City of Sunnyvale  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Housing and Human Services  
Commission  
Wednesday, March 22, 2023  
7:00 PM  
Online and Conference Room  
Washington Community Swim Center,  
255 S. Pastoria Ave.,  
Sunnyvale, CA 94086  
CALL TO ORDER  
Chair Stetson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.  
SALUTE TO THE FLAG  
Chair Stetson led the salute to the flag.  
ROLL CALL  
Present: 6 - Chair Elinor Stetson  
Vice Chair Leesa Riviere  
Commissioner Scott Duncan  
Commissioner Sue Harrison  
Commissioner Ken Hiremath  
Commissioner Helen Lei  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Jim Davis  
Commissioner Jim Davis (excused absence)  
Council Liaison Larry Klein (present)  
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS  
Marie Bernard, Sunnyvale Community Services Executive Director provided a slide  
presentation with data regarding unhoused clients that receive services at  
Sunnyvale Community Services.  
CONSENT CALENDAR  
1.A  
23-0430  
Approve the Housing and Human Services Commission  
Meeting Minutes of February 22, 2023  
Chair Stetson asked if anyone wished to discuss the item on the Consent  
Calendar. No one asked to discuss or wished to speak about the Consent  
Calendar.  
Chair Stetson asked for a motion or any additional discussion on the Consent  
Calendar.  
MOTION: Commissioner Hiremath moved and Commissioner Duncan seconded  
the motion to Approve the Housing and Human Services Commission Meeting  
Minutes of February 22, 2023, as submitted.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 6 - Chair Stetson  
Vice Chair Riviere  
Commissioner Duncan  
Commissioner Harrison  
Commissioner Hiremath  
Commissioner Lei  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Davis  
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS  
2
23-0450  
Evaluations and Funding Recommendations for FY 2023/24  
and FY 2024/25 Human Services Grants and FY 2023/24  
CDBG and HOME Funding  
Housing Programs Analyst Leif Christiansen gave the staff report and answered  
questions.  
After a some questions of staff regarding funding amounts, Chair Stetson opened  
the public hearing at 7:40 p.m.  
The following agency representatives spoke on behalf of their proposals:  
● Alaina Purcell-Schroeder, Rebuilding Together, Low-Income Home Safety  
Modifications and Repairs Program  
● Carole Conn, Project Sentinel Executive Director, Housing Discrimination and  
Tenant-Landlord Counseling Programs  
● Cody Sampson, Sunnyvale Community Services Food Nutrition Program  
Manager, Year-Round Food Assistance Program  
● Erika Laguna, Downtown Streets Team Director of Program Operations,  
Sunnyvale WorkFirst Program  
● Georgia Bacil, Senior Adults Legal Assistance Directing Attorney, Legal  
Assistance to Elders Program  
● Katherine Fuentes, WeeCare, Inc. Community Impact Senior Manager, BOOST  
Program  
● Teresa Johnson, The Health Trust Director of Meals on Wheels Program  
Chair Stetson closed the public hearing at 8:06 p.m.  
After a short discussion and further clarifying questions of staff, Chair Stetson  
asked for a motion.  
MOTION: Commissioner Harrison moved and Vice Chair Riviere seconded the  
motion to approve Alternative 1: Recommend funding the CDBG/HOME capital  
projects and human services proposals in the amounts shown in Attachments 2 to  
the report, and the General Fund human service proposals shown in Attachment 3  
to the report, additionally including a cost of living, or inflationary annual increase to  
the General Fund Supplement.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 6 - Chair Stetson  
Vice Chair Riviere  
Commissioner Duncan  
Commissioner Harrison  
Commissioner Hiremath  
Commissioner Lei  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Davis  
3
23-0260  
Forward a Recommendation to the City Council to Introduce  
an Ordinance to Add Chapter 19.71 of Title 19 of the  
Sunnyvale Municipal Code Creating a Residential Tenant  
Protections Programs (Study Issue)  
Affordable Housing Manager Ernie Defrenchi provided the staff report and  
answered questions.  
After clarifying questions, Chair Stetson opened the public hearing at 8:33 p.m.  
Marie Bernard, Sunnyvale Community Services Executive Director, spoke in  
support of the proposed ordinance providing enhanced relocation assistance for  
tenants. She shared that the average cost to relocate a family in Sunnyvale is  
approximately $10,000.00 to cover deposit and first month's rent.  
Anil Babbar, spoke on behalf the California Apartment Association. He noted that  
this commission had voted to limit tenant relocation assistance to one month in  
September 2022 and encouraged them to do it again tonight. He committed to work  
with staff to incorporate the with the language of the right to lease ordinance in the  
forms to be used by all Sunnyvale landlords. Lastly, he countered staff's statements  
regarding newer construction exemptions. He noted that building housing in the  
Bay Area is extremely expensive and this exemptions help developers keep  
building and are not solely the result of lobbying.  
Tessa McFarland, on behalf of a housing provider the owns several multi-family  
properties in Sunnyvale. She noted working with Project Sentinel and other tenant's  
rights organizations. She spoke in opposition of enhanced relocation assistance  
but added that if this was to pass it should include a means testing to ensure that  
only tenants who truly need the assistance receive it.  
Janet Murdock, fourplex owner in Sunnyvale who lives in one of the units. She  
shared the unintended consequences to smaller property owners, such as less  
flexibility to get work done on units due to long term leases. She also noted having  
to raise rents more frequently since her units currently rent 30% under market.  
Chair Stetson closed the public hearing at 8:47 p.m.  
After a lengthy discussion about means testing, Chair Stetson asked for a motion.  
MOTION: Commissioner Harrison moved and Commissioner Hiremath seconded  
the motion to approve Introduce an Ordinance to add Chapter 19.71 (Residential  
Tenant Protections Ordinance) to Title 19 (“Zoning”) of the Sunnyvale Municipal  
Code creating a Residential Tenant Protections Programs with the following  
modifications:  
● Relocation assistance only for those named on the lease  
● Only one month of rental relocation assistance  
● Relocation assistance would not vary based on income of the tenant(s).  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 6 - Chair Stetson  
Vice Chair Riviere  
Commissioner Duncan  
Commissioner Harrison  
Commissioner Hiremath  
Commissioner Lei  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Davis  
The Housing and Human Services Commission took a recess from 9:02 p.m. to 9:07 p.m.  
4
23-0459  
Proposed Project:  
Council to:  
Forward Recommendation to the City  
approve the MOFFETT PARK SPECIFIC PLAN  
AMENDMENTS  
Location: Moffett Park Specific Plan Area (APNs: Various)  
File #: 2022-7673  
Zoning: Various  
Environmental Review: A Draft Environmental Impact Report  
(DEIR) has been prepared to evaluate the proposed project in  
accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental  
Quality Act (CEQA).  
Project Planner: Michelle King, (408) 730-7463,  
mking@sunnyvale.ca.gov  
Director of Community Development Trudi Ryan provided the staff report and  
answered questions from commissioners.  
Also available to answer questions from Commissioners; Planning Officer Shaunn  
Mendrin, Principal Planner Michelle King, Associate Planner Kelly Cha, Rami and  
Associates Senior Associate Chris Sensenig and Principal Eric Yurkovich.  
After some clarifying questions, Chair Stetson opened the public hearing at 10:12  
p.m.  
Kenneth Javier Rosales spoke on behalf of SV@HOME. Mr. Rosales thanked staff  
for all the work that has been done to move this project forward. He also expressed  
concern over being overly dependent on the inclusionary housing program to meet  
Sunnyvale's affordable housing needs and goals. He encouraged incentivizing  
more affordable housing development to reach Sunnyvale's goals, he suggested  
that there was an opportunity to create an explicit requirement to build at minimum  
15% of residential units to be income-restricted to low, very-low and extremely-low  
income households, along with a 20% goal. He also suggested that there needs to  
be clarification of how much affordable housing is valued compared to other  
community benefits. Lastly, he shared that he sent a letter to the commissioners  
regarding how to use housing mitigation fees generated by the Moffett project, and  
suggesting to reduce development fees for affordable housing within the Plan area.  
Ray Hashimoto of HMH Engineers on behalf of Miramar Capital, property owners of  
352 E Java Drive. Mr. Hashimoto thanked staff and consultants for their work on  
developing the Specific Plan. He spoke in opposition of the proposed diagonal  
design. He shared that the design bisects and complicates/prevents the  
development of the property. He suggested a version of the design where the  
perimeters of properties are built into the plan. He objected to the additional 9 to 19  
ft requirements for transportation and suggested use of the available landscaping  
area to offset this requirement. He noted that the bicycle and pedestrian features  
should provide a good network to travel within the area without the diagonal  
feature. He also asked for language to be changed to provide more flexibility for  
coordination between properties for a more cohesive lane way design. Lastly, he  
expressed that the lot coverage and paving ratios are punitive and restrictive.  
Laird Bennion of Miramar Capital. Mr. Bennion thanked staff and consultant for  
their work in developing the Plan. He spoke of his concerns being able to develop  
the property at 352 E Java Dr. within the restrictions of the Plan. He asked that the  
Plan reflect the economic reality of developing that land, the height restrictions due  
to the soil, and the need for density to achieve the goals of the Plan.  
Chair Stetson closed the public hearing at 10:21 p.m.  
After a lengthy discussions and additional questions, Chair Stetson asked for  
motion.  
MOTION: Commissioner Duncan moved and Commissioner Harrison seconded the  
motion to Recommend to the City Council Alternative 1: Approve the Moffett Park  
Specific Plan as proposed.  
The motion carried by the following vote:  
Yes: 6 - Chair Stetson  
Vice Chair Riviere  
Commissioner Duncan  
Commissioner Harrison  
Commissioner Hiremath  
Commissioner Lei  
No: 0  
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Davis  
STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES  
23-0431  
Consideration of Potential Study Issues  
None  
STANDING ITEM: HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE  
23-0432  
Housing Element Update  
Housing Officer Jenny Carloni shared that on March 14 Council held a study  
session for the draft of the Housing Element. Staff asked for feedback on three  
policy items: 1) Look for opportunities to increase lower income housing in South  
Sunnyvale; 2) Develop a missing middle program; and 3) Review the City's park  
fees and reduce constraints or burden on development.  
The feedback received was: 1) to look at the Village Centers parcels for a minimum  
of 30 units per acre to allow for them to be calculated as lower income sites, as  
opposed to a simple rezone; 2) to address the missing middle by encouraging  
duplex, triplex and fourplex developments that are more affordable to build by  
design; and 3) to review of the park fees to ensure that they are up to date.  
The feedback will be incorporated into the document and a second draft will be  
released in early to mid April. There will be a 7-day public review and then it will go  
back to the State for a 60-day review.  
If no additional changes are need after the State's review, then it will come back for  
a recommendation to adopt it.  
NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS  
-Commissioner Comments  
None.  
-Staff Comments  
Officer Carloni thanked the commissioners and Mayor Klein for their attendance to  
this first in-person meeting and adapting to the temporary location. She noted that  
the April 19 special meeting will be held at the new City Hall building. Lastly, she  
invited the commissioners to visit the new building.  
-Council Liaison Comments  
Mayor Klein echoed Ms. Carloni's remarks. He noted that City Council went back to  
in-person meetings a while age and had a chance to work out a lot of the  
technological kinks.  
He also encouraged the commissioners to visit the new building and noted that in  
the next few months, once demolition of the older buildings it replaced, there will be  
approximately 6 acres of open space for everyone to enjoy.  
He noted that he will not attend the April meeting, but that another councilmember  
would attend in his place.  
INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS  
23-0433  
Housing and Human Services Commission Proposed Study  
Issues, Calendar Year: 2024  
ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Stetson adjourned the meeting at 10:29 p.m.