State lawmakers tell Sunnyvale council they secured housing and food-bank funding; warn of federal cuts

Assemblymember Patrick Aarons and State Senator Ayesha Wahab presented a legislative update to the Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday, detailing budget wins and statewide priorities that affect Sunnyvale residents.

Aarons highlighted the state budget's local allocations: "We have allocated and prioritized the needs of many of the residents... including $52,000,000 in additional funding for our food banks," he said, noting funds directed to Sunnyvale Community Services and other nonprofits. He also cited preservation of $500 million in low-income housing tax credits and one-time higher-education supports.

Senator Wahab outlined her work as chair of housing, pointing to SB 681 and a $500 million low-income housing tax-credit investment folded into the budget. She said the legislation included "zombie mortgage" protections and limits on excessive homeowner-association fines, and that the budget added funding for homelessness prevention and down-payment assistance.

Councilmembers pressed the delegation on local concerns: food deserts in northern Sunnyvale, surplus land act changes affecting school land sales, and whether private schools are covered by the surplus land act (the senator said it applies to public schools). Aarons said he will introduce a bill to incentivize retaining grocery retail space in housing projects; Wahab said she will continue cleanup work and backfill concerns about federal funding cuts.

Both lawmakers stressed that next year will be focused on affordability and defending against federal funding reductions in programs such as HUD and Medicaid. They urged continued dialogue between city officials and the Silicon Valley legislative delegation to shape local funding priorities.