CHC 01-13-05
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE CUPERTINO HOUSING COMMISSION
January 13,2005
1. CALL TO ORDER
The regular meeting of the Cupertino Housing Commission was called to order at
6:35 p.m. by Chairperson Frances Seward
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Chairperson Frances Seward, Housing Commissioners Richard Abdalah,
Sarah Hathaway-Feit, Kim Mosleh, Mahesh Niha1ani and P1anning Commissioner
Lisa Giefer
Absent: None
Staff present: Vera Gil, Senior Planner
3. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
4. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. Approval of October 28, 2004 minutes
Action: Item continued
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
7. NEW BUSINESS
a. Teacher Housing Assistance Program
Staff explained that although the Teacher Housing Assistance program has
been in existence since February 2003, no teachers have been received loans
from the program. Both City staff and the staff from Neighborhood Housing
Services Silicon Valley, the agency administering the program on the City's
behalf, believe the requirement that the applicant's home must be 10cated
within the City limits has caused teachers not to take advantage of the
program. Ed Moncrief, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing
Services, stated that his staff has interviewed many of the teachers that
expressed interest in the program. The teachers often stated that they did not
think they could find a decent townhome in Cupertino for the amount of
money they could afford to pay. They also felt that the loans were not
sufficient to off set the higher Cupertino housing prices. Many teachers
believe they can purchase a nicer unit for the price in a neighboring
community.
Mary Jew, Cupertino Union School District, mentioned that some teachers
have taken advantage of the Below Market Rate (BMR) program. Ms. Jew
also expressed an interest in having the City remove some of the BMR
priorities. She felt the work within the City limits was too restrictive since
some teachers work in the Cupertino School District, but do not work within
the City limits.
Staff explained that the BMR program is not a teacher program, but a
community-wide program that gives some preference to teachers and other
public service employees. Public Service employees receive one point,
Cupertino residents receive one point and applicants working within the
Cupertino city limits receive one point. The goal of awarding one point to
Cupertino workers is to assist in reducing commute times and encouraging
workers to live in the cities they work in. It is possible for applicants
receiving two points to receive a BMR unit.
The Housing Commission continued discussing the Teacher Housing
Assistance Program and requested that the school districts provide the City
with maps showing the school district boundaries. At the next meeting the
Housing Commission will evaluate whether they can expand the boundaries
for eligible homes to match with the boundaries of one of the school districts.
b. General Plan Update
Ciddy Wordell, City Planner, discussed the General Plan update process and
explained to the Housing Commission the differences between the
Administrative Draft of the General Plan and the General Plan Task Force
Draft. The Task Force Draft has removed Policy 3-1, which designated the
number of units to be planned for by income category. Also amended were
the wording requiring a better jobs/housing balance and mixed use housing in
the Crossroads area of Cupertino.
The Housing Commission agreed that Chairperson Seward and Commissioner
Hathaway-Feit would meet with staff to produce a statement from the
Housing Commission. The statement will then be e-mailed to the Housing
Commission for review prior to the January 25, 2005 Planning Commission
meeting. Commissioner Seward will attend the meeting to represent the
Housing Commission.
8. COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS
None
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
10. ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8: 1 0 p.m. to regular meeting on February 10,2005.
SUBMITTED BY:
~Jj~ 1Lx
Vera Gi1,
Staffliaison to the Cupertino Housing Commission