For the first time in two years, a significant housing project is being proposed to Palo Alto’s City Council.  On Monday Sept 12 at 6p, City Council will have a study session for a 60 unit housing project (30 studios and 30 one-bedroom rentals) at 2755 El Camino Real ( at corner of Page Mill.) Read the Staff Report here. Read more

Meet Up Tonight at @ Scotty's Come meet with your neighbors to talk about the upcoming election, housing issues, and enjoy the good company. And meet local hero Kate Downing - the former planning commissioner whose resignation made Palo Alto's contribution's to the local and regional housing crisis into regional and national news.     Time: 6:30pm548 Emerson RoadPalo Alto, CA 94301 

The cost of living in Palo Alto has skyrocketed. As a result, we are seeing long-time neighbors move as they can no longer afford the rent. It is not unusual for Palo Alto workers to commute in from areas as far as Stockton, Gilroy, and Tracy, putting severe strain on our roads and our climate. We are on the path to being a city composed only of long-time landowners and wealthy newcomers. That’s why we need you to sign our petition asking the City Council to take immediate, common-sense steps to address the housing crisis. Sign the petition!   The housing shortage has been caused by city policies that have discouraged new housing while encouraging office space. While the city has taken steps this year to slow the growth of office space, it is now time for the city to fix the policies that put up unnecessary barriers to new housing. Read more

On Thurs Nov 5, 2015 6-7:30p, we heard from Daniel Parolek, a nationally recognized thought leader in architecture, design, and urban planning, who specializes in creating livable, sustainable communities. Daniel conceived the term Missing Middle Housing to describe the range of multi-unit or clustered housing types compatible in scale with single-family homes that help meet the growing demand for compact, convenient, walkable lifestyles. If you missed his presentation live, video of the presentation can be found below and slides will be forthcoming! Read more

The Hotel President Apartments, built in 1929, is one of the only buildings in Palo Alto to offer studio apartments. According to an article in the Palo Alto Weekly, neighborhood hostels have begun to appear in Palo Alto, in the form of single-family homes where the rent is split between many students or recent graduates. While it's long been common for students and young workers to split a lease on a house, what's new is how many tenants are required to pay the rent: in some cases, the homes are being filled with bunk beds and the rent split between as many as 16 people at one time! It's easy to see why landlords would like to rent to so many people for so much money. But why don't students and young workers have better options? Surprisingly, it's because Palo Alto's zoning code has strongly discouraged buildings with housing units appropriate for single people, such as studios or one-bedroom apartments, leaving single tenants little option other than sharing a larger space with one or more roommates. Read more