REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Proclamation of Affordable Housing Week
Report
BACKGROUND
SV@Home is a membership organization that advocates for policies, programs, land use and funding to increase the supply of affordable housing. Additionally, SV@Home educates elected officials and the community about the need for housing and the link between housing and other quality of life outcomes, including education, health, transportation and the environment.
Other parts of the Bay Area have had long-standing nonprofit organizations that advocate for affordable housing, including the East Bay Housing Organizations and the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County. In 2014, the South Bay did not have a similar organization in place working to tackle the high cost of housing, the significant shortage of affordable housing and rising concerns about quality of life. With funding from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Enterprise Community Partners, leaders from Housing Trust Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (collectively, “Stakeholders”) created a stakeholder process to consider whether a more formal, consistent and full-time effort was needed.
After a year of study, the Stakeholders agreed to form a new housing policy and advocacy organization to target Santa Clara County and its 15 cities. Based on Stakeholder feedback, it was decided that this organization - named SV@Home, or Silicon Valley at Home - would advocate for the housing needs of the wide range of individuals struggling from the lack of affordable housing, from those who are homeless, to those with fixed incomes, to those who work in our service or manufacturing sectors, to those who work for our leading employers. Additionally, the Stakeholders agreed that SV@Home membership would be broad, including both nonprofit and for-profit housing developers, local government agencies, nonprofit community partners, business and tech sector companies and members of the community.
On January 1, 2017, SV@Home became an independent organization, after initially being incubated in the Housing Trust Silicon Valley. SV@Home is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.
DISCUSSION
The City Council would like to recognize the period of May 3-17, 2019, as Affordable Housing Week. In honor of Affordable Housing Week, the City Council will present an Affordable Housing Week proclamation to SV@Home.
Affordable Housing Week aims to bring the community together to learn, engage, and act on how it works to make Silicon Valley a more affordable place to live for all residents. The full list of Affordable Housing Week events can be found via the following link: https://siliconvalleyathome.org/events/#event-type/affordable-housing-week <https://siliconvalleyathome.org/events/>
Affordable Housing Week begins with SV@Home’s annual policy lunch on Friday, May 3, which focuses on corporate engagement and the role of regional employers in the affordable housing movement. There are currently about forty (40) events spread over two (2) weeks. Last year, approximately 1,500 people attended twenty-eight (28) events over eight (8) days. In the end, the goal of Affordable Housing Week is come together to celebrate the breadth of the efforts underway and to think through how to grow and strengthen the affordable housing movement and to make it more effective.
To make Affordable Housing Week possible, SV@Home seeks sponsors who are highlighted in printed and online materials to show their support for coordinated events, and for the ongoing work that SV@Home does throughout the year. Currently, the cities of Mountain View, Milpitas, San Jose and the County of Santa Clara are registered sponsors.
The City of Santa Clara is a member of SV@Home and the City will also contribute $1,000 to support Affordable Housing Week. The City’s sponsorship will demonstrate to advocacy groups, affordable housing developers and other government agencies that the City of Santa Clara supports the development of affordable housing within the City of Santa Clara.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(4) in that it is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Housing Division has sufficient funds in the City’s Affordable Housing Fund to contribute $1,000 in support of Affordable Housing Week.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the Finance Department.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
Staff
Reviewed by: Andrew Crabtree, Community Development Director
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager