The Palo Alto City Council took steps to address a housing shortage in Silicon Valley by approving two major initiatives. The council approved plans to remove zoning restrictions in Stanford Research Park to allow for residential construction and endorsed a seven-story affordable housing project downtown.
The Palo Alto City Council took steps this week to address a housing shortage in one of Silicon Valley’s key cities, advancing two major initiatives aimed at expanding available options and filling a need that affects much of the Bay Area and state.
The 700-acre business park affected by the zoning change is owned by Stanford University, Silicon Valley’s largest landowner, and is home to major companies like Tesla, HP, Rivian, and Google. Despite this progress, construction in the area is unlikely to begin before the current housing cycle concludes in 2031. The ordinance aligns with the city’s commitment in its housing plan, which it committed to remove conditional use requirements for residential projects in the research park by the end of this month, and to collaborate with Stanford University on identifying potential housing sites by the end of 2025.
In Palo Alto, however, the debate largely has centered on balancing parking needs with housing goals. Housing advocates, meanwhile, pressed the council to accelerate its efforts, emphasizing the urgent need for additional developments. Amie Ashton, representing the community group Palo Alto Forward and a cycling advocate, called for accelerated approval of additional downtown housing projects.
HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING SILICON VALLEY ZONING STANFORD RESEARCH PARK
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