Mountain View Residents Fight Back Against Plan To Demolish Apartment Complex
MOUNTAIN VIEW (KPIX) -- Residents of a Mountain View apartment building that might be demolished to make way for luxury townhomes are fighting against the plan, arguing that it threatens middle-class housing in their city.
The residents of 2310 Rock Street say they are not low-income people.
"We're making $60,000 to $100,000 a year," said Jackie Cashen, who has lived in the apartment building for 17 years.
But she said they still can't afford the new rental rates in Mountain View.
"Trying to spend $2,500 or $3,000 on rent is just difficult," Cashen said.
She is among a group of residents fighting the latest development proposal to demolish the building's 59 rent-controlled apartments and
build 55 three-story row homes, which will all sell for over $1.5 million apiece.
Most residents say they won't find anything in town for the $2,100 in rent they pay now.
"We can't afford it. We can't take the hit," said security analyst Leland Erickson. "We're going to be forced to split up. We're going to be forced out of our jobs. We're going to be forced to leave the state."
"I call it a battle for soul of Mountain View," said former Mayor Lenny Siegel.
Siegel said there's little the Mountain View City Council can do to stop redevelopment projects that displace some residents to build housing for others if the new project meets zoning requirements and building codes. But he says this project requires the removal of 40 heritage trees; that may be enough to stop the project, or at least delay it.
"In a sense, it's kind of sad that Mountain View cares more about our trees than our people. And I care about the trees," said Siegel. "But the fact is that we've had months for the council to address this problem of rentals being displaced, but they haven't."
A few dozen residents are planning to attend the Mountain View City Council meeting Tuesday night where a crucial vote to approve or deny the project.
