On a June 3 teleconference with the Menlo Park Mayor Cecilia Taylor and Police Chief Dave Bertini, a woman called in and asked about how to explain to neighborhood teens about being stopped for no apparent reason by police. Studies show that youth who experience intrusive police stops are at risk of heightened emotional distress.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of racial disparities in police stops in Menlo Park but we don’t yet have the data to show it. There is no data by race for police stops that do not conclude in a citation or detention.

The City of Menlo Park has an Open Data Portal that provides information about local law enforcement activity. The portal provides statistics for citations, showing disparities by race. Of the citations between 2016 and 2018 that listed the individual’s race (all but 2%) 31% were given to white individuals while 69% were given to non-white individuals (40% for Black and Hispanic individuals alone). In contrast, the population of Menlo Park is exactly the opposite: 70% white and 30% non-white (according to the 2010 census).

If you want to see Menlo Park police track data about police stops by race and neighborhood, please sign this petition. If you sign this petition, Menlo Together will:

• share your name with Menlo Park City Council
• contact you with more opportunities to demand transparent data about police stops, and other opportunities for a more transparent and just city

On June 1, hundreds gathered at Burgess Park, at a rally in support of #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd and #BlackLivesMatter. Mayor Cecilia Taylor, the city’s first African-American Mayor, gave a moving talk where she shared with the crowd that she fears for her stepson and nephews’ lives. When she heard the news during a Council meeting she struggled with tears from the dais.

After the Mayor spoke, the group knelt for nine minutes, recalling how long the murderer had his knee on George Floyd’s neck.  Then the group marched, chanting and holding signs, up Alma Street and across the Caltrain tracks to the Palo Alto Avenue soccer fields. The rally, like so many across the United States, was organized by high school students who demand a more just and equitable future where #BlackLivesMatter, where Black people do not fear police violence, and where the outcome of people’s lives – health, education. prosperity – can’t be predicted by skin color.

At the close of her talk Mayor Taylor, “There are policies we can put in place” to bring about a more just and equitable city. For those who share this vision, click here to join us at Menlo Together, a group of Menlo Park and Peninsula residents who envision a city that is integrated and diverse, multi-generational, and environmentally sustainable. We’ll keep you posted on opportunities to learn and take action at bringing about a just and sustainable Menlo Park.

In 2020, the city of Palo Alto is looking to roll out an escooter pilot program, with Mountain View and Sunnyvale set to follow close behind.  

Studies show that escooters can help reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. A 2019 study by the City of Santa Monica, where Bird has a 750-scooter fleet,  found that 49% of scooter rides would have otherwise been made in a passenger vehicle, whether privately-owned or for hire. 

The Palo Alto and Mountain View programs include rules about where the devices can be parked, and require the operators to have a hotline to report problems.  

Over the next few years, the major new developments, including 1300 El Camino and the Stanford development on El Camino near Safeway will be opening up. Caltrain will start electrified service with more frequent trains.  Scooters could potentially provide a convenient way for people to get to nearby destinations that are a little far to walk. 

Menlo Park has an opportunity to watch the results closely in nearby cities, to assess if it would be helpful to follow in their footsteps. 

On Thursday, January 30 from 1-5 pm, the Menlo Park City Council will host its annual goal-setting meeting. This is your opportunity to tell the Council that you want more affordable housing, safer streets, climate action, and racial equity in Menlo Park!  Send your thoughts to city.council@menlopark.org or come in person if you can. 

Here are recommendations from Menlo Together:

1) More Housing Downtown, especially Affordable Housing

More housing downtown would support the Council’s existing goal to address the housing crisis, improve the jobs/housing balance, and reduce driving alone. In particular, we would like to see more density to enable more housing, dedication of publicly owned downtown sites to affordable housing, and zero displacement in new development.

2) Residents’ safety and mobility on Willow and in the Belle Haven/Bayside area

Menlo Park’s streets reveal the disparities in our city.  Belle Haven, with a history of redlining, has highways and major arterials cutting through that reduce air quality and create hazardous conditions for local residents, especially children.  

Menlo Together wants the City to invest in safer streets for children, seniors, and all, including on Willow Road in Belle Haven, and at the Gateway Family Apartments and the new Belle Haven Library and Community Center, and El Camino Real. 

3) Climate Action at the level of the Climate Emergency

Menlo Together urges the City Council to adopt a new reduction target of carbon neutral (zero emissions) by 2030. Since transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, we support the Environmental Quality and Complete Streets Commissions working together with City Staff to create more climate measures relating to mobility.  

4) City government focus on racial equity

Menlo Together is urging the City to join Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) to actively pursue racial equity within the scope of city government activities.  According to the GARE definition: “Achieving racial equity means outcomes cannot be predicted based on race and are improved for all people.” 

GARE is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Over the last two years, four Menlo Park city staff people have attended GARE conferences which provide local governments with training on how to improve racial equity. Other GARE members (cities, counties, etc) report that putting together inter-departmental teams to advance racial equity builds collaboration among staff and improves operations and outcomes overall.  

Thanks for staying informed, learning, and taking local action.

On Wednesday, January 8^th, the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) Board of Directors weighed the future of the Dumbarton Rail Corridor. The Dumbarton Rail Corridor is a critical east-west link between the southern portions of the San Francisco Peninsula and the East Bay, connecting a route from Redwood City through Menlo Park, Newark, and Union City).

https://crossbaytransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DRC-Corridor-Map-November-2019.pdf

The SamTrans Board expressed support for integrating the Dumbarton Corridor into the broader, Bay Area-wide transportation network. However, the Board has not yet confirmed whether they would prefer to adopt regional rail, light rail, or other mass transit technology. Adopting regional rail would enable faster trips and better connections with existing transit systems including BART, ACE to the Central Valley, and Capitol Corridor to Sacramento. 

The project is being conducted as a public-private partnership between SamTrans, Facebook, and the Plenary Group, a private transportation firm brought in by Facebook. Environmental review of the project is expected to begin in early 2020. They anticipate to release the Final Environmental Impact Statement in quarter 4 of 2021.

To read the SamTrans Board staff report, click here.

On Tuesday, December 10, 2019, the Menlo Park City Council discussed options for updating the city’s climate plan, including the recommendations from the Environmental Quality Commission, supported by Menlo Together, to set a city-wide climate goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. The Council did not make a decision yet as this was a study session. 

The Council supported the Environmental Quality Commission’s recommendation to achieve the equivalent of a 90% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and to remove the remaining 10% of emissions from the atmosphere through carbon sinks, like trees. Several members of the public, and Complete Streets, Housing, and Planning Commissioners also spoke in support of the plan.  

The Council expressed the need to take swift action on climate change by reducing emissions. Mayor Pro Tem. Taylor suggested increasing the frequency of the city shuttle and increasing its number of stops to decrease vehicle trips. Councilmember Nash also supported reducing vehicle trips and suggested creating an educational program for property owners to learn how to electrify their buildings. Councilmember Carlton suggested increasing the number of electric vehicle charging stations required to be installed by property owners to reduce residential emissions. 

To continue the conversation, the Council created a subcommittee including Mayor Mueller and Councilmember Nash to continue developing the work plan. The Council also reaffirmed its commitment to tackling climate change by adopting a climate emergency resolution. Read the resolution here.

For more information on this topic, read “Menlo Park council open to bold new climate goal: carbon neutrality by 2030” by Kate Bradshaw’s in the Almanac.

In addition, on December 12, 2019 the Menlo Park Fire Protection District (Menlo Fire) showcased the Rosenbauer all-electric concept fire truck at Fire Station 6. 

According to Menlo Fire, most of the emergencies that the department responds to are close by and last 30 minutes or less. Thus, electric vehicles would meet department needs while saving energy and reducing emissions. Upon arrival at the scene, fire crews can shut off their engines to conserve energy. The all-electric engines would also eliminate carcinogenic diesel emissions. 

The fire truck on display is a prototype model, and isn’t yet available for purchase.  For more information about the benefits of all-electric fire engines, read “Menlo Park fire district to showcase all-electric engine at open house” by Rick Radin in the Almanac, and see the company’s website: https://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/concept-fire-truck

In addition, on December 12, 2019 the Menlo Park Fire Protection District (Menlo Fire) showcased the Rosenbauer all-electric concept fire truck at Fire Station 6. 

According to Menlo Fire, most of the emergencies that the department responds to are close by and last 30 minutes or less. Thus, electric vehicles would meet department needs while saving energy and reducing emissions. Upon arrival at the scene, fire crews can shut off their engines to conserve energy. The all-electric engines would also eliminate carcinogenic diesel emissions. 

The fire truck on display is a prototype model, and isn’t yet available for purchase.  For more information about the benefits of all-electric fire engines, read “Menlo Park fire district to showcase all-electric engine at open house” by Rick Radin in the Almanac, and see the company’s website: https://www.rosenbaueramerica.com/concept-fire-truck

On November 17, 2019, over 100 people crowded into the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center for the Color of Law: Menlo Park Edition. Co-sponsors for the event included Community Equity Collaborative, Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, Housing Leadership Council, League of Women Voters of South San Mateo, Menlo Park Historical Association, Menlo Spark, NAACP San Mateo County, Nuestra Casa, Palo Alto Forward, Palo Alto Housing, Peninsula for Everyone, and Tech Equity Collaborative.

A small team of commuity members transformed the Arrillaga Recreation Center into a gallery which documented the history of racial segregation in Menlo Park. They created a timeline using city documents, court documents, news clippings, photos, and maps and posted it around the room. Attendees discussed the timeline in small groups, sharing a mix of shock and sadness at the policies and practices which divided Menlo Park.  Learning about this history instilled a sense of responsibility and determination to demand more housing in our neighborhoods for a more inclusive and equitable community.

Kenia Najar, Program Director at Youth United for Community Action, made the point that  history is being repeated in Belle Haven today. She explained that the block-busting to make the community a segregated Black neighborhood that took place in the 1960s is replaced today by rapid gentrification and displacement of long term Black and Latino residents to far off communities from where they often commute back here to work.

In the mid 20th century Black families were barred from buying homes in Menlo Park and other white suburbs through racial covenants that restricted the purchase of homes by people of color. Redlining also restricted who could secure home loans. Later, real estate agents used discriminatory real estate tactics like “block-busting” to scare white residents into selling their homes at a discount. Meanwhile, Black people in San Francisco and Oakland were encouraged to move in so that real estate agents could make a profit from buying at panic sales prices from white families and selling at inflated prices to Black families. With the economic boom since 2009, many Belle Haven families have been displaced by newcomers more equipped to pay rising market prices and rents.  

Jen Wolosin of Menlo Together said that “We can no longer pretend that [we don’t know] what happened and how our community is shaped is the way it is and that we…have the responsibility now to go forward to do something about it. In the past the housing element put all the affordable housing in the Belle Haven area. This conversation has laid a foundation for all of us  to start thinking about letting more people into our neighborhoods.”

Karen Grove, in closing the event, told attendees “If we as a community accept our responsibility to compensate for the isolating patterns that shaped us, our neighborhoods and our city will become stronger! Time and again in our history, we’ve seen that when we act to improve racial equity, all people’s lives are improved.” 

View the gallery walk and sign the “More Homes Downtown” petition to support more affordable homes in Downtown Menlo Park. For more resources and next steps, visit our resources page.

We would like to recognize our elected and appointed officials who attended this important event, including Menlo Park Mayor Ray Mueller, Menlo Park Mayor Pro Tempore Cecilia Taylor, Menlo Park Council Member Betsy Nash, Menlo Park Council Member Drew Combs, and Menlo Park Planning Commissioner Michele Tate.

This Tuesday, November 12 at 5:30 pm, the Menlo Park City Council will vote on an Urgency Ordinance to implement protections that mirror Assembly Bill 1482. The Council needs to know that renters need protection from extreme rent increases and unjust evictions happening right now. 

The recently passed Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) will protect renters from excessive rent gouging and no-fault evictions, but not until January 1st. Here’s what you can do right now: 

• Send a brief email to City Council with your opinion or a personal story about why you care by end of day Monday, November 11th, if possible.
• Come to the council meeting on Tuesday at 5:30 pm at Menlo Park City Hall and make public comment. For more meeting details, click here.

Learn more about AB 1482 by reading this report from the City Attorney’s office. 

For an eye-opening event on the history of our housing challenges, join us next Sunday.

The Color of Law, Menlo Park Edition: The Hidden History Shaping Our Menlo Park Neighborhoods Today    

Sunday, November 17 from 5:00-6:30 pm – Arrillaga Family Recreation Center: Sequoia Room, 700 Alma St. Menlo Park, CA 94025

We’ll take a look at how public policies that segregated America have affected Menlo Park. We will learn, reflect, and discuss how to move toward a more equitable future. 

Click here to sign up for this free event.