Friends of Menlo Park,

Seven developers responded to the City’s RFQ, hoping to procure our parking lots for $1/year. And none of their proposals come anywhere close to providing adequate parking. Instead, they rely on complicated schemes where businesses and residents share parking spaces – a lose-lose proposition for all.

One respondent admitted that, as an affordable housing developer, they cannot pay for public parking “without a direct subsidy.”  Expect to hear more of that. At some point, the people of Menlo Park would foot the bill.

Sadly, 4/5 of our City Council members, all but Mayor Combs, do not seem to care. It has always been obvious that developers would not pay for sufficient parking, that the plan could have catastrophic impacts on our downtown businesses, congestion, and infrastructure, and that the people of Menlo Park resoundingly oppose the idea. And yet those 4 councilmembers have proceeded blithely along this path.

They will not stop. UNLESS WE STOP THEM. 

Legal and political plans are underway, and we need your support.

So please: Contribute to our Legal & Political Defense GoFundMe

Losing our parking lots would be an irreversible disaster to our community, our businesses, and the quality of life for Menlo Park residents. We must not let that happen. 

Thank you,
SaveDowntownMenlo

P.S. To go the extra mile – apply to join a City Commission! Applications are due this Wednesday, April 9, by 5pm. Info and applications are here.