EJ5.A
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Soil Remediation. Identify and resolve, to the extent feasible, any potential toxic soil contamination in residential developments, particularly in underserved communities. Identify potential closed (remediated) contaminated sites at risk of groundwater rise or sea level rise. Work with community based organizations and underserved communities to coordinate with regulatory and regional agencies for contaminated sites to be remediated at a level that protects community health under current and future flood conditions.
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The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) tracks cleanup, permitting, enforcement and investigation efforts at hazardous waste facilities and sites with known contamination or sites where there may be reasons to investigate further. The Safety Element (Table S-4) includes a list of sites along with their current status of evaluation or remediation. The City is typically the lead agency for environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and staff coordinates with developers, the community, and other agencies to ensure a comprehensive environmental review process is adhered to whenever there are proposed projects.
In 2025, the City continued to adhere to CEQA guidelines for environmental review and if/when there is reportable activity involving hazardous waste and clean up sites, the City will coordinate and communicate with DTSC.
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| EJ5.B |
Outreach to Households. Conduct outreach to potentially eligible households regarding programs that support safe, sanitary, and stable homes. |
On May 27, 2025, the City Council introduced a proclamation recognizing the month of May as Affordable Housing Month in Menlo Park. This proclamation acknowledges how affordable housing enhances community life, character, and vitality by providing adequate housing opportunities for all income levels.
The Housing Division staffed a table at both the Love Our Earth (April 26, 2025) and the City LCS Community Resource (March 29, 2025) fairs. Staff distributed the Housing Resource Guide as well as information about the City's Below Market Rate (BMR) housing program in both hard copy and electronically. A laptop was provided at fair tables to encourage interested households to register for the City's BMR interest list. The Anti-displacement survey, a survey to solicit public feedback in prioritizing anti-displacement strategies, was also distributed to participants.
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| EJ5.C |
Multilingual Tenant Protection Resources. Create or partner with providers to provide a central multilingual tenant protection hotline for renters with questions. If such resources already exist, conduct proactive outreach and education to inform the community of available resources. Hold culturally competent, in-language outreach workshops. |
On April 26, 2025, the Housing Division participated in the Love Our Earth festival at the Belle Haven Community Campus and distributed the Housing Resource Guide, in both English and Spanish, to community members as well as the Housing Survey for the Anti-displacement Plan. The Guide includes information related to services, including tenant resources such as Project Sentinel, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo Council and Samaritan House. The Housing Survey was to receive community input in prioritizing anti-displacement strategies.
In addition, the Housing Division is exploring adding tenant protections resources onto its website. Through the website, the resources can be translated into various languages.
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| EJ5.D |
Community Land Trust. Identify opportunities to support a Community Land trust or other fiscal vehicle to purchase land to develop deeply affordable housing. |
This item has not yet begun and evaluation for implementation continues. |
| EJ5.E |
First-time Homeowner Assistance. Conduct community outreach to help prospective first-time homeowners navigate the process. This includes 6th Cycle Housing Element Program H5.F (regarding collaborating with the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County (HEART)) and helping to facilitate first-time homeowner workshops for residents in underserved communities. |
As part of the City's Below Market Rate Housing Program, the City requires prospective below market rate homebuyers to complete a first time homebuyer education workshop, class, or counseling session. However, no BMR ownership units were sold in 2025.
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| EJ5.F |
Building Electrification. Promote funds and subsidies that minimize the passing through of any upfront investment costs of building electrification on to tenants. |
In 2025, the City promoted Peninsula Clean Energy's (PCE) rebates for heat pump water heaters and heat pump space heating and cooling for multifamily and single family homes. The program only provides incentives for in-unit upgrades which ensures tenants receive the most value. Staff continues to identify incentive structures that enable property owners to make upgrades while not resulting in cost impacts to tenants, such as increased rent or utility bills.
In 2025 the City continued to provide electrification building permit fee waivers and promote PCE's rebates for heat pump water heaters and heat pump space heating and cooling for multifamily and single family homes. The rental program only provides incentives for in-unit upgrades which ensures tenants receive the most value. Staff continues to identify incentive structures that enable property owners to make upgrades while not resulting in cost impacts to tenants, such as increased rent or utility bills. Additionally, the City expanded the Menlo Park Home Upgrade Services program to include portable air conditioners, space heaters, induction cook hobs, and batteries for income-qualified renters in Belle Haven.
A multifamily electrification summit is planned for April 2026 in coordination with other cities in San Mateo County and PCE.
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| EJ5.G |
Anti-Displacement Strategy. Ensure that City's Anti-Displacement Strategy (Housing Element Program H2.E) supports households and neighborhoods in underserved communities, including identifying, acknowledging, and addressing racial disparities in the housing market. This will include consideration, at a minimum, the following:
- Rental inventory of all dwelling units
- Updated or expanded rent control laws
- Rent increase mitigations, such as longer noticing requirements
- Community and tenant opportunity to purchase
- Revised BMR guidelines allowing for deeper affordability (e.g., subsidies)
- Expand relocation assistance for tenants
- Just Cause Eviction protections regardless of tenant duration
- Strengthened anti-tenant harassment ordinances
- An examination of opportunities to limit additional fees passed to tenants like laundry, parking, and utility costs
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As a continuation of the community outreach for the anti-displacement plan, after conducting the two community meetings in 2024, in early Spring 2025, the City circulated a community survey to get broader feedback on the questions posed in the community meetings. Housing staff gave presentations about the survey to a number of community groups such as the Belle Haven Neighborhood Association and the Belle Haven Climate Change Community Team (BHCCCT) which includes representatives from a number of organizations. The survey included all the considered strategies listed in Program EJ5.G along with additional strategies to address anti-displacement. The feedback from the survey helped prioritize the various anti-displacement strategies.
On September 3 and 9, 2025, Housing Division staff held meetings with the Housing Commission and City Council, respectively. The meetings were held to receive feedback from the Housing Commission and City Council. The City Council meeting was a study session with live interpretation in Spanish to present the intial findings of the plan and also the proposed recommendations of the plan. The Council provided direction on the proposed recommendations. Staff will return to the Council with the draft plan in 2026.
The City joined other jurisdictions in the Grand Nexus study. The study will evaluate the City's current inclusionary requirements and will research potential revisions, including requiring lower rents to the affordable units. The study is under way and planned for completion by the end of 2026.
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| EJ5.H |
Access to Legal Counsel. As part of an anti-displacement program and to ensure stable housing, support increasing access to legal counsel for tenants facing eviction by conducting community outreach, education, and engagement to ensure renters are aware of this resource. Include progress reports on usage annually. |
Current legal aid services offered by the City are through partnerships with organizations such as Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, Project Sentinel, Samaritan House South, and Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto.
The City received a grant of $250,000 from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to implement a Legal Assistance Program and Rental Assistance Program. City staff is close to finalizing the agreement with the MTC to implement a new legal assistance program and bolster the city's existing rental assistance program, which funds were depleted in early 2025.
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| *Specific action items for Goal EJ5 may be developed at a future date. |