The WHO WHAT WHY of Affordable Homes Downtown
February 25, 2026
HLC envisions a San Mateo County that works together to build inclusive, equitable, and healthy communities where all people can access safe, affordable homes and the resources needed for their families to thrive.
Menlo Together envisions a city that is integrated and diverse, multi-generational, and environmentally sustainable. One with an accessible and inviting downtown Menlo Park, with housing at all affordability levels, much less solo driving and with pedestrian and bike-friendly spaces, developed to produce zero net greenhouse gasses.
Who are we?
League of Women Voters
Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.
Our Program:
MIN
60
WHY is it important to build Affordable Homes Downtown?
WHO might live there?
WHAT is being proposed?
Q & A
Reflection activity
Reconvene & Close
WHY is it IMPORTANT to build Affordable Homes Downtown?
February 25, 2026
We are building FEWER homes,
while the population GROWS
Home prices have more than doubled in 20 years…
Menlo Park
Bay Area
San Mateo County
Rents went up >$1,000/mo in the past decade
Menlo Park
Bay Area
San Mateo County
Wages have not kept up with prices - especially for the lowest income earners
Full-time workers with the lowest incomes saw their incomes decline or stagnate, while workers at the 50th percentile and above saw their incomes increase.
Earned income growth for full-time Bay Area workers
10
Percentile
30%
80
90
20
0%
50
The results are bad:
Local shops can’t hire and retain workers
Overcrowded living conditions
UNHEALTHY and �“SOUL SUCKING” Super Commutes
Traffic and CLIMATE EMISSIONS from long commutes
Teachers can’t stay for after school activities
Severe rent burden (paying more than 50% of income for rent)
Eviction and Homelessness
Locks in patterns of segregation
WHO might live in new affordable homes downtown?
Some examples:
A firefighter and single mom of one is Low Income ($114,000)
A grocery store clerk married to a security guard with one child would be Very Low Income ($77,000)
A single disabled veteran would be Extremely Low Income ($27,500)
A teacher and single parent of two in the Menlo Park School District with experience and a higher degree would be Low Income ($98,000)
WHAT is happening and what is being proposed?
City Council adopts its 2023 -2031 Housing Element (plan for housing)
Jan
2023
City Council approves zoning changes to allow more homes downtown*
Nov
2023
Menlo Park’s Housing Element is certified by the state - but only after the city solidified its commitment to building affordable homes on dity-owned downtown parking lots
Mar
2024
Study identified Parking Plazas 1 + 2 + 3 as good candidate for homes
Aug
2024
State and regional leaders set Menlo Park’s housing goals for 2023–2031
Dec
2021
Visit M2G’s website
for more housing history
*after sustained advocacy by Menlo Together (M2G)
What has happened so far?
Implementation Plan vs. Actual
Issue RFPs
End 2024
Grant dev. entitlements
End 2025
Complete 345+ homes!
End 2027
Housing Element Commitments
Three detailed developer RFPs received!
Dec
2025
Actual progress
Ballot Measure to BLOCK the new homes qualifies for a vote
Late
2025
Menlo Park voters decide whether to BLOCK the new homes (a yes vote) or not (a no vote)
Nov
2026
Open House with Individual Developer Displays
Mar 2026
1 ½ years behind!
Developer Presentations to City Council
Apr 2026
Direction on Preferred Proposal
May 2026
Approve Disposition and Development Agreement (Grand Dev. Entitlements)
ESTIMATE May 2027
Feasibility Study
End 2023
Three Proposals!
Who might live there?
Extremely Low Income (30%)
Very Low Income (30-50%)
Low Income (50-60%)
Low Income (60-80%)
Income Level
(% AMI)
Example profession and/or circumstance
Alliant
Presidio Bay
Alta & Related
single disabled veteran ($27,500)
140
86
experienced teacher with a higher degree and 2 kids in the Menlo Park School District ($74,000)
single preschool teacher ($61,000)
6
84
fire fighter with one child ($114,000)
143
207
51
173
Moderate Income (80-120%)
single police officer ($135,000)
140
Market Rate
154
Who might live there?
Target populations
Family, Seniors
Alliant
Presidio Bay
Alta/Related
Family
Family, Seniors, people with Intellectual Disabilities
HE Program H4.G:
The City “shall grant additional points to proposals that address the city's most difficult to achieve housing priorities including providing a greater number of extremely low-, very low-, low-, and moderate-income units, or committing to make a percentage of the units preferential for people with special needs … such as for people living with disabilities, including developmental disabilities.”
What is the plan for public parking?
All proposals include replacement parking AND new residential parking in new garages
All proposals include strategies to reduce the need to drive, and contribute to a more walkable downtown
574 Public Parking Spaces
253 Resident Parking Spaces
Alta & Related
Alliant
556 Public Parking Spaces
113 Resident Parking Spaces
556 Public Parking Spaces
258 Resident Parking Spaces
Presidio
Bay
What other nice things are in the plan?
All electric
Active Ground Floor
EV Charging Infrastructure
Active Transport
All electric
Solar
EV Charging Infrastructure
Active Mobility
All electric
Solar
Water & Energy efficient
Dark Sky design features
New parklets & green spaces!
Improved pedestrian and bike experiences
Alliant
Presidio Bay
Alta & Related
Financing plans
Federal and State tax credits, private permanent debt, AHSC, project-based vouchers, CalHFA Middle Income Program. Parking partially funded from Market Rate homes. Also propose a city-issued revenue-backed bond.
Alta & Related
Alliant
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC), Federal and State Tax Credits, County funds, private financing, city impact fee loan (no mention of parking garage financing)
No public financing.
Construction debt, equity from individual and institutional investors, application of developer’s USGS community benefit obligations to downtown proposal.
Presidio
Bay
Questions!
Reflection and Activity
Who is your WHY? Who in your life is the reason you care about building new affordable homes?
Highlights about the proposals and Questions
Silent Reflection - then share with your neighbor
Add a post-it to the “Who is your Why?” poster
Come back in 10 minutes!
Get up and move around!
Add a post-it to the “I’m excited about” poster
Add a post-it to the “I have questions about” poster
Next Steps
Sign the petition for
Downtown Housing
Meet with Elysa to learn more & get involved
Join League of Women Voters SSMC
Gather signatures for regional transit ballot measure
Look for an invitation to the City’s Open House to see the proposals!
(date TBD in March)
We can shape the future of Menlo Park Together :)
Appendix
Implementation Plan vs. Actual
Issue RFPs
End 2024
Grant dev. entitlements
End 2025
Complete 345+ homes!
End 2027
Housing Element Commitments
Three detailed developer RFPs received
Dec
2025
Actual progress
Release RFP
Sep
2025
1 ½ years behind!
Developer Presentations to City Council
Apr 2026
Direction on Preferred Proposal
May 2026
Approve Disposition and Development Agreement (Grant Dev. Entitlements)
ESTIMATE Apr 2027