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In the January 2020 State of the County Address, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez called for 1,000 new units of affordable housing to be in the pipeline by December 2020. The units will be paid for by the Affordable Housing Bond (Measure A) passed by county voters in 2016.

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Chavez asked the administration to bring a proposal back to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for the new units within 11 months. 

“Here’s our big advantage. We have successes to build upon,” said Chavez to an overflow crowd of hundreds of residents and community leaders. “We’re still ahead of schedule with our Measure A Housing Bond to house the homeless. Santa Clara County is almost halfway to building more than 4,000 new homes. Now we need to double down on Measure A.” 
 

Chavez is the first woman elected president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in a decade. Hundreds of residents, elected officials and community leaders attended her State of the County Address and reception celebrating the county’s diversity. 

Highlights from Supervisor Chavez’s State of the County:
 

• Expanding childcare/new mental health screenings for children because income inequality and the opportunity gap profoundly affects children.
  
  “For too many children in our County, the obstacles between them and their dreams, their futures, and even their survival seem insurmountable,” said Chavez, who represents Central, East and South San Jose.
  
  “Too many children don’t have access to quality childcare and preschool. Too many children and young adults struggle with mental health issues. Too many children miss school because they’re taking care of younger siblings, working or chronically sick. And too many children spend far too little time with their parents who work two or three jobs to make rent each month.”
   
• The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has placed children first and will continue to prioritize the needs of the youngest residents. A childcare pilot program has been established and the board will dramatically expand this work.
  
  “Starting with the highest needs families throughout the county, and leveraging state and federal funds, we will work to make sure that every child in this County has access to quality childcare and early learning opportunities with well-trained and well-paid teachers and aides” said Chavez. “I will be asking my colleagues to support a program that allows us to provide children mental health screenings allowing for quick intervention.”
   
• Enforce Court-ordered Gun Relinquishment. Santa Clara County criminal courts annually issue about 3,000 domestic violence protective orders with gun prohibitions and the Family Court issues about 1,600 domestic violence restraining orders with gun prohibitions. There is not an effective mechanism to enforce the orders to ensure the guns are relinquished. 
   

“In partnership with the Office of the District Attorney, I will ask my colleagues to fund staff to enforce all gun prohibitions in our County,” said Chavez. 
 

Chavez was joined at the podium by other women who are supporting her extensive women’s agenda and honoring the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote with voter registration drives for the 2020 Presidential Election & Census 2020 events to get an accurate count.