Council approves 100% affordable teacher housing at 3265 El Camino Real

The Palo Alto City Council on Monday approved rezoning and land‑use entitlements for a 55‑unit, 100% affordable rental project at 3265 El Camino Real that the developer and local unions said is intended primarily to house Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) teachers and staff.

The project will replace a vacant parcel with a six‑story, 55‑unit building that includes 32 parking spaces (mostly stacked lifts), a rooftop tenant deck for open space, bike lockers and shared e‑bikes, and a package of transportation demand management measures including free VTA passes for tenants. Council members voted 7‑0 to adopt the ordinance rezoning the site from Commercial Service (CS) to a Planned Community district and to approve the required record of land‑use action.

Council approved several conditions requested during the review process, including: prioritized outreach and a right‑of‑first‑refusal window for PAUSD employees before units are offered on the open market; a regulatory agreement that will specify how tenants’ moves are handled if their household income later exceeds income limits; and a parking pricing…