Palo Alto council approves six-level downtown garage with reserved site for future affordable housing

PALO ALTO — The Palo Alto City Council voted 5–2 on April 14 to advance the city’s long-discussed downtown parking garage project at Lot D (375 Hamilton), approving staff’s recommendation for Option 1A: a six-level, above‑ground parking structure with a reserved area for later construction of affordable housing with separate access on Waverly Street.

The action directs staff to proceed with preliminary design and environmental review for the 274‑space garage; the council also asked staff to continue work on financing, project sequencing and how to treat any interim podium or surface area until housing is built.

Why it matters: Council members said the project is intended to offset parking lost as the city builds affordable housing on multiple downtown surface lots and to provide additional public parking for the downtown core. Supporters said Option 1A balances parking capacity with an opportunity to add 100% affordable housing on a later, separate development; opponents argued the city should prioritize maximizing housing across downtown rather than building more parking now.

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