East Palo Alto

East Palo Alto is a city of 30,000 on the San Francisco Bay's western shore — a historically underserved, majority Latino and Black community surrounded by Peninsula wealth, once infamous as the nation's murder capital in 1992 and since a story of resilience and redevelopment. Incorporated 1983, five-member Council.

CivicCause organizes issues, meetings, elections, and public activity around East Palo Alto so you can see what is happening locally and how it connects to broader county decisions.

The East Palo Alto City Council recently paused on deciding Sand Hill Property Company’s major Woodland Park housing project, which proposes over 1,300 new residential units but offers less affordable housing than city requirements. This delay highlights ongoing tensions between development goals and concerns about displacement in the neighborhood.

Separately, Mayor Webster Lincoln shared reflections on the city’s growth and future, emphasizing development and community partnerships amid challenges like sea level rise. Also, local voters can review a candidate comparison grid for the upcoming City Council election, outlining where six candidates stand on key issues. Residents following housing and city governance should watch for future council meetings addressing the Woodland Park project and budget discussions from earlier October.

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