South San Jose Residents Oppose Duplex Redevelopment, Citing Misuse of State Housing Law
Residents in the Homestead Acres neighborhood of South San Jose are actively opposing a redevelopment plan that seeks to replace a single-family home with a duplex. The project, proposed by an LLC linked to Redwood City-based development firm Samara, involves demolishing an existing home on a nearly half-acre lot at 15385 Warwick Road. Opponents argue that the developer is misusing California's Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), a state housing law designed to facilitate lot splits and duplex constructions in suburban areas. They fear that the duplex proposal is a 'pretext' and that the developer intends to pivot to a larger residential building after demolition, which could overwhelm their quiet, semi-rural neighborhood. San Jose planning officials, however, have defended their review process, stating that a 'good faith' investigation determined the project complies with state housing law provisions and must proceed. 
