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The East Palo Alto City Council approved last week a partnership with the County of San Mateo and housing nonprofit EPACANDO, to swap land, construct a 100% affordable housing complex on University Ave. and expand Martin Luther King Park.
After decades of conversations, the council unanimously voted on Feb. 24 to approve a memorandum of understanding that allows the three parties to consider ways to develop the land. The approval was characterized by all three parties as an all-around win, and the council lauded city staff and leaders of EPACANDO for their efforts to transform the County’s empty land.
Under the deal, San Mateo County is currently set to acquire the city’s land at 2277 University Ave., which is occupied by a county-operated parole and probation center, according to the MOU. In return, East Palo Alto is set to acquire 1266 Beech St., which is located right beside Martin Luther King Park.
The three parties plan to create approximately 60 affordable housing units at the University property, City Manager Melvin Gaines said at the meeting.
Although the MOU is non-binding and does not yet permit the parties to begin construction, it does allow EPACANDO to temporarily manage the affordable housing units that are located right beside the University property at 2263 University Ave. The nonprofit’s assistance allows the parties to create a “larger and more feasible affordable housing development,” according to city documents.
The city of East Palo Alto also hopes to use the Beech Street land as an extension of Martin Luther King Park.
“This project is an important step toward two long standing goals, one, expanding Martin Luther King Park, and two, supporting 100% affordable housing along University Avenue,” Gaines said.
While the council was generally excited about the progress, council members expressed frustration over the slow-moving deal and the county’s unwillingness to provide the city with the land. Council member Mark Dinan said he envisions it as an opportunity to build a regulation-sized soccer field, tennis courts and expanded parking lots.
“My strong feeling on this is that the County of San Mateo should have already given us this land, and if you go up to San Mateo, you’ll see beautiful County of San Mateo parks, where they’ve invested millions of dollars and facilities. … We don’t have that in East Palo Alto,” Dinan said.
Raymond Hodges, Director of San Mateo County’s Department of Housing, said the county was unable to give away the land because it was acquired with State Community Development Block Grant funds.
“We have multiple priorities that we have to balance,” Hodges said at the meeting. “So, in this case, our role is in service to the community.”
Residents of East Palo Alto who spoke at the meeting expressed general excitement about development but asked city staff to ensure habitability standards in its existing affordable housing units while it makes progress on city goals.
Praise Olatunde, an East Palo Alto resident, said she experienced problems such as a lack of heat, substandard electrical circuits, dampness and toxic mold in an affordable housing unit.
“Why are we building new homes when residents are dealing with habitability issues in their homes now?” she said during the public comment period.
Development of the land is still likely years away. Now that the city has approved the memorandum, the county will make a decision and the three parties will engage in community discussions, cost studies and a developer selection process. Each party must independently approve updates in the future.
“Let’s see if we can make it happen,” Dinan said.
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