Liang - Are We Squeezing Existing Long-term Workers Out of Cupertino?

From: Liang Chao
Date: Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 2:52 AM
Subject: Are We Squeezing Existing Long-term Workers Out of Cupertino?
To: City Council <citycouncil@cupertino.org>

Dear Mayor and City Council Members,

ABAG allocated only 1002 units to Cupertino based on their regional needs analysis because Cupertino is only served by a few bus lines. Cupertino should not build more than allocated since we don't have the transit infrastructure to support them. Building office space in Cupertino, where there is no mass transit, is against the principle of ABAG.

VTA has now cut the bus services to Cupertino in its new plan. With the critical mass of 30,000 students at De Anza College with free VTA pass, VTA still decides to cut bus services for Cupertino. No amount of high density projects in Cupertino would magically increase ridership.

Out of the 1002 units allocated to Cupertino, 600 units are allocated and already approved for Hamptons. 188 units are approved for Marina Plaza. Oaks is allocated 200-235 units and it should only build at most 235 units. No more office.

Marina Plaza can be economically feasible, while staying within 45 feet height limit. Why can't Oaks?

For every high-density project added to Cupertino, we are adding more cars to the already very congested roads. Our existing long-time workers depend on them to commute to Cupertino. Please don't worsen their commute so that they might have to stop working in Cupertinio.

The following letter has been submitted to Cupertino Courier. Please don't squeeze out long-time workers out of Cupertino with more high-density projects. Follow the General Plan.

Sincerely,

Liang Chao

Cupertino Resident

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Are We Squeezing Existing Long-term Workers Out of Cupertino?

There are already many workers who provide services to Cupertino today and for the last 20 years. These workers have all found a place they call home to raise their families, somewhere in Bay Area. Some might choose to live in a suburban home further away; some might choose to live in condos closer. They have all been able to commute to Cupertino for the past 20 years.

Unfortunately, their commute time has doubled in these recent years. If we continue to build high density developments, either office or residential, far away from mass transit, we are going to add more cars to the existing highways that the existing Cupertino workers depend on to get to work.

The capacity of the highways are limited and they are already over-saturated, which is why we have traffic congestion and longer commute time. High-density developments in areas without viable transit would squeeze existing workers out of these no-transit areas.

When the existing workers found that the commute time is quadrupled and they cannot tolerate anymore, they won't give up their existing comfortable home to move to Cupertino. Instead, they will quit their job in Cupertino and find other jobs closer to home. They might have to take a pay-cut as a result. Cupertino businesses and schools will have to hire new employees who live within closer distance to Cupertino and end up paying MORE to provide the same services. Thus, our living expenses would go up.

According to 2010 Census data, about 80% of Cupertino workers commute into Cupertino; about 80% of Cupertino residents commute out of Cupertino to work. By adding high density development where there is no mass transit, we are impacting the lives of all these people, long-time workers and residents of Cupertino.