Agenda item 7.1 – Homeownership Strategy
December 14, 2025
Re: Agenda item 7.1 Mayor Kamei & City Councilmembers, Mountain View YIMBY supports the City in identifying barriers to condominium development and implementing Housing Element programs related to homeownership. In the past we have supported efforts to reduce city fees on SB 684/SB 1123 starter home projects and the ability for ADUs and SB 9 DUOs to be subdivided. The City’s recent feasibility analyses, including work on the R3 zoning update and East Whisman Precise plan, provide a strong foundation. Reviewing these past efforts for efficacy would be valuable. We also look forward to how the city can better streamline under the powers of the Subdivision Map Act as well as the learnings from further analysis of the North Bayshore site.
Re: Agenda item 7.1
Mayor Kamei & City Councilmembers,
Mountain View YIMBY supports the City in identifying barriers to condominium development and implementing Housing Element programs related to homeownership. In the past we have supported efforts to reduce city fees on SB 684/SB 1123 starter home projects and the ability for ADUs and SB 9 DUOs to be subdivided.
The City’s recent feasibility analyses, including work on the R3 zoning update and East Whisman Precise plan, provide a strong foundation. Reviewing these past efforts for efficacy would be valuable. We also look forward to how the city can better streamline under the powers of the Subdivision Map Act as well as the learnings from further analysis of the North Bayshore site.
To strengthen the scope of work, we encourage staff to look beyond just city development standards and investigate barriers imposed by other agencies. The memo notes the Regional Water Quality Control Board requirements differ between ownership and rental projects. By including such external regulatory barriers in the analysis the city can get a fuller picture of what’s blocking condo development.
The scope should also investigate the building code’s effects on feasibility. While the state has limited local code amendments, the city could use the Alternate Materials and Methods Request mechanism for some flexibility, as Santa Monica has done to allow more single-stair projects. Single-stair designs enable smaller-footprint mid-rise projects that pencil out better for ownership housing—exactly the type of development this strategy aims to encourage.
Finally, many barriers to such development are imposed by other government bodies, for example, the construction defect liability laws referenced in the staff memo. As such, we would like the scope of work to include the city advocating for change at these other bodies, whether local, regional, or state.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment,
David Watson, on behalf of MV YIMBY
