Menlo Park, one of the most affluent communities in the nation, is on the hook for nearly 3,000 units of housing by 2031, according to a state mandate. But how to get there is causing debate among residents of the city.

The city is pushing forward with a plan to turn three city-owned parking lots downtown into developments with hundreds of units of affordable housing. It has been a part of the discussion of the city's housing element for a while, per housing advocates.

To Margarita Mendez, a teacher and longtime resident of Menlo Park, this is a good plan that is long overdue.

"People that work here should be able to live here," she said. "I would qualify for that affordable housing, and I have 33 years of experience teaching. But I'm lucky because I already own a home."

Mendez says mo

See Full Page