On June 18th, Google officials took a bold step with the announcement that they will invest $1 billion to create as many as 20,000 housing opportunities in the Bay Area. We anticipate that much of this funding will ultimately be spent in Santa Clara County, where Google is proposing new jobs and homes in four different neighborhoods–North Bayshore and East Whisman in Mountain View, Moffett Park in Sunnyvale, and the Diridon Station Area in San Jose. See the announcement here.
With a dire need for more housing to accommodate new jobs and concerns raised about displacement of residents near these new developments, particularly in San Jose, this comes as welcome news. In addition to land and money for housing and a commitment to affordable homes, Google’s announcement includes $50 million in grants to nonprofits who are working to respond to displacement concerns and homelessness. Google is also working with the City of San Jose to develop strategies and solutions to limit displacement as both entities move forward with the ambitious Diridon Station Area Plan.
SV@Home has worked with Google on its plans in North Bayshore, where we led the coalition to build 9,850 new homes, 20% of which will be affordable. As they are planning in both Mountain View and Sunnyvale, we expect that Google will continue its mixed-use vision at Diridon Station, with a significant number of homes on land it owns.
Google’s announcement today is great news for the Bay Area. Responding to the incredible housing need in the region requires that everyone be at the table, including our corporate partners. We are excited about today’s news and look forward to continuing to work with Google to achieve this vision.
SV@Home will continue to be at the center of major land use planning in Santa Clara County, working to ensure that these plans include significant numbers of new homes and significant affordability. While we focus on identifying and pushing for new opportunities for affordable housing, we also work to ensure that these new homes are actually built.