Dear Council,
As you discuss the Housing Element tomorrow, please prioritize increased zoning for high density housing throughout our city and not just in the Belle Haven and Bay Front communities.
I support high density housing (including more affordable housing) in all districts of our city so that people who work here can also afford to live here. This is especially important for teachers within MPCSD, Las Lomitas, and the Ravenswood School District. To attract and retain strong teachers, we need to reduce teacher commutes.
The same holds true if we wish for an increasingly vibrant downtown; small businesses struggle to find people who can afford to work here if commutes are prohibitively long.
Though I am an EQC Commissioner, I’m writing here as a private resident and single family homeowner who welcomes more diversity and inclusion in Menlo Park. More housing near jobs and transit also means reduced vehicle miles traveled, helping our city meet the transportation goals in its CAP.
I support the Ravenswood affordable housing project at Flood Park and have been disappointed to see so many community members eager to sign petitions that would block this project as designed and create arduous processes for affordable housing zoning going forward.
Thank you. Sincerely, Angela Evans
