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The Mountain View Whisman School District is compensating tenants living in its recently completed staff housing complex, throwing in rent credits to offset the growing pains of living in newly constructed units without all of the amenities.
The school board voted unanimously on Thursday, May 8, to approve rent credits for “pioneer residents” who moved into the district-owned housing complex at 699 N. Shoreline Boulevard starting in February. District officials say these tenants have “endured construction and access inconveniences” including unavailable community amenities and recreational facilities. The decision is expected to lead to a $17,000 loss in rental income.
The staff housing project, which opened this year, was built as an early phase of a larger housing development at 777 W. Middlefield Road. That means several amenities including underground parking and storage, open spaces and a public bike path were still in the works. This is in addition to other reported problems related to trash pickup, a lack of laundry facilities and mail not being delivered to the building.
It’s been getting better, said Peter Ingram, the district’s project management consultant. The U.S. Postal Service has formally recognized the address of the apartment complex, with direct mail deliveries soon to come, and garbage service has “improved greatly.” There are two pairs of laundry machines on each floor now that are up and running, and common area furniture has been delivered and installed as of this month, he said.
Tenants will receive individual rent credits based on the time they moved in, which could range from $186 to $576, according to a district staff report. This is in addition to $200 gift cards that were handed out last month to reimburse tenants for laundry costs and inconvenience.
These rent reductions are separate from the incentives to get more district employees to move in, as well as longer-term efforts to reduce how much tenants pay per month for below-market-rate housing.
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The boondoggle continues…maybe the Superintendent of the school district, who earns over $300,000 a year, I believe, can kick in some of their salary, as well as from some of the other overpaid District Administrative Staff, to help out with the credits and rebates. And they still are going to spend another $22 million on the property that these apartments are built on…the taxpayers are biting their pillows on this deal…