State Warns Los Altos Parking Lot Initiative Could Shift Housing
California housing officials cautioned that an initiative to protect downtown parking plazas may force new housing into residential areas.
State housing regulators have sent a cautionary letter to officials in Los Altos regarding Measure D, a local ballot measure set for the November 3 election. The citizen-led initiative seeks to protect 10 downtown public parking lots from future redevelopment, preserving existing parking capacity for local businesses and shoppers.
However, state housing official Brian Heaton notified the city that Los Altos currently relies on those downtown parcels to accommodate 124 units in its certified 2023-2031 Housing Element. If voters pass Measure D, the city will be legally required to review the measure as a potential constraint on development and quickly identify substitute locations for mandated residential growth.
Local council members pointed out that removing downtown plazas from the city inventory could force the municipality to consider rezoning quiet residential neighborhoods or commercial plazas along Grant Road and Fremont Avenue. The city could face substantial state fines or loss of local land use control if it fails to maintain an approved housing plan.