Electrify Mountain View is now available for renters and homeowners, providing them with personalized recommendations on how to electrify all aspects of their lives to use carbon-free energy rather natural gas. The City’s online platform, MountainView.gov/ElectrifyMV, officially launched this month.

At no cost, you can learn about actions such as driving an electric vehicle or riding an e-bike, becoming more energy efficient, using a full-size or portable induction cooktop, and installing solar power or a heat pump water heater. Electrify Mountain View is designed to help you understand your options and see all your savings. You can even browse products, compare rebates and incentives, and get custom quotes.

Why consider going electric? Sustainability experts report that transitioning to electric transportation and appliances is the quickest way for our community to reduce Mountain View’s carbon emissions.

Visit Electrify Mountain View today!

The 2022 City Annual Update was presented to a sold-out crowd on Thursday, March 31. The City of Mountain View and the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce co-hosted the event at Michael’s at Shoreline.

Mayor Lucas Ramirez reflected on the many ways the City has helped the community navigate the pandemic through a number of relief programs. City Manager Kimbra McCarthy also spoke about the City’s accomplishments over the last year as well as significant projects on tap in the coming year. Chamber President and CEO Peter Katz served as the master of ceremonies.

A recording of the City Annual Update is available online on the City’s YouTube channel.

In addition, residents can watch the livestreamed event on Mountain View City Television, Comcast cable channel 26, at 6 p.m. Friday, April 8, and 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9.

Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis signed legislation that extends eviction protections for Californians participating in rental assistance programs. The legislation was signed just hours before the protections were scheduled to expire.

AB 2179 extends eviction protections through June 30, 2022 to help ensure housing stability for eligible tenants who applied for assistance from state or local rental assistance programs by March 31, 2022.

View the Governor's Office news release.

Of significance, Acting Governor Kounalakis became the first woman in California’s history to sign a piece of legislation into law. She took this action on the final day of Women’s History Month, which was March 31. State law required the lieutenant governor to act as governor since Governor Gavin Newsom was vacationing with his family out of state.

As part of the City's Race, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan, the Human Relations Commission (HRC) is gathering information about the history of housing in Mountain View.

The survey will be open until Friday, April 22 and can be accessed in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian. It seeks residents’ historical and current stories, covering any period in Mountain View’s history from the 1900s onward, that are related to discrimination based on race and ethnicity or other factors. Stories of housing inclusion and integration are also welcomed. The HRC is also looking for copies of deeds, lease agreements, and other housing-related documents that contain exclusionary language.

Portions of the community's stories may be shared during a community dialog event being planned for Thursday, May 19 through a partnership among the HRC, Mountain View Historical Association and Stanford senior lecturer Michael Kahan.

Over the past three weeks, City employees from various departments worked together to spruce up the Castro Street experience.

Parks and Forestry staff led the way by pruning the street trees, cleaning out the tree grates, assisting businesses in moving oversized items, and replanting the landscape planters. The Streets team helped move bollards, remove the old reflectors, move the concrete planters, and sweep the streets after completing the work. Wastewater crews assisted in cleaning out the channel drains that run the entire length of each block.

While Castro Street’s 100, 200 and 300 blocks are now refreshed thanks to the City's deep-cleaning and preventative efforts, the work will continue with more updates to come.

In particular, crews will replace older lights with new, hardier and more energy-efficient lights. At the same time, the decorative tops of the old posts are being refurbished, and sign and flag holder hardware still need to be replaced.

This effort for the 100, 200 and 300 blocks will be near completion by the end of May.

The Mountain View Fire Department is hosting a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Academy beginning Thursday, May 5.

Over five nights, participants will receive training including disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light Search and Rescue. Participants partake in a Field Day exercise using what they have learned during the course to overcome a disaster scenario in a safe, planned environment.

For more information including how to sign up, visit the Fire Department’s Emergency Preparedness webpage.

For Earth Month, Mayor Lucas Ramirez and the City of Mountain View are participating in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation by making a pledge to save water.

My Water Pledge is a friendly competition between cities across the U.S. to encourage water conservation and see which city can be the most “water-wise.” For ideas on how to continue saving water, view the City’s water-saving tips and resources.

Pledges entered between now and Saturday, April 30 receive a chance to win dozens of great prizes. Sign up today at MyWaterPledge.com.

The Citywide Garage Sale is back on Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8.

Now is the time for residents to register online as sellers for next month’s event. The free registration is open through Sunday, April 24. If you and a neighbor don’t have enough items for a sale at each of your homes, consider combining them together at one location and register as a multi-family sale.

By registering, sellers will be listed on a map along with an address list on the Friday before the sale on MountainView.gov/GarageSale.

Read the news release about the Citywide Garage Sale in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian and spread the word!

After over two years of modified operation hours, the Mountain View Senior Center is back with evening hours this week.

The Senior Center hours are now Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–9 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

All drop-in programming and classes will be available during evening hours in the coming weeks.

The Recreation Division recently held a Teen Summer Volunteer Night at The View Teen Center. Over 30 parents and teens spoke with Recreation Division staff about the Junior Leader training requirements, on-site duties and the application process.

This summer, volunteer positions will serve at Deer Hollow Farm, recreation camps and aquatics programs. Applications for all program areas are due by Friday, April 29.

Interested 13-to-17-year-olds can register at MountainView.gov/LIT.

Celebrate Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s 50th Anniversary of public open space preservation, protection, restoration, access and education.

This month, Midpen will host a free family festival at Ravenswood Preserve and Cooley Landing of East Palo Alto. The Saturday, April 30 event will provide fun for nature lovers of all ages. Explore the 2.9-mile loop of the Bay Trail through a Discovery Journey walk and scavenger hunt while stopping along the route to talk with naturalists at educational stations. There will be local food trucks, wildlife demonstrations, live music and more!

For more information, visit OpenSpace.org/BaysideFamilyFestival.

Appointments are now required for COVID-19 vaccinations, including vaccine boosters, at the County of Santa Clara-operated vaccination site located at the Mountain View Community Center. You can schedule your time slot at sccFreeVax.org.