Hi City Councel members:

I sent you the email below on 12/14. This is an addendum.

I have an additional reason for wanting more housing downtown. So that our clerks, teachers, maintenence personnel, police, firefighters and others who dont make $200,000+ a year, dont have to commute an hour or more each way to get to their jobs! Its only decent. It will help businesses hiring ability.

Also in response to Dave Prices fearmongering column in yesterdays Daily Post, this is NOT PUBLIC HOUSING. This is housing for working people who could qualify for a loan for the purchase price of the housing unit.

Thanks for proceeding with the plan so we can study this more and get the answers people want!

Thanks,
Linda Maki MD
Menlo Park resident.

Dear City Council,

I hope that the planned residential housing including affordable housing units ARE built.

We desperately need more housing, especially below-market so that some those who WORK HERE dont have to commute terribly long distances or crowd together in too-small units.

To those who say this will hurt downtown retail, I say: at the moment downtown MP is sad with empty storefronts. More people nearby will support more downtown businesses!

Uninformed folks are freaking out that it will wipe out parking. I notice that PART OF THE PLAN IS TO FIGURE OUT ADEQUATE PARKING! I think this should include both UNDERGROUND, and multistory parking. Some of the parking should be designated for residents of the new housing, and some of it for others who are working and shopping nearby.

ALSO: dont folks know that if we dont come up with a housing plan there will be more crazy builders remedy proposals such as what is happening at the former Sunset site?

I applaud the Menlo Park City council and advisors for coming up with a reasonable roadmap (on city owned land for affordability) to provide for much needed housing. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Linda Maki MD
1185 Altschul Ave.
Menlo Park CA

PS: Feel free to quote me at any meeting on this subject.