Dear City Council,
I am writing today to lend my support for building affordable homes on the downtown parking lots. First, I want to extend my gratitude to the City Council, staff, and the developers who submitted proposals to the RFQ. This project is an important opportunity to creatively use our land to promote infill that meets a range of goals: increasing affordable housing, supporting walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and boosting foot traffic to help create a more vibrant downtown.
I was disheartened to read the community comments opposing this project in the staff report. I am a substitute teacher for the Sequoia Union High School District, primarily working at Menlo-Atherton High School. The maximum annual income I can earn places me in the Very Low Income category for San Mateo County. In slower months, I fall into the Extremely Low Income bracket. Many of my coworkers, including paraprofessionals, instructional associates, library assistants, and others, are in the same position.
It was eye-opening to realize that I would qualify to live in one of these proposed homes. But what struck me even more was how much resistance there is from some of my neighbors to the idea of people like me being part of the downtown community. It’s hard not to take it personally. I dont want to feel unwelcome in the place I work hard to support. When reading some of those comments, I found myself thinking: We support your children every day, but you don’t support us being able to live here.
I had the chance to review several of the RFQ submissions (I had hoped to finish reading all of them and submit my comments through the portal, but it closed before I had the opportunity) and was impressed by many of the ideas. I’m especially hopeful that the City will choose a partner with a strong track record in affordable housing who prioritizes tenant stability, designs inclusive income eligibility structures, and responds with empathy when residents’ financial situations shift. I also appreciated proposals that offered creative solutions for parking, like shared models that preserve space for housing while still meeting local needs. I would be interested in pushing even further to think about future-proofing any parking garage designs so that they could be repurposed as homes or offices or community spaces in the future should community needs change. Given the climate crisis, anticipated shifts in transportation habits, and future changes such as autonomous vehicles, I believe this kind of planning is forward-thinking and essential.
This project represents a smart use of public land by using it strategically to invest in our community. It’s about housing for teachers and service workers who help this city thrive. It reduces traffic by allowing people to live closer to jobs and errands. And I believe it is a step forward on the path to creating a downtown that’s more connected, equitable, and resilient.
I’m deeply excited about this project and hopeful for its future. Thank you again for all the work you’ve done to move it forward.
Sincerely,
Francesca Enzler
