HomeMy WebLinkAboutOpposition Letter - AB 1751 (Quirk-Silva) - 04.21.2026MAYOR KITTY MOORE
kmoore@cupertino.gov
CITY HALL
10300 TORRE AVENUE • CUPERTINO, CA 95014-3255
TELEPHONE: (408) 777-1389 • FAX: (408) 777-3366
CUPERTINO.GOV
April 21, 2026
The Honorable Sharon Quirk-Silva
Member, California State Assembly
1021 O Street, Room #5110
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1751 (Quirk-Silva) Missing Middle Townhome Ownership Act. Notice of Opposition
Dear Assemblymember Quirk-Silva:
On behalf of the City of Cupertino, I am writing to express our opposition to your Assembly Bill
(AB) 1751, the Missing Middle Townhome Ownership Act.
The City of Cupertino shares the Legislature’s goal of increasing homeownership opportunities
and expanding access to “missing middle” housing types. However, AB 1751 would
significantly undermine local land-use authority by mandating a ministerial approval process
for townhome ownership projects, thereby limiting a city’s ability to plan for growth,
infrastructure capacity, public safety, and neighborhood compatibility.
AB 1751’s broad ministerial approval requirements would remove essential discretionary
review tools that allow cities to ensure that new development aligns with adopted general
plans, specific plans, and community standards. While ministerial processes may expedite
approvals, they also eliminate the ability to address legitimate concerns related to traffic
circulation, fire access, utility capacity, stormwater management, and neighborhood design
compatibility. These are not abstract planning issues, they are practical, real-world
considerations that directly impact residents’ quality of life.
Additionally, the bill further erodes local control at a time when cities are already implementing
numerous state housing mandates, including Housing Element rezonings, density bonus law
expansions, SB 9 lot splits, ADU streamlining, and other ministerial housing approval
requirements. The cumulative effect of these measures has significantly constrained local
discretion.
AB 1751 would continue this trend by preempting locally adopted zoning standards and
community-driven planning processes without providing cities with the necessary resources to
offset the resulting infrastructure and service demands.
While we support increasing homeownership opportunities, durable housing policy must
balance production goals with responsible land use planning. A one-size-fits-all ministerial
mandate does not account for the diversity of California’s cities—urban, suburban, and rural—
each with unique infrastructure systems, fiscal realities, and community priorities.
For these reasons, the City of Cupertino opposes AB 1751.
Sincerely,
Kitty Moore
Mayor, City of Cupertino
Cc: The Honorable Josh Becker
The Honorable Patrick Ahrens
The Housing and Community Development Committee