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Long study session on Mary Avenue affordable housing project draws hundreds of comments, procedural disputes and direction to negotiate
Summary
Council heard detailed staff briefings on the Mary Avenue Villas 40‑unit, 100% affordable project (about 19 IDD units), legal steps (DDA/ground lease, Surplus Land Act exemption, right‑of‑way vacation), and funding; residents voiced strong objections about safety, parking (net loss of 89 spaces), and contamination while advocates stressed the project’s need for extremely low‑income and IDD housing. Council directed staff to negotiate with the selected developer and appointed negotiators; the meeting ended amid procedural dispute and a councilmember’s departure.
Cupertino — A lengthy study session on the Mary Avenue affordable housing project drew sustained public comment, technical clarifications from staff and attorneys, and formal direction for the city’s negotiators.
What the project is: City planners described a 40‑unit, 100% affordable development on a 0.76‑acre city parcel that would reserve roughly 19 of the 40 units (about 45%) for residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The site concept includes two two‑story buildings with roughly 22 parking stalls on site and a proposed reconfiguration of Mary Avenue that staff said would result in a net loss of about 89 on‑street parking spaces while adding 33 parallel spaces on the west side and new sidewalks and buffered bike lanes.
Funding and timeline: Staff said the city has committed up to $4,000,000 in support (including a $3,000,000 BMR loan at 3% interest and a $1 conveyance for the land); staff also cited PLHA and CDBG funds (amounts discussed during the presentation) and a park‑fee waiver associated with affordable housing. Staff told council that a signed disposition and development agreement (DDA) and entitlements would be required to submit an…
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