SV@Home conducts a wide array of programs and initiatives in service of our vision for a more vibrant and equitable Silicon Valley where all people have access to a safe, stable and affordable home. Whether you are a long-time housing policymaker or just beginning your journey as a housing advocate, we have something for you! See how you can learn, act, and engage today!

Policy & Research

Our technical expertise and housing policy know-how set us apart from your average advocacy organization. We have the research capacity to provide expert recommendations and activate community connections to affect policy at the local and regional level. Visit the Resource Hub on our website to see data and statistics on city, county, and state policies as well as SV@Home policy recommendations on the full range of affordable housing topics.

Advocacy and Coalition-Building

All of our educational and policy resources are designed to prepare you to take action and take a stand on housing issues. Whether it’s signing a petition or letter to elected officials, participating in a community meeting, or speaking at a public hearing, your voice matters – and can be the difference between whether a critical housing development or policy advances, gets delayed, or doesn’t move forward at all. SV@Home provides you with opportunities to speak up and engage as well as a range of different levels and methods of participation. Take action to create housing for all at our Advocacy Hub and sign up for our newsletter to receive important action alerts.

The SV@Home staff regularly meets with key decision makers (including city staff and elected officials), writes position letters, and speaks at public meetings to provide support or direction on policy items, priority setting, and affordable housing projects. Staff also serve on several local and regional committees shaping the future of housing policy and land use decisions, including the City of San José’s Diridon Station Area Advisory Group.

Project Endorsements

Our project endorsement process provides the SV@Home stamp of approval to housing development proposals that meet a straightforward set of criteria, including levels of affordability, density, and support for vulnerable populations. For endorsed projects, we provide advocacy support that includes writing letters of support to city councils or planning commissions, speaking in favor of proposals before elected officials, and activating our coalition of advocates to support developments at public meetings. Visit our Project Endorsement page to view our requirements and process

Communications and Messaging

Public awareness and engagement is an important foundational activity to build our base of affordable housing supporters and help individuals of all backgrounds and organizations from all sectors understand how we work towards an equitable Silicon Valley. SV@Home works to inform the community at large and change the conversation around our shared housing crisis and effective solutions through earned media, social media, and effective messaging. Stay in the know by subscribing to our newsletter and action alerts and connecting with us on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and LinkedIn. Email Fatima Burgos with media requests.

Events and Education

Policy in Action (formerly Housing Action Coalition) is a monthly, informal brownbag discussion bringing together “housers” to engage on hot housing topics. Each month, we select a topic or current event, bring in an expert to give a brief presentation, and then open up the discussion to ask questions, float new ideas, and identify areas for shared action. Topics vary widely, and have included Opportunity Zones, supporting supportive housing developments, and the Partnership for the Bay’s Future Fund. To view recorded events, click here. To view upcoming Policy in Action events, click here.

SV@Home forums are panel discussions featuring housing policy experts who go deep on key housing topics, with plenty of time for audience questions and answers. We’ve organized several series, including on the Costs and Process of Development, as well as standalone events. Recently, we’ve hosted events on the challenges and opportunities of reporting on housing and homelessness with The Mercury News (our local newspaper) as well as a Spanish-language event on specific housing issues in the Alum Rock neighborhood. Upcoming forums are posted on our Events Calendar.

Our bi-monthly informal networking event, Happy Housers, brings together people working across housing and affordable housing issues in the South Bay to mix and mingle in a relaxed setting. We frequently have special guests, such as elected officials, stop by to meet with the network of housers. To view upcoming Happy Housers events, click here.

Convenings

Policy roundtables are closed-door events where we convene for-profit and nonprofit developers, local elected officials, and city staff in respective, separate meetings to facilitate connections, shared learning, and county-wide coordination around affordable housing issues among these key stakeholders. Roundtables are invitation only.

Special convenings are held to respond to urgent or otherwise major housing policy challenges or crises. As the leading housing policy backbone organization in Silicon Valley, SV@Home regularly responds to requests from city and county governments, as well as other regional leaders, to serve as the convener for thought leaders and key experts to develop actionable policy solutions to the most pressing housing issues. For example, in response to the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, SV@Home has been asked to convene experts on affordable housing to prepare for regional economic recovery.

Affordable Housing Month

Each year, SV@Home hosts and organizes the annual Affordable Housing Month (previously Affordable Housing Week) for Santa Clara County in May. This public awareness and education campaign features over 40 events and activities, in collaboration with dozens of partner organizations. Events cover affordable housing from a variety of different angles for a diverse audience, from housing policy wonks to community organizers to residents participating in their first conversation about housing.

To learn more about Affordable Housing Month and see a full list of recorded events, click here.

Coalition of Housers (CoHo)

Coalition of Housers—CoHo—is a network of new and emerging leaders working in and advocating for affordable housing in the South Bay. As the need for affordable housing grows, so does the need for supporting the recruitment, advocacy, and leadership and professional development of a diverse community of “housers,” or housing advocates. To learn more about upcoming CoHo events and how you can get involved, visit the CoHo page.

SV@Home Action Fund

Established in 2019, SV@Home’s Action Fund (SVHAF) focuses on addressing the housing crisis through civic engagement, legislative advocacy, and through support or opposition of ballot measures that impact housing affordability. In its first year, the Action Fund engaged in voter outreach and education, held a series of candidate forums, and led the successful 2020 Measure E campaign in San Jose, which is expected to generate between $30 and $70 million annually for housing programs and projects.