PAUSD approves plan to build subsidized sta housing

To provide district employees with more a ordable housing options, the Board of Education voted 4-1 to approve plans to participate in a subsidized housing project at 231 Grant Ave. for teachers and sta during its Jan. 17 meeting. Board member Todd Collins was the only “no” vote. PAUSD employees will have access to 29 of the project’s 110 units.

Math teacher Daniel Nguyen said he is glad the board approved being part of this program because the need for teacher housing in the area is a growing concern.

“A big part of the cost of living is buying a place, and it's very di cult to do,” Nguyen said. “Some people have to commute an hour each way. e more time a teacher or an educator spends commuting, the less time they have to prepare meaningful lessons.” ey make too much money to qualify for low-income housing, but they don't make enough to a where they work,” Steiner said. is project is developed to help a sector of the community that is often neglected in housing according to Steiner.

Housing costs have risen 88% in the last decade in the Bay Area according to a report from Compass, a realtor company.

“Rents and houses in this area are outrageous and (it’s) hard for teachers to a ord,” Palo Alto Educators Association president Teri Baldwin said.

California School Employees Association representative Meb Steiner said there is also a severe lack of a ordable housing for educators.

“ project is designed for what's called the missing middle: teach ers, nurses, police o employees — people who do critical jobs within a community,” Steiner said.

According to Mercy Housing California and Abode Communities, the primary housing authorities for this project, the units at 231 Grant Ave. were designed to mitigate these concerns. To alleviate costs, rent will be set below market prices ac cording to the Board of Education.

Board President Jennifer DiBrienza said the location for the project was chosen partly due to local support from the City of Palo Alto as the project is based in Palo Alto.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian said the site for the project is located on county-owned land.

“It's a site that is underutilized, and it's probably about 8,000 square feet on the property,” Simitian said. “I just thought surely we can do something that is of greater bene t to the public.”

Simitian said the project received $3 million from the City of Palo Alto and $6 million from Santa Clara County.

In addition to city and county funds, Meta put in $25 million for the San Mateo school district units. DiBrienza said a project of this magnitude usually costs more than $100 million, making Meta’s contribution signi cant.

“When Meta (expanded to) San Mateo County and Menlo Park, part of the agreement was (to add) workforce housing for educators,” DiBrienza said.

DiBrienza said legal challenges for 231 Grant Ave. were the primary issue with the project.

“ e California State Constitution says a school district can't donate money, lend money or give money without getting an interest rate in return,” DiBrienza said. “Because we also can't give a loan, the money will sit in until both parties have met their contractual obligations. DiBrienza said another issue with the logistics of the project is PAUSD employees’ eligibility to stay within the housing.

“California state law says you can't just kick someone out of your house because their employment changed,” DiBrienza said.

Steiner has encountered a similar issue with discussing term limits for the rental.

“ ere isn't a term limit because part of that lies in how a ordable housing laws are written up,” Steiner said.

According to Steiner and DiBrienza, the district is still working to address the issue of term limits and eligibility requirements.

Despite the setbacks, Simitian said the county remains dedicated to improving educator welfare through this latest housing project.

“We want to use this to attract and retain great sta ,” Simitian said. “I was very clear that from day one the goal of this exercise has been to help schools and school districts stay strong.”

Asha Kulkarni plays a cello in the library. “How many times have you seen people play in the library?” conductor Je rey Willner said. “Exactly.”

As an opportunity for students in Visual and Performing Arts classes to showcase their work, the VAPA department celebrated “Arts in Unusual Places” during the week of Jan. 30. is annual event results in student work appearing in unexpected places all around campus.

“We put up art on the pillars of many Paly buildings that was based on the work of Henri Matisse — what he called his ‘cutouts,’” AP Art History and Art Spectrum teacher Sue La Fetra said.

Across campus, drawings and paintings of all sorts popped up. Some depicted everyday objects, such as a cup. Others depicted more abstract things. One student attached a small picture of someone’s face to a rain gutter.

Tracey Atkinson teaches Advanced Painting and Drawing, Digital Art Spectrum and Art Spectrum. Atkinson said all of her classes put their best pieces up around campus.

“My advanced class created chalk drawings in the Paly Alley next to the Haymarket to brighten the outdoors as people walked by.” Atkinson said.

Concert choir performed songs near the music building on Tuesday, while the orchestra performed songs in the upper oor of the library under the guidance of teacher and conductor Je rey Willner.

“How many times have you seen people play in the library?” Willner said. “Exactly.” e band played “Green and White” during the winter rally on Feb. 1.

Kenna. Gallagher’s photography classes stacked sticks in circular formations near the football eld, following the style of sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. e tallest stacks were around two feet tall, with the shortest ones measuring a few inches.

La Fetra said, “(Arts in Unusual Places) is about highlighting the art all around us, and the fantastic opportunities for Paly students to participate in making art.”

Lea Kwan Sta Writer

e City Council appointed Lydia Kou as mayor and Greer Stone as vice mayor in its Jan. 9 meeting. Both positions are one-year terms.

Stone, an attorney who previously served on Palo Alto’s Human Relations Commission and Santa Clara County’s Human Rights Commission and Justice Review Committee, said he is excited for the next part of his public service journey.

“(I enjoy) being able to help people, especially Palo Altans who have various issues or needs and who feel that they don’t have a voice in the community,” Stone said. “To be able to talk to them, (to) make change for them, is something that never gets old.”

Stone also said he hopes to nish long-term projects the city has planned.

“With regard to a lot of issues, we have the housing element and economic uncertainties with a possible looming recession,” Stone said. “We have the climate initiative we’re trying to get over the nish line too. ere’s so much that needs to get done next year, which is why I felt it was a good time to be in leadership to make sure that those continue to progress.”

Stone said involving youth in local government is also one of his priorities and he hopes to gain input through the Palo Alto Youth Council.

“I know so many teenagers within the community (who) are incredibly invested in issues such as climate change,” Stone said. “We have an annual meeting with the City Council, where (the) youth can share their views, and they work on projects to increase youth connectivity across the city.”

Kou, a former real estate developer with six years of experience on the council, served as vice mayor in 2022.

Kou said that when she rst moved to Palo Alto her involvement in the community expanded when she joined the City Council.

“My civic engagement expanded to emergency preparedness in my neighborhood expanding to the rest of the city,” Kou said.

“I know a lot of the neighborhoods around here in Palo Alto, but not to the depth that I know having been involved in civic engagement.”

Kou said in her one-year term as mayor, she also plans to focus on resident input.

“We should make sure that the residents who live here are communicating to understand what the local government can improve on,” Kou said.

Kou also said she wants to ensure the needs of every resident are prioritized, especially young people.

“We’re all parents, and even though our children may be grown up, we want to ensure that our youth are looked after and they have what they need in this community,” Kou said.

“Whether you’re from Paly or Gunn, someplace in the city will a ect you.”

Kou will also review the city’s economic development during her term.

“We’re looking at where the gaps are to attract new businesses to come into Palo Alto so that it would be more catering to its residents; that’s one part,” Kou said. “ e other part is climate change. We have extreme weather, so as we start experiencing this, we really must consider climate change.”