Simitian to hold sidewalk office hours at West Valley College Farmers’ Market

Simitian’s sidewalk office hours

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian will hold “Sidewalk Office Hours” at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market at West Valley Community College on Saturday, Sept. 9, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Community members are invited to stop by to share their thoughts and concerns about local issues, ask questions and learn about county services. All questions are welcome, and no appointment is required.

For more information, visit district5.sccgov.org/5th-district/sidewalk-office-hours.

CEQA exemption for housing

The California State Assembly and State Senate have both unanimously passed legislation by Sen. Dave Cortese intended to speed up housing development in the state. Cortese’s District 15 includes Campbell.

SB 406 aims to cut repetitive reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) while keeping California’s main environmental law intact. The bill is headed to the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for consideration.

“SB 406 cuts red tape without compromising on environmental protection. This bill will streamline permitting and speed up affordable housing production for people with the greatest need,” Cortese said in a statement.

To tackle California’s housing crisis, local governments have taken steps to offer financial aid for developing affordable housing. As a Santa Clara County supervisor in 2016, Cortese championed Measure A, a voter-approved $950 million bond to help create about 4,800 affordable units.

This government funding can trigger an evaluation under CEQA, in addition to the separate, independent CEQA review conducted on the project itself.

SB 406 extends to local governments an existing CEQA exemption for state financing of affordable housing projects, provided that the project will still undergo a CEQA review by another public agency.