Three builders have submitted proposals to construct tons of of housing models atop city-owned downtown parking tons in Menlo Park, transferring ahead with redevelopment plans whilst opponents push a poll measure geared toward stopping the tasks over considerations about impacts on native companies.
The proposals – submitted by Alliant Communities, Presidio Bay Ventures, and Associated California and Alta Housing – come amid an escalating political battle over the way forward for downtown.
Earlier this month, the Menlo Park Metropolis Council determined to put a poll measure earlier than voters within the November 2026 common election, asking residents whether or not town ought to be required to get voter approval earlier than redeveloping downtown parking tons.
The choice got here after opponents of the housing plans efficiently gathered sufficient signatures to drive the council to both undertake the measure, name a particular election, or put it on the final election poll. If authorized, town would then want voter permission every time it seeks to redevelop the tons.
Regardless of the poll measure, metropolis officers stated the redevelopment course of is continuous – at the very least for now. The Metropolis Council is predicted to evaluation the proposals in early 2026, although it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not later phases of planning can be placed on maintain till voters weigh in.
The three builders submitted plans that diverse in scale and the goal market they intend to serve.
Alliant Communities proposes 345 models of totally reasonably priced housing aimed primarily at low-income residents, together with a number of the metropolis’s lowest earners. The properties can be reasonably priced to people incomes roughly $41,000 to $110,000 a 12 months, with common rents geared towards somebody making about $74,000 yearly. One of many downtown websites can be reserved for reasonably priced senior housing.
Presidio Bay Ventures proposes a equally sized challenge — 347 models — however targets primarily middle- and upper-middle-income residents. Its “workforce housing” can be reasonably priced to people incomes about $110,000 to $157,000 a 12 months, a spread the developer says displays the salaries of lecturers, nurses, law enforcement officials and different important staff more and more priced out of Menlo Park.
Associated California and Alta Housing suggest the most important growth, with 500 whole flats. About 346 models, a majority of its flats, can be for reasonably priced housing, particularly for very low- and low-income residents, or people incomes roughly $41,000 to $69,000 a 12 months, together with each household and senior housing. The remaining 154 models can be rented at market charges.
Precise earnings limits would fluctuate relying on family measurement.
After town launched the proposals, supporters and opponents of the downtown housing plans sharply disagreed over what’s at stake.
Critics have argued that eradicating parking, even in the course of the development part, would harm longtime companies and discourage guests. Housing advocates counter that redevelopment is important to addressing Menlo Park’s housing scarcity in San Mateo County, one of the vital costly housing markets within the nation, and would offer constant foot site visitors for downtown companies.
“Three developers have submitted proposals to redevelop parking plazas 1, 2, and 3,” Save Downtown Menlo, the group that led the signature drive for the poll initiative and opposes the housing tasks, stated in a press release. “The proposals show that the apartment buildings would be massive in scale and have a significant impact on downtown. It’s hard to read them and not conclude that a decision of this magnitude should require voter approval.”
The group has argued that different websites can be higher suited to high-density growth, pointing to different areas such because the Bohannon Industrial Park and the SRI/Parkline Company Yard as different websites.
Whereas the builders’ proposals embody plans to switch public parking, Save Downtown Menlo argues they fall quick for future residents, saying, “they propose barely any parking for the residents themselves.”
Housing advocates dispute that declare, saying the proposals strike a stability between new housing and downtown entry.
Jenny Michel, a housing advocate and business actual property skilled, stated she was significantly impressed with Presidio Bay’s plan, which she stated consists of ample parking and inexperienced area.
“Presidio has demonstrated that it can manage construction in a way that minimizes impacts to businesses and access,” Michel stated. “It’s a quadruple win.”
Whereas Menlo Park is at present in compliance with state housing legal guidelines, some Metropolis Council members have beforehand expressed reluctance to delay the challenge due to these obligations.
Close by Portola Valley had its housing plan decertified final 12 months after state officers stated the city was stalling on new development. Below its state-mandated plan, Menlo Park is required to approve almost 3,000 new properties by 2031, together with greater than 1,600 reasonably priced models.
“These are win-win proposals,” stated Jeremy Levine, coverage supervisor for the Housing Management Council of San Mateo County. “All three try to deliver on the housing needs the city has identified, while also replacing parking and supporting downtown businesses.”
Levine stated he’s hopeful the developments will assist Menlo Park’s downtown thrive, citing neighboring cities as optimistic examples.
“In every other city that has seen more development – Redwood City, Palo Alto, Mountain View – they’ve built parking structures and created vibrant, thriving downtowns,” Levine stated. “Menlo Park can do the same.”
