by Annalise Freimarck

October 22, 2024

The next iteration of the Cupertino City Council is slated to make significant decisions about housing and the budget. Candidates recently shared their perspectives.

Cupertino voters attended a Thursday candidate forum, hosted by San José Spotlight, where six of the seven city council candidates fielded questions about public safety and The Rise, the city’s largest planned housing development at nearly 2,700 homes. Two council seats are up for grabs. Cupertino elects councilmembers at large, meaning voters can choose any candidate, unlike cities divided into political districts where voters are restricted to their area — the more common method used by nearby cities such as Campbell and Sunnyvale.

Participating candidates included former Mayors Barry Chang, Gilbert Wong and Rod Sinks, former Planning Commissioner R “Ray” Wang, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Claudio Bono and Councilmember Kitty Moore.

Councilmember Hung Wei, who is running for reelection, couldn’t attend. In a statement provided to San José Spotlight, she said she, “will continue to advocate for policies that prioritize housing affordability, environmental sustainability and smart growth while preserving the quality of life we all cherish” if reelected.

Housing

The forum started fiery, as candidates shared their views on The Rise. The development project, located on the former site of the Vallco Mall, has been stalled for nearly 10 years, sparking political and community division between anti- and pro-development groups such as Better Cupertino and Cupertino for All. Plans include 890 affordable homes and about 1.95 million square feet of office space.

Wang said he wants The Rise to succeed and bring entertainment to Cupertino with amenities such as a movie theater. He said the project has been stalled because concerns over the environmental impact of building on the site haven’t been assuaged. He said the project is in the hands of developer Sand Hill Property Company.

“You’re looking at a $3 (billion) to $4 billion project and there are opportunities for us to actually improve open space, improve different experiences, (ensure) retail tax revenue,” he said. “The challenge is we haven’t addressed the safety issue and that’s the question, right?”

Wang and Moore, who are running together, have historically taken issue with The Rise over aspects such as the amount of office space. Moore said she wants to ensure Sand Hill and other developers aren’t allowed to pay in-lieu fees to avoid providing affordable housing.

“We need to talk with the developer and see what they’re willing to do moving forward so that we have something the residents really want to have here,” Moore said.

Read the full article here

Please vote number 1 (Kitty Moore) and number 5 (Ray Wang) on your ballot statements.

© 2024 R “Ray Wang For Cupertino City Council 2024