Who We Are:
We are a Citywide organization of residents concerned for our City’s future. We are actively involved in issues that are in agreement with our Principles and Goals as we strive to keep Palo Alto a unique place for raising families and fostering business innovation.
Our Mission:
Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning (PASZ) is a grass roots, political action committee dedicated to a high quality of life for Palo Alto residents and the innovative spirit that has made Palo Alto unique. We are for sensible land use planning and development and will continue to be advocates for mitigating the negative impacts of excessive development.
Our Vision:
We envision a dynamic Palo Alto that remains a family-oriented community with excellent schools, infrastructure and community services. Technology and business innovation are part of Palo Alto’s heritage and should be fostered. We envision a City that is not overwhelmed by excessive development. We value diversity, our historic resources, our neighborhoods, parks and open spaces, and support projects that enhance our quality of life
Our Goals:
- Ensure that the pace of development does not outstrip our infrastructure, schools and City services, or compromise the beauty and character of our City.
- Encourage Housing that Allows for a Diverse Economic Population
- Maintain our Community as a Great Place to Live
PASZ NEWS
EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed in the news items cited here do not necessarily represent the opinion of Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning. We try to present a balanced picture of the news on the subjects of housing and legislation.
New bill would let California’s attorney general jump into more housing fights
By Dustin Gardiner
As cities across California try to avoid complying with new state housing laws, Attorney General Rob Bonta is asking state legislators to give him another tool to rein in scofflaw municipalities.
Bonta’s office is sponsoring a bill that would give the attorney general the unconditional right to wade into any lawsuit filed over a potential violation of state housing law.
The measure, Assembly Bill 1485 by Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, comes as Bonta has increasingly sought to expand the state’s role.
UCLA’s secretive neoliberal housing conference
By ZELDA BRONSTEIN
If you were looking for an event that epitomizes the neoliberalization of the University of California, you’d be hard pressed to top the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies’ 2022 Lake Arrowhead Symposium.
It’s a public school using public money, but we can’t find out even basic information about the Lake Arrowhead housing conference, where reporters have to sign a gag order.
Palo Alto Mayor Assails State Housing Mandates
By Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou took a swing on Wednesday at state housing mandates during her “State of the City” address and warned that recent laws could render the council helpless to prevent an onrush of large developments.
Kou sharply criticized recent state laws like Senate Bill 35 and Senate Bill 330, which limits a council’s ability to revise design standards.
Huntington Beach v. Newsom, RHNA, HCD, and state housing law
Posted by: Bob Silvestri –
The City of Huntington Beach (the “CITY”) in Southern California has been in the news recently in its battle to push back on state housing laws, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and the Regional Housing Needs Allocation process. The City has now taken the bold action of filing a “Complaint for Declaratory Relief: Injunctive Relief” to bring its case before the U.S. District Court in California, with a “Demand for Jury Trial.”
Is LA Times Reporter Liam Dillon a Shill for Big Real Estate?
by Housing Is A Human Right
A weeks-long Housing Is A Human Right investigation has found that Los Angeles Times housing reporter Liam Dillon participated in at least 20 real estate industry events since 2016, committing numerous conflict-of-interest breaches and possibly other ethical violations. The integrity and impartiality of Dillon and the L.A. Times have been seriously compromised – and a full, transparent investigation must be carried out.
Hopes for responsible housing plan in California are a fading fantasy
By JACKSON STROMBERG |
Let’s indulge in a fantasy. Imagine the California legislators and bureaucrats working on housing could see eight years into the future, when the next set of housing element plans are due. Maybe they can see 16 years into the future for the deadline after that.
Instead, we must face reality: A political steamroller is coming from Sacramento to deny local input on housing with the theory that any kind of housing is always good. And those driving that steamroller will tell you they know best.
What’s behind the Bay Area’s push to add 441,000 new homes by 2031?
By ETHAN VARIAN
Can the Bay Area build its way out of a deepening housing crisis? Should it?
Many experts and officials say constructing more homes — and a lot of them — is the only way to meet the region’s increasingly dire housing needs for people of all incomes.
Between now and 2031, state regulators are insisting the Bay Area add over 441,000 new homes of all kinds — a roughly 15% increase in the region’s total housing stock.
Need for local control
After reading the guest opinion by Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou, I wanted to express my gratitude that she is encouraging Californians to support Our Neighborhood Voices.com. I only recently discovered this organization whose mission is to bring back single-family zoning and local control over land use.