The Sunnyvale Sun

Letters & Opinions

Housing fixes don't have to be a mystery

By Carl Guardino

In recent weeks, two large Bay Area daily newspapers ran significant stories in the business sections about a recent study on the housing crisis. In the following morning's edition of both of those papers, front-page banner stories lamented the housing challenge.

On Feb. 15, Silicon Valley leaders gathered at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose--not to release another housing study, or to talk about the problem, but to announce real solutions championed by private and public sector leaders that are helping thousands and thousands of families secure homes throughout Silicon Valley.

Studies are good. Solutions are better.

It was three years ago, on Feb. 22, 2005, that we stood together to announce that the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, the County of Santa Clara and our community partners would raise an additional $10 million, in voluntary contributions, for the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County.

This new $10 million effort, which we called "Stepping Up for Silicon Valley Families," would be on top of the $25 million in voluntary contributions we had already raised.

Three years later we are humbled and honored to announce the results: We promised to raise $10 million. We have raised $10.553 million.

But what excites us most is not the funds raised, but the families raised up. The additional funds will allow us to help another 1,000 families each year to secure homes in Silicon Valley.

Since its inception only seven years ago, the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County has raised more than $35 million in voluntary contributions. To date, we have loaned out $27 million, leveraging a phenomenal $1.23 billion in private development. We have already helped more than 6,600 families and individuals find affordable homes in Silicon Valley.

This would not have been possible without the leadership of some incredible private sector CEOs who have brought us over the goal line in our $10 million campaign. Just four months ago, we were still more than $2 million short of our $10 million goal. That is when Seagate CEO Bill Watkins, the vice chair of the Leadership Group board of directors and our board champion for the Housing Trust, and Mike Splinter, CEO of Applied Materials and chair of the Leadership Group board, stepped up.

On Oct. 15, the Leadership Group announced our "Home Stretch" Campaign to raise the final $2 million by Valentine's Day. In true Silicon Valley fashion, we have met and exceeded that goal. In just the past four months, with a goal of $2 million, we have raised $2,352,000.

The campaign, both in dollars raised and families served, has been a remarkable success. But what we do not do well in Silicon Valley is celebrate our success. That is why we gathered Feb. 15 at the 165- bedroom Winchester Mystery House, to "Unlock the Mystery of Affordable Housing." The solution: Working together on real efforts that help real families secure homes.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said it best: It is easy to talk about our housing challenge. It is much more rewarding to do something about it.

Thanks to such public sector leaders, and the full participation of all 15 cities and towns in Santa Clara County, the Housing Trust is a national model of success.

Carl Guardino is the co-founder of the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Visit the Leadership Group at www.svlg.net.