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.
The “real” impediment to affordable housing
The July issue of POLITICO Magazine has an article that states: “The middle-class dream of a single-family home is the biggest impediment to affordable housing, according to some housing activists—it keeps prices up by preventing new and denser developments.. This is simply wrong, wrong, wrong!
We Need a New Plan Bay Area
By law, regional government agencies for the Bay Area—MTC/ABAG–must approve a new growth plan—Plan Bay Area 2050. The process must start by acknowledging that the previous Plan has failed to address those issues that have had a huge negative impact on life in the Bay Area. We must address these issues now or accept a continuation of an ineffective Plan for the next eight years.
PASZ Corner Rally Against SB-50
SB 592: The Snake in the Grass
A “gut and amend” technically may be legal but it is not necessarily moral or good governance. The gut and amend of SB 592 bespeaks of a legislator unable to accept consensus and all too willing to plan ahead and prepare bills that can then serve as vehicles for these kinds of legislative maneuvers. SB 592 is such a bill.
San Jose Adding 7 Million Square Feet of Office Space
Huge office complexes are being actively pursued in downtown San Jose. Millions of square feet of office space, enough to nearly double the size of downtown San Jose’s office inventory, is in the development pipeline.
Wiener’s Gut & Amend Tactics
Just today (Thursday 6/13), Senator Scott Wiener did what we had heard and predicted that he would do — he gutted SB 592 held at the Assembly Desk since May 24, 2019 — and amended it to a new “Housing Accountability Act” now set for hearing on July 3, 2019 at 9:15 am before the Assembly Housing Committee.
Regional housing plan boomerangs
More than a decade ago, Bay Area regional planning agencies launched a growth strategy intended to concentrate new jobs and housing at designated sites close to transit — so-called Priority Development Areas or PDAs.
The Failed Economics of Jobs-Housing Linkage
Developers would pay for only 20 percent of the demand their projects create – so why are we still building so much office space?