Press Coverage

June 5, 2025 - KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA:

The plan to convert our downtown plazas to housing has been covered extensively by local and regional media. Below is a comprehensive list of news coverage, opinion pieces, and investigative reports.

2024
Aug. 28, The Almanac: Menlo Park plans to construct low-income housing on city-owned parking lots downtown
Nov. 15, The Almanac: Menlo Park council to vote on converting downtown parking into affordable housing
Nov. 19, Palo Alto Daily Post: Opponents of housing plan ask city to hit the brakes
Nov. 21, Palo Alto Daily Post: Council gets an earful from residents and puts off a decision on public housing above Santa Cruz Ave. parking lots
Dec. 11, The Almanac: Menlo Park residents, business owners organize opposition to city’s plan to build housing on downtown parking lots
Dec. 13, Palo Alto Daily Post: City hears from opponents at meeting on plans to put public housing on downtown parking lots
2025
Jan. 10, The Almanac: Menlo Park threatened with competing lawsuits over downtown parking plan
Jan. 11, The Almanac: Will The Menlo Park Downtown Affordable Housing Project Become A Train Wreck?
Jan. 13, Palo Alto Daily Post: Council votes tomorrow on putting housing downtown
Jan. 14, Palo Alto Daily Post: Opinion: Council should reject downtown housing plan
Jan. 15, Palo Alto Daily Post: Menlo Park moves forward with plan to put housing on parking lots
Jan. 15, The Almanac: Menlo Park council gives go-ahead to seek developer input on downtown parking lots
Jan. 23, The Daily Journal: Sacramento’s attack on our suburbs
Jan. 30, The Almanac: Menlo Park Dismisses A Promising Alternative To Downtown Affordable Housing
Feb. 3, The Almanac: Menlo Park could revisit Civic Center, parks for housing amid opposition to using downtown parking lots
Mar. 1, The Almanac: Can Menlo Park Afford The Downtown Affordable Housing Project?
Mar. 3, Palo Alto Daily Post: Feds slash price of USGS campus
Mar. 5, The Almanac: Menlo Park stands on downtown housing plan, awaits developer proposals
Mar. 7, The Almanac: Progress report shows Menlo Park is on track with housing construction
Mar. 24, Palo Alto Daily Post: City Council adds downtown to its priority list
Mar. 26, The Almanac: Menlo Park businesses raise $130,000 to fight downtown development
Mar. 31, The Real Deal: Resi redevelopment of parking lots stirs controversy in heart of Silicon Valley
April 6, Palo Alto Daily Post: Seven developers say they want to build public housing downtown
April 8, The Almanac: Developers pitch visions for downtown affordable housing
April 22, Palo Alto Daily Post: Lawsuit says city can’t use downtown parking lots for housing without a vote of property owners
May 13, InMenlo: Menlo Park residents to file Downtown Parking Initiative on May 15
May 14, Palo Alto Daily Post: Save Downtown Menlo takes first step in putting city’s plan to eliminate parking on the ballot
May 15, The Almanac: What’s next for residents’ effort to protect Menlo Park’s downtown parking lots
May 18, The Almanac: New Directions For Planning Menlo Park Affordable Housing
May 19, The Mercury News: Group seeks to halt Menlo Park parking lot redevelopment with ballot measure
June 4, The Almanac: Supporters and opponents weigh in on Menlo Park parking lot ballot measure
June 5, KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA: Menlo Park residents debates city's push to build housing units in 3 parking lots
June 9, Palo Alto Daily Post: City may rehire PR firm as possible referendum on downtown public housing looms
June 21, San Mateo Daily Journal: Settlement reached between San Mateo, housing nonprofit
June 24, The Almanac: Menlo Park housing proposal advances as opponents seek to block it
June 28, San Francisco Chronicle: This rich California city is losing its mind over a housing project — and it shows why new rules are needed
July 16, The Almanac: Police tell Menlo Park business to remove Save Downtown Menlo sign
July 20, The Almanac: Sign the Petition For The Downtown Parking Plaza Initiative Today
Sept. 10, The Almanac: Developers invited to submit proposals for downtown affordable housing sites
Sept. 24, The Real Deal: Menlo Park’s parking-over-housing plan appalls local businesses
Oct. 10, The Almanac: Menlo Park residents submit signatures for downtown parking lot measure
Oct. 13, The Almanac: Blog: Downtown Menlo Park Affordable Housing Plan Faces New Challenges
Oct. 16, The Mercury News: Opponents of Menlo Park affordable housing proposal reach signature threshold for ballot measure (free version)
Oct. 24, Vanguard News Group: Palo Alto Study Finds Downtown Housing Unfeasible in Current Market
Nov. 5, The Almanac: ‘Kicking the can down the road’: Menlo Park orders $165K study on parking lot initiative
Nov. 27, The Almanac: Guest opinion: Downtown Menlo Park – there’s a lot to lose
Dec. 3, The Mercury News: Menlo Park council puts voters in charge of downtown housing plans (free version)
Dec. 4, The Almanac: Menlo Park ballot measure on downtown parking-lot housing heads to voters in 2026
Dec. 18, The Mercury News: Developers submit bids to redevelop downtown Menlo Park parking lots as ballot measure looms (free version)
2026
Jan. 7, The Alamanc: Housing proposals arrive as Menlo Park parking lot plan faces ballot measure: As affordable housing proposals come in, parking may remain an issue

2026 Coverage will continue as we approach the November ballot...