At a parking lot near the Palo Alto Baylands, 23 vehicles serve as the homes of more than 40 individuals. The city’s first safe parking site for people who live in their cars has been around since 2021, where clients access case management, showers, a kitchen and laundry services. In theory, the residents are there...
Mountain View to replace downtown parking lot with hotel
After years of financial uncertainty, a developer is getting another chance to turn two public parking lots in downtown Mountain View into a hotel and office development. In a unanimous vote, the City Council authorized city staff last month to execute an amended lease and development agreement with RGC Mountain View, a commercial real estate company....
Contract dispute delays Homekey Palo Alto opening
A dispute between contractors has disrupted the construction of the transitional housing complex that Palo Alto and nonprofit organization LifeMoves are preparing to open on San Antonio Road, next to the Baylands Nature Preserve. The Homekey project at 1237 San Antonio Road has been in the works since fall 2023, when city and state leaders...
Mountain View could allow public drinking in downtown
Mountain View is looking to implement an “entertainment zone” in the downtown area ahead of the World Cup this summer, which would allow for the open consumption of alcohol on streets and sidewalks during city-designated events. A local ordinance creating the proposed zone — which would cover five blocks of Castro Street and portions of surrounding...
Palo Alto prepares to go big on housing around San Antonio Road
Creating what is essentially a brand new neighborhood from scratch is no easy feat — a fact the Palo Alto City Council wrestled with Monday during a discussion of the San Antonio Road Area Plan, a roadmap for building more than 1,500 homes. The plan hopes to bring thousands of new homes, as well as retail,...
Mountain View fined $1.2M for sewage pollution in creek
Mountain View is facing nearly $1.2 million in civil penalties after a judge ruled on March 31 that the city has been violating federal law by allowing raw sewage to get into Stevens Creek through its stormwater system, posing serious health risks. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila fined the city for failing to comply with the requirements of...
Mountain View’s NASA Ames plays role in upcoming moon mission
Today, astronauts plan to embark on a journey that will take them farther into space than any human has ever traveled. The upcoming NASA expedition, known widely as Artemis II, is expected to lay the groundwork for getting people back onto the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. Artemis II involves...
Mountain View plans expansion of Shoreline RV parking program
For years, Mountain View has invested in a safe parking program to support residents living in vehicles. This summer, the city is planning to increase the number of safe parking spaces near Shoreline Amphitheatre to make up for the loss of spots elsewhere in the city. The City Council unanimously approved a staff recommendation Tuesday to add 47 spots...
Google unveils historic restoration of Hangar One in Mountain View
Once reduced to a skeletal frame, a massive landmark visible from U.S. Highway 101 has been restored to its original form minus the toxic chemicals that made it too dangerous to inhabit for decades. Spearheaded by Google’s Planetary Ventures, the historic restoration of Hangar One impressed local officials who gathered at Moffett Field in Mountain View on...
Palo Alto rail crossing closure debate weighs public safety, traffic congestion
In the weeks since another death on the Caltrain tracks in Palo Alto rocked the community on Feb. 3, city leaders have scrambled to find the right policies to respond to the ongoing crisis. They have recommitted to funding mental health services for youth, hired security guards to monitor the tracks and, most controversially, revived...