Menlo Park Measure P Vote Set for Nov. 3
State housing officials warn Menlo Park that a voter-approval requirement for downtown parking lot housing could conflict with its state housing plan.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in City Hall
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Voters in Menlo Park will decide Measure P on Nov. 3, a ballot measure that would require voter approval before downtown parking lots are redeveloped into public housing. State housing official Brian Heaton sent the city a letter warning about the measure, and Los Altos received a similar state letter in September regarding its Measure D.
Why it matters
The city's state-mandated Housing Element lists downtown parking plazas as sites for affordable homes, so the outcome could affect where Menlo Park places housing. If the plan is not followed or certified by the state, the city could face fines and lose local control over land-use decisions.
The Housing Element plan covers 2,946 homes, with eight downtown parking plazas listed for at least 345 affordable homes, while the city's proposal would convert 556 parking spaces into up to 500 subsidized apartments. The outcome of the Nov. 3 vote and the state's response to the plan remain unknown.
The players
Brian Heaton
Brian Heaton is a state housing official who sent Menlo Park a letter about Measure P.
The details
A group of residents, downtown property owners, and business owners collected signatures to place Measure P on the ballot. The city could be fined a minimum of $10,000 per month if the Housing Element is not followed or certified by the state, and Builder's Remedy could allow developers to bypass local height and density rules if the plan is not approved.
Timeline
September: Los Altos received a similar state letter regarding its Measure D.
Nov. 3: Voters decide Measure P in Menlo Park.
Political Context
Builder's Remedy lets developers ignore local height and density rules if a city's housing plan is not approved by the state and one-in-five units are rented below market rate. Menlo Park's Measure P fight is one of several local battles over whether cities can control downtown housing sites under state pressure.
Residents and downtown businesses will see whether parking lots near the city center are converted into subsidized apartments or remain as parking. The result will shape how much housing the city can build downtown under its state-mandated plan.
The takeaway
Menlo Park voters will decide whether downtown parking lots can be turned into housing, a choice that carries state-level consequences for the city's housing plan.
What happens next
Voters decide Measure P on Nov. 3, and the outcome will determine whether downtown parking lots can be redeveloped without a separate voter approval.
Further reading
Explore more City Hall coverage for context on how local housing decisions are made in Menlo Park.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Palo Alto Daily Post.
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