Two new affordable housing projects—Mary Avenue Villas in Cupertino and 295 South Mathilda in Sunnyvale—demonstrate both the promise of building community assets and the roadblocks that come when neighbors push back. Despite thoughtful design, community engagement, and real concessions from developers, opposition continues to threaten the progress of these much-needed homes.

Building affordable housing is challenging everywhere, but especially in cities where neighborhood opposition is strong. Developers often come forward with well-designed projects that meet urgent needs, only to be met with petitions, angry outbursts, and even threats of lawsuits. Two current proposals (Mary Avenue Villas in Cupertino and 295 South Mathilda in Sunnyvale) illustrate how hard it can be to move good projects forward, and why reframing how we think about affordable housing is so important.

In Cupertino, Charities Housing is advancing Mary Avenue Villas, a 40 unit affordable community that would transform a vacant, underutilized site into something meaningful. Nineteen of those homes are set aside for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Even with this clear need, the project has faced petitions and harassment from some residents. Charities could have used state streamlining tools to avoid such conflict, but instead chose the City’s process, hosting meetings and adjusting designs to reflect community input, because they want to be good neighbors.

In Sunnyvale, MidPen Housing is moving forward with 295 South Mathilda, which would bring about 120 deeply affordable apartments downtown close to transit, jobs, and services. In response to community concerns, MidPen lowered the height, reshaped building edges, and even reduced the number of homes. Still, critics argue it’s “too tall,” doesn’t have enough parking, or doesn’t “fit the character” of the neighborhood. What gets lost is that this project would give low-income families and unhoused residents a safe, stable place to call home while strengthening Sunnyvale’s downtown for the long term.

The pushback in both cities shows how easily myths overshadow facts. Affordable housing doesn’t lower property values, research shows it can have no net impact, or can even boost neighborhoods. These developments aren’t burdens; they are long-term community assets that bring in state and federal dollars, provide stability for vulnerable residents, and help our cities live up to their values. If we stop seeing affordable housing as a threat and start seeing it as an opportunity, we can build stronger, more inclusive communities for generations to come.

Watch this space for alerts to support at-risk affordable housing developments! Santa Clara County cannot afford to let fear and misinformation stall good projects. Join us in supporting affordable housing efforts like Mary Avenue Villas and 295 South Mathilda, because every new home is an opportunity to invest in an equitable future.