In recent years, Mountain View has struggled with high retail vacancy rates, despite efforts to revitalize the downtown corridor. Now the city has a clearer picture of why so many storefronts are vacant, after commissioning a consulting firm, The Retail Coach, to investigate the reasons for the empty spaces. The upshot is that property owners and...
Palo Alto mulls new RV park to aid vehicle dwellers
With the number of vehicle dwellers on the rise, Palo Alto’s elected leaders are considering further expanding the Geng Road “safe parking” site, which provides spaces and social services for individuals and families who live in RVs. The program, which is administered by the nonprofit group MOVE Mountain View, has been gradually evolving since the...
A vibrant destination? Palo Alto dreams big on Cubberley
After decades filled with false starts and shattered expectations, Palo Alto’s elected leaders on Tuesday took their first step in what promises to be a long journey to repair, rebuild and enhance Cubberley Community Center. By the standards of local planning efforts, which typically feature years of debate and numerous iterations, the current Cubberley effort...
City looks to slow down cars in push to end road fatalities
Street closures, lower speed limits and designated “school zones” with car restrictions during drop-off times are among the measures that make up Palo Alto’s new plan to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. These programs, and dozens of others, are included in the draft Safe Streets 4 All Safety Action Plan, a 173-page document that...
Mountain View looks to update its plan to tackle homelessness
For nearly a decade, Mountain View has poured money into programs and services to try and turn the tide of homelessness in the city. But it still has not been enough to stave off housing insecurity for a large number of residents. Now Mountain View is looking to address the situation with updates to its homeless response...
Mountain View strengthens rent control protections for mobile homes
Mountain View’s mobile home park tenants scored a big win Tuesday evening, following a yearslong effort to get the city to offer more rent control protections and cap annual rent increases below the rate of inflation. In a split 4-3 vote, the City Council approved limiting rent increases to 60% of the Consumer Price Index, with a...
The next Santana Row? Council has big plans for California Avenue
A new proposal to enhance car-free California Avenue with planters, road improvements and a playful “modern optimism” aesthetic won a warm reception on Monday night from Palo Alto’s elected leaders, whose chief regret was that the work hadn’t been done sooner. The street, which closed to cars in 2020, is up for a refresh starting...
Mountain View approves teacher housing ground lease, with option to buy land
Mountain View Whisman’s school board approved the ground lease for its staff housing development at a Thursday evening meeting, paving the way for local educators to start moving in as soon as next month, as well as signing off on an agreement that gives the district the chance to negotiate a deal to buy the property. At the...
Mountain View hits obstacles diverting trash from landfills
Karen Noryko had not lived in Mountain View for long before she started to notice a lot of items that she wanted to recycle were not eligible for curbside pickup outside her home. So, Noryko looked into options other than what the city offered and discovered Ridwell, a company that collects and recycles materials not taken...
Palo Alto teacher housing project passes the test
A proposal to build housing for educators on the site of a shuttered Travelodge motel in Palo Alto eked out a hard-fought victory on Wednesday when Palo Alto’s planning commissioners voted 3-2 to move the project forward. The Planning and Transportation Commission broadly agreed that the project is a significant upgrade from the version that...