Revised agreements, new staff and more spaces are all on tap for a planned expansion of Mountain View’s parking sites for individuals living out of their vehicles.
The Mountain View City Council approved a range of measures which will update contract agreements with the partners in the project, Santa Clara County and the entertainment conglomerate Live Nation, at Lot B by Shoreline Amphitheatre. The measures also augment the 2026-2027 fiscal year budget of the project to approximately $1.4 million.
The program is called “safe parking” – an element of a 2015 resolution of the Pathways to Housing – Homeless Response Strategy Implementation and Expenditure Plan. The resolution item was pulled from the consent calendar for a separate discussion and passed by unanimous vote from the council during a meeting on March 24.
“We really have found in Mountain View that safe parking works well in our community,” Councilmember Pat Showalter said. “There really is broad public support for this in our community.”
Lot B is located on Crittenden Lane. Under the augment plan, parking will be increased from 46 to 93 oversized-living vehicle spaces and 23 to 111 commuter vehicle spaces. There will be capacity for up to 101 safe parking spaces across the entire program including the capacity for eight vehicles at faith lots.
The decision comes as 57-67 E. Evelyn Ave. is being developed for a 143-unit affordable housing development and will lose the 30 oversized vehicle living spaces on site currently used for safe parking. The new developments are expected to be implemented this summer when the Evelyn Avenue site closes to the program on Aug. 31.
“I think it’s important to a lot of people in this city, so a little discussion is worth our time,” said Councilmember Alison Hicks.
The program is billed as an urgent but temporary solution to give the unhoused a safe place to live out of their cars and access aid services. One of the main needs at the site is for additional space for program participants to park their commuter vehicles due to multi-generational families at the site.
Councilmember John McAlister said he championed the program during its origin in 2015, but said the program’s expansion may be contrary to the original intention to transition individuals to permanent housing.
“I’m looking at this project now, it seems to be just growing a little more than I’ve anticipated,” he said. “It just concerns me how effective it is, or if it’s the best use of the city’s funds.”
Lot B is owned by the city, but leased to Live Nation during the concert season. The city plans to phase in the new parking so that it’s finalized in early 2027,
following the end of the Live Nation event season.
Assistant City Manager Audrey Seymour said there was no lost revenue to the city in its agreement with LiveNation as a result of the amended agreement.
“The only cost we are incurring is the staff time in order to work through these agreements,” Seymour said.
The vote additionally gave authorization to city staff to amend the lease agreement with Live Nation to use Lot B for safe parking through the duration of the Live Nation’s contractual rights to use lots at Shoreline Amphitheatre for event parking through Dec. 31, 2030.
In this year’s budget, funding for the safe parking program is $700,000, which includes ongoing operational costs and case management services. For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the total ongoing operational cost will be $1,397,368.
Santa Clara County partners with the city to provide approximately $1.64 million for operations and services, such as showers, laundry and mobile medical services. The city and county also have agreements to exempt the safe parking spots from mobile home park law provisions related to tenant protections.
This year, Mountain View will also fund one-time costs totaling $490,859 which include pavement striping and surface repairs, K-rails, temporary fencing, gas-detection monitors, signage, bollards and smoke detectors.
The approval also authorizes the city to amend agreements with the county to extend safe parking at the Evelyn lot through Aug. 31, 2026 and for a new lease agreement at Lot B to extend the safe parking through June 30, 2028.
The city was required to receive approval from the county Department of Environmental Health, which regulates the closed landfill at Shoreline Amphitheatre, to expand the site. The department gave approval on March 17.
