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 state housing secrecy just keeps getting worse and worse
By ZELDA BRONSTEIN
Ben Metcalf directed the California Department of Housing and Community Development from November 2015 to September 2019. In February 2021, Metcalf, now managing director of the Terner Center of Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley, said that the state’s new housing laws had given his former employer “the potential to be moving like the CIA. Most of the time, HCD’s work is done below the waterline.”
He meant that as a tribute to HCD’s effectiveness.
Is OC’s Most Progressive City Set to Challenge State Housing Goals?
BY BRANDON PHO
Officials in one of Orange County’s most progressive cities might be poised to exempt themselves from state housing mandates.
While neighboring towns like Huntington Beach have lambasted state homebuilding quotas – calling for more local control over the distant authority of Sacramento – Santa Ana has long touted being one of the few OC cities to be in compliance.
Yet even they might want out of the state’s directives.
Cities raise concerns about bill that extends streamlined approval for housing
by Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto Weekly
Fri, May 12, 2023,
Palo Alto considers joining opposition to Senate Bill 423, which would eliminate sunset date for SB 35.
With California’s legislative season entering a critical juncture, cities are keeping a particularly close eye on Senate Bill 423, a bill that would indefinitely extend an existing law that creates a streamlined approval process for residential projects in cities that fail to meet their housing quotas.
Opinion: Are any of California’s housing laws actually working?
By DAVID GARCIA and BILL FULTON |
A slew of ambitious housing legislation has emerged recently in states as varied as Maine, Utah and Washington. Many of the proposals aim to loosen zoning restrictions with the goal of addressing housing shortages. Perhaps not surprisingly, California is mentioned in many of the resulting conversations and debates, and not in a positive light.
New housing laws vs. renewable energy mandates
By Thomas Elias
California has a bunch of new housing laws, several taking effect in each of the last few years. But the most important reality ignored by the housing density enthusiasts who now populate the Legislature and governor’s office may be this: Some of what they’re enabling can conflict directly with other state mandates, notably one that insists California run almost exclusively on carbon-free renewable energy by 2045, just 22 years from now.
SB 1214 – New Limits On Use And Disclosure Of Architectural Drawings By Public Agencies
SB 1214 goes into effect on January 1, 2023, and adds Section 65103.5 to the Government Code. The purpose of the bill is to require a local planning agency to ensure that architectural drawings that contain information protected by copyright laws are only made available to the public in a manner that does not facilitate their copying.
California is cracking down on NIMBY cities.
By Emily Hoeven
Faced with a statewide housing crisis, California has increasingly moved to muscle NIMBY local governments into building against their will. But when it comes to building desperately needed housing, California’s government isn’t just the arbiter of state laws — it’s also a vast landholder.
If the state really wants more housing
By Michael Brownrigg and Donna Colsson
We recently critiqued the state housing element process, noting that Sacramento’s reporting requirements result in many hypothetical housing units but few real ones. Here we outline how the state could get more affordable housing actually built in cities.