Negotiations between the city of Mountain View and tech giant Google over the latter's plans to expand its headquarters recently took a strange turn.
"Google has backed down from a threat to deny badly needed housing in Mountain View if it isn’t given more office space for its futuristic new 'Charleston East' campus," reports Ethan Baron.
The ongoing evolution of the political situation surrounding Google's plans for its campus expansion shows the complicated nature of development in the Silicon Valley—where jobs are plentiful and housing is in short supply. Google's announcement last week was seem as an ultimatum from a bully, according to Mountain View politicians like vice-mayor Lenny Siegel.
At an attempt at reconciliation, Google sent a letter apologizing for the strong tone of the original statement. The letter also "proposed that city fees from development of housing and parks in North Bayshore could be used to offset housing costs, particularly for affordable homes," reports Baron. The plans for nearly 10,000 homes in the North Bayshore area has been a centerpiece of the plan since its original conception (the city even made space for the development in its plans for the North Bayshore area), so city stakeholders didn't react well to the proposal being treated as leverage for extra commercial space.
The article includes a lot more details about the planned development as it currently stands. The development is expected to go before the full Mountain View City Council in November.
FULL STORY: Google backs down from threat to cancel Mountain View housing

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont