Dear City Council,
I'm a local nurse, married to a Stanford administrator. We've been renting homes in Menlo Park for about 20 years. Our sons grew up in the MPCSD. One son was in the Spanish Immersion program from K-8th grade, and he will be at MA highschool in the Fall. Our other son is a rising senior that plays both soccer and football at MA. Both boys played on local club soccer teams in the area. We have volunteered in the classroom, driven soccer carpools, and shared fresh eggs and baked goods with our neighbors. I know our neighbors appreciate us, even though we rent our house.
We feel fortunate to live here, and we know we are lucky to have a home near our places of employment. There are a lot of people who work nearby in jobs similar to ours who have to commute from far away.
Recently a Menlo Balance canvasser came to our door and asked if we'd sign a petition to prevent apartments from being built nearby.
I did not sign their petition. I told them that we had apartments near our neighborhood already and it wasn't a big deal. I told them that we need more housing–that it sucks to worry about whether or not the home you've been renting will be sold in the middle of the school year, leaving you and your family scrambling to find something else so your kids can stay with their teachers and friends. I also mentioned having apartments near us has only increased the amount of people walking their dogs in our neighborhood, and that is a good thing. They seemed surprised.
I know tomorrow night you'll be reviewing the housing element. Please do your best to zone for more housing, not just on busy streets, not just on El Camino or over by the Bay, but also in family neighborhoods like ours.
Thank you.
Jen Coler and Marc Franklin
