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San Martin residents, advisory committee raise alarm about clustering of mental‑health residential facilities
Summary
During public comment and the San Martin Planning Advisory Committee report, residents urged county action on an apparent surge of for‑profit mental‑health residential facilities clustered near homes in San Martin and asked for changes to zoning, notification and saturation limits.
Public comment and an advisory committee report at the Santa Clara County Planning Commission’s March 27 meeting highlighted community concern in San Martin about what speakers described as a rapid increase in for‑profit residential mental‑health facilities.
Sarah Kuitrignelli, who identified herself as a resident of Amari Court in San Martin, told the commission she and neighbors live on a cul‑de‑sac of six homes and that the number of mental‑health residential facilities near her property had grown from two in February 2022 to eight at the time of her remarks. She said six of the facilities were within roughly a mile and a half of her home and described repeated calls to law enforcement and emergency medical services that prompted residents to keep a log of public‑safety responses. Kuitrignelli asked county supervisors and staff to set a numerical definition for “saturation,” require notification by for‑profit operators, and address impacts on law enforcement and EMS resources.
Sharon Luna, chair of the San Martin Planning Advisory Committee (SIMPAC), reported that the advisory committee had heard similar concerns at its March 26 meeting. Luna said SIMPAC voted 6‑0 (with one absent) to provide a favorable advisory recommendation on the Cordova project extension but stressed the committee’s ongoing concern about the proliferation of residential facilities and the broader community impacts of pending “builder’s remedy” housing projects in the area, including proposals totaling more than 600 homes.
Commissioners and staff responded with procedural context. Jacqueline Anciano, director of planning and development, and staff said the county is processing a rules zoning update (previously termed "local serving") that will be presented to the Planning Commission and the Board; she noted that the rules update is distinct from builder’s remedy applications. Kuitrignelli and Luna told the commission they have sought help from the county CEO’s office and other agencies but said state and county agencies have different jurisdictional limits — for example, the Department of Health Services focuses on Title 22 compliance — leaving residents uncertain where to direct complaints.
No formal zoning change was proposed or acted on at the March 27 meeting. Commissioners who spoke encouraged continued engagement; staff noted the county is reviewing zoning rules and SIMPAC and residents may provide input as those rule updates proceed.
