Public urges council to act as Foothill–De Anza plan for McClellan Terrace raises fears of 94-family displacement

Dozens of residents and local advocates pressed the Cupertino City Council on April 2 to stop or slow a planned Foothill–De Anza Community College District purchase of McClellan Terrace Apartments, saying the district's plan to convert the complex to student housing could displace about 94 families and disrupt local school enrollment.

Speakers asked the council to explore zoning protections and relocation help for tenants. They urged the city to examine whether conversion of family rental units to primarily single-occupancy student beds would be treated as a change of use and whether local law could be used to limit such conversions.

The public commentary, which ran more than an hour, included parents, students and long-time residents. Several speakers said the property hosts families with schoolchildren who attend Lincoln Elementary, Kennedy Middle School and Monte Vista High School and that losing those…