
"We need to find room for everyone who helps us with our lives. ... All of them need a room to stay. We need to keep in mind all these people, be a welcoming community, an inclusive community. ...where do we find room for them?" - Councilmember Vaidhyanathan
Councilmember Scharf talks about the underfunded public schools. CoughProp13Cough
After a ton of discussion, cut to interesting part: "I would suggest that we strike the provision reguarding any lawsuit or inntiative," says Mayor 'Why Let them Sue?' Paul "I'll second it, for all the good it does," says Councilmember 'I'm definitely helping them sue' Scharf.
Inevitable discussion of what exactly Roberts Rules of Order are.
Sinks: This is silly, the city economist says it won't work. Chang: No, you can't just negotiate whatever you feel like. Motion FAILS.
They should call it Roberts Rules of How To Be Extremely Passive Aggressive.
"A correction to the so-called poison-pill." Better Cupertino crosses fingers and whispers, "Please let us sue please let us sue." Motion FAILS. Thank you Better Cupertino, but you will not get to sue your cake and eat it too.
Sink wants to get on with it. "Three of us are clearly ready to go with Tier 2. ...Maybe we could get on with that."
"There's a REAL COST associated with delay," says Councilmember Sinks.
OK... SPECIFIC PLAN TIER 2? Sink, Chang, Vaidhyanathan - YES Scharf, Paul - NO The motion PASSES! Now we get to see if the city offer is better than SB 35, or if the developer will opt for the SB35 project! Interesting...pic.twitter.com/VtLjD1TawY
So long as you're here, go to the campaign website on all these candidates and hit DONATE:http://yimbyaction.org/endorsements
"Cupertino city officials voted Wednesday evening to approve a massive housing and office development that would replace the mostly vacant Vallco Mall." And it was way harder than it should have been. https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Cupertino-approves-Vallco-development-south-of-13243335.php …
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