South Bay residents may be forced out of apartment complex for community college student housing
CUPERTINO, Calif. (KGO) -- Ninety Cupertino families may have to move out so college students can move in as the Foothill De-Anza Community College District is in the process of purchasing their apartment complex.
ABC7 spoke with Chancellor Lee Lambert on Monday before the district's board meeting.
"We know the high cost of living, especially this part of the state, makes it very difficult for us to attract and retain employees, makes it very hard to attract and retain students. So we have to find a solution," Lambert said.
The solution they're proposing would mean residents who currently live at the McClellan Terrace Apartment complex will have to leave.
Those still on a 12-month lease will be allowed to finish their leases but tenants on month-to-month will be given a minimum of 120 days to leave.
MORE: How Berkeley residents turned apartment building into affordable housing cooperative
Abhishek Gupta has been a resident for the last four years.
"What do I feel about it? I was helpless, I didn't know what to do," Gupta said.
Gupta said they learned of the news through the media.
"The press is telling us so first of all thank you- you guys who came knocking on our door to say hey you guys are going to be - maybe evicted and that's how we came to know," Gupta said.
Devendar Mallireddy and his family have lived at McClellan for at least 12 years.
"We are just staying in that apartment because my son and daughter goes into that school community," Mallireddy.
Almost every family ABC7 heard from said they live at the McClellan apartment complex because of its proximity to high-quality schools.
MORE: UC Berkeley unveils new 'luxury' dorm for transfer students
Paarth Gupta is in 7th grade, his brother goes to Monta Vista High School, a legacy school in the area.
"I can leave five minutes before school and still make it in time, and it's really convenient so I can go to school every day and I don't have to worry about the traffic every day and worry about being late," Gupta said. "My brother he's currently in 10th grade, so if we move he'd have to do 11th grade and 12th grade in a new school which is like really hard to do."
The Chancellor for Community Colleges statewide says just a few offer student housing, and locally only two campuses in the North Bay.
"This is a huge deal because if you look at community colleges based on our own feasibility study, four out of 10 students are housing insecure," Lambert said.
The purchase price for the building is nearly $67 million. Lambert said the money came from Measure G funds that specifically directs the district to plan, construct, acquire or contribute to affordable employee and student housing.
The District hopes to vote on the purchase of McClellan in May, and close in mid-July.
