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Keith’s Platform
Thoughtful Housing and Renter Protection
We must build housing that serves the needs of all income levels of our community to address our jobs/housing imbalance. Since many income levels are not served by market-rate housing, we must prioritize the funding required to construct subsidized affordable housing. In 2022, I led the successful Measure K campaign to help continue Palo Alto’s strong history of building affordable housing.
Palo Alto’s jobs/housing imbalance is unacceptable. We must continue our focus on increasing diverse housing production, and encouraging housing density in downtown areas, along El Camino Real, San Antonio Road, and in the Stanford Research Park. Unlike some Council candidates, I do not support radical “Builder’s Remedy" projects like the proposed 17-story tower at the current Mollie Stone’s site near California Avenue that would be 177 feet in height (three times as tall as is normally allowed), or the 430-foot tall skyscraper proposed at the former Sunset Magazine site in the middle of low-density neighborhoods on the Palo Alto border with Menlo Park. While housing is a critical need, projects that don’t fit the context of our city will only serve to create more divisiveness. We need to be building the right housing in the right locations.
Housing production must be a high priority, but we also need this housing to be implemented thoughtfully. We must create active neighborhoods that include the parks and amenities that make Palo Alto a livable city. Together, we can create housing that works for everyone while enhancing our community’s quality of life.
"Keith is deeply committed to affordable housing. With extensive experience on the Planning Commission and Housing Element Working Group, he has the expertise to help us meet our ambitious housing goals. His service on the Parks and Recreation Commission deepens his understanding of the critical need for new parks near affordable housing developments. Keith is the advocate we need to create thriving, inclusive communities."
--Winter Dellenbach, Affordable Housing Advocate
Renters are nearly half of our community. In recent years many renters experienced real hardships from some landlords. That’s why my work on the Housing Element and the Planning and Transportation Commission included developing strong renter protections, including limits on security deposits and relocation assistance when leases are terminated without cause. While renter protection is critical, we must carefully balance our programs to keep Palo Alto a desirable community for constructing new rental housing.
A Livable Community
Our city's vibrancy stems from policies integrating housing, retail, walking and biking paths, parks, and community centers with our core values. I championed community-focused retail while on the Planning Commission, to support local businesses and retail services for residents. We must collaborate with our retail partners to simplify zoning and streamline permitting, implement streetscape improvements, and increase events to support our merchants.
To enhance Palo Alto’s livability, we must expand public transportation options, enhance our bike networks, and add pedestrian crossings to create a more walkable and bike-friendly city. I continue to advocate for safe and efficient bike lanes and pedestrian routes, which reduce traffic and parking demands, improve safety, particularly for young kids getting to school, and improve air quality, promoting a healthier city. Careful planning of infrastructure improvements must prioritize the safety of all road users
Palo Alto has amazing amenities that add to the fabric of our community. During my nine years on the Parks and Recreation Commission, I advocated for outreach programs for youth, teens, seniors, residents of diverse backgrounds and abilities, and our broader community to expand recreational programs, parks, Cubberley, and other community centers. I will continue to support a safe, healthy, and high-quality life for all, with sustainable spaces for exercise, social interaction, cultural experiences, and community bonding.
Public Safety and Services
A vibrant community thrives on effective crime prevention, robust public safety, and comprehensive public health protection. Budget cuts during the pandemic cut our public safety staffing, but I led the successful Measure K campaign to help restore funding for essential services. We must fully restore our public safety budgets to pre-pandemic levels. And, we must ensure that all of our fire stations have fire engines with full staffing and that our police department is fully staffed to ensure effective and responsive law enforcement to combat property crime.
We must also demand accountable policing with zero tolerance for police misconduct. This includes investing in community policing initiatives, providing officers with comprehensive training on de-escalation and cultural competency, and establishing oversight mechanisms to monitor and address any instances of misconduct.
Climate Protection and Natural Environment
I am proud of our leadership in climate protection, and we should continue innovating new approaches to reduce our carbon footprint. Our work is being used by other municipalities as their climate-protection blueprint, so our local programs have impacts far beyond our city boundaries.
During my nine years on the Parks and Recreation Commission, I worked on the Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan, the Horizontal Levee project, and the Tide Gate Replacement project to determine how to protect our treasured Baylands area from impending Sea Level rise. I also worked on the fire protection plan for Foothills Nature Preserve, both reducing combustion sources and improving evacuation strategies to react to wildfires which are spreading at even faster rates due to climate change. These first-hand experiences reinforced my belief that the City must work diligently to reduce our carbon footprint to reduce future global warming while also adapting to climate change. I’m proud to have earned the Sierra Club’s endorsement for my commitment to environmental protection!
As the City becomes more electrified, our citizens are becoming more dependent on our electric utility. While our utility delivers us power at half the cost and with better reliability than PG&E, we must complete the upgrade of our local grid to increase its capacity and improve its reliability.