The City of Cupertino has put out an anti-housing housing survey; you should still take it
In order to better inform how Cupertino should go about building 4,500+ new homes, as mandated by the state, the City has put out a housing survey that closes at the end of the month. The problem? It mentions all the supposed drawbacks of new, diverse housing, without any of the extremely beneficial elements—such as increased affordability, diversity, walkability/bikeability, community amenities, and community vibrancy
Still, we recommend you take the survey because this City Council is going to use their biased survey as a justification for bad land use policies. Here are the answers we suggest:
What is the ZIP code where you currently live?
Likely 95014 (unless you don’t live in Cupertino)
Which of the following best describes you? (Select all that apply)
Check the box marking your status in relationship to the City
What best describes your current housing situation?
Check whichever box best applies to you.
What elements should a new housing development include? (Select all that apply) Intent: To identify greatest desired elements for future housing development projects.
YES Mixed used element (retail space with housing)
YES Bike/pedestrian pathways and facilities
Park/Open space (up to you. The City already has a required parkland ratio for adding new development, so this is not as high of a priority for us)
NO Sufficient spacing and landscaping (setback from right of way) (in terms of priorities, this would rank lower in our opinion. Cupertino already has very large setbacks, and large spacing between homes and structures)
NO Ample on street/off street parking (Cupertino already has a lot of parking; new housing should encourage less driving. Parking has been shown in studies to increase driving. Additionally, parking requirements greatly increase the cost of affordable housing.)
Cupertino currently has a target of 2.93 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. As we continue to have more housing development in the City, what do you think Cupertino needs in terms of park/open space?
Has adequate existing park/open spaces in the City to accommodate future housing development.
Cupertino already mandates a ratio of 2.93 acres of parkland per 1k residents. Therefore, the City will likely add more parkland regardless. As an organization, we also believe that while green space is terrific, Cupertino ultimately suffers from a lack of COMMUNITY space, which includes open and urban spaces, such as Main St Cupertino. If there are parkland issues, it is an issue of distribution of parkland, not a shortage—with most parks being concentrated on the west side.
The state currently mandates Cupertino to plan for 4,588 units in the upcoming 2023-2031 Housing Element cycle. Were you aware of this?
Mark whichever answer best applies to you.
Referring to the pictures below, and realizing that economic pressures are pushing for higher density, what is your preferred density of housing? Please rank in order of preference. Intent: To identify what level of density is most desired for future housing development projects.
YES 35 units per acre (35 DU/acre) is reasonably dense. We already have an exorbitant amount of low density housing). Cupertino has much larger projects, such as the Hamptons which is 76 units/acre . We find it odd that the city would not use photos of existing projects in the city; suggesting that they are looking for specific outcomes.
In residential mixed-use development, how much retail space do you think would be desirable? Note: Retail space means an establishment that is primarily engaged in the rental or sale of goods, merchandise, or services to the general public and not to wholesale clients or accounts.
Don’t know--retail is unlikely to do particularly well in Cupertino (and in general). It’s difficult to quantify how much retail a project should have. This would have to be on a case-by-case basis. This is not a particularly well-thought out question.
What impacts of higher-density housing developments concern you? (Select all that apply) Intent: To identify greatest concerns of residents for future housing development projects.
NO Increased traffic (plenty of studies have shown that low density, spread out housing creates traffic, rather than high density. We need to put the people where the jobs, schools, and amenities are, to reduce overall driving)
NO Increased enrollment in local schools (Our schools have chronic enrollment decline. We NEED more students) See--https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NXo4R8dJ3ZRpHQ7VcCI5u7UtXICwZIdF/view
NO Increased need for parks/open space (see above)
YES Increased need for bike lanes
Viewing the examples of building heights above, please choose which height do you feel is most in keeping with the overall character of the City? Intent: To identify the desired building height in each area to maintain the character of those neighborhoods.
Between 6-11; we shouldn’t be afraid of tall buildings. Projects occur on a case-by-case basis. It’s inappropriate to preemptively ban certain heights, when we know that height is essential for housing diversity and affordability. The character of a city is defined by its people, not how many stories the buildings are. Additionally, the only way to realistically meet our housing targets (for both market and affordable housing) is to build UP. Cupertino does not have enough land to build 4.5k+ homes through low density)
In general, are there areas in Cupertino where increased heights would be acceptable? (Select all that apply) Intent: To identify potential locations for future housing development projects with increased heights
All of the above (Plenty of single family neighborhoods in Cupertino are near apartments or diverse forms of housing. There is no harm in having neighborhoods with multiple types of housing)
What size of housing units are most needed in the City? (Select at least two choices) Intent: To identify which kind(s) of floorplans residents believe are most needed in the City. Note: Floorplans are for example only.
All of them (Cupertino needs all forms of housing, with various floor plans)
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), are allowed in all residential zoning districts where single family residences are allowed to promote the goal of affordable housing within the City. The City has developed ADU Programs & Resources to help residents. Are you aware of these types of allowable units?
Mark the response that best characterizes you.
Do you support these types of units?
Yes; it is simply building a small unit of housing on one’s OWN property.
Do you have concerns regarding these types of housing?
No
What type of housing units do you think the City needs more? (Select all that apply) Intent: To identify which kind(s) of housing units residents believe are most needed in the City.
NO Detached single-family units (91% of Cupertino’s residential land is zoned for single family homes)
YES Below Market-Rate units (we have a severe shortage of affordable housing)
YESMulti-family/Apartment units (we need density to allow projects to pencil out better, allowing for more affordable homes on less land)
YESMixed-Use complexes (housing and commercial/retail) (We deserve more vibrancy and community spaces)
YESTownhome/Condominium units (we need all types of housing)
YESHousing units for those with disabilities (equity)
YESSenior housing units (many seniors are aging in place in Cupertino. They would like to downsize but cannot)
YESSupportive housing units Note: Supportive housing assists homeless persons in the transition from homelessness, and to promote the provision of supportive housing to homeless persons to enable them to live as independently as possible. (we support housing houseless individuals, including in our city)
What factors are most important to you when choosing your home or apartment? (Select all that apply) Intent: To identify which kind(s) of amenities or services residents believe are most desirable when looking for housing.
YES Cost
YES Near bus/transit stops
YES Close to services (commercial/retail/public facilities/health care facilities)
YES Close to work
YES Close to schools
Up to youLow crime rate
YES Disability-friendly
Do you have any additional thoughts, ideas, or comments?
Though well intentioned, this survey is incredibly biased. It phrases housing as a burden, rather than as a benefit.
Would you like to be further involved with the community engagement that will occur with the housing development likely to result from mandate mentioned earlier?
Yes