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Soon Rae Norris will have to say goodbye to her apartment at Saron Gardens, where she has lived for 18 years. She doesn't like it, but she has no choice. And the same is true for all 38 families in the apartment complex on Rainbow Drive.
That's because Prometheus Real Estate Group, a developer based in Redwood City, is in the process of redeveloping the property.
According to Gary Chao, the city's assistant planner, Prometheus plans to demolish the 39 existing apartment units, one house, six carports and a swimming pool to construct 55 houses, a public pedestrian pathway and a village green area on the project site.
The Cupertino Planning Commission unanimously approved the project on May 27, and it is scheduled to go before the city council on June 16.
Aside from physical changes and impacts that the project would bring to the neighborhood, one of the most important issues has been the future of existing Saron Gardens residents, who are being pushed out of their homes to make space for the new development.
Throughout the planning process, Prometheus representatives have met with residents to discuss concerns relating to relocation.
According to Tom Dragosavac, a seven-year Saron Gardens resident, he and his neighbors first learned about the redevelopment on April 29, when they received information about a resident relocation program proposed by Prometheus.
Residents were surprised by the news and unsatisfied with the relocation program. They quickly formed a neighborhood association, which met with representatives of Prometheus to discuss neighbors' concerns. The two sides eventually agreed on a revised relocation assistance package on May 22.
"I think if we had a choice, everyone here would prefer staying instead of moving regardless of what relocation assistance they give us. But we don't have a choice. ... In terms of the revised relocation program, Prometheus has met all of our conditions, so we are happy with that. But like I said, if we could, we would prefer staying," Dragosavac said.
Among other things, the revised relocation program will provide residents rental assistance in the amount of three times the existing Saron Gardens rent per unit. Based on the average rent of $1,500 per unit, Prometheus would pay a sum of $4,500 per unit, which is $1,300 more than what Prometheus originally proposed.
Although residents are generally satisfied with the revised relocation program, there are other issues that are yet to be resolved.
"The school issue has not been worked out. I hope the city will work with the school districts in securing the right for our children to continue their education in their present schools," Norris said.
Although the issue does not immediately affect Norris, as she does not have any children attending local schools, many families do have children in Cupertino schools.
Thirteen children from Saron Gardens Apartments are currently attending Regnart Elementary; three are enrolled at Kennedy Middle, and four go to Monta Vista High School.
City staff and Prometheus representatives have met with local school district officials to find out whether the districts can allow the students from Saron Gardens to continue their education at their current schools in the event that they move outside of school district boundaries.
According to Chao, the districts have agreed to allow Regnart Elementary School students and Monta Vista High seniors to finish the 200304 school year if they resided in Saron Gardens until December 2003.
Students at Kennedy, however, will not be able to attend the same school if they move outside the school's boundaries because Kennedy is already overcrowded.
Saron Gardens resident Jenny Yu, a seventh-grade student at Kennedy Middle, said, "I'll probably be very sad if I have to go to a different school. I have many good friends at Kennedy. I really like the school."
The project is scheduled to go before the Cupertino City Council during its regular meeting on June 16.
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Photograph by Erin Day