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Mayfield Place resident tells council of structural decline, pest problems and recent rent increases
Summary
A Mayfield Place tenant told Palo Alto's City Council that the affordable housing building at 2500 El Camino Real is deteriorating, that her unit has structural and hot-water problems and that she faces steep rent increases; she asked the city to investigate the building's condition under the agreement with Stanford that created the property
During the public-comment period, Liz Gee, who identified herself as a resident of Mayfield Place, addressed the City Council about multiple habitability problems at the property at 2500 El Camino Real, an affordable housing project created under an agreement between the City of Palo Alto and Stanford University.
Gee told council the building 'came online' in February 2017 and alleged progressive deterioration in multiple areas: compromised concrete on the third floor where she lives, a persistent drain-fly infestation that she said began after a period without reliable hot water, and repeated rent increases. Gee said her rent rose by $600 on April 1, 2024, and by a further $400 effective July 1, 2025. She said code enforcement had been alerted and that treatments had not solved the fly problem.
Gee also reported that the ground-floor retail tenant Fambrini's prepares foods with syrups and fruit and suggested drains used by the restaurant could be contributing to the pest issue. She said code enforcement was scheduled to visit the site and asked the city to review the building's structural soundness and the management of health-related problems.
Why it matters
Mayfield Place is a long-standing deed-restricted affordable housing resource in Palo Alto. Allegations of building decline and persistent pest problems in a property serving low-income households raise housing-condition and enforcement questions for the city's code-enforcement and housing staff. Gee asked the council for a city-led review; staff confirmed code enforcement involvement during the meeting.
Public-record details and next steps
- Location cited by the commenter: Mayfield Place, 2500 El Camino Real. - Allegations: concrete degradation on the third floor, recurring drain flies after a period without hot water, and two recent rent increases (one of $600 in April 2024 and one of $400 planned July 1, 2025). - Council/Staff response: City staff said code enforcement had been notified and would visit; no formal council action was recorded at the meeting.
Ending
The council did not take formal action at the meeting. The speaker requested that the city investigate the building's structural condition and ongoing health issues; staff said code enforcement would follow up.
