Mountain View holds inaugural ‘State of the City’ address 

Mountain View held its first “State of the City” address Wednesday evening, a civic event that showcased the city’s plans to advance housing, inclusivity and pedestrian and bicycle safety to improve the quality of life for Mountain View residents.

Open to the public and livestreamed, the event was a departure from previous annual updates that were co-hosted by the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce and required a paid ticket to get in.

“This is a free and open meeting for the public,” said City Manager Kimbra McCarthy who kicked off the inaugural event at the Mountain View Community Center on May 21.

More than two hundred people showed up to hear about the city’s plans for “Building the Mountain View of Tomorrow,” with many saying this was the first time they had attended the city’s annual update.

“We want to know more about the budget,” said Mountain View resident Liliana Camacho who was representing Parent Voices Santa Clara, an organization that advocates for child care, early education and immigrant rights.

Mountain View’s budget for the next fiscal year is structurally balanced and stable, McCarthy said. Even though the economic outlook for the country is uncertain, the city is committed to delivering quality services for residents, she added.

Mayor Ellen Kamei reaffirmed the city’s commitment as a “community for all” despite the economic uncertainties that it is facing from the federal administration.

“The city is bracing for the impacts to funding that goes towards the services that are relied upon by our community members who need it, and our community should feel heartened that we remain strong as a city and we’re continually planning strategically for the long term,” Kamei said.

Housing still remains a top priority for Mountain View, Kamei said. The city is developing a strategy to address homelessness over the next 10 years and is reviewing its safe parking program for people who are living in vehicles. Currently, Mountain View has 114 parking spaces across five sites, Kamei said.

Kamei touted the city’s prohousing designation as well, noting that it is one of the few cities in the state to be recognized with the distinction. Mountain View is a regional leader in housing production, she said, and also is committed to expanding housing opportunities at a variety of affordability levels.

Kamei spotlighted an initiative that could potentially create middle-income homeownership opportunities on city-owned land in the North Bayshore.

“(It) will be a great addition for a strategy focused on homeownership, especially those in our low to moderate-income levels for families and households in Santa Clara County,” Kamei said, adding that even a six-figure salary could still be considered low-income in the county.

Kamei also highlighted that the city’s newest fully affordable housing development is about to open in the North Bayshore, the La Avenida Apartments, which was funded by county, state and city sources.

Other developments that are nearing the finish line include major road safety improvements. A stretch of California Street is getting protected bike lanes, high visibility crosswalks and traffic-calming measures. Road improvements also are occurring on Miramonte Avenue, McCarthy said.

“All of this future planning is helping to move Mountain View forward and build the Mountain View of tomorrow,” McCarthy said.

Several attendees at the event expressed particular enthusiasm for the city’s active transportation plan that lays out a roadmap of policies and projects to support bicycle and pedestrian experiences.

“I’m interested in livable cities,” said Mountain View resident April Webster, adding that it was good to hear about projects nearing completion.

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