Job market demands more housing in city
For its early days, this area of Santa Clara County was supported by orchards, canneries and a few industries. In the past 60 years, the area has become the high-tech center of the world.
Of course, we are nostalgic for the old days of orchards and single-family homes, but times have changed. Silicon Valley is in the midst of a growth spurt, with companies expanding and many new ones starting up. Our strong job market creates a demand for housing for those moving to the area and for children “leaving the nest.”
The question is, where are the people who work in Sunnyvale to live? We have a housing crisis. Rents and home prices are skyrocketing. By failing to provide our share of new homes, apartments and condos, the jobs-to-housing balance will only get worse.
Palo Alto, which elected a no-growth council, has an even more serious imbalance of jobs and housing.
Without sufficient housing in Sunnyvale, how far do the people who work in our job-rich city have to drive? How much air pollution and how many greenhouses gases are produced by their vehicles? How much congestion is caused when these drivers must commute miles and miles?
Instead of burying our heads in the sand and pretending that cities don’t and shouldn’t evolve, we should apply rules of smart growth. As developers build housing for those who work in Sunnyvale, we must maintain high standards of sustainability, of accessibility to parks, bike lanes, public transportation, retail and schools. But if we provide a variety of inviting housing choices for the workforce, we can continue to enjoy the benefit of Silicon Valley’s thriving economy.
Margaret Lawson
Sunnyvale resident
Honda not responsive to questions
When a voter takes the time to send an email to ask their congressman a question about his position on topics before Congress, wouldn’t you think that he or she deserves a return email letting them know how he intends to vote? Especially when a return answer is requested.
Before the next congressional election I would suggest that every voter send Rep. Mike Honda an email on his website asking a question or seeking an answer to how he would vote on an issue. Don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer because it will not appear in your inbox. He continues to be totally non-responsive to issues I have asked him about.
Senator Dianne Feinstein has been super in responding to my questions and she covers all the state voters while Mr. Honda is incapable of answering to the fewer people who live in his district. I have yet to receive a response to any email I have sent to Mr. Honda over the past two years. As a representative for the voters he has been a complete failure in his ability to communicate with the voters of his district.
Charles Shoemaker
Sunnyvale resident
