Menlo Park measure limiting housing on downtown parking lots heads to next year’s ballot

by Alise Maripuu, Bay City News December 9, 2025December 8, 2025

Cars fill a parking plaza in downtown Menlo Park, Calif. on Monday, May. 5, 2025. The city council is planning to replace the parking lot with a housing a development. (Alise Maripuu/Bay City News)

A CITIZEN INITIATIVE introduced in opposition to Menlo Park’s plan to build affordable housing in downtown parking lots will head to voters next year.

The City Council unanimously voted last week to have the Downtown Parking Plazas Ordinance placed on the ballot for the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.

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Alise Maripuu, Bay City News

Alise is a general assignment reporter with a focus on covering government, elections, housing, crime, courts and entertainment in San Francisco and on the Peninsula. Alise is a Bay Area native from San Carlos. She studied history at University of California, Santa Cruz and first started journalism at Skyline College’s school newspaper in San Bruno. She has interned for Bay City News and for Eesti Rahvusringhääling, or Estonian Public Broadcasting. She has covered everything from the removal of former San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus to the divisive battle over the Great Highway on San Francisco’s west side. Please send her any tips.

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