About SVNA

About SVNA #

The Santiago Villa Residents’ Association (SVRA) was started by Alex Brown, Bee Hanson, Barbara Davis, Stuart Esbit, and Trey Bornmann. That organization was started in 2015, but over the years there have been other informal resident organizations. We still have some typewritten directories from those early years.

SVRA was started by gradually making a directory of neighbors. By 2017, our membership was big enough to apply for and receive a grant from the City of Mountain View. That’s when our Residents’ Association became the Santiago Villa Neighborhood Association (SVNA).

Since 2018, we have used our City grant money to hold events like a summer barbecue, ice cream socials, Hallowe’en and Thanksgiving events, and to publish newsletters and a website. Last year, we started a popular new tradition – the Coffee Klatsch, which depending on the weather, is held outside on the first Saturday of each month.

Annual BBQ #

Before Covid, our most popular neighborhood activity was our summer barbecue. We held our first one at the clubhouse in 2018, and it was attended by more than 100 of our residents, as well as City Councilmembers and community friends. The pandemic put a two-year hold on that annual event, but we have managed to hold many other social events, and hope to fire up the grill again soon.

Meetings in the Clubhouse #

Before the pandemic, we held dinner meetings in the clubhouse once a month, and we were finally able to resume meeting in person in 2022. Our last meeting (June 2024) featured homemade tacos, and we’ll be meeting again soon.

If you’re in our Google Group or on NextDoor, you’ll be notified of the next meeting or event. If not, watch for the message boards posted at the Space Park and La Avenida entrances to the park - or just send email to board@santiagovilla.org.

How is SVNA Organized? #

The five-member SVNA Board is elected annually. We have an “Election by Acclamation,” if the officers run unopposed.

We’ll be having an election for SVNA officers in July. If you like hanging out with a bunch of cool people and doing some good for your neighbors, send email to board@santiagovilla.org.

SVNA’s Board #

Email: board@santiagovilla.org

Our current President is Bee Hanson, who documents all SVNA and MVMHA (Mountain View Mobile Home Association) activities. Bee has lived in the neighborhood since 1996, and is looking forward to many more years here.

SVNA’s Nonprofit Status #

In 2020, Trey Bornmann set up SVNA as a nonprofit [501 (c) (3)], which means our association is now a service organization. Trey provided the original legal documentation, and Bee updated it this year.

Nonprofit status gives us the ability to solicit donations from organizations whose interests in North Bayshore coincide with our own. This gives us some flexibility to respond to future financial opportunities that might come our way.

Our Financial Status #

Since 2017, SVNA has qualified to receive an annual neighborhood association support grant from the City of Mountain View, originally in the amount of $1800. We used those funds to get our association started. The annual support grant was increased the following year to $2000, but because of the impact on the City of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the proliferation of new neighborhood associations, the current grant gradually decreased, and is now $904 annually. Board members have contributed when we want to try something new, and residents have often contributed baked goods and tasty dishes to our social events.

What Does SVNA Do? #

The mission of the Santiago Villa Neighborhood Association, as stated in our bylaws, is “to promote and advance neighborhood goals and to preserve and enhance the welfare of the neighborhood.” We deliver flyers about local events and send informative and entertaining newsletters to our residents.

Our most popular event is the monthly Coffee Klatsches. We’ve had great conversations with our neighbors, and many community friends and City staff have dropped by. We’ll keep doing them as long as we have good weather.

We have invited Mountain View Fire and Police department members and Councilmembers to our meetings, and we bring in developers who want to explain their plans for North Bayshore and get our support.

Over the years, the SVNA Board has maintained good relationships with, and received support from, our neighbors in the North Bayshore neighborhood: Google, Microsoft, Eden Housing, SyWest, and the Sobrato Organization. Check our Construction section for details on their plans.