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.
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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 April 26, 2024, 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.
On May 11, 2024, the City held a Housing Resource Fair at Ivy Plaza in Belle Haven with local housing providers and housing service organizations. The event offered information on affordable housing opportunities, housing rehabilitation, and support services. Event highlights include:
- Approximately 50 community members attended.
- Nine vendors particpated, including: Project Sentinel, Housing INC, Samaritian House, Life Moves, Nation's Finest, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, Rebuilding Toegther, HIP Housing, and MidPen Housing.
- City staff members from the Community Development Department and City Manager's Office staffed information booths. The Housing Division provided direct access for participants to sign up for the City's Below Market Rate Housing Interest List. The Sustainability Division promoted the Penninsula Clean Energy home electrification program. The Planning Division shared information about the preparation of the Environmental Justice Element and update to the Safety Element.
- Snacks, raffle gift card prizes, and a children's activity table were provided. Raffle giveway was conducted hourly and included gift cards from businesses located in Menlo Park (e.g., Safeway and SAJJ Mediterranean).
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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 October 5, 2024, the Housing Division participated in an open house information night at the Belle Haven Community Campus and distributed the Housing Resource Guide to community members. The Housing Division updated and distributed a Housing Resource Guide to all of the major City campuses. The Guide includes information related to services, but not limited to, transitional, permanent and temporary housing support services through organizations like HIP Housing, Samaritan House, and LifeMoves.
In 2025, the Housing Divison plans to conduct additional outreach to share information about housing-related and supportive resources.
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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. The City has partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater San Francisco to create low income homeownership opportunities such as the project at 335 Pierce Road where the City granted Habitat $3.6 million in April 2024 to develop a low income homeownership project (8 units).
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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 2024, the City promoted Peninsula Clean Energy's 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 2024, the City supported Menlo Spark, a community based organization, in its work with MidPen Housing to electrify Willow Court without passing any costs to tenants.
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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, acknowledigng, 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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In 2024, the City collaborated with the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust (HEART) of San Mateo County to prepare the Anti-Displacement Strategy and work is underway. Building from the feedback received from the Housing Element and Environmental Justice Element, staff identified a list of Anti-Displacement Strategy tools. These tools include the adoption of a just-cause eviction ordinance and establishment of formal rental assistance and access to legal assistance programs.
On November 7 and 14, 2024, the City conducted two community meetings (one in monolingual Spanish) to learn more about the community’s prioritization of the assorted Anti-Displacement Strategy tools and understand what would be most impactful to them. Staff is continuing to build on this work and will be launching an Anti-Displacement Strategy survey to gather more input before presenting the findings and tools to the City Council at a study session in 2025.
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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 is currently developing an Anti-Displacement strategy. In November 2024, the City held two in-person events to support anti-displacement implementation and receive feedback from the community. The expansion of legal services is a program/policy that may be implemented as part of the Anti-Displacement Strategy. In 2025, the City will be continuing community outreach through an online, citywide survey.
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| *Specific action items for Goal EJ5 may be developed at a future date. |