Renter Support
Anti-Displacement Website and Survey
The challenge of housing affordability affects us all, including those of us who have already found a home but are facing uncertainty. The City of Cupertino has joined with other jurisdiction in Santa Clara County to study displacement and how it effects renters across our City and region. Let's Talk Housing is our online resource for community members interested in what is displacement, why it matters, what we can do to address it, and what resources are available.
We invite the public to visit the website and take a survey on displacement here. Feedback from the community will be used by staff to learn the specific issues faced by our renters, and what strategies we need to pursue to address displacement.
The City of Cupertino contributed $50,000 in grant funds to help create the De Anza College Housing Assistance Grants Program. De Anza College has partnered with West Valley Community Services to provide funds to be used directly for eviction prevention or move-in costs to support students maintain or secure stable housing in Cupertino so they may continue with their education at De Anza College. Eligible students may receive up to $2,000 in assistance, and can apply online.
On October 8, Governor Gavin Newsom signed California Assembly Bill 1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The Bill takes effect January 1, 2020, and sunsets on January 1, 2030. AB 1482 includes annual rent increase caps of 5 percent plus inflation or 10 percent, whichever is lower; protections for just cause and no-fault evictions; relocation assistance; and revised tenant noticing requirements. Most multifamily rental properties that are at least 15 years old are subject to this law. For more information, including the full text of the legislation, please visit the California Legislative Information website. If you are a Cupertino tenant or landlord in need of assistance, please contact Project Sentinel at 408-720-9888.
Project Sentinel Inquiry Page Tenants Together Tenant Advocacy Toolkit(PDF, 1022KB)
Project Sentinel is a non-profit organization and a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency. They offer rental support services such as free, neutral, and confidential dispute resolution, as well as mediation services for landlords, tenants, homeowners, and neighbors. They also provide homeownership support such as first time home buyer education, mortgage delinquency counseling, and a variety of other housing related services.
Housing Discrimination Services
During COVID-19, Project Sentinel will provide remote mediation and conciliation services for landlords and tenants in need of addressing rent issues and resolving disputes. Phone: 408.720.9888 or 888.324.7468
The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program is HACSC’s largest rental assistance program with about 17,000 participants. The “housing choice voucher” is a 100% federally funded rental subsidy for low-income households living in privately owned rental units. HACSC voucher holders in the Moving to Work (MTW) program pay 32% of their gross income toward rent (or a minimum rent of $50, whichever is higher), and the agency pays the balance of the rent directly to the landlords on behalf of the families. Voucher holders are also required to pay that portion of their lease contract rent that is above HACSC’s payment standard for their unit size.