Assemblymember Patrick Aarons and State Senator Dr. Ayesha Wahab presented a joint legislative update to the Sunnyvale City Council on Nov. 18, outlining budget allocations and bills that affect the city and the Bay Area.

Aarons described the 2025–26 state budget priorities for the district and highlighted allocations he said would benefit Sunnyvale: "we have allocated and prioritized the needs of many of the residents ... $52,000,000 in additional funding for our food banks," directed to Sunnyvale Community Services, the Bill Wilson Center and other local nonprofits. He also cited one-time student supports and constituent-service figures, including a student block grant and assistance delivered through his office.

Senator Wahab focused on housing and consumer protections. She said the Dream for All down-payment program received $300,000,000 and that $500,000,000 was allocated to the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention program. She described SB681 — a multipart bill rolled into the budget — as containing extensive renter protections and said the legislation included strong "zombie mortgage" safeguards to prevent decades-old debt collection on people who believed their loans were settled. "This zombie mortgage protection that we made into law just this year is the strongest in the nation," she said.

Wahab also named district investments she said her office had secured for Sunnyvale and the region, including $1,750,000 for safer walking and biking near Lakewood Elementary, $1,000,000 for land acquisition for a family shelter and $10,000,000 tied to World Cup-related infrastructure and planning. Both legislators addressed council questions about food-security concerns in northern Sunnyvale; Aarons said he will introduce legislation to incentivize grocery-retaining development and tax/grant tools to limit the creation of food deserts.

Council thanked the legislators and noted follow-up opportunities, including local events and constituent casework; no local ordinance or council vote resulted from the update.