Affordable housing project breaks ground
Local leaders Thursday will kick off the construction of a new 90-unit affordable housing complex at 330 Distel Circle in Los Altos.
A consortium of groups involved in the project, from developer EAH Housing, to Santa Clara County and Los Altos leaders, will be participating in the event, scheduled 1-3 p.m. at the site. The project is being touted as the first affordable housing project in the history of Los Altos.
“This transit-oriented community is situated a half block from the El Camino Real corridor,” said Mackenzie Martin, a project spokesperson. “The development will bring 90 high-quality, affordable homes to Silicon Valley for individuals and families earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income (AMI). Several units will be designated as permanent supportive housing, addressing homelessness and housing instability in the region.”
Among those involved in the groundbreaking event are:
• Laura Hall, EAH Housing President & CEO
• Welton Jordan, EAH Housing Chief Real Estate Development Officer
• Margaret Abe-Koga, Santa Clara County Supervisor
• Consuelo Hernández, Santa Clara County Deputy County Executive
• Pete Dailey, city of Los Altos Mayor
• Nick Zornes, city of Los Altos Assistant City Manager
The community will offer studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, along with amenities like a community room, coworking lounge, outdoor courtyard and on-site resident services.
Once complete in January 2027, the development will provide residents with convenient access to public transit, healthcare and retail services, fostering opportunity, stability and a more equitable future in the heart of Silicon Valley, promoters said.
Pickleball courts aimed at Cuesta
The city of Mountain View is holding a pickleball study project community meeting 6:30 p.m. today (Aug 27) to consider three locations for 12 new pickleball courts – with two of the locations at Cuesta Park.
The meeting, at the Mountain View Community Center, broaches the controversial topic of paving over greenspace for installation of the courts. Pickleball supporters attest to the sport’s skyrocketed popularity necessitating the need. Green space supporters decry the loss of park land.
Pickleball supporters cite minimal impact on the park and neighboring Cuesta Annex. A third location involves property on San Rafael Avenue. But today’s meeting will focus on the Cuesta options, including one in the Cuesta Annex adjacent to the park’s tennis courts.
Lenka Wright, city spokesperson, said the proposed site would take up less than an acre, leaving 11.5 acres of the annex untouched. Greenspace supporters argue that green space, once paved over, is gone for good. But there are other concerns, too.
“Pickleball facilities are notorious for their sharp, repetitive noise, bright night lighting, and the extra vehicle traffic they attract, all of which would significantly disrupt the park’s wildlife and peaceful atmosphere,” said resident Li Zhang. “This is a permanent decision that would erode one of Mountain View’s most valued natural assets.”
Today’s meeting will be in person only at Redwood Hall in the community center. For more on the proposed project, visit collaborate.mountainview.gov/pickleballstudy.
