Palo Alto approves plan to build low-income apartments downtown

By Will Oremus

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: 11/10/2009 12:33:02 AM PST

Updated: 11/10/2009 12:33:03 AM PST

 

A nonprofit's plan to build 50 low-income apartments in downtown Palo Alto won final approval from the city council on Monday after more than three hours of debate.

Eden Housing and the Community Housing Alliance are hoping to build the four-story complex at Alma Street and Homer Avenue by October 2011 in order to secure a $1 million state grant. The one-, two- and three-bedroom units would be rented to families making about half or less of the median income for the area.

Council Members Larry Klein and Pat Burt wanted to send the project to the city's planning and transportation commission for further review. But the majority of the council said the project had been reviewed enough, noting that any further delay could cut into its funding. Council Member John Barton's motion to approve it passed 7-2.

In fact, the project approved Monday was less than half the size of the original proposal, which would have also included 48 apartments for low-income senior citizens and a new home for Palo Alto Hardware, among other shops. Several supporters said they were disappointed that opposition from neighbors and the planning commission forced the developers to drop those plans.

Opponents on Monday continued to argue that the project was too large, would overcrowd local schools and lacked sufficient parking and open space. Meanwhile, an attorney working on their behalf contended it should be rejected because it was actually not large enough to meet the requirements of the state's density bonus law.[j1] 

Several critics said the project ought to go back to the planning and transportation commission. The commission did review the original plans, but did not see the reduced plans because city staff said they fit within the site's existing zoning rules thanks to the density bonus law.

"When the process is cut short, projects go wrong," said Joop Verbaken, one of the residents of the neighboring 800 High Street complex who opposed the Alma development.

Klein agreed, asking, "Why would any proposed project want to avoid the planning and transportation commission?"

Vice Mayor Jack Morton said he didn't see the purpose. "We have a project that meets all our requirements, and now we're going to send it back to a group to dither over it further?"

The project's opponents were well-organized, as they have been over the course of 12 meetings on various versions of the plan. All said they supported low-income housing in concept but felt the specific plans needed some tweaks.

On Monday, however, they were outnumbered by backers of the project. Several said they felt the opposition was hypocritical coming from residents of 800 High Street, a more upscale condominium complex that is nearly the same size.

"It's a NIMBY matter, which makes me very unhappy," said Sally Probst, a housing advocate.

"Welcome to Palo Alto, the irony city," added Judith Wasserman, a member of the city's architectural review board, which approved the project unanimously.

In voting for the project, Mayor Peter Drekmeier said the city has a responsibility to build more housing that is affordable to workers who commute to Palo Alto from far away due to its high housing prices.

"It's not a perfect project, but it's quite excellent," he said.

E-mail Will Oremus at woremus@dailynewsgroup.com.