Rishi Kumar

1) Do you believe the Assessor's office can play a role in building a culture of historic and environmental preservation in Santa Clara County? If so, what initiatives will you support or champion?

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Absolutely!  I have championed these exact values in Saratoga.

The Assessor’s Office absolutely has a role in championing a culture of historic and environmental preservation in Santa Clara County. Here’s an expanded and refined response addressing specific initiatives:

Recognize and Incentivize Preservation

Support assessment programs—like the Mills Act property tax incentive—which reward owners for maintaining historic buildings or investing in environmentally sustainable retrofits. Explore new exemptions for those who restore landmark sites or adopt green upgrades, making preservation work both practical and affordable for owners.

Encourage Adaptive Reuse

Advocate for fair tax valuation that makes restoring and repurposing older buildings financially competitive with new construction. This can prevent unnecessary demolition and encourage the creative reuse of historically significant structures.

Promote Green Modernization

Champion energy-efficient improvements, solar installation, and climate-resilient upgrades without increasing property assessments or penalties. This ensures homeowners aren’t punished for making buildings safer and greener.

Collaborate Across Departments

Work with Planning, Parks, and Environmental agencies—as well as the Historical Heritage Commission—to maintain the County’s heritage resource inventory and identify sites with both historic and ecological value. Support grant programs and community partnerships for landmark preservation, open space, and adaptive reuse projects.

Additional Initiatives

•Expand awareness and education about available tax incentives for preservation among property owners and community groups.

•Recommend periodic review and update of heritage property inventories to ensure all eligible structures and landscapes get protection.

•Pilot new programs (such as expedited permit tracks) for sustainable and preservation-oriented property improvements.

These combined efforts will help nurture a culture of stewardship, heritage appreciation, and climate resilience in Santa Clara County.

2) How do you think historic preservation and open space/agricultural land conservation can help create and sustain a vibrant and culturally diverse future for Santa Clara County? Is there a particular project or effort you have undertaken--either professionally or personally-- that best highlights the community benefits you see from preservation of historic sites and cultural landscapes? ​

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I have personally pushed for the preservation of Saratoga's historic orchard on the city council. I have pushed back against monster projects in open space hillsides and won those battles against my colleagues  on the city council.

Historic preservation and open space or agricultural land conservation create a vibrant and culturally diverse future for Santa Clara County by fostering economic vitality, sustainability, and a sense of shared identity. Preserving historic sites, buildings, and cultural landscapes helps revitalize communities, supports heritage tourism, and sustains jobs, while also protecting the stories and contributions of diverse groups who have shaped the region’s unique identity.

Conserving agricultural land and open space bolsters local food systems, maintains the county’s rich agricultural heritage, and provides access to green space for recreation and community events. Together, these efforts reinforce community pride, celebrate multicultural history, and encourage environmentally responsible growth that benefits present and future generations.

A standout example in Santa Clara County is how adaptive reuse and incentive programs—such as the Mills Act property tax reduction for owners of historic properties—have enabled the restoration and reuse of landmark buildings and ranches. Initiatives like these have preserved sites for cultural gatherings, education, and entrepreneurship, directly benefiting local communities and making Santa Clara County a model for the integration of preservation, economic development, and diversity.

These strategies—when combined with active community engagement—help build a county that honors its heritage, values its land, and remains welcoming to all.

3) What steps will you take to ensure Mills Act historic properties are assessed consistently and fairly, and are communicated to the public? Can you commit to working with Mills Act property owners to improve consistent communications on county-wide guidelines and assessment calculations?

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To ensure Mills Act historic properties are assessed consistently and fairly—and that the public is well informed about the process—the following steps are essential:

•Strictly Adhere to State Guidelines: Assess each Mills Act property using the standardized income capitalization method outlined in CA Revenue & Taxation Code §439, factoring in current rent, eligible expenses, and the annually published capitalization rate. Always enroll the lowest value: the calculated restricted value, current market value, or factored base year value.

•Clear, County-Wide Guidelines: Develop and publish a detailed, easy-to-understand guide summarizing the Mills Act assessment process, tailored specifically for Santa Clara County owners. This should be accessible on the Assessor’s website and through regular outreach.

•Transparent Public Communication: Host annual workshops, webinars, and Q&A sessions to explain the assessment process and updates to existing or prospective Mills Act property owners. Provide public-facing summary sheets and sample calculations.

•Ongoing Collaboration with Owners: Establish a direct communication channel (such as a Mills Act owner liaison or dedicated email) to quickly address questions, clarify requirements, and gather feedback. Periodically survey owners to identify and resolve recurring communication issues.

•Training & Internal Audits: Ensure assessor staff are regularly trained in Mills Act regulations and best practices, and periodically review property valuations for consistency across the county.

Yes, a commitment to working directly with Mills Act property owners—and their advocates—to improve county-wide guidelines, answer questions, and ensure consistent, fair assessments is both possible and necessary. Open, ongoing dialogue will help safeguard the integrity of the Mills Act program and maximize its benefits to the community.

4) How will you support the Williamson Land Conservation Act, valuation based on income capability rather than market value, giving tax relief to property owners who agree to restrict their land to agricultural and compatible open space uses?

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The Williamson Land Conservation Act already provides significant property tax breaks by assessing agricultural and open space land based on its income capability rather than its market value, resulting in savings of 20% to 75% for landowners each year. To further support preservation and local agriculture, one can propose extending or enhancing the Act to offer even deeper reductions or partial exemptions for those who commit to long-term conservation, implement climate-smart agriculture, or protect ecologically important landscapes.

Expanding the Act’s eligibility or creating “Farmland Security Zones,” as some counties have done, could enable qualifying landowners to receive even greater property tax reductions or more targeted exemptions, making conservation both practical and financially attractive. Promoting these tax break opportunities and increasing community outreach will help ensure more property owners can participate and benefit from the program.

Supporting the Williamson Land Conservation Act is essential for preserving Santa Clara County’s agricultural and open space heritage while also delivering meaningful tax relief to property owners. The Act ensures that land under contract is assessed based on its income-generating capacity—not its often much higher market value—thereby reducing property taxes for those who commit to agricultural or compatible open-space uses.

To sustain and strengthen this program, these steps are crucial:

•Maintain strict income-based assessments: Continue to assess Williamson Act properties using the income approach as required by state law, calculating values based on agricultural productivity and rental income surveys rather than speculative development value.

•Educate and assist property owners: Proactively provide clear guidelines and annual updates on the assessment process, share best practices for contract compliance, and offer workshops to help property owners complete required income and production questionnaires.

•Streamline contract administration: Work closely with the Planning and Agriculture departments to ensure smooth contract renewals, compliance checks, and a clear process for any changes to land use or contract status.

•Advocate for continued support and awareness: Promote the community, economic, and environmental benefits of Williamson Act participation so that landowners understand their vital role in regional conservation and can access all available resources.

By following these steps, the Assessor’s Office can protect Santa Clara County’s landscapes, agricultural roots, and economic stability while upholding the intent and advantages of the Williamson Act for both current and future generations

5) Are there other tools you are aware of to help landowners of heritage cultural landscapes (including farms/orchards, open space, ranches, and environmentally sensitive grounds and resources) with their conservation, to allow these heritage lands to be utilized and recognized in line with their historic and cultural significance to Santa Clara County? 

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There are several valuable tools and programs available to help landowners of heritage cultural landscapes—such as farms, orchards, open space, ranches, and environmentally sensitive areas—preserve and utilize their lands in ways that honor their historic and cultural significance in Santa Clara County:

•Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan: This comprehensive 50-year plan balances economic development with conservation of upland and aquatic ecosystems, endangered species, and native vegetation communities across the county. It provides streamlined permitting and coordinated habitat preservation that supports landowners in protecting natural resources while allowing sustainable use.

•Conservation Easements: Local land trusts such as the Land Trust of Santa Clara Valley offer conservation easement programs that protect ecological and heritage values on private lands. Easements restrict development rights while allowing continued agricultural or traditional land uses, preserving cultural landscapes long-term.

•Open Space Authority Programs: Guided by the Santa Clara Valley Greenprint, this agency undertakes land acquisition, habitat restoration, and stewardship programs that benefit heritage lands, supporting landowners with technical help and partnerships to sustain open space and agricultural land.

•State and Federal Agricultural Conservation Grants: Programs like the Healthy Soils Program and Agricultural Resource Conservation programs provide funding and incentives to farmers and ranchers for sustainable practices that improve soil health, water efficiency, and reduce emissions—practices compatible with maintaining heritage agricultural landscapes.

•Historical Ecology Studies and Cultural Landscape Assessments: These studies assess historical conditions and landscape changes, providing landowners and planners data to support preservation efforts that respect cultural significance while guiding land use decisions.

Together, these tools allow heritage landowners to conserve and utilize their properties responsibly, recognizing ecological, cultural, and historic values in alignment with community and environmental goals for Santa Clara County