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.
Letters: Does California have a coherent plan to build the millions of units of housing it needs?
By Pat Marriott
November 24, 2023
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed over 50 housing bills this year, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Our representatives compete to pass the most housing laws without any analysis to gauge their effectiveness. Chris Elmendorf’s Open Forum points out the unintended consequences.
It’s the Winchester Mystery House school of planning and it’s not working.
Marin Forum: California’s hidden agenda
NOVEMBER 22, 2023
Marin Forum/Teliha Draheim
There is a shortage of affordable housing in California, but there is no shortage of expensive homes. In their flawed assessment of how to solve housing needs, the State manufactured a crisis. Cities were blamed for not producing enough housing. Yet, California towns and cities don’t build housing, developers do.
Did one of California’s biggest new housing reforms go too far?
By Chris Elmendorf
Updated Nov 20, 2023
The state desperately needs changes to its housing laws. But did a recent fix create more problems than it solved?Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a package of more than 50 housing bills. Most seemed inconspicuous, but sometimes changing just a few words in a statute makes a world of difference. AB1287 is a case in point. It makes a small tweak to a state law that gives developers “bonuses” for building low-income housing.
Sacramento housing mandates don’t make any economic sense
By: Gaetan Lion
November 19, 2023 – 9:49am
I am referring to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) housing building mandates. We know the demographics are not supportive of this scheme. California’s population is projected to remain flat or decline out to 2060. Given that the demographics with flat to declining population growth do not support Sacramento’s housing build-up, the resulting economics of housing development projects fall apart.
Google ditches plans for $15 billion in Bay Area development
By Amanda Bartlett
Nov 5, 2023
Google has abandoned its plans for $15 billion in affordable housing, office and retail development in Silicon Valley, per a Friday announcement by tech giant and Australian developer Lendlease.
“The decision to end these agreements followed a comprehensive review by Google of its real estate investments, and a determination by both organizations that the existing agreements are no longer mutually beneficial given current market conditions.”
State housing lawsuit against Huntington Beach put on pause
By MICHAEL SLATEN
November 4, 2023
Top state officials took a legal blow in their ongoing lawsuit that accuses Huntington Beach of violating state housing laws, when a Superior Court judge halted their suit until a related federal case is decided.
A state Superior Court judge ruled Friday, Nov. 3, that the lawsuit file by the state Attorney General’s Office and California Department of Housing and Community Development must wait.
HOUSING ‘SOLUTIONS’ NOT WORKING
BY THOMAS D. ELIAS
October 27, 2023
Rarely has California seen so concerted and unified a campaign by its elected officials as the drive for housing density conducted by Gov. Gavin Newsom and allied state legislators over the past five years. All along, there have been three major goals: One is to ease a housing shortage, another is to drive down the price of housing and a third seeks somehow to ease the obdurate problem of homelessness.
‘Affordable housing’ plans continue to be misguided
By Jackson Stromberg
October 25, 2023
I read Susan Kirsch’s Marin Voice commentary with keen interest.
It has been claimed that the state’s need for affordable housing is a compelling state interest that preempts the constitutional powers granted to cities. In fact, the current avalanche of housing bills coming from Sacramento provides only token benefits to low-income people as required by the law.