Hundreds of new homes are making their way to south Sunnyvale.
The city’s Planning Commission has agreed to move forward with a proposal to add 242 housing units — consisting of 80 townhomes and 162 apartment units — at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road near South Mathilda Road. The plan also calls for adding 2,050 square feet of ground floor commercial space.
Commissioners unanimously supported the project — adding that the new units will help Sunnyvale reach its goal of adding nearly 12,000 new homes by 2031 — even though some residents think the ambitious plan is out of place in their small neighborhood.
The 5.4 acre site was formally an Orchard Supply Hardware store that closed in 2018. Since then, the area has been used for temporary signage and Christmas tree lots, according to city documents. The surrounding property has smaller multi-family developments and commercial buildings, as well as various shopping centers and community spaces.
The 242-unit application was submitted under SB330, a state law that prohibits local jurisdictions from reducing the legal limit on new housing so long as the developer meets certain criteria, including making at least 10% of units affordable. Of the 242 units,12 are designated for renters with moderate income households, 16 units for those who are low-income and eight units for very-low income households.
The project is also in line with the city’s certified Housing Element, a state-mandated plan that outlines how cities will add a number of homes at a range of price points by the end of the decade. Sunnyvale is aiming to add thousands of homes all around the city, especially affordable ones.
In the past few years, the city has welcomed new apartments in its downtown region and along major roads like El Camino Real. Construction is also underway to add 176 homes near the CalTrain station.
During this week’s meeting, Planning Commission Chair Nathan Iglesias said the 242-unit project will add much-needed housing to the southern part of the city. The city must also allow the development in order to comply with state law, he said.
“We are in a housing crisis and this is a very nice solution in an area that probably should be built up,” Iglesias said.
But not everyone is quick to jump on the news. During the meeting, a Sunnyvale resident, who identified herself only as Kim, said the area is too small to house such a large development. She worried that the proposed seven-story buildings will loom over the city, and “stick out like a sore thumb.”
“I encourage our city leaders and staffers to stand up for the rights of the city, and stand up for comment sense,” she said. “Don’t override that feeling you’re getting that some of this plan simply does not make sense. I have not met any other resident who has is in favor of so-called manhattanization of the city.”