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Menlo Park reviews first-year progress on environmental-justice element, focuses next year on Belle Haven food access and pollution reduction

Menlo Park City Council · March 23, 2026

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Summary

Staff reviewed Year 1 of Menlo Park—s environmental justice (EJ) element, highlighting three community priorities (stable homes, food access, pollution reduction), grant-funded housing assistance programs and planned implementation steps for Belle Haven and Bayfront neighborhoods.

Rachel Londer, the city—s sustainability manager, presented Menlo Park—s environmental justice element update, describing it as the city—s first EJ element and a multi-year implementation plan focused on historically underserved neighborhoods north of Highway 101.

Londer said the EJ element includes seven state-guided goals and that staff have identified three top community priorities for the coming year: providing safe, sanitary and stable homes; promoting access to high-quality, affordable food; and reducing pollution exposure and improving indoor air quality. "I'm excited to be able to share and discuss the city's environmental justice element with you all," she said during the presentation.

Staff highlighted a series of first-year accomplishments and funded programs: participation in a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) grant to design rental and legal assistance programs to prevent displacement; a $2,000,000 city commitment to New Oak Gardens, a veterans housing project expected to open this spring; $3,600,000 in city investment toward low-income homeownership programs with $3,100,000 disbursed in 2025; electrification upgrades for 27 homes; and 11 street trees planted in Belle Haven in partnership with nonprofit Canopy. Londer also noted planned work to finish electrification upgrades at the Belhaven Child Development Center to protect children from high-pollution events.

Council members asked whether staff should scope additional community-based organizations for the food-access recommendations; Londer said the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) had done outreach but not full program scoping and asked council whether staff should do deeper community engagement in the three program areas. Council members generally encouraged broader scoping for food-access work and asked staff to return with implementation details at council meetings scheduled for March 23 (planning commission) and March 24 (council review).