On November 8, Menlo Park voters will decide on a local ballot measure designed to stop the Ravenswood City School District (RCSD) from creating affordable homes for teachers and staff at its Flood School site1. The measure would also block future homes from being created for your neighbors throughout Menlo Park. If it passes, it will spread to other cities and make it that much harder for everyone you know to find quality affordable homes. YOU can stop this.

Ravenswood School District has 31% (the highest percentage in Menlo Park) of 1st and 2nd year teachers, and the lowest percentage of proficient students in math and reading. Ravenswood School District would benefit significantly from providing local housing and no other strategy available to the district would have the same impact on retention and recruitment of quality staff.

Menlo Park City Council Members commissioned an independent, objective impact analysis of the November 2022 Menlo Park ballot measure.

That report is clear – the ballot measure would create big barriers for affordable housing in Menlo Park and block teacher and staff housing for the Ravenswood City School District. Read on to learn more about what the ballot measure would do and how you can help.

If the ballot measure passes in November 2022, it will:

• Block affordable housing for teachers and school staff at the vacant site of the former Flood School site owned by Ravenswood City School District without a citywide vote.
• Lock in and exacerbate racial and economic segregation by blocking future homes in high opportunity neighborhoods which are predominantly upper income and white.
• Limit the city’s ability to plan for housing for people at a variety of income levels, in conflict with the city’s General Plan
• Put the city at risk of being sued by reducing our ability to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), as required by law (CA 2018 Assembly Bill 686)
• Block Menlo Park Fire District from redeveloping their headquarters without a public vote.
• Block Menlo Park religious organizations from redeveloping their properties without a public vote.

How you can help

Attend one of our events! Endorse, contribute, and volunteer! We need your support today!