Image: City of Mountain View

SV@Home calls for reforms to Mountain View’s Gatekeeper process, which has hindered housing development, to better prioritize affordable housing. We advocate for exemptions for projects that provide significant public benefits, to enable faster and more efficient housing production.

On March 5, 2025, the Mountain View Council Policy and Procedures Committee (CPPC) held a key discussion on proposed updates to the city’s Gatekeeper process—a review mechanism that determines whether projects requiring legislative amendments, such as zoning changes, can move forward for formal review. This meeting followed months of debate on how to balance staff capacity with the city’s housing production goals, with a final vote on proposed updates expected later this year.

For those unfamiliar, the Gatekeeper process was originally designed to manage staff resources by requiring City Council approval before certain development applications could be submitted. While it was meant to prioritize projects, it has instead become a barrier to new housing, causing years of delays for proposals that align with Mountain View’s housing needs. Although the city has introduced some exemptions, many housing projects still face an unpredictable pre-qualification process, adding uncertainty and discouraging developers.

SV@Home appreciates the efforts of city staff and the Council in refining the Gatekeeper process and ensuring regular hearings. However, to fully support Mountain View’s housing goals—especially in meeting the commitments outlined in its Housing Element—further reforms are needed. While we believe the ideal solution would be to remove the Gatekeeper process entirely, we strongly support the proposed updates and encourage the city to go further. Specifically, we are calling for projects with strong public benefits—such as those providing 20%+ Below Market Rate (BMR) units—to be fully exempt from Gatekeeper authorization hearings. Additionally, the city must refine its public benefits framework to ensure that affordable housing is prioritized in a fair and predictable manner.

As Mountain View works toward finalizing these updates, we remain committed to advocating for a process that accelerates, rather than restricts, housing production. The city’s continued commitment to addressing its housing needs must include systems that make it easier to build affordable homes. We look forward to seeing these changes lead to more efficient, impactful housing solutions in Mountain View.