Publication Date
Spring 2001
Degree Type
Master's Project
Degree Name
Master of Urban Planning (MUP)
Department
Urban and Regional Planning
Abstract
Affordable housing in Silicon Valley could easily be seen as a contradiction in terms. While it is sometimes heard that if something were not affordable, it would not sell or rent, there is a much larger picture that must be considered. Santa Clara County is one of the most expensive housing markets in the United States. It also has such low vacancy rates that it is considered to have no vacancy at all. People move in as quickly as people move out. Waiting lists are long for all types of units, for sale or for rent. Does this mean that these units, although in such high demand, are affordable?
Dot corns, limited hillside development, and a thriving economy are to blame. What could be seen as some of the most positive things in Silicon Valley; entrepreneurs, open space, and low unemployment rates, are in fact contributing to a large percentage of individuals being pushed out further and further into outlying communities in the East Bay. As these communities flourish, an increasing number of people cannot afford to live in them.. .until eventually people are driven out of the Bay Area entirely. Are these people minimum wage earners with little education? Well, some. Others are teachers, civil servants, and police officers. Do these people wear the face of individuals seeking low-income housing? In Silicon Valley they are.
Recommended Citation
Verburg, Wendi, "Housing in San Jose, CA: The Development of Affordable Housing on Vacant and Abandoned Lots in the East of Coyote Creek Neighborhood" (2001). Master's Projects. 1633.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.mba5d7rz
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_projects/1633
