Mountain View Voice: Cop report describes attack filled with racial slurs (August 11, 2006)
When Mountain View police officers approached Pioneer Park on Saturday, July 29 at 10:10 p.m., a fight was still in progress. An officer drew his gun and told everyone to get on the ground.

After the fight was quelled, officers compiled a 22-page police report in which witnesses recalled Nazi salutes, repeated use of the word “nigger,” and numerous shouts of “Aryan race!” and “white power!” on the part of suspects Joseph Krueger, 21, and Jonathan Rhodes, 18. In all, seven witnesses were interviewed for the police report, a copy of which was obtained by the Voice.

According to the report, there were two victims of the attack in Pioneer Park, behind City Hall, including a young black man who was the object of the racial slurs. His troubles that night reportedly began when he saw Krueger and Rhodes chasing a white man out through the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot on Castro Street.

A bit surprising for a place where the median home price is $650,000. I hope this doesn’t become a trend in little ol’ Mountain View

Mountain View Voice: Letters to the Editor (August 11, 2006)
Mountain View has too many jobs

Editor:

The Bay Area Council has given Mountain View an “F” for providing housing because of the jobs-to-housing imbalance. The common assumption seems to be that Mountain View doesn’t have enough housing.

I would like to suggest that Mountain View has too many jobs. The Bay Area Council could just as easily have cited Los Altos and Los Altos Hills for not providing enough jobs for their citizens, thus requiring them to drive to Mountain View. We could quickly achieve a more equitable balance by transferring the land that Google sits on to Los Altos.

Glenn Meier

Walnut Drive

I’m pretty much speechless. What do you think?

Mountain View Voice: Letters to the Editor (August 4, 2006)
More parkland, less housing

Editor:

I agree with Chuck Shih when he points out the need to “put the brakes on housing” in Mountain View (“Where have you been, Voice?,” July 21). The Mountain View Voice claimed to support this in its July 7 editorial, yet spoke up too late to prevent over 500 condo units being approved at the Mayfield site.

Arguments for high-density housing near transportation only make sense if housing is approved in the first place. The question is not whether housing should be in the foothills or the city, but rather whether it should be approved at all.

How many times do we need to remind our city council and local paper that the quality of life decreases in direct proportion to overcrowding?

Martha Elderon

Dell Avenue

More housing means more problems

Editor:

Although the former Mayfield Mall is not in my neighborhood, I have listened to the debate regarding its development for months. My reaction to 500-plus more houses is, “Oh my, 1,000 more cars to deal with.”

I’m wondering if the council members realize that every development calls for more police, firemen, and schools? And more water, which is finite, and the rates of which have been raised two years in a row.

Councilman Perry, where is it written that Mountain View has to provide housing for everyone in the Central Valley? I really feel sorry for the residents of Monta Loma.

Betty Lucke

Lilac Lane

I’m surprised no one used the “Think of the children!” argument. Does this smell like “Please stop building houses to keep house prices up” to anyone else? That said, they do have a point: Mountain View (and the Bay Area) is so poorly planned that every additional resident adds an amazing impact on the community due to the amount of driving that eveyone needs to do. I predict a double decked El Camino in 2150.

Ooh! A discount!

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 622409
221 EASY ST #00007
Mountain View, CA 94043

$524,900
Homeowners’ Association Fee:$220
Huge Price Reduction!
10K PRICE REDUCTION

1K CREDIT TO BUYER

NEED TO SELL

BRING AN OFFER!

vACANT and Move In Ready in Mountain View!

This home has it all!

Compare the Views out the windows! Location, Location, Location!

2 bedrooms, 1.5 bath 1136 sq. feet Open floor plan lots of natural light!

This home is close to all your favorite amenities. Downtown Mountain View, shopping, parks, Hwy 85, 101 and the 237 and the Stevens Creek Trail.

I’ll give you a hint – I went to an open house in this same complex and the I went to, the master bedroom had a great view of an weedy lot with an abandoned mini-trailer in it. Caveat emptor!

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 625427
1113 CLARK AV
Mountain View, CA 94040

$789,000

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 625427 Approx Age: 55 Years Approx Sq Ft: 974
Detached Single Family 1 Story Ranch
3 Bedrooms Ground Floor Bedroom 1 Bathroom

There’s actually nothing terribly wrong with this house (other than the fact that it is $789k for 974 square feet) – but you’d think with this much money on the line, the realtor would put the right picture as the default on MLS.

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 617868
650 ALAMO CT #022
Mountain View, CA 94043

$309,000
Homeowners’ Association Fee:$207
TOP FLOOR END UNIT W/MOFFETT AIR SHOW VIEWS!!
Don’t miss this top floor end unit 1br condo located close to downtown Mountain View. Views from both the living room balcony and bedroom balcony. Convenient to Highways 101,85,237 and 280. Backs up to Stevens Creek trail, close to shopping, and parks. New copper plumbing installed throughout this 22 unit complex. Neat and clean condo. Upgraded bath with newer vanity and shower door. New paint and mirror closet doors in bedroom. Neat and clean home. Don’t miss the opportunity for ownership in Mountain View real estate.

This Condominium has the following features:
MLS#: 617868 Approx Age: 22 Years Approx Sq Ft: 578
Condominium 11-25 Units Low Rise (1-3 Stories)
Contemporary 1 Level Top Floor or Penthouse Unit

Wow! Just think if the money you can save by not having to buy an air show ticket and parking. Maybe you can even see the SOFIA 747 research plane land at night.

Feel the rumble! See the Jet-A smoke! All yours for $309,000 for 578 square feet!

(*The Air Show was cancelled forever in 2005.)

Paranoid? Afraid of the 5-0 looking into your place? Wear a tin foil hat? This might be the home for you!

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 618907
1916 SILVERWOOD AV
Mountain View, CA 94043
Complex: SILVERWOOD VLG

$529,000

This Townhouse has the following features:
MLS#: 618907 Approx Age: 32 Years Approx Sq Ft: 968
Townhouse 26-50 Units Low Rise (1-3 Stories)

Caution… there are windows on the side. Sort of.

So on Friday, we looked at a house that was at $696k for 2370 square feet… in near Microsoft HQ. Let’s look at what the same amount of money will get you near Google HQ/Intuit/Microsoft in Mountain View…

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 617256
490 THOMPSON AV
Mountain View, CA 94043

$689,000

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 617256 Approx Age: 52 Years Approx Sq Ft: 1137

Quite the comparison, wouldn’t you say?

So yesterday we looked at what $1 million will buy you in the same town where David Letterman lives. Now, let’s look at what $1 million will buy you in the Bay Area.

Well, that turns out to be harder than I thought! First I looked at Atherton and Los Altos – places that I think would be comparable to New Canaan – places where someone like Letterman might live. Well, there are no properties available at that price range. So I gave up and searched in Mountain View, after all, it’s right next to Los Altos, and has only a minor gang problem. Here’s what I found:

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 604274
1630 ALISON AV
Mountain View, CA 94040

$1,100,000
Open House Showing
Sunday, February 26, 2006 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Tastefully Remodeled, Move-In Condition

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 604274 Approx Age: 50 Years Approx Sq Ft: 1600
Detached Single Family 1 Story Ranch
4 Bedrooms 1 Master Bedroom Suite 2&1/2 Bathrooms

It’s your choice. For a million dollars, the house above… or this one:

I suspect you can get better Thai food in Mountain View though.

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 604329
280 COLLEGE ST
Mountain View, CA 94040
(Mountain View)
View More Photos

$649,000
Pending: Continue to Show

Doesn’t it look like the garage is 50% of the house? On the other hand, the front yard would be easy to take care of…