After more than 10 years, hundreds of public meetings, a lawsuit, and a court order, the fight over building housing in North 40 is still not over. Last night, the Los Gatos Town Council held a public hearing on whether to reconsider the 320-unit development, which includes 50 affordable homes for seniors, that was initially proposed by Grovesnor, Summerhill Homes, and Eden Housing in 2006. An estimated 100 members of the public packed the Council chambers for the special meeting, and dozens of speakers on both sides of the debate testified in front of Council. SV@Home, the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and several other organizations called on the Council to act responsibly and approve the project without delay.
The next major decision point will be on August 1st, when the Town Council will continue the public hearing and deliberate on whether to set aside its previous denial of the North 40 Phase 1 project and reconsider it as directed by the court order. North 40 isn’t just about the residents of Los Gatos – it’s about those who can’t afford to live there (or anywhere else in Santa Clara County) because of the lack of affordable housing. It’s about the need for each city to do its part in addressing a regional crisis. As we told the Council last night,
Addressing this crisis begins with approving the North 40 Phase 1 project. We need you to take action to alleviate the existing lack of housing and urge you to approve the Project without further delay. It is a matter of equity, compliance with State housing law, and creating a better quality of life for all those who live and work in Los Gatos.
Show your support for #HousingForAll! Send a letter to the Los Gatos Town Council by August 1st.
Here is the contact information for each of the Los Gatos Town Councilmembers:
- Marico Sayoc, Mayor (msayoc@losgatosca.gov)
- Rob Rennie, Vice Mayor (rrennie@losgatosca.gov)
- Marcia Jensen, Council Member (mjensen@losgatosca.gov)
- Steve Leonardia, Council Member (sleonardis@losgatosca.gov)
- Barbara Spector, Council Member (bspector@losgatosca.gov)
The next Council meeting on North 40 will take place on August 1st, 2017 at 7:00 pm
Location: Los Gatos Town Council Chambers
110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos
Meeting agenda will be posted here prior to August 1st.
Please note: the verbal testimony portion of the public hearing was completed on July 24, and the August 1st meeting will not include an additional opportunity for public comment. If you would like to weigh in, please submit a comment letter to the Council by 11:00 am on August 1st.
For more information about the North 40 Project, check out our previous blog post.