Moffett Park in Sunnyvale is currently a suburban-style designed area dominated by office parks and parking lots, but for the past five years the City of Sunnyvale has been planning on transforming the area into an Eco-Innovation District that integrates housing, neighborhood-serving retail, new jobs, ecological improvements, and open space, all along transit lines, through the Moffett Park Specific Plan.
In May 2021, the Sunnyvale City Council approved the study of up to 20,000 new homes at Moffett Park. SV@Home was supportive of Planning Commission and City Staff’s recommendation to study at least 18,500 or more new homes depending on maximum feasibility.
SV@Home believes Moffett Park is an exciting opportunity to provide the City with more options in the future to consider additional housing capacity. Earlier in the planning process, we provided several recommendations to City Council, including asking the City to consider an overall affordable housing goal of 20% of all units by providing density and height concessions; exploring a Jobs-Housing Linkage program to ensure that new housing development proceeds at a similar pace to new office development; and exploring an Ecological Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program that would allow the city to provide density and height incentives in exchange for landowners returning and/or restoring sensitive habitats or other ecological resources.
To date, the Moffett Park Specific Plan intends to meet a 15% affordable housing target through their Inclusionary Housing Program. The Plan also includes a goal to reach 20% affordable housing by implementing a Community Benefits Program and utilizing funds generated from their Housing Mitigation Fee Program (i.e. Commercial Linkage Fee). A comprehensive TDR program has also been incorporated into the Plan. See SV@Home’s current recommendations to the Moffett Park Specific Plan.
City Staff concluded their critical study period for this housing-rich vision in October 2022, which included study sessions on density and form, open space, affordable housing, community benefits, and more. The City is now engaged in adopting the Moffett Park Specific Plan through Boards, Commissions, and City Council hearings. SV@Home looks forward to continuing to support Sunnyvale’s Eco-Innovation District Vision and advocating for affordable housing in Moffett Park. Visit SV@Home’s blog post on the Moffett Park Specific Plan to learn about our position, actions, and hearing dates here.