HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2410-3643CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, December 09, 2024
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
3.Presentation of the 2024 Annual Community Survey Results Staff Presentation
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: STUDY SESSION
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: December 9, 2024
Report #:2410-3643
TITLE
Presentation of the 2024 Annual Community Survey Results
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the Report of Results for the 2024 City of Palo
Alto Community Survey by Polco/National Research Center, Inc (Polco)
BACKGROUND
Since 2003, the City has annually or biennially conducted a community survey to gain insights
into residents’ perspectives about the community, including local amenities, services, public
trust, resident participation, and other aspects of the community. Survey information is used to
support budgeting, land use and strategic planning, and communication efforts with the
community. This report summarizes the latest survey conducted starting September 16, 2024,
through October 21, 2024.
ANALYSIS
The City takes pride in delivering outstanding programs and services to the community. An
essential gauge of community satisfaction is through polling. The data obtained from these
surveys serves as a valuable reference point for setting City Council priorities. City staff utilizes
this information to assess programs, services and shaping performance metrics during the
annual budget process.
The National Community Survey is one of several methods employed to engage the community
and evaluate the perceived quality of City services. Similar to last year's response rate of 17%,
this year’s total responses were 585. While historically responses have hovered around 750, or
about 23%, this year's 17% response rate, although lower, remains statistically significant. It
also aligns with the typical range observed in other jurisdictions, which falls between a 12% to
20% response rate.
A few highlights in the Key Findings section based on respondent perspectives of the report are
provided below, as well as a summary of notable circumstances that may have affected the
results.
Palo Alto residents continue to rate their quality of life highly.
•About 9 in 10 residents rated Palo Alto, as well as their neighborhood, as an excellent or
good place to live. Similarly, 9 in 10 residents highly rated the overall quality of life in
Palo Alto, while about 8 in 10 praised the city as a place to work and to raise children.
These ratings were consistent with previous years and aligned with the national
benchmark, except for Palo Alto's rating as a place to work, which was higher than the
national benchmark.
•Additionally, about 7 in 10 residents gave high marks to the city as a place to visit, and
more than half rated Palo Alto as an excellent or good place to retire. Both ratings were
similar to those from previous years and aligned with the national benchmark.
•About 8 in 10 residents indicated that they were likely to remain in Palo Alto for the
next five years and would recommend living in the city to someone who asked, which
was similar to previous years and the national benchmark. Finally, about 9 in 10
residents would recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends, on par with previous years.
While residents were very satisfied with many City services, there are areas for improvement.
•About 9 in 10 residents gave excellent or good ratings to the library facilities, public
library services, and the variety of library materials, as well as to fire emergency
services, ambulance or emergency medical services, Palo Alto open space, and city
parks. These ratings were similar to national benchmark, and city parks were rated
above the benchmark.
•More than 8 in 10 survey respondents positively rated the preservation of natural areas
(open space, farmlands, and greenbelts), police services, fire prevention and education,
recreation centers/facilities and programs/classes, animal control, street cleaning,
sewer services, refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste), utility
payment options, drinking water, and art programs and theater. These ratings were on
par with those given in previous years.
•When comparisons to the nation were available, most of these services rated higher
than the national benchmark, including preservation of natural areas, drinking water,
utility payment options, animal control, street cleaning, recreation centers/facilities and
recreation programs/classes.
•All in all, 28 services received similar ratings to those in 2023, while 6 services received
lower ratings (building and planning application processing services, code enforcement,
traffic enforcement, traffic signal timing, sidewalk maintenance and electric utility) and
one service received a higher rating (street repair).
•When compared to the nation, there were 9 services above the benchmark (Palo Alto
open space, city parks, preservation of natural areas, drinking water, utility payment
options, animal control, street cleaning, recreation centers/facilities and recreation
programs/classes) and 14 services on par. No service was below the national
benchmark.
Traffic enforcement received lower ratings this year compared to last. This decline coincides
with a reduction in traffic citations, attributed to vacancies within the Traffic Division over the
past few years. However, as of this fall, the Police Department has fully staffed the traffic unit.
This development is expected to enhance traffic enforcement efforts and increase officer
visibility, addressing community concerns.
Sidewalk maintenance also received lower ratings this year compared to last. Over the past
three years, the citywide sidewalk improvement program was deferred due to pandemic-
related funding and staffing challenges. However, these services are set to resume this year,
marking a renewed focus on addressing sidewalk maintenance needs.
Several process improvements are underway to help address the low ratings for building and
planning application processing services. These include enhanced customer service training for
all planning, building, and support staff, aiming to improve responsiveness and efficiency in
application handling. The low rating may also reflect diverging community perspectives on the
handling of proposed housing developments throughout the city.
Issues Related to affordable housing and cost of living remain a concern for residents.
•As in previous years, fewer than 1 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to the cost of
living in Palo Alto, while about 1 in 10 survey respondents favorably rated the
availability of affordable quality housing. Both ratings were lower than the national
benchmark.
•The survey included an open-ended question where respondents could describe, in their
own words, one change the city could make to increase resident satisfaction. The most
common response was related to housing and construction issues, followed by transit
and transportation issues.
•Among the best rated community characteristics were the overall image or reputation
of Palo Alto, the fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths or trails,
etc.), recreational opportunities, the ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto and the ease
of walking in Palo Alto, all with 75% of more residents giving positive ratings.
•Compared to 2023, all ratings were similar except for the vibrancy of downtown/
commercial areas, which decreased from 65% in 2023 to the current 59%.
Palo Alto continues to face challenges regarding the cost of living, particularly in terms of the
availability of affordable housing. When comparing with other Bay Area cities (Attachment B) in
the categories of housing variety and availability of affordable quality housing, the positive
percentages were similar, at 24% and 11%, respectively.
Parks, Open Space, and natural environment topped the ranked of things that City does well.
•The survey included an open-ended question where respondents could write in their
own words one thing they believe the city does well and should maintain. Open space
and the natural environment topped the ranking, accounting for 25% of the mentions,
followed by activities and recreation (13%), safety services (12%), and utility and city
services (11%).
Ratings for Palo Alto government performance are on the rise.
•Three-quarters of Palo Alto residents gave the local government high marks for treating
residents with respect, while about 6 in 10 praised the government for being honest,
treating all residents fairly, and informing residents about issues facing the community.
•All other aspects of government were similarly rated as in the previous year, except for
overall direction that Palo Alto is taking, which received a lower rating than in 2023
(47% versus 54%). The remaining aspects were on par with previous years.
•Where benchmark comparisons were available, Palo Alto ranked similar to the national
benchmarks.
Noting the 2024 survey was conducted during a major presidential election year and national
headlines raising concerns about economic conditions and the general political climate.
Dissatisfaction with national government direction often influences public perceptions and
engagement at the local level. While local government typically deals with issues closer to
residents' daily lives, such as public safety, housing, and infrastructure, we are not immune to
the broader national sentiment.
The attached report includes information on trends over time, geographic and demographic
comparisons, national benchmark comparisons, and verbatim responses to open-ended
questions. Also, included for awareness in Attachment B is a Bay Area benchmark comparison
where similar questions were asked.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for the Polco contract was approved in FY 2024 budget. No additional funding is
requested at this time.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The 2024 Palo Alto Community Survey process is a community engagement tool that helps the
City Council and City staff understand community perspectives on current services and
programs, as well as priorities. Staff continues to implement the existing community
engagement and Council priority workplans.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by CEQA because the Community Survey
is a continuing administrative or maintenance activity. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Palo Alto Community Survey 2024 Report of Results
Attachment B: 2024 Bay Area Benchmark Comparisons
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager
City of Palo Alto Resident Survey
June 2022
1241 John Q. Hammons Dr, Suite #203
Madison, WI 53717
info.polco.us • 608-709-8683
CITY OF PALO ALTO
COMMUNITY SURVEY 2024
Report of Results
November 2024
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Contents
Survey background ........................................................................................................................... 3
Key Findings ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Detailed Survey Methods ................................................................................................................... 6
Survey Information ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Survey Validity ............................................................................................................................................... 6
Selecting Survey Recipients ......................................................................................................................... 7
Survey Administration and Response ......................................................................................................... 9
Confidence Intervals ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Survey Processing (Data Entry) ................................................................................................................. 10
Survey Data Weighting ........................................................................................................................... 10
Survey Data Analysis and Reporting ......................................................................................................... 12
Trends Over Time ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Geographic and Demographic Comparisons ........................................................................................... 13
National Benchmark Comparisons ........................................................................................................... 13
Comparison Data .................................................................................................................................... 13
Interpreting the Results .......................................................................................................................... 13
Appendix A: Results Tables ............................................................................................................. 15
Appendix B: Verbatim Responses to Open-ended Questions from Probability Survey ....................... 97
Question 16: If you plan to purchase a car within the next two years, what is the likelihood of it being one
of the following: (Other) ............................................................................................................................. 97
Question 19: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City make that would make you
happier? ....................................................................................................................................................... 98
Question 20: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and would want
to maintain?............................................................................................................................................... 111
Appendix C: Results to Open-Participation Survey ......................................................................... 119
Appendix D: Results to Open-Participation Survey compared to Probability Survey ........................ 144
Appendix E: Verbatim Responses to Open-ended Questions from Open Participation Survey .......... 155
Question 16: If you plan to purchase a car within the next two years, what is the likelihood of it being one
of the following: (Other) ........................................................................................................................... 155
Question 19: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City make that would make you
happier? ..................................................................................................................................................... 157
Question 20: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and would want
to maintain?............................................................................................................................................... 184
Appendix F: Survey Materials ........................................................................................................ 200
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 3
Survey background
Palo Alto contracted with Polco to implement the 2024 iteration of their community survey. For this effort,
3,600 households were randomly selected and mailed postcard invitations and paper surveys inviting
participation. A total of 585 residents from this address-based outreach completed the survey for a
response rate of 17% and a margin of error of ±4%. The results of this effort are highlighted below, with
full results found in Appendix A.
Appendix A includes several comparisons to better understand the random-sample survey results.
o Comparisons to past surveys, 11 iterations from 2011 to 2023 and the first iteration in
2003.
o Comparisons to national benchmarks, for questions asked in other jurisdictions.
o Comparisons by geographic (six areas) and demographic (race/ethnicity and age)
subgroups.
To ensure all community members would have an opportunity to participate, an additional and separate
outreach effort was conducted by the City. Through many communication channels the City invited
residents to complete an open participation survey. The results from this outreach effort can be found in
Appendix D.
Please contact Lupita Alamos, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Palo Alto, at
Lupita.Alamos@cityofpaloalto.org, if you have any questions about the survey.
Key Findings
Palo Alto residents continue to rate their quality of life highly.
• About 9 in 10 residents rated Palo Alto, as well as their neighborhood, as an excellent or good
place to live. Similarly, 9 in 10 residents highly rated the overall quality of life in Palo Alto, while
about 8 in 10 praised the city as a place to work and to raise children. These ratings were
consistent with previous years and aligned with the national benchmark, except for Palo Alto's
rating as a place to work, which was higher than the national benchmark.
• Additionally, about 7 in 10 residents gave high marks to the city as a place to visit, and more than
half rated Palo Alto as an excellent or good place to retire. Both ratings were similar to those from
previous years and aligned with the national benchmark.
• About 8 in 10 residents indicated that they were likely to remain in Palo Alto for the next five years
and would recommend living in the city to someone who asked, which was similar to previous
years and the national benchmark. Finally, about 9 in 10 residents would recommend Palo Alto’s
libraries to friends, on par with previous years.
While residents were very satisfied with many City services, there are areas
for improvement.
• About 9 in 10 residents gave excellent or good ratings to the library facilities, public library
services, and the variety of library materials, as well as to fire emergency services, ambulance or
emergency medical services, Palo Alto open space, and city parks. These ratings were similar to
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 4
those given in previous years. As in 2023, Palo Alto open space was rated much higher than the
national benchmark, and city parks were rated above the benchmark.
• More than 8 in 10 survey respondents positively rated the preservation of natural areas (open
space, farmlands, and greenbelts), police services, fire prevention and education, recreation
centers/facilities and programs/classes, animal control, street cleaning, sewer services, refuse
collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste), utility payment options, drinking water,
and art programs and theater. These ratings were on par with those given in previous years.
• When companions to the nation were available, most of these services rated higher than the
national benchmark, including preservation of natural areas, drinking water, utility payment
options, animal control, street cleaning, recreation centers/facilities and recreation
programs/classes.
• All in all, 28 services received similar ratings to those in 2023, while 6 services received lower
ratings (building and planning application processing services, code enforcement, traffic
enforcement, traffic signal timing, sidewalk maintenance and electric utility) and one service
received a higher rating (street repair).
• When compared to the nation, there were 9 services above the benchmark (Palo Alto open space,
city parks, preservation of natural areas, drinking water, utility payment options, animal control,
street cleaning, recreation centers/facilities and recreation programs/classes and 14 services on
par. No service was below the national benchmark.
Issues related to affordable housing and cost of living remain a concern for
residents.
• As in previous years, fewer than 1 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to the cost of living in Palo
Alto, while about 1 in 10 survey respondents favorably rated the availability of affordable quality
housing. Both ratings were lower than the national benchmark.
• The survey included an open-ended question where respondents could describe, in their own
words, one change the city could make to increase resident satisfaction. The most common
response was related to housing and construction issues, followed by transit and transportation
issues.
• Among the best rated community characteristics were the overall image or reputation of Palo
Alto, the fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths or trails, etc.), recreational
opportunities, the ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto and the ease of walking in Palo Alto, all
with 75% of more residents giving positive ratings.
• Compared to 2023, all ratings were similar except for the vibrancy of downtown/ commercial
areas, which decreased from 65% in 2023 to the current 59%.
Parks, open space, and natural environment topped the ranked of things that
City does well.
• The survey included an open-ended question where respondents could write in their own words
one thing they believe the city does well and should maintain. Open space and the natural
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 5
environment topped the ranking, accounting for 25% of the mentions, followed by activities and
recreation (13%), safety services (12%), and utility and city services (11%).
Ratings for Palo Alto government performance are on the rise.
• Three-quarters of Palo Alto residents gave the local government high marks for treating residents
with respect, while about 6 in 10 praised the government for being honest, treating all residents
fairly, and informing residents about issues facing the community.
• All other aspects of government were similarly rated as in the previous year except for the overall
direction that Palo Alto is taking, which received a lower rating than in 2023 (47% versus 54%).
• Where benchmark comparisons were available, Palo Alto ranked similar to the national
benchmarks.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 6
Detailed Survey Methods
Survey Information
The 2024 Palo Alto Community Survey was conducted by Polco/National Research Center, Inc. (NRC).
Results offer insight into residents’ perspectives about their community, as well as community needs
and resident participation. This information can be used to support budgeting, land use and strategic
planning, and communication with residents. The demographic characteristics and geographic location
of respondents were collected to permit weighting to the Census and American Community Survey
estimates, and comparison of results for different subgroups of residents. The City of Palo Alto funded
this research.
Survey Validity
Polco recognizes that the issue of survey validity has two key components: 1) How can a community be
confident that the survey results from respondents accurately represent what would have been obtained
if the entire population had participated? and 2) To what extent do the perspectives captured in the survey
reflect the true beliefs and behaviors of residents?
To answer the first question, the best survey research practices were used for the resources spent to
ensure that the results from the survey respondents reflect the opinions of residents in the entire
community. These practices include:
• Using mail-based methodology, which typically gets a higher response rate than phone for the same
dollars spent. Getting a higher response rate lessens the worry that those who did not respond are
different than those who did respond.
• Using a list of households or residents that is as comprehensive as possible (like a USPS list that
includes all households) and selecting households at random to ensure they are representative of
the larger community.
• Over-sampling multi-family housing units to improve response from respondents who generally
respond in lower proportions.
• Contacting selected households multiple times to encourage response from people who may have
different opinions or habits than those who would respond with only a single prompt.
• Inviting response in a compelling manner (using appropriate letterhead/logos and a signature of a
visible leader) to appeal to recipients’ sense of civic responsibility.
• Offering the opportunity to complete the survey online or by mail, and providing a pre-addressed,
postage-paid return envelope for ease and to spare the respondent any expense.
• Weighting the results to reflect the demographic characteristics of the population.
The answer to the second question about how closely the perspectives recorded on the survey reflect
what residents really believe or do is more complex. Resident responses to surveys are influenced by a
variety of factors. For questions about service quality, residents’ expectations for service quality play a
role as well as the “objective” quality of the service provided, the way the resident perceives the entire
community (that is, the context in which the service is provided), the scale on which the resident is asked
to record their opinion and, of course, the opinion, itself, that a resident holds about the service. Similarly
a resident’s report of certain behaviors is colored by what he or she believes is the socially desirable
response (e.g., reporting tolerant behaviors toward “oppressed groups,” likelihood of voting for a tax
increase for services to poor people, use of alternative modes of travel to work besides the single
occupancy vehicle), their memory of the actual behavior (if it is not a question speculating about future
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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actions, like a vote), their confidence that they can be honest without suffering any negative
consequences (thus the need for anonymity) as well as the actual behavior itself.
How closely survey results come to recording the way a person really feels or behaves often is measured
by the coincidence of reported behavior with observed current behavior (e.g., driving habits), reported
intentions to behave with observed future behavior (e.g., voting choices) or reported opinions about
current community quality with objective characteristics of the community (e.g., feelings of safety
correlated with rates of crime). There is a body of scientific literature that has investigated the
relationship between reported behaviors and actual behaviors. Well-conducted surveys, by and large, do
capture true respondent behaviors or intentions to act with great accuracy. Predictions of voting
outcomes tend to be quite accurate using survey research, as do reported behaviors that are not about
highly sensitive issues (e.g., family abuse or other illegal or morally sanctioned activities). For self-reports
about highly sensitive issues, statistical adjustments can be made to correct for the respondents’
tendency to report what they think the “correct” response should be.
Research on the correlation of resident opinion about service quality and “objective” ratings of service
quality vary, with some showing stronger relationships than others. Polco’s own research has
demonstrated that residents who report the lowest ratings of street repair live in communities with
objectively worse street conditions than those who report high ratings of street repair (based on road
quality, delay in street repair, number of road repair employees). Similarly, the lowest rated fire services
appear to be “objectively” worse than the highest rated fire services (expenditures per capita, response
time, “professional” status of firefighters, breadth of services and training provided). Resident opinion
commonly reflects objective performance data but is an important measure on its own. Polco principals
have written, “If you collect trash three times a day but residents think that your trash haul is lousy, you
still have a problem.”
Selecting Survey Recipients
“Sampling” refers to the method by which households were chosen to receive the survey. All households
within the City of Palo Alto were eligible to participate in the survey. A list of all households within the zip
codes serving Palo Alto was purchased from Go-Dog Direct based on updated listings from the United
States Postal Service. Since some of the zip codes that serve Palo Alto households may also serve
addresses that lie outside of the community, the exact geographic location of each housing unit was
compared to community boundaries using the most current municipal boundary file (updated on a
quarterly basis) and addresses located outside of Palo Alto boundaries were removed from
consideration. Each address identified as being within City boundaries was further identified as being
within one of six areas.
To choose the 3,600 survey recipients, a systematic sampling method was applied to the list of
households previously screened for geographic location. Systematic sampling is a procedure whereby a
complete list of all possible households is culled, selecting every Nth one, giving each eligible household
a known probability of selection, until the appropriate number of households is selected. Multi-family
housing units were selected at a higher rate as residents of this type of housing typically respond at lower
rates to surveys than do those in single-family housing units. Figure 1 displays a map of the randomly
selected households to receive the survey. In general, because of the random sampling techniques used,
the displayed sampling density will closely mirror the overall housing unit density (which may be different
from the population density). While the theory of probability assumes no bias in selection, there may be
some minor variations in practice (meaning, an area with only 15% of the housing units might be selected
at an actual rate that is slightly above or below that).
In addition to the scientific, random selection of households, a link to an online open participation survey
was publicized and posted to the City of Palo Alto website. This open participation survey was identical
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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to the scientific survey and open to all City residents. Results from the open participation survey can be
found in Appendix C: Results to Open Participation Survey.
Figure 1: Location of the random selected households by Area
█ Area 1 █ Area 2 █ Area 3 █ Area 4 █ Area 5 █ Area 6
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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Survey Administration and Response
Selected households received mailings beginning on August 19, 2024. All 3,600 households received
three notifications in the mail. The first mailing was a postcard announcing the upcoming survey with a
link and QR code to complete the survey online. The next mailing contained a letter from the City Manager
inviting the household to participate, along with a paper questionnaire and a postage-paid return
envelope. The third and final mailing was a reminder postcard. The second and third mailings also asked
respondents not to complete the survey a second time.
The online survey was available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. The paper survey was
available in English only. All mailings included a URL through which the residents could choose to
respond online, along with instructions on how to access the survey in Spanish or Simplified Chinese.
Completed surveys were collected over nine weeks. The online open participation survey was available
to residents beginning September 16, 2024, and remained open through October 21, 2024.
About 3% of the 3,600 surveys mailed were returned because the housing unit was vacant, or the postal
service was unable to deliver the survey as addressed. Of the remaining 3,509 households that received
the survey, 585 completed the survey, providing an overall response rate of 17%. Of the 585 completed
surveys, 292 were completed online. Three surveys were completed in Simplified Chinese. Additionally,
responses were tracked by geographic subarea; response rates by area ranged from 14% to 22%. The
response rates were calculated using AAPOR’s response rate #21 for mailed surveys of unnamed
persons. Additionally, 727 residents completed the online open participation survey.
Confidence Intervals
It is customary to describe the precision of estimates made from surveys by a “level of confidence” and
accompanying “confidence interval” (or margin of error). A traditional level of confidence, and the one
used here, is 95 percent. The 95 percent level of confidence can be any size and quantifies the sampling
error or imprecision of the survey results because some residents’ opinions are relied on to estimate all
residents’ opinions.2
The margin of error or confidence interval for the City of Palo Alto survey is no greater than plus or minus
four percentage points around any given percent reported for the entire sample (585 completed surveys).
For subgroups of responses, the margin of error increases because the number of responses for the
subgroup is smaller. For subgroups the margin of error is larger as there are fewer respondents in each.
The margin of error for the six areas within Palo Alto are shown in the following table, it ranges from ±8%
in Area 6 to ±14% in Area 5.
1 See AAPOR’s Standard Definitions for more information: https://aapor.org/standards-and-ethics/standard-definitions/
2 A 95 percent level of confidence indicates that for every 100 random samples of this many residents, 95 of the confidence intervals
created will include the “true” population response. This theory is applied in practice to mean that the “true” perspective of the target
population lies within the confidence interval created for a single survey. For example, if 75 percent of residents rate a service as
“excellent” or “good,” then the 4 percent margin of error (for the 95 percent level of confidence) indicates that the range of likely
responses for the entire community is between 71 percent and 79 percent. This source of uncertainty is called sampling error. In
addition to sampling error, other sources of error may affect any survey, including the nonresponse of residents with opinions
different from survey responders. Differences in question wording, order, translation and data entry, as examples, can lead to
somewhat varying results.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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Table 1: Survey Response Rates
Number
mailed Undeliverable Eligible Returned
Response
rate
Margin of
error
Area 1 401 7 394 85 22% 11%
Area 2 625 13 612 100 16% 10%
Area 3 445 12 433 82 19% 11%
Area 4 763 18 745 128 17% 9%
Area 5 356 13 343 52 15% 14%
Area 6 1,010 28 982 138 14% 8%
Overall 3,600 91 3,509 585 17% 4%
Survey Processing (Data Entry)
Upon receipt, completed paper surveys were assigned a unique identification number. Additionally, each
survey was reviewed and “cleaned” as necessary. For example, a question may have asked a respondent
to pick two items out of a list of five, but the respondent checked three; in this case, Polco would use
protocols to randomly choose two of the three selected items for inclusion in the dataset.
All paper surveys then were entered twice into an electronic dataset; any discrepancies were resolved in
comparison to the original survey form. Range checks as well as other forms of quality control were also
performed.
Online surveys were conducted through the Polco platform. The Polco platform includes many features
of online survey tools, but also includes elements tailored to the civic environment. For example, like
Polco’s mailed surveys, surveys on Polco are presented with the City name, logo (or other image) and a
description, so residents understand who is asking for input and why. Optionally, Polco can also verify
respondents with local public data to ensure respondents are residents or voters. More generally, an
advantage of online programming and data gathering is that it allows for more rigid control of the data
format, making extensive data cleaning unnecessary.
Survey Data Weighting
Upon completion of data collection for both the address-based and open participation surveys, the
demographics of each dataset were separately compared to those found in the 2020 Census and 2022
American Community Survey estimates for adults in the City of Palo Alto. The primary objective of
weighting survey data is to make the survey respondents are reflective of the larger population of the
community. Both survey datasets were weighted independently to best match the Census. The
characteristics used for weighting were housing tenure (rent or own), housing unit type (attached or
detached), sex, age and area. The highlights are based on the results from the address-based mail survey
and full results for that outreach effort can be found in Appendix A: Results Tables. Results for the open
participation survey can be found in Appendix C: Results from Open Participation Survey.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
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Table 2: Palo Alto, CA 2024 Weighting Table
Characteristic Population Norm Unweighted Data Weighted Data
Housing
Rent home 44% 25% 43%
Own home 56% 75% 57%
Detached unit* 59% 62% 59%
Attached unit* 41% 38% 41%
Race and Ethnicity
White 55% 58% 59%
Not white 45% 42% 41%
Not Hispanic 94% 93% 93%
Hispanic 6% 7% 7%
Sex and Age
Female 52% 51% 52%
Male 48% 49% 48%
18-34 years of age 23% 9% 22%
35-54 years of age 35% 28% 35%
55+ years of age 42% 62% 43%
Females 18-34 11% 4% 11%
Females 35-54 18% 15% 18%
Females 55+ 23% 33% 23%
Males 18-34 12% 5% 11%
Males 35-54 17% 14% 17%
Males 55+ 19% 30% 20%
Area
Area 1 13% 15% 12%
Area 2 19% 17% 19%
Area 3 13% 14% 13%
Area 4 20% 22% 20%
Area 5 9% 9% 9%
Area 6 26% 24% 26%
* U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2022 5-year estimates
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Survey Data Analysis and Reporting
The survey dataset was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). When
results are compared by demographic and geographic subgroups, and in the highlights section, the
percentages presented represent the “percent positive.” The percent positive is the combination of the
top two most positive response options (i.e., “excellent” and “good,” “very safe” and “somewhat safe,”
“essential” and “very important,” etc.), or, in the case of resident behaviors/participation, the percent
positive represents the proportion of respondents indicating “yes” or participating in an activity at least
once a month.
On many of the questions in the survey respondents may answer “don’t know.” In Appendix A, for each
question there are two tables that show all scale points, one including and one excluding the respondents
who chose don’t know. For ease of comparison, “don’t know” responses are excluded from the tables
which show comparisons by subgroups and also from the results discussed in the Highlights. In other
words, the Highlights and comparison tables only show the responses from respondents who had an
opinion about a specific item.
When a table for a question that only permitted a single response does not total to exactly 100%, it is due
to the common practice of percentages being rounded to the nearest whole number.
Trends Over Time
Trend tables display trends over time, comparing the 2024 ratings for the City of Palo Alto to the 11
previous iterations of survey results (going back to 2011) and displaying 2003 data, the year when
surveying started, when available.
Trend data for Palo Alto represent important comparison data and should be examined for improvements
or declines. Deviations from stable trends over time, especially, represent opportunities for
understanding how local policies, programs or public information may have affected residents’ opinions.
Meaningful differences between survey years have been noted within the following tables as being
“higher” or “lower” if the differences are greater than approximately six percentage points3 between the
2024 and 2023 surveys; otherwise, the comparisons between 2024 and 2023 are noted as being “similar.”
When comparing results over time, small differences (those with less than a 6 percent difference) are
more likely to be due to random variation (attributable to chance over real change), while larger
differences (those greater than 6 percent) may be due to a real shift in resident perspective. However, it
is often wise to continue to monitor results over a longer period of time to rule out random variation due
to chance in the sampling process. Sometimes small changes in question wording can explain changes
in results as well.
3 While the percentages are reported as rounded whole numbers, meaningful differences are identified based on unrounded
percentages with decimals in place.
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Geographic and Demographic Comparisons
The subgroup comparison tables in Appendix A display differences in opinion of survey respondents by
the six geographic subareas and by race/ethnicity and age groups.
Chi-square or ANOVA tests of significance were applied to these breakdowns of survey questions. A “p-
value” of 0.05 or less indicates that there is less than a 5% probability that differences observed between
groups are due to chance; or in other words, a greater than 95% probability that the differences observed
in the selected categories of the sample represent “real” differences among those populations. As
subgroups vary in size and each group (and each comparison to another group) has a unique margin of
error, statistical testing is used to determine whether differences between subgroups are statistically
significant.
Each column in the subgroup comparison tables is labeled with a letter for each group being compared.
The “Overall” column, which shows the ratings for all respondents, also has a column designation of
“(A)”, but no statistical tests were done for the overall rating.
For each pair of subgroup ratings within a row (a single question item) that has a statistically significant
difference, an uppercase letter denoting significance is shown in the cell with the larger column
proportion. The letter denotes the subgroup with the smaller column proportion from which it is
statistically different. Subgroups that have no uppercase letter denotation in their column and that are
also not referred to in any other column were not statistically different.
National Benchmark Comparisons
Comparison Data
Polco’s database of comparative resident opinion is comprised of resident perspectives gathered in
surveys from over 500 communities whose residents evaluated the same kinds of topics as on the Palo
Alto Community Survey. The surveys gathered for Polco’s database include data from communities that
have been conducted by Polco, as well as citizen surveys unaffiliated with Polco. The comparison
evaluations are from the most recent survey completed in each community; most communities conduct
surveys every year or in alternating years. Polco adds the latest results quickly upon survey completion,
keeping the benchmark data fresh and relevant, and the comparisons are to jurisdictions that have
conducted a survey within the last five years. The communities in the database represent a wide
geographic and population range. The City of Palo Alto chose to have comparisons made to the entire
database.
Interpreting the Results
Ratings are compared for items in questions 1 through 12 when there are at least five communities in
which a similar question was asked. Where comparisons are available, four columns are provided in the
table. The first column is Palo Alto’s average rating, converted to a 100-point scale. The second column
is the rank assigned to Palo Alto’s rating among communities where a similar question was asked. The
third column is the number of communities that asked a similar question. The final column shows the
comparison of Palo Alto’s rating to the benchmark.
Although responses to many of the evaluative questions were made on a four-point scale with 1
representing the best rating and 4 the worst, the benchmarks are calculated on a common scale where
0 is the worst possible rating and 100 is the best possible rating.
In that final column, Palo Alto’s results are noted as being “higher” than the benchmark, “lower” than the
benchmark, or “similar” to the benchmark, meaning that the average rating given by Palo Alto residents
is statistically similar to or different (greater or lesser) than the benchmark. More extreme differences
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November 2024
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are noted as “much higher” or “much lower.” A rating is considered “similar” if it is within the standard
range of 10 points; “higher” or “lower” if the difference between Palo Alto’s rating and the benchmark is
greater than the standard range but less than twice the standard range; and “much higher” or “much
lower” if the difference between Palo Alto’s rating and the benchmark is higher or lower by more than
twice the standard range. Where benchmark ratings were not available, “NA” indicates that this
information is not applicable (these were questions specific to Palo Alto and not asked in other
communities).
The 100-point scale is not a percent. It is a conversion of responses to an average rating. Each response
option is assigned a value that is used in calculating the average score. For example, “very good”= 100,
“good”= 75, “neither good nor bad”= 50, “bad”= 25, and “very bad”= 0. If everyone reported “very good,”
then the average rating would be 100 on the 100-point scale. Likewise, if all respondents gave a “very
bad” rating, the result would be 0 on the 100-point scale. If half the respondents gave a score of “very
good” and half gave a score of “very bad,” the average would be 50, in the middle of the scale (like the
center post of a teeter totter) or “neither good nor bad.” An example of how to convert survey frequencies
into an average rating appears below.
Table 3: Example of Converting Responses to the 100-point Scale
How do you rate the community as a place to live?
Response
option
Total
with
“don’t
know”
Step1: Remove
“don’t know”
responses
Total
without
“don’t
know”
Step 2:
Assign
scale
values
Step 3: Multiply
% by scale
value
Step 4: Sum
to calculate
average rating
Very good 15% =15÷(100-2)= 15.3% 100 =15.3% x 100 = 15.3
Good 53% =53÷(100-2)= 54.1% 75 =54.1% x 75 = 40.6
Neither good
nor bad
26% =26÷(100-2)= 26.5% 50 =26.5% x 50 = 13.3
Bad 3% =3÷(100-2)= 3.1% 25 =3.1% x 25 = 0.8
Very bad 0% =0÷(100-2)= 0% 0 =0% x 0 = 0
Don’t know 2% --
Total 100% 100% 70
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Appendix A: Results Tables
The following pages contain results for each question on the survey, the first set of results includes the
“don’t know” responses, followed by results excluding the “don’t know” responses (where “don’t know”
was an option), trends over time and geographic comparisons. For the questions in the survey where
respondents could answer “don’t know,” the proportion of respondents giving this reply were not included
for the comparisons over time and by geography. In other words, these tables display the responses from
respondents who had an opinion about a specific item.
For the basic frequencies, the percent of respondents giving a particular response is shown followed by
the number of respondents (denoted with “N=”); the number of respondents is specific to each item,
based on the actual number of responses received for the question or question item and based on the
weighted data (weighted responses are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not exactly add
up to the total number of responses). Generally, a small portion of respondents select “don’t know” for
most survey items and, inevitably, some items have a larger “don’t know” percentage. Comparing
responses to a set of items on the same scale can be misleading when the “don’t know” responses have
been included. If two items have disparate “don’t know” percentages (2 percent versus 17 percent, for
example), any apparent similarities or differences across the remaining response options may disappear
once the “don’t know” responses are removed.
Tables displaying trend data appear only for the years in which the questions were asked. Meaningful
differences between survey years have been noted within the following tables as being “higher” or “lower”
if the differences are greater than approximately six percentage points between the 2024 and 2023
surveys; otherwise, the comparison between 2024 and 2023 are noted as being “similar.”
Geographic and demographic comparisons have been provided for questions 1 through 18 (some
questions having multiple, non-scaled responses are not included). Chi-square or ANOVA tests of
significance were applied to these breakdowns of survey questions. A “p-value” of 0.05 or less indicates
that there is less than a 5% probability that differences observed between groups are due to chance; or
in other words, a greater than 95% probability that the differences observed in the selected categories of
the sample represent “real” differences among those populations. As subgroups vary in size and each
group (and each comparison to another group) has a unique margin of error, statistical testing is used
to determine whether differences between subgroups are statistically significant.
Each column in the following tables is labeled with a letter for each subgroup being compared. The
“Overall” column, which shows the ratings for all respondents, also has a column designation of “(A)”,
but no statistical tests were done for the overall rating.
For each pair of subgroup ratings within a row (a single question item) that has a statistically significant
difference, an upper-case letter denoting significance is shown in the cell with the larger column
proportion. The letter denotes the subgroup with the smaller column proportion from which it is
statistically different. Subgroups that have no upper-case letter denotation in their column and that are
also not referred to in any other column were not statistically different.
For example, in Table 8 on page 18, respondents in Area 4 (D) gave significantly higher ratings to Palo
Alto as a place to work than respondents in Area 3 (C), as denoted by the “C” listed in the cell of the
ratings for Area 4.
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Question 1
Table 4: Question 1 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of
life in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Palo Alto as a place to live 50% N=291 41% N=240 7% N=40 2% N=11 0% N=1 100% N=583
Your neighborhood as a place to live 53% N=310 39% N=230 7% N=41 0% N=3 0% N=0 100% N=584
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 44% N=254 29% N=167 12% N=67 3% N=16 13% N=78 100% N=582
Palo Alto as a place to work 35% N=203 32% N=186 10% N=59 3% N=16 19% N=111 100% N=575
Palo Alto as a place to visit 27% N=156 39% N=225 21% N=123 7% N=39 6% N=34 100% N=577
Palo Alto as a place to retire 22% N=125 23% N=132 21% N=124 16% N=93 18% N=104 100% N=577
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 41% N=237 48% N=278 10% N=59 1% N=7 0% N=0 100% N=581
Table 5: Question 1 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of
life in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Palo Alto as a place to live 50% N=291 41% N=240 7% N=40 2% N=11 100% N=582
Your neighborhood as a place to live 53% N=310 39% N=230 7% N=41 0% N=3 100% N=583
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 50% N=254 33% N=167 13% N=67 3% N=16 100% N=504
Palo Alto as a place to work 44% N=203 40% N=186 13% N=59 3% N=16 100% N=463
Palo Alto as a place to visit 29% N=156 41% N=225 23% N=123 7% N=39 100% N=542
Palo Alto as a place to retire 26% N=125 28% N=132 26% N=124 20% N=93 100% N=473
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 41% N=237 48% N=278 10% N=59 1% N=7 100% N=581
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Table 6: Question 1 - Historical Results
Please rate each of the
following aspects of quality of
life in Palo Alto:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Palo Alto as a place to live 95% 94% 95% 92% 95% 92% 91% 91% 89% 88% 88% 90% 91% Similar
Your neighborhood as a place
to live
88% 90% 90% 91% 92% 90% 91% 91% 90% 89% 88% 92% 93% Similar
Palo Alto as a place to raise
children
90% 93% 92% 90% 93% 87% 84% 84% 82% 82% 87% 83% 84% Similar
Palo Alto as a place to work NA 89% 88% 89% 86% 87% 82% 82% 80% 82% 79% 85% 84% Similar
Palo Alto as a place to visit NA NA NA NA 75% 74% 72% 71% 68% 70% 69% 73% 70% Similar
Palo Alto as a place to retire 62% 68% 68% 56% 60% 52% 50% 51% 40% 52% 46% 53% 54% Similar
The overall quality of life in
Palo Alto
92% 94% 92% 94% 91% 91% 88% 85% 89% 84% 88% 86% 89% Similar
Table 7: Question 1 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto rating Rank
Number of jurisdictions
for comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Palo Alto as a place to live 80 95 349 Similar
Your neighborhood as a place to live 82 55 329 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 77 119 354 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to work 75 20 346 Higher
Palo Alto as a place to visit 64 122 318 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to retire 54 246 350 Similar
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 76 95 368 Similar
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Table 8: Question 1 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Palo Alto as a place to live
91% 91% 86% 94% 94% 91% 91%
Your neighborhood as a place to live 90% 92% 89% 96%
C
89% 95% 93%
Palo Alto as a place to raise children
87% 82% 86% 86% 76% 82% 84%
Palo Alto as a place to work 79% 81% 76% 89%
C
83% 89%
C
84%
Palo Alto as a place to visit 62% 68% 76% 78%
A
65% 68% 70%
Palo Alto as a place to retire 52% 38% 59%
B
59%
B
63%
B
59%
B
54%
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto
85% 87% 83% 92% 91% 91% 89%
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Table 9: Question 1 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial 18-34 35-54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Palo Alto as a place to live 91% 91% 94% 83% 92%
A
95%
A
91%
Your neighborhood as a place to live 93% 90% 97%
B
92% 90% 95% 93%
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 83% 86% 88% 72% 89%
A
84%
A
84%
Palo Alto as a place to work 87%
B
77% 81% 86% 82% 84% 84%
Palo Alto as a place to visit 69% 78%
C
63% 46% 73%
A
81%
A
70%
Palo Alto as a place to retire 56% 53% 59% 61% 47% 58%
B
54%
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto
89% 88% 93% 87% 90% 89% 89%
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November 2024
Report of Results
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Question 2
Table 10: Question 2 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they
relate to Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor
Don't
know Total
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall
design, buildings, parks and transportation systems)
25% N=146 50% N=291 21% N=122 4% N=21 0% N=1 100% N=581
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 42% N=242 46% N=269 10% N=57 2% N=12 0% N=0 100% N=580
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 43% N=251 43% N=252 12% N=70 0% N=1 1% N=5 100% N=580
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 41% N=241 39% N=225 12% N=70 2% N=11 6% N=34 100% N=580
Residents' connection and engagement with their
community
17% N=97 40% N=234 26% N=153 10% N=56 7% N=40 100% N=580
Table 11: Question 2 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo
Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
25% N=146 50% N=291 21% N=122 4% N=21 100% N=580
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 42% N=242 46% N=269 10% N=57 2% N=12 100% N=580
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 44% N=251 44% N=252 12% N=70 0% N=1 100% N=575
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 44% N=241 41% N=225 13% N=70 2% N=11 100% N=546
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 18% N=97 43% N=234 28% N=153 10% N=56 100% N=541
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November 2024
Report of Results
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Table 12: Question 2 - Historical Results
Please rate each of the following
characteristics as they relate to Palo
Alto as a whole:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Overall "built environment" of Palo
Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation
systems)
NA NA NA 67% 63% 59% 65% 62% 76% 72% 72% 75% Similar
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto NA NA NA 92% 91% 94% 94% 91% 87% 84% 84% 88% Similar
Overall quality of natural environment
in Palo Alto
84% 88% 83% 88% 86% 84% 89% 87% 90% 88% 90% 87% Similar
Health and wellness opportunities in
Palo Alto
NA NA NA 88% 88% 85% 88% 84% 88% 90% 84% 85% Similar
Residents' connection and
engagement with their community
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 62% 63% 61% 61% Similar
Table 13: Question 2 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
66 33 309 Higher
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 76 87 337 Similar
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 77 62 320 Similar
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 76 25 312 Higher
Residents’ connection and engagement with their community 56 94 288 Similar
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Table 14: Question 2 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
70% 77% 76% 88%
A E F
70% 69% 75%
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 88% 87% 82% 89% 93% 89% 88%
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 85% 84% 88% 93%
B
88% 87% 87%
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 88% 88%
F
81% 91%
F
89% 79% 85%
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 61% 47% 69%
B
74%
B F
63% 58% 61%
Table 15: Question 2 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial 18-34 35-54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall
design, buildings, parks and transportation systems)
74% 79% 77% 64% 81%
A
77%
A
75%
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 91%
B
83% 88% 94%
C
88% 85% 88%
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 88% 86% 90% 82% 90%
A
89% 87%
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 87% 83% 85% 79% 85% 88%
A
85%
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 62% 67%
C
51% 58% 61% 62% 61%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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Question 3
Table 16: Question 3 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do
each of the following: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely
Very
unlikely Don't know Total
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who
asks 42% N=242 36% N=210 14% N=81 8% N=46 1% N=5 100% N=583
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 56% N=325 21% N=124 11% N=63 9% N=54 3% N=17 100% N=582
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends 62% N=360 20% N=115 4% N=22 3% N=16 12% N=67 100% N=580
Table 17: Question 3 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do
each of the following: Very likely Somewhat likely Somewhat unlikely Very unlikely Total
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks 42% N=242 36% N=210 14% N=81 8% N=46 100% N=579
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 57% N=325 22% N=124 11% N=63 10% N=54 100% N=566
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends 70% N=360 22% N=115 4% N=22 3% N=16 100% N=513
Table 18: Question 3 - Historical Results
Please indicate how likely or unlikely
you are to do each of the following:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to 2023 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Recommend living in Palo Alto to
someone who asks
91% 92% 89% 86% 80% 72% 75% 73% 74% 75% 77% 78% Similar
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five
years
87% 87% 87% 83% 80% 75% 76% 78% 78% 84% 77% 79% Similar
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to
friends
NA NA NA NA NA NA 91% 92% 91% 92% 90% 92% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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Table 19: Question 3 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks 78 220 316 Similar
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 79 234 320 Similar
Table 20: Question 3 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very likely" or "somewhat likely"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks 85%
B
71% 81% 85%
B
74% 76% 78%
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 84% 74% 86%
B
78% 77% 79% 79%
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends 98%
F
95%
F
93%
F
94%
F
98%
F
85% 92%
Table 21: Question 3 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very likely" or "somewhat
likely"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian,
or Pacific Islander
Other race or Multi-
racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone
who asks
76% 83% 80% 73% 80% 78% 78%
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 77% 87%
A C
70% 43% 83%
A
93%
A B
79%
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends 91% 95% 94% 93% 92% 92% 92%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 25
Question 4
Table 22: Question 4 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community
does at each of the following. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Making all residents feel welcome 20% N=115 41% N=242 20% N=119 9% N=50 10% N=58 100% N=584
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 22% N=129 33% N=193 21% N=120 17% N=100 7% N=42 100% N=584
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse
backgrounds 28% N=163 36% N=211 18% N=107 8% N=45 10% N=57 100% N=583
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled,
homeless, etc.) 15% N=89 25% N=145 24% N=138 13% N=77 23% N=132 100% N=581
Table 23: Question 4 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community does at each of
the following. Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Making all residents feel welcome 22% N=115 46% N=242 23% N=119 10% N=50 100% N=526
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 24% N=129 36% N=193 22% N=120 18% N=100 100% N=542
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds 31% N=163 40% N=211 20% N=107 9% N=45 100% N=526
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled, homeless, etc.) 20% N=89 32% N=145 31% N=138 17% N=77 100% N=449
Table 24: Question 4 - Historical Results
Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community does at each of the following.
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to 2023 2021 2022 2023 2024
Making all residents feel welcome 59% 62% 66% 68% Similar
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 52% 51% 57% 59% Similar
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds 65% 65% 68% 71% Similar
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled, homeless, etc.) 47% 45% 50% 52% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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Table 25: Question 4 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Making all residents feel welcome 60 158 291 Similar
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 55 138 288 Similar
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds 65 66 289 Similar
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled,
homeless, etc.)
52 138 285 Similar
Table 26: Question 4 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Making all residents feel welcome 73% 58% 67% 75%
B F
79%
B F
63% 68%
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 54% 61% 56% 62% 69% 58% 59%
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds 69% 67% 72% 74% 73% 72% 71%
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled, homeless, etc.) 56% 53% 49% 54% 53% 50% 52%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 27
Table 27: Question 4 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or Pacific
Islander
Other race or Multi-
racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Making all residents feel welcome 65%
80%
A C 64% 60%
73%
A 69% 68%
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 58%
68%
A C 51% 43%
65%
A
63%
A 59%
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse
backgrounds 71%
79%
C 63% 57%
76%
A
74%
A 71%
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly,
disabled, homeless, etc.) 49%
66%
A C 47% 42%
61%
A 51% 52%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 28
Question 5
Table 28: Question 5 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as
they relate to Palo Alto as a whole:
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Overall quality of business and service
establishments in Palo Alto
21% N=121 49% N=285 25% N=147 3% N=18 2% N=11 100% N=582
Variety of business and service establishments in
Palo Alto
16% N=90 38% N=222 34% N=197 11% N=64 2% N=10 100% N=583
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 16% N=94 41% N=241 28% N=162 12% N=71 2% N=14 100% N=582
Employment opportunities 19% N=107 25% N=143 18% N=103 7% N=38 32% N=184 100% N=575
Shopping opportunities 26% N=150 39% N=226 26% N=150 8% N=47 1% N=7 100% N=581
Cost of living in Palo Alto 2% N=11 6% N=32 23% N=132 68% N=395 2% N=11 100% N=581
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 37% N=216 40% N=228 19% N=107 3% N=17 2% N=9 100% N=576
Traffic flow on major streets 9% N=53 38% N=221 37% N=214 15% N=87 1% N=3 100% N=578
Ease of public parking 20% N=116 44% N=254 23% N=132 7% N=43 5% N=31 100% N=577
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 24% N=138 45% N=261 22% N=127 5% N=31 3% N=19 100% N=577
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 6% N=37 16% N=92 25% N=145 25% N=147 27% N=158 100% N=578
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 30% N=173 39% N=222 14% N=81 2% N=14 15% N=87 100% N=577
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 43% N=248 38% N=222 15% N=84 3% N=17 1% N=7 100% N=578
Variety of housing options 4% N=20 18% N=102 30% N=173 37% N=214 12% N=69 100% N=579
Availability of affordable quality housing 3% N=16 6% N=35 13% N=78 59% N=342 19% N=108 100% N=579
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 8% N=47 20% N=117 23% N=131 18% N=104 31% N=176 100% N=575
Availability of paths and walking trails 28% N=161 43% N=249 21% N=122 5% N=31 3% N=17 100% N=580
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and
paths or trails, etc.)
29% N=169 41% N=241 16% N=92 4% N=21 10% N=59 100% N=582
Recreational opportunities 27% N=159 46% N=266 15% N=86 4% N=24 8% N=43 100% N=579
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 3% N=19 10% N=59 10% N=60 15% N=89 61% N=349 100% N=576
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 29% N=167 37% N=216 22% N=127 6% N=35 6% N=37 100% N=582
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 29
Table 29: Question 5 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to
Palo Alto as a whole:
Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Overall quality of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 21% N=121 50% N=285 26% N=147 3% N=18 100% N=571
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 16% N=90 39% N=222 34% N=197 11% N=64 100% N=573
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 17% N=94 42% N=241 28% N=162 12% N=71 100% N=568
Employment opportunities 27% N=107 37% N=143 26% N=103 10% N=38 100% N=391
Shopping opportunities 26% N=150 39% N=226 26% N=150 8% N=47 100% N=573
Cost of living in Palo Alto 2% N=11 6% N=32 23% N=132 69% N=395 100% N=570
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 38% N=216 40% N=228 19% N=107 3% N=17 100% N=567
Traffic flow on major streets 9% N=53 38% N=221 37% N=214 15% N=87 100% N=575
Ease of public parking 21% N=116 47% N=254 24% N=132 8% N=43 100% N=546
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 25% N=138 47% N=261 23% N=127 6% N=31 100% N=558
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 9% N=37 22% N=92 34% N=145 35% N=147 100% N=421
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 35% N=173 45% N=222 16% N=81 3% N=14 100% N=490
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 43% N=248 39% N=222 15% N=84 3% N=17 100% N=571
Variety of housing options 4% N=20 20% N=102 34% N=173 42% N=214 100% N=510
Availability of affordable quality housing 3% N=16 7% N=35 17% N=78 73% N=342 100% N=471
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 12% N=47 29% N=117 33% N=131 26% N=104 100% N=399
Availability of paths and walking trails 29% N=161 44% N=249 22% N=122 5% N=31 100% N=562
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths or trails,
etc.)
32% N=169 46% N=241 18% N=92 4% N=21 100% N=523
Recreational opportunities 30% N=159 50% N=266 16% N=86 4% N=24 100% N=535
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 8% N=19 26% N=59 27% N=60 39% N=89 100% N=227
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 31% N=167 40% N=216 23% N=127 6% N=35 100% N=545
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 30
Table 30: Question 5 - Historical Results
Please rate each of the following
characteristics as they relate to
Palo Alto as a whole:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared
to 2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Overall quality of business and
service establishments in Palo
Alto
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 85% 80% 74% 71% Similar
Variety of business and service
establishments in Palo Alto
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 66% 58% 58% 54% Similar
Vibrancy of downtown/
commercial areas
NA NA NA NA 77% 76% 73% 73% 71% 72% 62% 65% 59% Lower
Employment opportunities 33% 56% 68% 68% 69% 66% 70% 74% 73% 68% 73% 62% 64% Similar
Shopping opportunities NA 71% 69% 73% 82% 79% 80% 82% 79% 78% 73% 69% 66% Similar
Cost of living in Palo Alto NA NA NA NA 11% 8% 7% 8% 8% 6% 5% 8% 8% Similar
Overall image or reputation of Palo
Alto
NA 92% 92% 90% 92% 88% 86% 86% 83% 78% 76% 76% 78% Similar
Traffic flow on major streets 36% 47% 40% 36% 34% 35% 31% 30% 33% 49% 47% 51% 48% Similar
Ease of public parking NA NA NA NA NA 38% 36% 33% 32% 59% 67% 68% 68% Similar
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 55% 66% 62% 51% 55% 52% 44% 44% 42% 70% 72% 73% 72% Similar
Ease of travel by public
transportation in Palo Alto
NA 62% 64% 71% 65% 36% 26% 28% 29% 30% 24% 32% 31% Similar
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo
Alto
84% 77% 81% 78% 78% 77% 74% 78% 74% 79% 76% 77% 81% Similar
Ease of walking in Palo Alto NA 83% 82% 84% 84% 83% 80% 86% 83% 86% 85% 80% 82% Similar
Variety of housing options NA 37% 29% 26% 27% 20% 17% 18% 13% 27% 21% 26% 24% Similar
Availability of affordable quality
housing
6% 14% 12% 13% 11% 8% 6% 6% 5% 9% 6% 11% 11% Similar
Overall quality of new
development in Palo Alto
NA 53% 57% 56% 44% 51% 49% 42% 50% 38% 36% 40% 41% Similar
Availability of paths and walking
trails
NA 75% 75% 77% 71% 74% 73% 76% 77% 76% 76% 73% 73% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 31
Please rate each of the following
characteristics as they relate to
Palo Alto as a whole:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared
to 2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Fitness opportunities (including
exercise classes and paths or
trails, etc.)
NA NA NA NA NA 78% 78% 79% 78% 79% 77% 76% 78% Similar
Recreational opportunities NA 81% 81% 81% 77% 80% 77% 81% 75% 77% 79% 77% 79% Similar
Availability of affordable quality
mental health care
NA NA NA NA 63% 53% 46% 52% 38% 44% 26% 38% 34% Similar
Opportunities to attend
cultural/arts/music activities
NA 73% 77% 69% 81% 79% 77% 81% 74% 71% 78% 72% 70% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 32
Table 31: Question 5 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Overall quality of business and service establishments in
Palo Alto
63 130 318 Similar
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 53 152 287 Similar
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 54 127 303 Similar
Employment opportunities 61 28 327 Higher
Shopping opportunities 61 64 320 Higher
Cost of living in Palo Alto 13 298 309 Much Lower
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 71 91 344 Similar
Traffic flow on major streets 47 174 332 Similar
Ease of public parking 60 94 304 Similar
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 64 156 324 Similar
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 35 154 307 Similar
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 71 13 322 Much Higher
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 74 26 326 Higher
Variety of housing options 29 279 315 Lower
Availability of affordable quality housing 14 308 333 Lower
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 42 233 323 Similar
Availability of paths and walking trails 65 157 327 Similar
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths
or trails, etc.)
69 100 307 Similar
Recreational opportunities 68 90 323 Similar
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 35 198 305 Similar
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 65 62 326 Higher
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 33
Table 32: Question 5 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Overall quality of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 68% 67% 71% 77% 82%
B F
68% 71%
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 59% 48% 51% 63%
B
52% 53% 54%
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 60% 46% 53% 65%
B
76%
B C F
60%
B
59%
Employment opportunities 62% 62% 58% 61% 73% 69% 64%
Shopping opportunities 65% 63% 70% 67% 71% 62% 66%
Cost of living in Palo Alto 7% 6% 7% 13% 5% 7% 8%
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 80% 70% 81% 84%
B
84%
B
76% 78%
Traffic flow on major streets 48% 41% 40% 53% 56% 49% 48%
Ease of public parking 73% 75% 65% 66% 61% 65% 68%
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 74% 68% 65% 76% 70% 74% 72%
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 23% 22% 23% 45%
A B C E
28% 34% 31%
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 77% 85% 77% 85% 83% 77% 81%
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 74% 84% 75% 88%
A C
77% 86%
A C
82%
Variety of housing options 12% 31%
A
24% 28%
A
20% 23% 24%
Availability of affordable quality housing 7% 14% 10% 11% 13% 9% 11%
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 33% 41% 37% 47% 45% 42% 41%
Availability of paths and walking trails 71% 73% 70% 78% 67% 74% 73%
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths or trails, etc.) 78% 73% 78% 80% 78% 82% 78%
Recreational opportunities 79% 79% 78% 80% 82% 80% 79%
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 27% 42% 28% 41% 30% 34% 34%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 34
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 71% 64% 62% 77%
B C
77% 71% 70%
Table 33: Question 5 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Overall quality of business and service establishments in
Palo Alto
72% 71% 72% 73% 65% 75%
B
71%
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo
Alto
56% 52% 57% 58% 51% 55% 54%
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 58% 66% 55% 61% 63% 55% 59%
Employment opportunities 69%
B
54% 62% 83%
B C
57% 59% 64%
Shopping opportunities 67% 63% 66% 70% 60% 66% 66%
Cost of living in Palo Alto 7% 10% 7% 7% 7% 9% 8%
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 80%
C
80%
C
69% 65% 80%
A
84%
A
78%
Traffic flow on major streets 48% 53% 44% 41% 57%
A C
45% 48%
Ease of public parking 68% 73% 68% 74%
C
78%
C
58% 68%
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 75% 73% 67% 70% 79%
C
69% 72%
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 31% 35% 24% 33% 32% 28% 31%
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 82% 81% 72% 83% 82% 78% 81%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 35
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 86%
B
77% 79% 79% 80% 86% 82%
Variety of housing options 23% 26% 25% 10% 30%
A
28%
A
24%
Availability of affordable quality housing 6% 20%
A
11% 4% 17%
A C
10% 11%
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 39% 47% 47% 39% 52%
C
35% 41%
Availability of paths and walking trails 71% 80%
A
73% 64% 78%
A
74%
A
73%
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and
paths or trails, etc.)
82% 75% 79% 80% 80% 77% 78%
Recreational opportunities 83%
B
75% 78% 77% 80% 80% 79%
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 38%
C
35% 13% 24% 40% 33% 34%
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 75%
C
72%
C
48% 62% 68% 76%
A B
70%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 36
Question 6
Table 34: Question 6 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as
they relate to Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool 5% N=30 11% N=61 16% N=92 15% N=85 54% N=308 100% N=575
K-12 education 37% N=215 24% N=139 7% N=39 1% N=6 31% N=177 100% N=576
Adult educational opportunities 18% N=103 37% N=211 10% N=56 2% N=10 34% N=196 100% N=575
Opportunities to participate in social events and
activities
13% N=75 41% N=236 23% N=131 6% N=35 17% N=99 100% N=576
Openness and acceptance of the community toward
people of diverse backgrounds
21% N=122 37% N=215 18% N=105 6% N=35 17% N=99 100% N=575
Opportunities to learn about City services via City
website, social media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook,
Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn)
19% N=112 36% N=209 16% N=92 4% N=25 24% N=137 100% N=576
Table 35: Question 6 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo
Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool 11% N=30 23% N=61 34% N=92 32% N=85 100% N=267
K-12 education 54% N=215 35% N=139 10% N=39 2% N=6 100% N=399
Adult educational opportunities 27% N=103 56% N=211 15% N=56 3% N=10 100% N=379
Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 16% N=75 49% N=236 27% N=131 7% N=35 100% N=477
Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse
backgrounds
26% N=122 45% N=215 22% N=105 7% N=35 100% N=477
Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social media
(Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn)
26% N=112 48% N=209 21% N=92 6% N=25 100% N=439
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 37
Table 36: Question 6 - Historical Results*
Please rate each of the
following characteristics as
they relate to Palo Alto as a
whole:
Percent positive
2024 rating
compared to
2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Availability of affordable quality
child care/preschool
25% 35% 27% 31% 49% 49% 39% 47% 37% 44% 34% 43% 34% Lower
K-12 education NA 92% 92% 94% 95% 92% 90% 91% 91% 90% 88% 87% 89% Similar
Adult educational opportunities NA NA NA NA 89% 83% 78% 82% 77% 83% 81% 78% 83% Similar
Opportunities to participate in
social events and activities
NA 76% 74% 74% 71% 74% 70% 72% 65% 62% 65% 65% 65% Similar
Openness and acceptance of
the community toward people
of diverse backgrounds
73% 78% 80% 76% 76% 68% 72% 72% 72% 59% 60% 64% 71% Higher
Opportunities to learn about
City services through social
media such as Twitter,
Facebook, and Nextdoor
NA 63% 63% 71% 73% 75% 68% 76% 67% 71% 58% 70% 73% Similar
*Prior to 2023, “Opportunities to learn about City services through social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Nextdoor” was “Opportunities to learn about City services through
social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook”.
Table 37: Question 6 - Benchmark Comparisons*
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Availability of affordable quality child care/preschool 38 204 315 Similar
K-12 education 80 17 322 Much Higher
Adult educational opportunities 69 12 308 Higher
Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 58 139 312 Similar
Opportunities to participate in community matters 61 81 311 Similar
Openness and acceptance of the community towards people of
diverse backgrounds
63 45 324 Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 38
Table 38: Question 6 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area
1
Area
2
Area
3
Area
4
Area
5
Area
6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool 31% 38% 43%
E F
41%
E
19% 24% 34%
K-12 education 88% 80% 96%
B
93%
B
83% 90%
B
89%
Adult educational opportunities
79% 84% 77% 86% 76% 87% 83%
Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 72% 58% 68% 77%
B F
61% 59% 65%
Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds
67% 69% 74% 72% 76% 68% 71%
Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social media (Twitter/X,
Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn)
67% 68% 77% 85%
A B F
78% 68% 73%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 39
Table 39: Question 6 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool 28% 48%
A C
24% 0% 40%
A
37%
A
34%
K-12 education 93%
B
82% 91% 84% 87% 91% 89%
Adult educational opportunities 90%
B C
72% 70% 78% 81% 86% 83%
Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 69%
C
65%
C
49% 53% 65% 70%
A
65%
Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of
diverse backgrounds
73%
C
79%
C
58% 68% 70% 74% 71%
Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social
media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn)
78% 71% 66% 68% 77% 75% 73%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 40
Question 7
Table 40: Question 7 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Please indicate whether or not you have done each of the following in the last 12 months. No Yes Total
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services 50% N=286 50% N=291 100% N=576
Visited a neighborhood park or City park 5% N=26 95% N=554 100% N=580
Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services 25% N=144 75% N=434 100% N=578
Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto 76% N=437 24% N=138 100% N=575
Attended a City-sponsored event 45% N=262 55% N=317 100% N=579
Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors 16% N=90 84% N=487 100% N=577
Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills 40% N=232 60% N=344 100% N=576
Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills 28% N=164 72% N=414 100% N=579
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help or information 43% N=246 57% N=331 100% N=577
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to express your opinion 83% N=479 17% N=98 100% N=577
Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City Council or County Commissioners,
advisory boards, town halls, HOA, neighborhood watch, etc.)
83% N=479 17% N=99 100% N=578
Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting 84% N=484 16% N=94 100% N=578
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto 60% N=345 40% N=234 100% N=579
Voted in your most recent local election 27% N=156 73% N=423 100% N=579
Used bus, rail, subway, or other public transportation instead of driving 57% N=331 43% N=249 100% N=580
Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone 41% N=238 59% N=343 100% N=581
Walked or biked instead of driving 14% N=82 86% N=496 100% N=578
Observed a code violation or other hazard in Palo Alto (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 54% N=311 46% N=265 100% N=576
Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto 87% N=504 13% N=73 100% N=577
Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto 83% N=481 17% N=97 100% N=578
This question did not have a “don’t know” response option.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 41
Table 41: Question 7 - Historical Results*
Please indicate whether or not you have
done each of the following in the last 12
months (percent “yes”).
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their
services
60% 65% 58% 63% 65% 63% 63% 65% 39% 47% 53% 50% Similar
Visited a neighborhood park or City park 91% 95% 94% 91% 94% 93% 91% 94% 94% 94% 94% 95% Similar
Used Palo Alto public libraries or their
services
74% 77% 77% 68% 76% 73% 75% 78% 62% 72% 70% 75% Similar
Participated in religious or spiritual
activities in Palo Alto
NA 40% NA 30% 30% 31% 30% 30% 24% 24% 24% 24% Similar
Attended a City-sponsored event NA NA NA 50% 57% 51% 55% 52% 30% 45% 51% 55% Similar
Talked to or visited with your immediate
neighbors
NA NA NA 91% 89% 88% 92% 90% 88% 88% 89% 84% Similar
Used the City’s website to conduct
business or pay bills
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 53% 60% 63% 60% Similar
Used the Utilities webpage to conduct
business or pay bills
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 69% 69% 73% 72% Similar
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person,
phone, email or web) for help or
information
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 55% 58% 54% 57% Similar
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-
person, phone, email or web) to express
your opinion
NA NA NA 17% 15% 17% 20% 21% 25% 21% 17% 17% Similar
Attended a local public meeting (of local
elected officials like City Council or
County Commissioners, advisory boards,
town halls, HOA, neighborhood watch,
etc.)
27% 25% 28% 22% 22% 21% 24% 25% 26% 21% 20% 17% Similar
Watched (online or on television) a local
public meeting
27% 21% 24% 16% 18% 14% 16% 12% 29% 23% 18% 16% Similar
Volunteered your time to some
group/activity in Palo Alto
45% 54% 50% 40% 46% 45% 47% 47% 37% 45% 39% 40% Similar
Voted in your most recent local election NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 83% 77% 70% 73% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 42
Please indicate whether or not you have
done each of the following in the last 12
months (percent “yes”).
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Used bus, rail, subway, or other public
transportation instead of driving
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 34% 43% 44% 43% Similar
Carpooled with other adults or children
instead of driving alone
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 41% 60% 59% 59% Similar
Walked or biked instead of driving NA NA NA 85% 87% 87% 84% 88% 86% 88% 84% 86% Similar
Did NOT observe a code violation or other
hazard in Palo Alto
NA NA NA 70% 67% 67% 62% 63% 60% 60% 58% 54% Similar
Household member was NOT the victim
of a crime in Palo Alto
91% 91% 94% 92% 93% 91% 90% 93% 86% 88% 87% 87% Similar
Did NOT report a crime to the police in
Palo Alto
NA NA NA 87% 87% 86% 85% 87% 79% 85% 84% 83% Similar
*Some questions were re-worded in the Historical Results table to reflect the positive rating of 'yes.' Prior to 2023, “Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills”
was “Used the Utilities website to conduct business or pay bills”.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 43
Table 42: Question 7 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo
Alto rating Rank
Number of jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help
or information
57 42 329 Higher
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to
express your opinion
17 113 305 Similar
Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City
Council or County Commissioners, advisory boards,
17 193 308 Similar
Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting 16 243 300 Similar
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto 40 75 310 Similar
Voted in your most recent local election 73 167 286 Similar
Used bus, rail or other public transportation instead of driving 43 40 295 Much Higher
Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone 59 30 303 Higher
Walked or biked instead of driving 86 14 304 Much Higher
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 44
Table 43: Question 7 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent "yes"
Area Overall
Area
1
Area
2
Area
3
Area
4
Area
5
Area
6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services 46% 52% 51% 49% 55% 51% 50%
Visited a neighborhood park or City park 98% 94% 96% 94% 98% 95% 95%
Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services 77% 83%
F
77% 74% 73% 69% 75%
Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto 26% 25% 30% 22% 15% 24% 24%
Attended a City-sponsored event 58% 51% 53% 57% 54% 56% 55%
Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors 90%
E
83% 89% 83% 77% 84% 84%
Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills 60% 67% 54% 61% 61% 56% 60%
Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills 76% 79%
F
67% 72% 66% 68% 72%
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help or information 59% 55% 60% 48% 62% 62%
D
57%
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to express your
opinion
13% 16% 16% 19% 21% 17% 17%
Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City Council or County
Commissioners, advisory boards, town halls, HOA, neighborhood watch, etc.)
16% 14% 12% 16% 30%
B C D
20% 17%
Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting 17% 15% 12% 16% 17% 19% 16%
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto 40% 42% 48% 38% 32% 41% 40%
Voted in your most recent local election 62% 78%
A D
80%
A D
66% 77% 75%
A
73%
Used bus, rail, subway, or other public transportation instead of driving 37% 42% 42% 51%
E
32% 44% 43%
Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone 60% 59% 62% 62% 53% 57% 59%
Walked or biked instead of driving 91% 84% 81% 86% 89% 87% 86%
Observed a code violation or other hazard in Palo Alto (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 38% 55%
A D F
56%
A F
41% 47% 42% 46%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 45
Percent "yes"
Area Overall
Area
1
Area
2
Area
3
Area
4
Area
5
Area
6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto 11% 18%
D
11% 7% 8% 15% 13%
Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto 14% 20% 19% 13% 10% 21% 17%
Table 44: Question 7 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent "yes"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian,
or Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services 52% 48% 47% 33% 62%
A C
51%
A
50%
Visited a neighborhood park or City park 97%
B
92% 99%
B
100%
C
96% 93% 95%
Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services 74% 75% 77% 66% 82%
A
74% 75%
Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto 27%
B
13% 32%
B
19% 19% 29%
A B
24%
Attended a City-sponsored event 56% 49% 64%
B
56% 65%
C
47% 55%
Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors 86% 82% 84% 65% 87%
A
93%
A
84%
Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills 59% 62% 59% 59% 66%
C
56% 60%
Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills 68% 75% 81%
A
77%
C
78%
C
64% 72%
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help
or information
62%
C
52% 47% 48% 58% 62%
A
57%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 46
Percent "yes"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian,
or Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to
express your opinion
19%
B
10% 14% 6% 19%
A
21%
A
17%
Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City
Council or County Commissioners, advisory boards, town halls, HOA,
neighborhood watch, etc.)
20%
B
11% 13% 4% 16%
A
24%
A B
17%
Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting 19%
B
8% 19%
B
14% 15% 18% 16%
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto 43% 34% 36% 23% 47%
A
44%
A
40%
Voted in your most recent local election 81%
B C
58% 68% 56% 64% 89%
A B
73%
Used bus, rail, subway, or other public transportation instead of driving 42% 43% 50% 58%
C
49%
C
31% 43%
Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone 57% 66% 59% 71%
C
66%
C
49% 59%
Walked or biked instead of driving 85% 87% 91% 91%
C
93%
C
79% 86%
Observed a code violation or other hazard in Palo Alto (weeds,
abandoned buildings, etc.)
50%
B
34% 46% 38% 43% 51%
A
46%
Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto 13% 9% 17% 21%
B C
10% 11% 13%
Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto 15% 15% 23% 25%
B
12% 17% 17%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 47
Question 8
Table 45: Question 8 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Please rate the following categories of Palo Alto
government performance. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto 12% N=69 39% N=221 28% N=160 12% N=67 10% N=55 100% N=573
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 9% N=52 32% N=184 33% N=190 13% N=77 13% N=74 100% N=577
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming
resident involvement
12% N=68 26% N=151 21% N=119 12% N=66 30% N=172 100% N=577
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government 8% N=49 34% N=195 29% N=169 14% N=82 14% N=83 100% N=578
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 11% N=65 35% N=199 28% N=162 13% N=73 13% N=76 100% N=575
Being honest 12% N=68 31% N=180 19% N=111 8% N=46 30% N=170 100% N=576
Being open and transparent to the public 12% N=67 29% N=166 25% N=144 11% N=61 24% N=139 100% N=578
Informing residents about issues facing the community 14% N=80 34% N=195 26% N=150 9% N=52 17% N=99 100% N=575
Treating all residents fairly 14% N=79 34% N=196 15% N=88 9% N=51 28% N=160 100% N=574
Treating residents with respect 19% N=108 39% N=224 15% N=86 5% N=29 23% N=132 100% N=578
Table 46: Question 8 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the following categories of Palo Alto government
performance. Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto 13% N=69 43% N=221 31% N=160 13% N=67 100% N=518
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 10% N=52 37% N=184 38% N=190 15% N=77 100% N=503
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming resident involvement 17% N=68 37% N=151 29% N=119 16% N=66 100% N=405
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government 10% N=49 40% N=195 34% N=169 17% N=82 100% N=494
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 13% N=65 40% N=199 32% N=162 15% N=73 100% N=499
Being honest 17% N=68 45% N=180 27% N=111 11% N=46 100% N=405
Being open and transparent to the public 15% N=67 38% N=166 33% N=144 14% N=61 100% N=438
Informing residents about issues facing the community 17% N=80 41% N=195 31% N=150 11% N=52 100% N=476
Treating all residents fairly 19% N=79 47% N=196 21% N=88 12% N=51 100% N=414
Treating residents with respect 24% N=108 50% N=224 19% N=86 6% N=29 100% N=446
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 48
Table 47: Question 8 - Historical Results
Please rate the following
categories of Palo Alto
government performance:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
The value of services for the
taxes paid to Palo Alto
NA 66% 67% 66% 66% 65% 58% 61% 58% 53% 51% 57% 56% Similar
The overall direction that Palo
Alto is taking
54% 55% 59% 54% 50% 48% 40% 45% 42% 40% 42% 54% 47% Lower
The job Palo Alto government
does at welcoming resident
involvement
65% 57% 58% 55% 54% 61% 50% 56% 56% 51% 46% 55% 54% Similar
Overall confidence in Palo Alto
government
NA NA NA NA 52% 53% 44% 49% 46% 49% 47% 52% 49% Similar
Generally acting in the best
interest of the community
NA NA NA NA 54% 53% 44% 51% 45% 50% 52% 55% 53% Similar
Being honest NA NA NA NA 58% 62% 55% 61% 56% 55% 53% 62% 61% Similar
Being open and transparent to
the public
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 50% 53% 57% 53% Similar
Informing residents about
issues facing the community
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 55% 51% 61% 58% Similar
Treating all residents fairly NA NA NA NA 57% 53% 47% 56% 51% 57% 50% 62% 66% Similar
Treating residents with respect NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 67% 68% 71% 74% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 49
Table 48: Question 8 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto 52 134 359 Similar
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 47 213 334 Similar
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming citizen
involvement
52 143 334 Similar
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government 48 176 312 Similar
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 50 175 317 Similar
Being honest 56 122 308 Similar
Being open and transparent to the public 52 129 292 Similar
Informing residents about issues facing the community 55 74 295 Similar
Treating all residents fairly 58 109 314 Similar
Treating residents with respect 64 88 289 Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 50
Table 49: Question 8 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent "excellent" or "good".
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto
57% 54% 51% 59% 54% 58% 56%
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 46% 42% 43% 57%
B F
57% 42% 47%
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming resident involvement 49% 54% 44% 66%
C
55% 53% 54%
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government
45% 46% 45% 57% 51% 49% 49%
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 52% 43% 53% 62%
B
63%
B
51% 53%
Being honest
61% 58% 55% 63% 66% 63% 61%
Being open and transparent to the public
53% 52% 50% 59% 48% 54% 53%
Informing residents about issues facing the community 49% 55% 59% 66%
A E
47% 61% 58%
Treating all residents fairly
62% 72% 60% 68% 58% 69% 66%
Treating residents with respect
71% 71% 78% 73% 75% 78% 74%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 51
Table 50: Question 8 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent "excellent" or "good".
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto
59% 53% 59% 60% 53% 58% 56%
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 48% 55%
C
34% 44% 52% 47% 47%
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming
resident involvement
56% 57% 53% 60% 56% 52% 54%
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government
50% 54% 51% 56% 51% 48% 49%
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 52% 62%
A
53% 61% 53% 53% 53%
Being honest 61% 70% 55% 80%
B C
61% 58% 61%
Being open and transparent to the public 53% 62% 46% 69%
C
55% 49% 53%
Informing residents about issues facing the
community
62%
C
60%
C
44% 67% 55% 58% 58%
Treating all residents fairly
69% 70% 61% 76% 67% 65% 66%
Treating residents with respect 76% 82%
C
65% 90%
B C
75% 72% 74%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 52
Question 9
Table 51: Question 9 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services
provided by each of the following? Excellent Good Fair Poor
Don't
know Total
The City of Palo Alto 22% N=128 49% N=281 19% N=110 5% N=30 5% N=28 100% N=577
The State Government 8% N=46 36% N=204 31% N=177 18% N=101 8% N=46 100% N=574
The Federal Government 6% N=33 31% N=180 34% N=197 19% N=112 9% N=51 100% N=574
Table 52: Question 9 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by
each of the following? Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
The City of Palo Alto 23% N=128 51% N=281 20% N=110 6% N=30 100% N=550
The State Government 9% N=46 39% N=204 34% N=177 19% N=101 100% N=528
The Federal Government 6% N=33 34% N=180 38% N=197 21% N=112 100% N=522
Table 53: Question 9 - Historical Results
Overall, how would you rate the
quality of the services provided
by each of the following?
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
The City of Palo Alto 87% 83% 88% 84% 83% 85% 81% 86% 82% 73% 72% 74% 74% Similar
State Government 38% 26% 41% 33% NA 47% 46% 54% 46% 52% 57% 50% 47% Similar
The Federal Government 32% 41% 50% 37% 48% 46% 46% 36% 33% 27% 47% 45% 41% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 53
Table 54: Question 9 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
The City of Palo Alto 64 130 349 Similar
The Federal Government 42 82 301 Similar
Table 55: Question 9 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
The City of Palo Alto 73% 74% 73% 76% 73% 76% 74%
The State Government 32% 46% 53%
A
52%
57%
A
45% 47%
The Federal Government 24% 42%
A
39% 42%
A
45%
A
46%
A
41%
Table 56: Question 9 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or Multi-
racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
The City of Palo Alto 76% 73% 82% 89%
B C
72% 73% 74%
The State Government 50% 41% 51% 45% 47% 50% 47%
The Federal Government 44%
B
33% 43% 25% 42%
A
49%
A
41%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 54
Question 10
Table 57: Question 10 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the quality of each of the following
services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Traffic enforcement 13% N=75 38% N=215 24% N=139 15% N=87 10% N=56 100% N=573
Traffic signal timing 13% N=78 42% N=240 29% N=166 13% N=73 4% N=21 100% N=578
Street repair 13% N=72 39% N=223 28% N=163 19% N=108 1% N=8 100% N=574
Street cleaning 29% N=168 50% N=290 15% N=85 5% N=30 0% N=2 100% N=575
Street tree maintenance 25% N=146 45% N=258 18% N=103 9% N=52 3% N=15 100% N=574
Sidewalk maintenance 15% N=86 41% N=233 32% N=182 10% N=59 2% N=12 100% N=573
Land use, planning, and zoning 7% N=38 25% N=145 25% N=140 21% N=120 22% N=128 100% N=570
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 7% N=41 22% N=126 25% N=143 12% N=67 34% N=193 100% N=570
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands,
and greenbelts)
31% N=177 41% N=237 14% N=78 4% N=21 10% N=59 100% N=572
Building and planning application processing services 4% N=25 10% N=59 16% N=92 21% N=119 49% N=279 100% N=574
Affordable high-speed internet access 11% N=63 24% N=137 22% N=127 22% N=125 21% N=120 100% N=572
Electric utility 26% N=151 39% N=223 23% N=133 9% N=53 2% N=14 100% N=575
Gas utility 26% N=147 40% N=232 20% N=117 6% N=37 7% N=42 100% N=574
Utility payment options 38% N=222 36% N=207 14% N=82 4% N=22 8% N=44 100% N=576
Drinking water 47% N=274 36% N=206 12% N=72 3% N=19 1% N=6 100% N=576
Sewer services 32% N=183 45% N=257 13% N=75 2% N=12 8% N=48 100% N=576
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams,
levees, etc.)
25% N=144 42% N=241 16% N=91 4% N=23 13% N=73 100% N=573
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and
e-waste)
44% N=256 36% N=210 13% N=75 4% N=24 2% N=11 100% N=576
Police services 27% N=158 27% N=155 10% N=58 2% N=14 33% N=190 100% N=574
Crime prevention 19% N=106 34% N=196 17% N=95 7% N=40 23% N=133 100% N=570
Animal control 21% N=123 31% N=180 10% N=58 1% N=7 36% N=206 100% N=573
Ambulance or emergency medical services 27% N=155 20% N=115 4% N=25 0% N=2 48% N=272 100% N=569
Fire emergency services 29% N=167 21% N=121 4% N=22 1% N=4 45% N=256 100% N=570
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 55
Please rate the quality of each of the following
services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Fire prevention and education 20% N=114 22% N=127 8% N=48 2% N=10 47% N=269 100% N=569
Palo Alto open space (e.g., Foothills, Baylands) 54% N=312 30% N=173 9% N=53 1% N=6 5% N=29 100% N=573
City parks 52% N=296 38% N=216 8% N=47 2% N=10 1% N=6 100% N=575
Recreation programs or classes 26% N=150 31% N=175 12% N=68 2% N=13 29% N=169 100% N=574
Recreation centers or facilities 27% N=153 35% N=198 12% N=66 2% N=14 25% N=140 100% N=570
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes,
teen events, bookclubs)
51% N=293 23% N=129 5% N=29 1% N=8 20% N=114 100% N=573
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment,
accessibility)
52% N=296 25% N=146 5% N=28 1% N=4 17% N=100 100% N=573
Variety of library materials (books, e-books,
streaming, databases, audiobooks)
49% N=278 24% N=136 8% N=43 1% N=7 19% N=108 100% N=572
Art programs and theater 27% N=151 32% N=180 8% N=44 3% N=17 31% N=174 100% N=566
City-sponsored special events 19% N=107 33% N=185 14% N=78 3% N=16 32% N=183 100% N=569
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 19% N=107 43% N=244 19% N=110 4% N=25 15% N=84 100% N=570
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees
(police, receptionists, planners, etc.)
23% N=132 43% N=240 14% N=78 3% N=19 17% N=93 100% N=561
Table 58: Question 10 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Traffic enforcement 15% N=75 42% N=215 27% N=139 17% N=87 100% N=517
Traffic signal timing 14% N=78 43% N=240 30% N=166 13% N=73 100% N=557
Street repair 13% N=72 39% N=223 29% N=163 19% N=108 100% N=566
Street cleaning 29% N=168 51% N=290 15% N=85 5% N=30 100% N=572
Street tree maintenance 26% N=146 46% N=258 18% N=103 9% N=52 100% N=558
Sidewalk maintenance 15% N=86 42% N=233 33% N=182 11% N=59 100% N=560
Land use, planning, and zoning 9% N=38 33% N=145 32% N=140 27% N=120 100% N=442
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 11% N=41 33% N=126 38% N=143 18% N=67 100% N=377
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands, and greenbelts) 35% N=177 46% N=237 15% N=78 4% N=21 100% N=513
Building and planning application processing services 8% N=25 20% N=59 31% N=92 40% N=119 100% N=295
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 56
Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Affordable high-speed internet access 14% N=63 30% N=137 28% N=127 28% N=125 100% N=453
Electric utility 27% N=151 40% N=223 24% N=133 9% N=53 100% N=561
Gas utility 28% N=147 44% N=232 22% N=117 7% N=37 100% N=532
Utility payment options 42% N=222 39% N=207 15% N=82 4% N=22 100% N=532
Drinking water 48% N=274 36% N=206 13% N=72 3% N=19 100% N=571
Sewer services 35% N=183 49% N=257 14% N=75 2% N=12 100% N=528
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees, etc.) 29% N=144 48% N=241 18% N=91 5% N=23 100% N=500
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste) 45% N=256 37% N=210 13% N=75 4% N=24 100% N=565
Police services 41% N=158 40% N=155 15% N=58 4% N=14 100% N=384
Crime prevention 24% N=106 45% N=196 22% N=95 9% N=40 100% N=437
Animal control 33% N=123 49% N=180 16% N=58 2% N=7 100% N=367
Ambulance or emergency medical services 52% N=155 39% N=115 8% N=25 1% N=2 100% N=297
Fire emergency services 53% N=167 39% N=121 7% N=22 1% N=4 100% N=314
Fire prevention and education 38% N=114 42% N=127 16% N=48 3% N=10 100% N=300
Palo Alto open space (e.g., Foothills, Baylands) 57% N=312 32% N=173 10% N=53 1% N=6 100% N=544
City parks 52% N=296 38% N=216 8% N=47 2% N=10 100% N=569
Recreation programs or classes 37% N=150 43% N=175 17% N=68 3% N=13 100% N=406
Recreation centers or facilities 35% N=153 46% N=198 15% N=66 3% N=14 100% N=430
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen events,
bookclubs)
64% N=293 28% N=129 6% N=29 2% N=8 100% N=459
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment, accessibility) 63% N=296 31% N=146 6% N=28 1% N=4 100% N=473
Variety of library materials (books, e-books, streaming, databases,
audiobooks)
60% N=278 29% N=136 9% N=43 2% N=7 100% N=464
Art programs and theater 39% N=151 46% N=180 11% N=44 4% N=17 100% N=392
City-sponsored special events 28% N=107 48% N=185 20% N=78 4% N=16 100% N=386
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 22% N=107 50% N=244 23% N=110 5% N=25 100% N=486
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees (police,
receptionists, planners, etc.)
28% N=132 51% N=240 17% N=78 4% N=19 100% N=468
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 57
Table 59: Question 10 - Historical Results*
Please rate the quality of each of
the following services in Palo
Alto:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Traffic enforcement 64% 61% 66% 64% 62% 60% 60% 60% 53% 65% 55% 65% 56% Lower
Traffic signal timing NA 52% 47% 53% 53% 47% 50% 49% 45% 59% 50% 63% 57% Lower
Street repair 50% 40% 42% 47% 55% 51% 57% 55% 46% 56% 46% 42% 52% Higher
Street cleaning 75% 79% 80% 76% 80% 75% 77% 78% 72% 83% 82% 79% 80% Similar
Street tree maintenance 62% 70% 71% 66% 80% 73% 71% 75% 72% 75% 76% 67% 72% Similar
Sidewalk maintenance 50% 51% 53% 56% 62% 62% 61% 65% 61% 63% 61% 63% 57% Lower
Land use, planning and zoning 41% 45% 51% 36% 43% 40% 37% 40% 39% 40% 38% 40% 41% Similar
Code enforcement (weeds,
abandoned buildings, etc.)
55% 56% 61% 57% 62% 59% 52% 56% 55% 52% 51% 53% 44% Lower
Preservation of natural areas
(open space, farmlands, and
greenbelts)
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 83% 83% 83% 81% Similar
Building and planning application
processing services
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 44% 43% 35% 38% 29% Lower
Affordable high-speed internet
access
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 39% 41% 45% 44% Similar
Electric utility NA 85% 84% 80% 72% 87% 86% 87% 83% 77% 80% 73% 67% Lower
Gas utility NA 82% 86% 81% 88% 88% 87% 89% 84% 78% 81% 70% 71% Similar
Utility payment options NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 85% 86% 87% 85% 80% Similar
Drinking water 82% 86% 83% 88% 89% 88% 87% 88% 87% 88% 91% 86% 84% Similar
Sewer services 84% 84% 82% 84% 89% 88% 88% 88% 85% 87% 87% 87% 83% Similar
Storm water management (storm
drainage, dams, levees, etc.)
65% 74% 75% 69% 80% 71% 75% 81% 71% 83% 78% 73% 77% Similar
Refuse collection (garbage,
recycling, yard waste, and e-
waste)
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 85% 87% 85% 87% 83% Similar
Police services 89% 88% 86% 86% 87% 88% 88% 93% 89% 78% 86% 84% 81% Similar
Crime prevention NA 81% 74% 75% 80% 79% 80% 81% 78% 67% 64% 68% 69% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 58
Please rate the quality of each of
the following services in Palo
Alto:
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2003 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Animal control 79% 72% 78% 76% 80% 80% 77% 80% 75% 82% 81% 78% 82% Similar
Ambulance or emergency
medical services
95% 93% 96% 93% 97% 95% 96% 96% 93% 93% 88% 90% 91% Similar
Fire emergency services 96% 92% 96% 93% 95% 97% 97% 97% 94% 94% 93% 93% 92% Similar
Fire prevention and education NA 76% 80% 82% 85% 85% 85% 87% 84% 82% 81% 77% 80% Similar
Palo Alto open space NA NA NA NA 82% 84% 81% 86% 83% 86% 92% 93% 89% Similar
City parks 90% 94% 91% 93% 92% 93% 91% 94% 91% 91% 93% 93% 90% Similar
Recreation programs or classes 83% 81% 87% 87% 87% 84% 84% 87% 81% 83% 79% 83% 80% Similar
Recreation centers or facilities 77% 75% 85% 80% 84% 86% 81% 86% 82% 82% 79% 85% 81% Similar
Public library services (e.g., hold
requests, storytimes, teen events,
bookclubs)
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 92% 93% 93% 92% Similar
Library facilities (buildings,
computer equipment,
accessibility)
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 92% 94% 95% 93% 93% Similar
Variety of library materials
(books, e-books, streaming,
databases, audiobooks)
60% 72% 88% 81% 88% 83% 82% 86% 88% 86% 92% 90% 89% Similar
Art programs and theater NA 81% 82% 82% 69% 80% 78% 82% 76% 82% 89% 83% 84% Similar
City-sponsored special events NA NA NA NA 75% 75% 73% 75% 77% 72% 74% 75% 76% Similar
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) NA 67% 70% 69% 88% 69% 66% 72% 65% 69% 70% 73% 72% Similar
Overall customer service by Palo
Alto employees (police,
receptionists, planners, etc.)
78% 76% 81% 79% 81% 74% 77% 84% 77% 79% 80% 78% 79% Similar
*Prior to 2023, “Public information (Police/public safety)” was “Public information services (Police/public safety)” and “Public information (non-Police/public safety)” was
“Public information services (non-Police/public safety)”.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 59
Table 60: Question 10 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Traffic enforcement 51 211 341 Similar
Traffic signal timing 53 116 308 Similar
Street repair 49 135 354 Similar
Street cleaning 68 61 318 Higher
Sidewalk maintenance 54 140 318 Similar
Land use, planning and zoning 41 187 322 Similar
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 46 152 335 Similar
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands and
greenbelts)
70 32 305 Higher
Affordable high-speed internet access 44 224 284 Similar
Utility payment options 73 5 297 Higher
Drinking water 76 34 320 Higher
Sewer services 72 110 313 Similar
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees,
etc.)
67 106 326 Similar
Police emergency services 73 118 360 Similar
Crime prevention 61 187 337 Similar
Animal control 71 27 319 Higher
Ambulance or emergency medical services 81 49 325 Similar
Fire emergency services 81 97 340 Similar
Fire prevention and education 72 96 314 Similar
Palo Alto open space (e.g. Foothills, Baylands) 82 3 303 Much higher
City parks 80 28 337 Higher
Recreation programs or classes 71 43 320 Higher
Recreation centers or facilities 71 48 312 Higher
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 60
Table 61: Question 10 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Traffic enforcement 53% 59% 52% 60% 58% 55% 56%
Traffic signal timing 63% 57% 49% 64%
C
50% 56% 57%
Street repair 47% 52% 53% 54% 52% 53% 52%
Street cleaning 66% 85%
A E
85%
A E
80%
A
68% 85%
A E
80%
Street tree maintenance 72% 69% 60% 71% 81%
C
79%
72%
Sidewalk maintenance 60% 59% 50% 59% 58% 55% 57%
Land use, planning, and zoning 32% 43% 30% 48%
C
58%
A C F
39% 41%
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 34% 46% 35% 44% 55% 48% 44%
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands, and greenbelts) 77% 87% 82% 80% 84% 77% 81%
Building and planning application processing services 13% 30% 23% 41%
A E
21% 35%
A
29%
Affordable high-speed internet access 36% 45% 47% 50% 49% 40% 44%
Electric utility 60% 70% 64% 68% 64% 69% 67%
Gas utility 64% 75% 67% 71% 77% 72% 71%
Utility payment options 68% 81%
A
74% 78% 94%
A C D
87%
A C
80%
Drinking water 85% 82% 88% 86% 88% 80% 84%
Sewer services 82% 83% 82% 82% 88% 84% 83%
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees, etc.) 75% 73% 77% 74% 78% 83% 77%
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste) 80% 80% 87% 88% 84% 79% 83%
Police services 81% 73% 77% 85% 90%
B
85%
B
81%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 61
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Crime prevention 56% 64% 63% 77%
A
79%
A
73%
A
69%
Animal control 75% 88% 84% 77% 85% 83% 82%
Ambulance or emergency medical services 85% 90% 98% 87% 93% 93% 91%
Fire emergency services 84% 92% 98%
A
89% 96% 93% 92%
Fire prevention and education 76% 78% 87% 83% 77% 80% 80%
Palo Alto open space (e.g., Foothills, Baylands) 83% 88% 89% 90% 86% 94%
A
89%
City parks 88% 89% 89% 91% 87% 92% 90%
Recreation programs or classes 85% 79% 86% 79% 80% 76% 80%
Recreation centers or facilities 81% 84% 74% 82% 86% 82% 81%
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen events, bookclubs) 90% 92% 93% 98%
F
95% 86% 92%
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment, accessibility) 91% 93% 91% 97% 98% 91% 93%
Variety of library materials (books, e-books, streaming, databases, audiobooks) 88% 84% 93% 91% 89% 90% 89%
Art programs and theater 85% 75% 85% 87%
B
87% 89%
B
84%
City-sponsored special events 76% 68% 75% 81% 87%
B
74% 76%
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 68% 69% 79% 76% 73% 71% 72%
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees (police, receptionists, planners, etc.) 80% 79% 78% 81% 79% 79% 79%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 62
Table 62: Question 10 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Traffic enforcement 52% 65%
A
67%
A
54% 60% 55% 56%
Traffic signal timing 54% 71%
A C
49% 56% 65%
C
53% 57%
Street repair 52% 52% 56% 58%
C
57%
C
47% 52%
Street cleaning 80% 80% 82% 82% 82% 78% 80%
Street tree maintenance 75% 74% 68% 77% 76%
C
67% 72%
Sidewalk maintenance 55% 60% 64% 59% 64%
C
51% 57%
Land use, planning, and zoning 40% 40% 52% 41% 51%
C
34% 41%
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 41% 54%
A
41% 50% 47% 41% 44%
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands, and
greenbelts)
79% 85% 82% 80% 83% 80% 81%
Building and planning application processing services 23% 39%
A
32% 26% 40%
C
21% 29%
Affordable high-speed internet access 44% 45% 48% 58%
B C
37% 45% 44%
Electric utility 68% 65% 71% 73%
B
59% 71%
B
67%
Gas utility 73% 69% 73% 76%
B
63% 76%
B
71%
Utility payment options 82% 78% 82% 83%
B
72% 88%
B
80%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 63
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Drinking water 86% 82% 79% 81% 80% 88%
B
84%
Sewer services 86%
B
79% 85% 88%
B
76% 88%
B
83%
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees,
etc.)
80% 72% 81% 77% 74% 80% 77%
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-
waste)
84% 81% 84% 84% 78% 87%
B
83%
Police services
83% 81% 80% 78% 80% 85% 81%
Crime prevention 77%
B C
64% 59% 74% 69% 69% 69%
Animal control 86% 82% 77% 90% 83% 80% 82%
Ambulance or emergency medical services 95%
B
84% 90% 100
%
B
88% 92% 91%
Fire emergency services 95%
B
84% 94% 98% 90% 93% 92%
Fire prevention and education 90%
B C
75% 61% 82% 80% 81% 80%
Palo Alto open space (e.g., Foothills, Baylands) 93%
C
87% 83% 90% 88% 90% 89%
City parks 92% 88% 86% 91% 89% 91% 90%
Recreation programs or classes 84% 78% 73% 73% 80% 83% 80%
Recreation centers or facilities 83% 82% 79% 83% 81% 82% 81%
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen
events, bookclubs)
96%
B C
89% 86% 94% 90% 93% 92%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 64
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Library facilities
(buildings, computer equipment, accessibility)
97%
B
90% 91% 97% 93% 92% 93%
Variety of library materials
(books, e-books, streaming, databases, audiobooks)
94%
B C
85% 80% 91% 87% 90% 89%
Art programs and theater 89%
B
78% 84% 90% 81% 86% 84%
City-sponsored special events 81%
B
70% 78% 82% 77% 75% 76%
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 72% 76% 72% 84%
C
74% 67% 72%
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees
(police, receptionists, planners, etc.)
81% 81% 82% 85%
C
82% 75% 79%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 65
Question 11
Table 63: Question 11 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto
Utilities’ services: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Reliability of utility services 42% N=240 44% N=251 9% N=51 3% N=15 2% N=12 100% N=569
Affordability of utility services 13% N=76 31% N=178 29% N=165 23% N=131 3% N=19 100% N=569
Community value received from the City owning and
operating its own municipal utility services
34% N=193 32% N=185 13% N=76 5% N=29 16% N=89 100% N=572
Utilities online customer self-service features 25% N=144 33% N=185 13% N=77 4% N=21 25% N=140 100% N=567
Providing opportunities for energy and water
efficiency at home or business
22% N=127 30% N=173 17% N=94 6% N=37 24% N=138 100% N=569
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 15% N=87 24% N=136 18% N=103 16% N=93 26% N=148 100% N=567
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for
the price you pay
19% N=106 34% N=191 27% N=151 12% N=66 10% N=54 100% N=569
Ease of obtaining information or performing a
transaction through the City’s website
20% N=113 32% N=182 18% N=103 6% N=32 24% N=138 100% N=567
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 20% N=114 36% N=206 19% N=110 3% N=16 22% N=124 100% N=570
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 21% N=119 24% N=140 15% N=89 4% N=21 36% N=205 100% N=573
Speed of response after contacting Utilities
department staff
21% N=123 23% N=134 14% N=82 2% N=14 38% N=220 100% N=573
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 66
Table 64: Question 11 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto Utilities’
services: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Reliability of utility services 43% N=240 45% N=251 9% N=51 3% N=15 100% N=557
Affordability of utility services 14% N=76 32% N=178 30% N=165 24% N=131 100% N=550
Community value received from the City owning and operating its own
municipal utility services
40% N=193 38% N=185 16% N=76 6% N=29 100% N=482
Utilities online customer self-service features 34% N=144 43% N=185 18% N=77 5% N=21 100% N=427
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home or
business
29% N=127 40% N=173 22% N=94 8% N=37 100% N=431
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 21% N=87 32% N=136 25% N=103 22% N=93 100% N=420
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price you
pay
21% N=106 37% N=191 29% N=151 13% N=66 100% N=514
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through the
City’s website
26% N=113 42% N=182 24% N=103 7% N=32 100% N=429
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 25% N=114 46% N=206 25% N=110 4% N=16 100% N=446
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 32% N=119 38% N=140 24% N=89 6% N=21 100% N=368
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff 35% N=123 38% N=134 23% N=82 4% N=14 100% N=353
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 67
Table 65: Question 11 - Historical Results
Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto Utilities' services:
Percent positive 2024 rating compared to
2023 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Reliability of utility services 96% 94% 93% 88% 91% 88% Similar
Affordability of utility services 64% 59% 58% 60% 51% 46% Similar
Community value received from the City owning and operating its own
municipal utility services
81% 79% 84% 86% 79% 78% Similar
Utilities online customer self-service features NA 78% 86% 82% 83% 77% Lower
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home or business 83% 75% 80% 76% 77% 70% Lower
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 63% 59% 62% 68% 56% 53% Similar
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price you pay 68% 62% 66% 68% 64% 58% Lower
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through the City’s
website
65% 61% 72% 75% 71% 69% Similar
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 76% 70% 80% 78% 72% 72% Similar
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff NA 75% 84% 81% 76% 70% Lower
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff NA 76% 83% 84% 75% 73% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 68
Table 66: Question 11 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area
1
Area
2
Area
3
Area
4
Area
5
Area
6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Reliability of utility services
83% 90% 85% 91% 83% 90% 88%
Affordability of utility services 33% 47% 43% 51%
A
58%
A
46% 46%
Community value received from the City owning and operating its own municipal utility
services
80% 84%
C E
70% 78% 69% 82% 78%
Utilities online customer self-service features 70% 74% 67% 84%
C
72% 86%
A B C
77%
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home or business 59% 63% 71% 73% 70% 79%
A B
70%
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive
54% 54% 51% 54% 56% 52% 53%
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price you pay
59% 50% 55% 61% 59% 61% 58%
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through the City’s website
62% 65% 68% 74% 75% 68% 69%
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications
71% 68% 74% 72% 83% 69% 72%
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 72% 62% 80%
B
71% 78% 66% 70%
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff
74% 69% 80% 78% 76% 66% 73%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 69
Table 67: Question 11 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Reliability of utility services 93%
B
82% 86% 94%
B
85% 88% 88%
Affordability of utility services 45% 47% 46% 45% 39% 52%
B
46%
Community value received from the City owning and operating
its own municipal utility services
78% 77% 85% 86%
B
66% 84%
B
78%
Utilities online customer self-service features 76% 77% 90%
A B
78% 77% 78% 77%
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at
home or business
73% 66% 60% 61% 65% 77%
A B
70%
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 52% 57% 52% 58%
B
42% 60%
B
53%
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the
price you pay
57% 60% 58% 62%
B
49% 63%
B
58%
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction
through the City’s website
67% 71% 77% 84%
B C
70% 60% 69%
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 73% 73% 74% 91%
B C
66% 69% 72%
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 72% 68% 76% 75% 70% 69% 70%
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff
74% 70% 78% 73% 73% 73% 73%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 70
Question 12
Table 68: Question 12 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Please rate how important, if at all, you think it is for the Palo
Alto community to focus on each of the following in the coming
two years. Essential
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not at all
important Total
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
42% N=238 37% N=209 19% N=108 2% N=13 100% N=568
Overall economic health of Palo Alto 41% N=234 37% N=214 18% N=103 4% N=21 100% N=571
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 57% N=325 26% N=147 16% N=94 1% N=8 100% N=574
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 39% N=220 41% N=233 18% N=100 3% N=18 100% N=571
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 23% N=133 38% N=217 33% N=187 6% N=37 100% N=574
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 28% N=161 41% N=231 28% N=161 3% N=17 100% N=569
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 19% N=109 41% N=232 34% N=195 6% N=33 100% N=569
Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions 28% N=159 32% N=182 29% N=164 11% N=65 100% N=569
Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries 24% N=136 31% N=176 33% N=189 12% N=69 100% N=571
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities
billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information
19% N=110 27% N=157 41% N=233 12% N=71 100% N=572
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public
safety issues
32% N=180 29% N=168 31% N=179 7% N=42 100% N=570
This question did not have a “don’t know” response option.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 71
Table 69: Question 12 - Historical Results
Please rate how important, if at all, you think it is for the Palo Alto
community to focus on each of the following in the coming two
years.
Percent positive 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
80% 82% 75% 78% 81% 84% 81% 79% Similar
Overall economic health of Palo Alto 78% 82% 76% NA 85% 81% 87% 78% Lower
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 82% 80% 80% 81% 83% 87% 87% 82% Similar
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 81% 84% 79% 78% 85% 83% 84% 79% Similar
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 61% 65% 62% NA 66% 66% 71% 61% Lower
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 67% 70% 67% NA 70% 74% 72% 69% Similar
Residents’ connection and engagement with their community 71% 73% 70% NA 66% 68% 61% 60% Similar
Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions NA NA 58% 64% 67% 70% 68% 60% Lower
Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries NA NA 57% 55% 62% 63% 67% 55% Lower
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities
billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information
NA NA NA 45% 46% 53% 57% 47% Lower
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public
safety issues
NA NA NA 63% 64% 68% 74% 61% Lower
Table 70: Question 12 - Benchmark Comparisons
City of Palo Alto
rating Rank
Number of
jurisdictions for
comparison
Comparison to
benchmark
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems) 73 76 297 Similar
Overall economic health of Palo Alto. 72 285 297 Lower
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 79 209 297 Similar
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 72 189 297 Similar
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 59 288 297 Lower
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 65 190 297 Similar
Residents’ connection and engagement with their community 58 280 297 Lower
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 72
Table 71: Question 12 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design, buildings, parks
and transportation systems)
80% 79% 83% 73% 78% 80% 79%
Overall economic health of Palo Alto 82% 80% 74% 78% 78% 78% 78%
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 89%
F
83% 84% 83% 85% 76% 82%
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 80% 84% 78% 77% 80% 77% 79%
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 66% 62% 66% 65% 50% 56% 61%
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 66% 74% 64% 68% 79% 67% 69%
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 58% 59% 56% 66% 66% 56% 60%
Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions 60% 64% 58% 61% 53% 59% 60%
Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries 52% 59%
F
57% 58% 61% 47% 55%
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities billing issues,
efficiency tips, outage information
46% 46% 51% 51% 48% 42% 47%
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public safety issues 57% 60% 66% 67% 55% 59% 61%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 73
Table 72: Question 12 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
80% 78% 77% 72% 79% 82%
A
79%
Overall economic health of Palo Alto 78% 80% 75% 59% 80%
A
87%
A
78%
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 77% 90%
A
85% 60% 89%
A
88%
A
82%
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 79% 75% 86%
B
67% 80%
A
84%
A
79%
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 57% 62% 71%
A
42% 59%
A
71%
A B
61%
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 65% 73% 75% 60% 70%
A
72%
A
69%
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 60% 59% 62% 52% 59% 64%
A
60%
Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions 61% 59% 59% 61% 53% 64%
B
60%
Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries 54% 55% 58% 45% 53% 61%
A
55%
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities
billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information
41% 60%
A
47% 21% 48%
A
60%
A B
47%
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public
safety issues
56% 74%
A C
57% 33% 61%
A
76%
A B
61%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 74
Question 13
Table 73: Question 13 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents Including "Don't Know" Responses
In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely
Don't
know Total
Participate in organized group activities (such as
clubs, sports teams, volunteer your time, attend
church/temple)
30% N=173 21% N=120 19% N=108 28% N=162 2% N=11 100% N=574
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or
neighbors
56% N=320 28% N=158 11% N=62 6% N=33 0% N=0 100% N=573
Table 74: Question 13 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents Without "Don't Know" Responses
In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Total
Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports
teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple)
31% N=173 21% N=120 19% N=108 29% N=162 100% N=562
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors
56% N=320 28% N=158 11% N=62 6% N=33 100% N=573
Table 75: Question 13 - Historical Results
In a typical week, how likely are you to:
Percent positive (e.g., very/somewhat likely) 2024
rating
compared
to 2023 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports teams volunteer your
time, attend church/temple)
52% 56% 47% 55% 53% 52% Similar
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors
85% 88% 82% 86% 86% 83% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 75
Table 76: Question 13 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very likely" or "somewhat likely"
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Participate in organized group activities
(such as clubs, sports teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple)
60%
F
56% 51% 57% 46% 44% 52%
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors 94%
D E F
88%
E
85%
E
80% 69% 82%
E
83%
Table 77: Question 13 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very likely" or "somewhat likely"
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports
teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple)
52% 48% 58% 37% 57%
A
55%
A
52%
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors
82% 84% 85% 78% 84% 85% 83%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 76
Question 14
Table 78: Question 14 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What mode of transportation do you use most for your typical daily needs for getting around town? Percent Number
Driving 68% N=389
Walking 18% N=104
Biking 12% N=70
Bus 0% N=1
Train 1% N=6
Scootering 1% N=3
Palo Alto Link 0% N=0
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 0% N=2
Carpooling 0% N=0
Total 100% N=574
Table 79: Question 14 - Historical Results
What mode of transportation do you use most for your
typical daily needs for getting around town?
Percent selecting each response 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Driving 77% 73% 76% 71% 67% 77% 68% Lower
Walking 13% 13% 11% 14% 16% 12% 18% Higher
Biking 8% 11% 10% 13% 15% 8% 12% Similar
Bus 1% 1% 0% 1% 1% 1% 0% Similar
Train 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% Similar
Scootering NA NA NA NA NA NA 1% NA
Palo Alto Link NA NA NA NA NA NA 0% NA
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% Similar
Carpooling 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 77
Question 15
Table 80: Question 15 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
If you did not have access to a car for your usual daily
transportation around town, how convenient
(based on time and proximity) would you consider each
of the following methods of getting around?
Very
convenient
Somewhat
convenient
Somewhat
inconvenient
Very
inconvenient Total
Walking 35% N=194 39% N=216 17% N=96 9% N=51 100% N=557
Biking 47% N=257 35% N=194 7% N=41 10% N=58 100% N=550
Bus 5% N=29 24% N=130 37% N=200 34% N=181 100% N=540
Train 10% N=51 32% N=174 28% N=150 30% N=161 100% N=536
Scootering 13% N=68 28% N=141 22% N=109 37% N=184 100% N=503
Palo Alto Link 12% N=61 42% N=202 25% N=123 21% N=101 100% N=487
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 38% N=200 39% N=206 19% N=100 5% N=25 100% N=532
Carpooling 9% N=45 32% N=166 32% N=167 27% N=143 100% N=521
Table 81: Question 15 - Historical Results
If you did not have access to a car for
your usual daily transportation around
town, how convenient (based on time and
proximity) would you consider each of the
following methods of getting around?
Percent positive (e.g., very/somewhat convenient)
2024 rating
compared to 2023 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Walking 92% 94% 92% 69% 76% 66% 70% 74% Similar
Biking 76% 75% 75% 77% 83% 80% 78% 81% Similar
Bus 53% 50% 52% 33% 33% 33% 31% 30% Similar
Train 68% 66% 60% 41% 39% 43% 39% 42% Higher
Scootering NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 42% -
Palo Alto Link NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 54% -
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 52% 62% 66% 83% 77% 74% 78% 76% Similar
Carpooling 52% 45% 49% 33% 26% 41% 36% 41% Similar
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 78
Table 82: Question 15 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Walking 69% 67% 72% 84%
A B E
68% 76% 74%
Biking
90% 81% 78% 82% 81% 81% 82%
Bus 23% 32% 22% 40%
A C F
29% 28% 30%
Train 35% 40% 26% 57%
A B C E
39% 45%
C
42%
Scootering 40% 34% 42% 42% 37% 49%
B
42%
Palo Alto Link
63% 48% 56% 55% 55% 52% 54%
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service
83% 74% 78% 78% 71% 74% 76%
Carpooling 45% 39% 40% 48%
E
30% 39% 41%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 79
Table 83: Question 15 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat"
likely
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or Multi-
racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Walking
73% 72% 77% 74% 74% 72% 74%
Biking 79% 87%
A
84% 98%
B C
85%
C
71% 82%
Bus
31% 28% 30% 28% 32% 29% 30%
Train 46%
B
36% 42% 47%
C
46%
C
35% 42%
Scootering 38% 48% 44% 55%
C
55%
C
23% 42%
Palo Alto Link
52% 56% 60% 47% 58% 54% 54%
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 73% 79% 87%
A
70% 79% 77% 76%
Carpooling 38% 45% 42% 48%
C
45%
C
33% 41%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 80
Question 16
Table 84: Question 16 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents with "Don't Know" Responses
If you plan to purchase a new car within the next
two years, what is the likelihood of it being: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Don't know Total
All-electric 36% N=182 21% N=106 10% N=49 21% N=107 12% N=61 100% N=505
Plug-in hybrid 29% N=144 28% N=144 12% N=59 19% N=96 12% N=62 100% N=504
Hydrogen fuel cell 4% N=19 7% N=34 9% N=45 55% N=270 25% N=120 100% N=488
Other 13% N=43 8% N=25 3% N=10 12% N=39 65% N=214 100% N=331
Respondents were able to write a response in their own words. These verbatim responses are shown in Appendix B: Verbatim Responses to Open-ended Questions from
Probability Survey.
Table 85: Question 16 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
If you plan to purchase a new car within the next two years,
what is the likelihood of it being: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Total
All-electric 41% N=182 24% N=106 11% N=49 24% N=107 100% N=445
Plug-in hybrid 33% N=144 32% N=144 13% N=59 22% N=96 100% N=442
Hydrogen fuel cell 5% N=19 9% N=34 12% N=45 73% N=270 100% N=368
Other 37% N=43 21% N=25 8% N=10 33% N=39 100% N=117
Respondents were able to write a response in their own words. These verbatim responses are shown in Appendix B: Verbatim Responses to Open-ended Questions from
Probability Survey.
Table 86: Question 16 - Historical Results
If you plan to purchase a new car within the next two years,
what is the likelihood of it being:
Percent rating positively (e.g., very/somewhat likely) 2024 rating
compared to
2023 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Plug-in hybrid 59% 62% 62% 61% 65% 69% 65% Similar
All-electric 65% 71% 67% 76% 68% 71% 65% Similar
Hydrogen fuel cell 10% 14% 11% 14% 12% 17% 14% Similar
Other NA NA NA NA 48% 46% 59% Higher
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 81
Table 87: Question 16 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
All-electric 52% 63% 62% 68% 78%
A
67%
A
65%
Plug-in hybrid 56% 69% 67% 75%
A F
71% 56% 65%
Hydrogen fuel cell 2% 25%
A E F
16%
A
22%
A E F
6% 11% 14%
Other 71%
E
61% 66%
E
59% 27% 60%
E
59%
Table 88: Question 16 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat"
likely
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or Multi-
racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
All-electric 62% 70% 66% 66% 71%
C
60% 65%
Plug-in hybrid 62% 70% 74% 52% 72%
A
66%
A
65%
Hydrogen fuel cell 10% 21%
A
19% 20% 16% 11% 14%
Other
58% 54% 80% 63% 64% 53% 59%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 82
Question 17
Table 89: Question 17 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability
and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% by
2030?
Extremely
familiar
Very
familiar
Moderately
familiar
Slightly
familiar Not familiar Total
How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability
and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% by
2030?
1% N=8 4% N=23 18% N=106 18% N=103 58% N=336 100% N=577
Table 90: Question 17 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "extremely" familiar
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
(S/CAP) and its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% by 2030?
6% 13% 8% 18% 17% 16% 13%
Table 91: Question 17 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "extremely" familiar
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability and Climate Action
Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
80% by 2030?
14% 13% 10% 0% 16%
A
13% 13%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 83
Question 18
Table 92: Question 18 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents with "Don't Know" Responses
How likely are you to do the following to support
strategies that reduce GHG emissions? Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Don't know Total
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump
water heater
19% N=105 20% N=110 14% N=77 25% N=135 22% N=123 100% N=551
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump
HVAC system
17% N=93 17% N=92 14% N=76 26% N=143 26% N=141 100% N=545
Considering whole home electrification 13% N=71 15% N=82 16% N=90 33% N=180 23% N=124 100% N=547
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an
induction cook top
18% N=96 14% N=75 12% N=66 36% N=197 20% N=110 100% N=543
Table 93: Question 18 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
How likely are you to do the following to support strategies that
reduce GHG emissions? Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Total
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump water heater 24% N=105 26% N=110 18% N=77 32% N=135 100% N=428
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC system 23% N=93 23% N=92 19% N=76 35% N=143 100% N=404
Considering whole home electrification 17% N=71 19% N=82 21% N=90 43% N=180 100% N=423
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an induction cook
top
22% N=96 17% N=75 15% N=66 45% N=197 100% N=433
Table 94: Question 18 - Geographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump water heater 54% 48% 52% 45% 50% 53% 50%
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC system 42% 47% 46% 42% 37% 53% 46%
Considering whole home electrification 38% 37% 31% 38% 33% 36% 36%
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an induction cook top 43% 43% 34% 41% 38% 38% 39%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 84
Table 95: Question 18 - Demographic Subgroup Results
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or Pacific
Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial
18-
34
35-
54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump
water heater
51% 52% 49% 42% 50% 54% 50%
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC
system
44% 50% 48% 45% 48% 44% 46%
Considering whole home electrification 29% 45%
A
50%
A
48%
C
40% 30% 36%
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an
induction cook top
38% 39% 46% 38% 39% 39% 39%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 85
Question 19
Table 96: Question 19 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City make that would make you happier? Percent Number
Housing and Construction 23% N=103
Public Safety and Policing 5% N=22
Transportation and Traffic 15% N=68
Homelessness and Social Services 4% N=18
City Governance and Administration 7% N=31
Community Amenities and Services 7% N=29
Economic Development 4% N=20
Noise and Urban Environment 6% N=28
Develop Infrastructure 8% N=35
Walking and Biking trails 4% N=20
Code Enforcement 1% N=5
Make the city more affordable 5% N=23
Other 8% N=37
Don't know 2% N=8
Total 100% N=448
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 86
Table 97: Question 19 - Geographic Subgroup Results
As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City make that would
make you happier?
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Housing and Construction 28% 19% 21% 25% 16% 26% 23%
Public Safety and Policing 9% 6% 10% 2% 2% 3% 5%
Transportation and Traffic 8% 19% 20% 12% 19% 14% 15%
Homelessness and Social Services 3% 7% 3% 2% 0% 6% 4%
City Governance and Administration 8% 6% 4% 4% 10% 10% 7%
Community Amenities and Services 5% 4% 5% 8% 0% 10% 7%
Economic Development 4% 7% 1% 7% 7% 2% 4%
Noise and Urban Environment 9% 5% 9% 6% 13% 3% 6%
Develop Infrastructure 3% 11% 11% 9% 13% 4% 8%
Walking and Biking trails 11% 1% 0% 1% 6% 8% 4%
Code Enforcement 0% 0% 0% 2% 2% 2% 1%
Make the city more affordable 5% 5% 7% 11%
F
1% 1% 5%
Other 5% 9% 7% 9% 6% 9% 8%
Don't know 1% 1% 2% 1% 6% 1% 2%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 87
Table 98: Question 19 - Geographic Subgroup Results
As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City
make that would make you happier?
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial 18-34 35-54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Housing and Construction 24% 25% 13% 40%
B C
20% 16% 23%
Public Safety and Policing 4% 9% 5% 0% 4% 9% 5%
Transportation and Traffic 18% 10% 10% 12% 15% 18% 15%
Homelessness and Social Services 2% 4% 13%
A
9%
B C
2% 2% 4%
Utilities and Costs 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Environmental Improvements 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
City Governance and Administration 7% 3% 10% 0% 7% 10% 7%
Community Amenities and Services 4% 8% 6% 8% 5% 6% 7%
Economic Development 4% 6% 8% 2% 9%
C
2% 4%
Noise and Urban Environment 4% 6% 16%
A
4% 10% 4% 6%
Develop Infrastructure 8% 9% 5% 7% 8% 8% 8%
Walking and Biking trails 7%
B
2% 0% 6% 5% 3% 4%
Code Enforcement 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 2% 1%
Make the city more affordable 3% 10%
A
7% 7% 5% 5% 5%
Other 10% 7% 4% 5% 8% 11% 8%
Don't know 2% 0% 3% 0% 1% 3% 2%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 88
Question 20
Table 99: Question 20 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and would want to maintain? Percent Number
Parks, open space, and natural environment 25% N=83
Utilities and city services 11% N=36
Safety services 12% N=40
Activities and Recreation (arts, libraries, museums, theaters, etc.) 13% N=43
Government/leadership; government communication 3% N=11
Schools and education, programs for the youth 4% N=15
Cleanliness of community; upkeep 7% N=24
Quality of life, reputation 3% N=10
Infrastructure, streets, transportation 5% N=17
Ease of bicycle travel/walking 5% N=17
Sustainability 1% N=4
Culture, diversity 2% N=6
Other 4% N=15
Nothing / Don’t know 4% N=15
Total 100% N=336
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 89
Table 100: Question 20 - Geographic Subgroup Results
As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and
would want to maintain?
Area Overall
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6
(A) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
Parks, open space, and natural environment 25% 24% 23% 12% 23% 35%
D
25%
Utilities and city services 13% 6% 18% 5% 6% 15% 11%
Safety services 9% 18% 8% 20% 5% 8% 12%
Activities and Recreation (arts, libraries, museums, theaters, etc.) 19% 17% 14% 10% 6% 11% 13%
Government/leadership; government communication 4% 2% 3% 5% 3% 3% 3%
Schools and education, programs for the youth 10% 11% 2% 3% 1% 1% 4%
Cleanliness of community; upkeep 8% 3% 7% 8% 0% 12% 7%
Quality of life, reputation 1% 2% 0% 10% 0% 1% 3%
Infrastructure, streets, transportation 5% 6% 11% 5% 2% 2% 5%
Ease of bicycle travel/walking 2% 6% 4% 11% 12% 0% 5%
Sustainability 1% 3% 1% 2% 0% 0% 1%
Culture, diversity 0% 0% 6% 2% 5% 0% 2%
Other 1% 1% 0% 3% 18%
B
7% 4%
Nothing / Don’t know 2% 1% 3% 5% 17%
B
4% 4%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 90
Table 101: Question 20 - Geographic Subgroup Results
As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the
City does well and would want to maintain?
Race Age Overall
White
Asian, Asian
Indian, or
Pacific Islander
Other race or
Multi-racial 18-34 35-54 55+
(A) (A) (B) (C) (A) (B) (C)
Parks, open space, and natural environment 26% 27% 14% 26% 29% 19% 25%
Utilities and city services 9% 9% 12% 4% 8% 16%
A
11%
Safety services 12% 14% 10% 9% 12% 14% 12%
Activities and Recreation (arts, libraries, museums, theaters,
etc.)
12% 16% 17% 18% 14% 10% 13%
Government/leadership; government communication 3% 4% 3% 0% 0% 7%
B
3%
Schools and education, programs for the youth 5% 3% 5% 5% 2% 6% 4%
Cleanliness of community; upkeep 8% 5% 6% 11% 4% 8% 7%
Quality of life, reputation 3% 3% 1% 6% 2% 2% 3%
Infrastructure, streets, transportation 3% 4% 19%
A B
8% 3% 6% 5%
Ease of bicycle travel/walking 5% 7% 5% 8% 7% 2% 5%
Sustainability 1% 2% 0% 0% 0% 3% 1%
Culture, diversity 2% 3% 0% 0% 4% 1% 2%
Other 4% 1% 9% 0% 8% 4% 4%
Nothing / Don’t know 7% 2% 1% 5% 5% 4% 4%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
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Report of Results
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Demographic Questions
Table 102: Question D1 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do
you think the impact will be: Percent Number
Very positive 4% N=26
Somewhat positive 19% N=111
Neutral 54% N=313
Somewhat negative 18% N=102
Very negative 4% N=24
Total 100% N=577
Table 103: Question D2 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your employment status? Percent Number
Working full time for pay 58% N=336
Working part time for pay 9% N=53
Unemployed, looking for paid work 4% N=21
Unemployed, not looking for paid work 3% N=18
Fully retired 24% N=137
College student, unemployed 2% N=13
Total 100% N=578
Table 104: Question D3 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Do you work inside the boundaries of Palo Alto? Percent Number
Yes, outside the home 28% N=155
Yes, from home 22% N=119
No 50% N=277
Total 100% N=551
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November 2024
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Table 105: Question D4 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
How many years have you lived in Palo Alto? Percent Number
Less than 2 years 16% N=93
2 to 5 years 15% N=88
6 to 10 years 9% N=51
11 to 20 years 19% N=108
More than 20 years 41% N=240
Total 100% N=580
Table 106: Question D5 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Which best describes the building you live in? Percent Number
One family house detached from any other houses 59% N=344
Building with two or more homes (duplex, townhome, apartment or condominium) 40% N=231
Mobile home 0% N=0
Other 1% N=5
Total 100% N=580
Table 107: Question D6 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Do you rent or own your home? Percent Number
Rent 43% N=251
Own 57% N=329
Total 100% N=580
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November 2024
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Table 108: Question D7 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
About how much is your monthly housing cost for the place you live (including rent, mortgage
payment, property tax, property insurance and homeowners' association (HOA) fees)? Percent Number
Less than $500 per month 3% N=16
$500 to $999 per month 3% N=18
$1,000 to $1,499 per month 4% N=23
$1,500 to $1,999 per month 5% N=28
$2,000 to $2,499 per month 12% N=66
$2,500 to $2,999 per month 13% N=70
$3,000 to $3,499 per month 8% N=41
$3,500 to $3,999 per month 5% N=27
$4,000 to $4,499 per month 7% N=36
$4,500 to $4,999 per month 7% N=37
$4,500 to $4,999 per month 5% N=29
$5,500 to $5,999 per month 4% N=19
$6,000 to $6,499 per month 5% N=26
$6,500 to $6,999 per month 2% N=9
$7,000 to $7,499 per month 3% N=14
$7,500 to $7,999 per month 1% N=7
$8,000 to $8,499 per month 1% N=7
$8,500 to $8,999 per month 0% N=2
$9,000 to $9,499 per month 1% N=4
$9,500 to $9,999 per month 1% N=3
$10,000 or more per month 10% N=52
Total 100% N=535
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Table 109: Question D8 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Do any children 17 or under live in your household? Percent Number
No 68% N=391
Yes 32% N=183
Total 100% N=574
Table 110: Question D9 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Are you or any other members of your household aged 65 or older? Percent Number
No 64% N=367
Yes 36% N=209
Total 100% N=576
Table 111: Question D10 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
How much do you anticipate your household's total income before taxes will be for the current year?
(Please include in your total income money from all sources for all persons living in your household.) Percent Number
Less than $25,000 2% N=11
$25,000 to $49,999 3% N=17
$50,000 to $74,999 15% N=75
$75,000 to $99,999 14% N=71
$100,000 to $149,999 10% N=52
$150,000 to $199,999 11% N=54
$200,000 to $249,999 10% N=50
$250,000 to $299,999 4% N=18
$300,000 to $349,999 6% N=32
$350,000 to $399,999 5% N=25
$400,000 to $449,999 2% N=9
$450,000 to $499,999 19% N=97
$500,000 or more 0% N=0
Total 100% N=511
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November 2024
Report of Results
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Table 112: Question D11 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino? Percent Number
No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 93% N=527
Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 7% N=40
Table 113: Question D12 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your race? (Mark one or more races to indicate what race(s) you consider yourself to be.) Percent Number
American Indian or Alaskan Native 2% N=8
Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander 32% N=174
Black or African American 2% N=9
Middle Eastern or North African 3% N=17
White 66% N=362
Other 5% N=25
Total 100% N=547
Table 114: Question D13 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
In which category is your age? Percent Number
18 to 24 years 4% N=24
25 to 34 years 18% N=102
35 to 44 years 16% N=93
45 to 54 years 18% N=104
55 to 64 years 13% N=74
65 to 74 years 14% N=80
75 years or older 16% N=91
Total 100% N=567
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Table 115: Question D14 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your gender? Percent Number
Female 51% N=288
Male 48% N=268
Identify in another way 1% N=5
Total 100% N=561
Table 116: Question D14 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your sexual orientation? Percent Number
Heterosexual 89% N=459
Lesbian 1% N=3
Gay 2% N=11
Bisexual 7% N=34
Identify another way 2% N=9
Total 100% N=516
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November 2024
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Appendix B: Verbatim Responses to Open-ended
Questions from Probability Survey
Following are responses to questions 16, 19 and 20. Responses are presented here in verbatim form,
including any typographical, grammatical or other mistakes. Responses are in alphabetical order within
the category in which the response was categorized.
Question 16: If you plan to purchase a car within the next two years,
what is the likelihood of it being one of the following: (Other)
• (DO NOT PLAN ABOVE).
• Conventional gas
• DO NOT PLAN TO.
• gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas car
• Gas Car
• Gas engine.
• Gas hybrid.
• Gas only. No electric hookup at my location
• Gas powered
• Gas powered car or truck
• Gas.
• Gas.
• Gas.
• GAS.
• GAS.
• Gas/diesel (very unlikely, aka not happening)
• Gasoline
• GASOLINE DRIVEN AUTOMOBILE (8/30/24).
• gasoline powered
• Gasoline.
• Gasoline.
• Have a hybrid car that is fuel efficient
• Have regular gas car. til its dead.
• Hybid.
• hybrid
• hybrid
• hybrid
• hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• hybrid (non plug-in)
• Hybrid (not plug-in)
• hybrid but not plugged in
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• Hybrid fuel/electric.
• Hybrid.
• Hybrid.
• Hybrid.
• Hybrid.
• I will not buy a car in the next two years. I have a 2022 Hybrid.
• Ice
• ICE
• ICE
• ICE car
• ice internal combustion engine
• ICE vehicle
• If we buy a truck of van, most useful vans and trucks are not yet offered as PEHV or fully electric.
• internal combustion
• Internal combustion engine only (i.e. not hybrid and not all electric)
• Just got 2024 car - not electric.
• logical flaw in the survey
• N.A.
• n/a.
• N/A.
• N/A.
• No plan.
• No plans to buy a car, but it would be all electric if for some reason I had to
• Non plug in hybrid.
• Non plug in hybrid.
• None (usually impaired, can't drive).
• normal car
• Not plug in hybrid.
• Old fashioned gasoline powered UCE
• Pure hybrid.
• Regular hybrid.
• standard gas/electric hybrid
• standard gasoline powered
• TOO COSTLY.
• Very unlikely that we'd purchase a non-plug-in hybrid, gasoline, or diesel vehicle.
• Won't buy or lease car.
Question 19: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the
City make that would make you happier?
Housing and Construction
• Affordability of buying a home.
• Affordability of condos/1st time homes.
• Affordability of housing and utilities.
• Affordable housing
• Affordable housing approval quickly. YIMBY.
• Affordable housing for median incomes. This makes our city unwelcoming for many who work here.
Economic diversity is a form of diversity.
• AFFORDABLE HOUSING NOW
• Affordable housing, community/social activities for diverse people - especially lower income, & elderly or
co. Via multi- generational/socio-economic groups.
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• affordable housing; environmental education
• Affordable housing.
• AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
• Affordable housing...
• Approve more housing for all income groups. Your survey stinks as you had no questions on housing.
Worthless survey.
• Build affordable housing - not everyone is a millionaire.
• Build affordable housing near shopping & transportation for young people, elders, and employees of local
businesses.
• Build more affordable housing for teachers, palimer nurses, firemen.
• Build more apartments and fewer single family homes. I don't like the sprawl of south Palo Alto, it is not
walkable. I live near downtown University Avenue myself. I would like higher density.
• Build more housing for "low - moderate income" seniors. All the current "affordable" places have waiting
lists that are several years long! All the market-rate senior housing is prohibitably expensive.
• Build more market-rate housing! We need to build more housing to revitalize our business districts,
broaden the tax base, and welcome new neighbors!
• Build more townhomes do we can afford to stay here. Remove barriers to construction and remodeling.
• Build significantly more housing now. Stop using the excuse that building more will "ruin the character" of
the city. Without this kind of investment, the city is headed in the wrong direction over the coming
decades and will decline. I enjoy living here, but the cost far outweighs the benefits. We'll likely move back
to Berkeley in the next few years because it's both more affordable and offers more activities. You could
change this by constructing multiple multi-storey complexes close to each other, accommodating around
500 three-person families over the next five years. This would make Palo Alto a more livable place for the
long term without needing to be extremely wealthy.
• Change build code to make house more affordable
• Change the leadership of Gambe Garden's. Not polite/yes racist.
• Change zoning to dramatically increase housing near transit and allow groundfloor services wherever
housing is dense.
• Cheaper housing.
• Check on additions, small bldgs, business and schools at home starting schools in their home!!
• Control the quality of new monster apartments being planned and built in Midtown on Sutter.
• COST OF HOME OWNERSHIP.
• Denser apartments near public transit
• DENSER, MIXED-USE ZONING IN DOWNTOWN AREAS.
• Do our part in bringing housing prices down, so the next generation doesn't have to move away to afford a
house.
• Easy access to low housing
• Enable more high density housing.
• Encourage builders to build independent living 1&2 bedroom affordable apartment houses. We don't need
4 bdrm houses but have few affordable options.
• Get rid of zoning. Allow 10X development. All housing is very expensive.
• Housing more affordable so there's a chance my kids could afford to live here
• I wish multifamily housing was legal in Palo Alto. The zoning laws make new housing construction
effectively illegal and it has created a housing crisis in this city.
• Increasing density and building more multifamily housing.
• Invest in building out more higher-density housing
• Low income senior housing especially to long term residents who would be very misplaced moving out of
(born & raised) town at the end yrs. of their lives.
• Lower real estate prices + values.
• Lower rent costs
• Lower rent.
• Lower rents.
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• Lower the cost of housing, less congestion.
• Make more affordable housing -> easy to apply too.
• Make more affordable housing or more affordable for rennovations for people living in the homes.
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing, especially for veterans
• More affordable housing. High vacancy rates in office space in downtown. Can't something be done to
use these empty buildings and storefronts?
• More affordable multihome housing.
• More affordable, large scale housing.
• More housing (high rise apartments)
• More housing /denser zoning and quicker approvals to increase affordability and lower prices. However,
this will of course be shot down by the single family homeowners.
• More housing and less capitulation to NIMBYs
• More housing for young people and people working for Palo Alto.
• More housing in transport hubs (downtown, Cal Ave).
• More housing of all kinds will make all housing cheaper Please no trash trucks before 6amBathrooms in
public parks
• More permissive development of higher density
• More quality affordable housing for workers and young families.
• More small single-family homes (2 bed,1000 sq. feet).
• More taller housing.
• More things (apartments, shops) for people with low to moderate incomes
• No monster homes
• One change could be build fewer houses, especially near the public park.
• Open up zoning laws to allow developers to build high density housing everywhere. This would reduce the
cost of housing, and allow more people to move here, including my extended family.
• promote & build affordable housing & multi-family housing
• Reduce emphasis on affordable housing which has made streets very clogged.
• reduce the cost of housing
• Reduced housing costs to make Palo Alto accessible to more modest income groups
• Somehow Reduce the Cost of Housing
• Stop adding more high density housing to our already built out neighborhoods.
• Stop allowing so much hi rise building
• Stop building new office buildings and build more housing.
• Stop delaying affordable housing. Just do it. We need more medium/high rises near public transit centers
(like Cal Ave). So many delays in delivering zoning for an urgent need.
• Stop obstructing new construction of housing. It takes years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get
anything built in palo alto. And then the bloated city, planting staff wonders why we have a housing crisis
• Streamline increasing local housing stock so the crunch on renters gets better.
• Strong rent control!
• Take bold *steps to increase the supply of affordable multi-family housing. *Even more bold than at
present.
• Taller residential building
• The only issue in Palo Alto is expensive house. If there is affordable house, this place is good place for
living.!
Public Safety and Policing
• Putting a fire engine in Mitchell park. (2) Stop overbuilding on Fabian [?] Charleston Rd.
• Community safety program & speed up fiber optics project expand to whole PA.
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• Crack down on crimes.
• Enforce the law.
• Feeling safer less bike theft and robberies
• FOCUS ON CRIME PREVENTION.
• Fully fund and popular fire & police depts.
• Fully staff police and fire departments. The lack of either - especially the missing fire trucks and staff
from Mitchell Park is sadly appalling.
• Get the police out of their cars and walking or biking - makes them known and approachable
• Greater safety by far because I have children. Also, more community events and activities like Mountain
View & Redwood City
• heard several cases of home invasion and robbery & burglary in Palo Alto, not sure how to minimize such
cases
• I would like to see "more" police cars patrolling our neighborhood. Downtown seems to have plenty
patrolling compared to what we don't have (especially at night) the Cubberly area.
• Improvement on safety. Reduce risks of bugllary.
• Let the cops do their jobs once again!!!
• Make us feel safer
• more crime prevention
• More police enforce.
• More police services so that the city feels safer.
• More policing in neighborhoods
• More safety: crime rate, bike theft, petty theft are not news control anymore.
• Reduce crime (home burglary/robberies). Improve overall feeling of safety.
• Reduce crime rate.
• Reduce crime, get rid of homeless.
• Reduce crimes
• Reduce petty street theft (items out of cars, from front yard, catalytic converters, etc.) so we feel safe in
our neighborhood.
• safety.
Transportation and Traffic
• (1)Add a tram from Stanford Oval/shopping center to East P.A. 2) Add a bike lane against traffic direction
on Homer Ave from the Homer tunnel to Middlefield Ave.
• As a resident of Palo Alto, one change that would make me happier is improved traffic safety near school
zones. The construction at 4025 Orme has caused contractor vehicles to block the street, creating a one-
way situation that affects traffic flow and safety, especially for families driving their children to school
• At every bus stop, post a map and complete timetable for every bus that stops there physicals.
• Ban bicycles and scooters from sidewalks.
• Better public transit!!! Less big ugly roads, more green space.
• Better traffic enforcement on streets like Middlefield, Embarcadero and Alma.
• Better traffic flow design.
• Better transportation for limited/disabled people.
• Bring back shuttle busses
• Catching red-light runners in cars.
• Close University Ave between Cowper and High streets to traffic
• Close University Ave for car traffic, like it was during pandemic
• Convenient public transportation and improvement of walkability
• Coordinated traffic lights in accordance with traffic density.
• Crack down on red light runners.
• Eliminate roundabouts at intersections that are too small for it like ross & east meadow, and don't convert
any existing intersections to roundabouts
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• Enforce traffic laws
• Enforce traffic laws on residential streets
• ENFORCE TRAFFIC LAWS, TO KEEP PEDS SAFE IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE (E.G. X-WALK LIGHTS).
• Fix the traffic signal algorithms and timing, especially inclusion of late arrivers to the intersection.
• fix the train crossing problem in a way which doesn't destroy neighborhoods or take properties
• From Oregon Expressway to downtown make Alma St 25 mph, make 2 lanes, one in each direction, add
left turn & merge lanes!
• Get rid of auto traffic barriers. Stop emphasis on biking.
• Get rid of round abouts. Confusing for many drivers
• Get rid of the traffic circles
• Get rid of those RVs parked on the streets!!!!
• getting PARKED cars into driveways and off streets and sidewalks.
• Getting rid of those roundabouts at Louis + Ross.
• Go back to 4 lanes on Charleston/Arastradero, takes way too long to go across town
• Improve the traffic flow on Embarcadero at the PALY light. The traffic there is really awful.
• Improve traffic enforcement. Fix the enjoy website.
• Improve traffic flow and parking enforcement/availability particularly around the JLS/Mitchell Park areas
during events (soccer games, swim meets, school activities)
• Improve traffic light tuning!
• IMPROVE TRAFFIC. CONGESION.
• Increase traffic speeds and light timings
• Less traffic
• Make Palo Alto link useable by kids under 12.
• More parking for residents Univ. South/stop transferring funds from utilities to the general fund.
• More public transportation.
• More walking streets closed to cars downtown (and more shade trees on Cal Ave!)
• Need to enforce red light driving and speeding - Endangers all kids riding bikes to school
• Open Calif. Avenue to autos.
• Open the half block of Ramona Street-it is utter nonsense it's still closed and open Cal Ave except for
events like the Farmers' Market & Third Thursdays. These streets are not being used 90% of the time as
you all think they are and it is hurting business. Plus it's ugly.
• People non stop signs in Midtown residential streets. More police enforcement!
• Planning and actually following through with plans. Why are we still discussing Cubberly & train
underpass/crossing 5-10 years later. Despite paying millions for surveys/evaluations/plans we are still no
where towards adapting plans and moving forward.
• Please fix the light in front of JLS; It always stops cars & bikes.
• Put the Caltrain under/above ground & make the rail corridor a bike road.
• Raise the Caltrain tracks for grade separation.
• RE-EVALUATE & PROPERLY TIME THE SIGNAL LIGHTS AT INTERSECTIONS (RESPOND TO ACTUAL
TRAFFIC).
• Reduce traffic
• Reduce traffic speed on downtown streets, e.g., Channing Avenue and Homer Avenue
• Removing the troublesome roundabout at the intersection of Ross and E. Meadows.
• Resolve rail crossing plans in an economical and rational way for autos, cyclists and pedestrians (close
Churchill Ave crossing to automobiles, improve existing crossings at Embarcadero and Oregon
Expressway, add pedestrian/bike crossing at Seal and Loma Verde, finalize plans for Meadow and
Charleston, and move on to planning for the crossing at Palo Alto Ave).
• Resolve the Caltrain crossing construction issues and track configuration for the future more effectively
and expeditiously.
• Road repair and resolve traffic.
• Smart traffic signal timings too many times a green light with no cars.
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• Stop the trash trucks from waking me up EVERY Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m.!!! Other contractors in PA
have to wait until 8 a.m. Waste Management claims they have to start early before traffic is heavy, but
they do our quiet street at 6:30, and on Thursdays I get stuck behind a trash truck at 8 a.m. on Alma
Street between E. Meadow and Oregon. Why???
• Stop cars from running red lights and stop signs.
• STOP USING ROUNABOUTS & OTHER TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES - I BIKE AND [?] ESE HAVE MADE
ME LESS SAFE.
• Support transportation, housing and employment/recreation for people with disabilities.
• The color temperature of street lights could be warmer (yellower).
• Traffic enforcement of speed limits - makes me feel unsafe to bike with my kids.
• Traffic enforcement!!!
• Traffic enforcement. Citations for running stop signs and installation of traffic circles and speed bumps
• TRAFFIC LIGHT TIMING FOR ACTUAL TRAFFIC FLOW (and please pave/fix potholes...).
• Traffic lights in sync.
• work with the County to make the lights at Churchill/Alma intersection be more responsive and change
more frequently, so that we can leave Churchill intersection open. That would make traffic flow much
more smoothly. And invest in quad gates there.
Homelessness and Social Services
• Address homeless and RV dwelling issues effectively.
• Address the downtown (University Ave) vacancy/safety/homeless issue with the utmost urgency. It
keeps getting worse and it seems like all the city does is start committees and talk about it without taking
any real action. Many residents, especially young families, cannot afford homes in the more "residential"
areas so we live downtown, and the safety situation in the area frankly has us considering leaving Palo
Alto entirely. I don't want to be dodging erratic drug addicts every time I try to take my toddler to the store.
• better control of homelessness in downtown area
• DEAL WITH HOMELESS CAMPERS AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
• Discourage presence of homeless people, especially downtown and at caltrain station.
• Don't push out people experiencing homelessness. Provide human centered services.
• Find a solution to the problem of un-housed people living in vehicles, especially RVs, for extended
periods. I am aware of some of the same people living in vehicles parked one the street for over 4 years
• Focus on getting the homeless people on Univ. Ave + Caltrain help and a place to be that isn't on the
street.
• Giving unhoused people opportunities for convenient, appropriate housing and welcome.
• Help the homeless
• Make downtown library safer/ less homeless people in it
• Manage homeless camps, mobile house parking near E. Meadow Circle and Fabian Way.
• Please get rid of many camping car on Fabian way. They smell bad and unsafe!!
• Problem with Homeless (RV). Appearance and cleanliness issues.
• Removal of homeless from downtown neighborhoods
• RV dwellers.
• Solve locally the issues of homelessness and insecurity in the retail arena..
City Governance and Administration
• A City Council that will make decisions and act on them. Their inaction on things like grade level
crossings, approving solutions to the housing crisis, is inexcusable
• All libraries open 7 days/week especially downtown.
• ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE WHEN I CALL. ALSO, FIX THE ROADS!
• Codify NEPOTISM ordinance.
• Commit to no new taxes.
• CONTROL STANFORD GROWTH.
• Creek maintenance, clearing overgrowth in creeks before rains set in.
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• Cut salaries & city manager & admin by 50% / cut taxes.
• Dedicated fund to buy public land, esp parkland.
• Even more library funding.
• Extended hours for Palo Alto Link
• faster and less complicated building permit process
• Faster city inspections on permit work
• Get a new superintendent. Fire Don Austin.
• Improve Solar approvals process
• Improve the library : long hours; mange the book shelves; more diversity languages.
• INCREASE INCENTIVES FOR ELECTRIFICATION TO OFFSET RIDUCULOUS CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
• Maintain budget and not overspent on unnecessary project
• Make hard decisions in a timely way. Ie train crossing housing.
• More [?] for downtown library.
• More books at library to reduce months long hold times.
• More connectivity with residents. When I have work from home days the fumes from air blowers (non-
electric) make me unwell.
• No rent control. Less expensive utilities. Spending less money. Lower property taxes.
• Own up to electrical issues, H2O quality issues, do not use contractors -> we need committed, loyal
employees.
• Planning department should work better with citizens and contractors. Don't be so hard to work with.
• Process for permits rainer & speedier. Decide big issues (like rail) in less than year Cubberl [?] resolve
use.
• Reduce costs
• Replace the City Manager
• Replace the city manager, utilities director, and attorney with individuals qualified to do those important
jobs.
• Spend less money on consultants and just making decisions
• Spend less time thinking about how to regulate the lives of your residents and more time thinking about
how to provide value in city services. Focus on local quality of life issues. Don't spend time on global
issues where Palo Alto as a small suburban city can only have negligible impact. Instead of "there ought
to be a law", we should have "there ought to not be a law."
• stop hiring consultants to evaluate how the city operates. city staff are paid well and should be
competent to figure out how to manage operations. allow staff to generate ideas and encourage them to
propose new way of doing things. it's OK to step out of the bureaucratic process.
• Stop raising taxes to cover unnecessary costs such as sculptures along Charleston Road. Seems like the
city has money that it does not know how to spend. At the same time, the public school look run down,
and improvements seem like lost opportunities (e.g. putting single story new buildings at Gunn High
School for admin office instead of a two story building to replace horrible classrooms on part of the
campus. There is also no police presence on the streets. I would like police patrolling on a regular basis
and not just when they are called. We are seeing people speeding, going through traffic lights, and seems
to be lot of crime (e.g. shoplifting, burglaries, mail theft, people held up at gun point at the Cal Strain and
at the Stanford Mall, bike theft, etc.). Also, why is the city of Palo Alto having, renovating a Zoo instead of
putting more money into improving the school infrastructure.
• Stop wasting city resources, I've seen 12 city vehicles on my street for 2 guys to change a water meter.
• Stop wasting so many resources and personnel to do simple jobs.
• Streamline and make transparent permitting process.
Community Amenities and Services
• More public free swimming pools or gym centers I live alone and have to pay high utilities fees. (2) To
change the or affordable utilities on base & head count instead of a fixed rate housing.
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• At Mitchell park: (1) Pickle ball place is out of control now - too much crowd, yelling & stout. (2) Trashes
all over the place, Graffiti on the wall & road, human waste on the wall & road: The Mitchell park becomes
very unsafe, dangerous place.
• Build more pickleball courts.
• Build more pickleball courts/capacity. There is an obvious demand for more courts and the sport
provides opportunities for residents to engage in a great community!
• HAVE A 9-HOLE RESIDENT'S RATE AT THE GOLF COURSE.
• Have more sponsored community events to invite people to meet city officials. Reduce the cost of
utilities would be great.
• Improve youth mental wellness through active programs and support that provide direct mental wellness
services to young people.
• Improve/enlarge dog parks/off leash combined w/increasing tree canopy at parks, especially where trees
have fallen.
• Install more equipment to collect recyclable CRV bottles; explore ways to make more residents feel daily
consumptions/ activities more affordable; more resources and opportunities to help talented kids
unleash their potentials
• Larger community events.
• Make neighborhood parks beautiful and fun for everyone.
• Make tennis courts more available to play tennis i.e. build up the lights etc.
• More areas for dogs to run in Parks without leash
• More city gardens
• More community arts programs for adults and a city subsidized sports complex with swimming and
pickleball
• More community/neighborhood events.
• more dog parks
• More dog parks with grass, not astroturf
• More open spaces, parks and hiking trails- keep building density low
• More pickleball courts!
• More recreational events and affordable restaurants.
• No more chicken permits. Ok to have chickens: No fee!
• Not allowing city employees access to property without owner's explicit permission at that time.
• places where teens could exist out in the world that doesn't involve having to pay for things that isn't a
park where they could possibly annoy kids/families
• Reduce time of peermits.
• REDUCE WASTEFUL SPENDING - CITY LINK, FIBER INTERNET - UNUSED PROGRAMS.
• Set aside dedicated funds each year in order to buy and add to the amount of park space in the city.
• Teen ages children's center or kind.
• Tell us people what's available where, contact info, and cost.
Economic Development
• (1) increase variety of business around midtown Palo Alto (2) improve efficiency and consistency of Palo
Alto building approvals, so it will be easier to get building permits, and neighborhoods will look more
homogenic
• Better grocery shopping options like milk pail. Fresh fruits have became so expensive after the pandemic.
Can we make it easier to groceries retailers to lower prices somehow?
• Focus on downtown vibrancy the downtown is sad and overrun with high end restaurants and boba
shops. No places to hang out, particularly for kids. When I think of downtown when I moved here in 2008,
there was much more diversity of shopping and experience. Sure, macro trends impact the retail
environment, but how do Mountain View, Burlingame and Los Altos do it so much better?
• Focus on the importance of economic development/smart growth over outdated/impractical regulations.
• Improve the health of downtown by increasing parking. There are a lot of empty commercial lots - do a
deal with those buildings to use the parky space.
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• Make it easier for businesses to get started in Palo Alto so that there are less closed business fronts
downtown and a larger variety and more options for shopping/dining in the city.
• Make small businesses easier and affordable
• More diverse restaurants (cheaper).
• More economic development of our downtown (fill the vacancies!!)
• More job opportunities for Palo Alto residence/affordable house for long only term Palo Alto residence.
• More local shopping mall
• More small businesses
• More variety of retail and shops in downtown Palo Alto. Currently over indexes on boba shops, ice cream
shops, and rug stores.
• Revitalize downtown Palo Alto.
• Revitalize the midtown shopping area (especially Middlefield between Charleston & Oregon).
• Revive downtown - make it car free and put parking underneath University ave so it becomes a
destination for the area and attracts more shops and restaurants. Lytton and Hamilton would each
become one way streets to accommodate traffic.
• The retail scene (Cal Ave, Midtown) is disgraceful. Hardly in keeping with the affluence in this town. Stop
policies that destroy the viability of small businesses and the deterioration of the appearance of retail
establishments at Cal Ave and Midtown.
• There has to be more effort to revitalize our business districts. Make it desirable to do business here --
cut out the bureaucratic tape (streamline permits, simplify taxes, increase safety and security). Even
small steps would signal to the public that you are at least trying. Frustrating to see what has happened
in the past few years.
• Work to improve the Midtown shopping area.
Noise and Urban Environment
• Airplane noises.
• Better landscaping, like Gamble Garden, at public parks.
• Better management of city trees: removal, re-planting, responsible ownership by city
• Cleaner and Safer downtown
• Dedicated/assigned Clean Up Day for condos rather than having to schedule separately with the city
• Do a better job of taking care of city trees; remove the scary branches & treat them for disease more
often; show up as noted on the signs.
• Don't make the trains noises for heavens sake. Use common sense. Not political appearance to guide
you.
• Fix the grading at the Alma and Camina train crossing so the train would no longer need to sound its horn
• Greatly reduce aircraft noise.
• Have more green spaces, plant more trees. Have a more reliable public transit.
• Improve our downtowns
• Improve University Ave. environment
• Keep Palo Alto living environment same as has been.
• Keep the streets quieter, especially in the early hours of the morning. Loud trucks are a nuisance.
• Less development, City is becoming too dense.
• More shade trees in south Palo Alto.
• MORE TREES IN YARDS AT HOMES.
• Nicer landscaping -- more like T&C or Stanford Mall flowers in public places; make Cal Ave beautiful as a
place. The restaurants there are great.; approve projects like Castilleja and big new investments quicker.
It is good for peope o invest millions in Palo Alto.
• noise control along major street
• Not plant more sycamore trees, instead plant ginkos
• Paint & decorate areas like Midtown & Califar in colors & flowers like in Columbia. Look on Google or
YouTube in towns like Sadento, Guatape: Palo Alto look drab & colorless.
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• Pick up trash of apartment complexes more often.
• Pull the weeds at the Oregon Avenue exit from 101!!!!! No one has cared for this entrance to the city for
years!
• Reduce rain noise and trim trees on Everett Avenue (I'm afraid a branch will fall & take down out electric
lines) burying electric lines in downtown North would be awesome!
• Reducing sound from Shoreline Amphitheater (especially past 10PM) either through building sound wall
or stricter enforcement of curfew sound levels. Removing need to maintain current Eichler homes (i.e.
allow homeowners to rebuild).
• SFO noise abetment, if Palo Alto could do its job and ensure that there was flight path of at least 7500
feet above the City for all flights not ending in Palo Alto. Terrible job overall with fixing this issue.
• Use the funds wisely to help residents live in a safe environment. Make it a safe place to live again. Not
afraid of burglary or crime at any time. Kids can bike or hike home without fear of attack from the
homeless.
Develop Infrastructure
• Becoming more modern and high tech! After all it is the heart of Silicon Valley. So things like free high
speed internet, self driving cars, better movie and entertainment complexes, buzzier downtown etc
• Better cellular signal throughout the city / better access to fast internet service
• Better roads & side walks!
• Better roads for bike riders.
• Better roads!
• Better street lighting for residential areas
• Better/more off leash dog parks! Also improved bike safety, especially for our kids!
• City wide internet access.
• Continue to upgrade the electric system and make it easier & faster to upgrade capacity at your house.
• fiber cabling throughout the city providing WiFi sooner than current efforts
• Fiber optic to the home.
• Fiber please! Good internet access from CPAU.
• Fiber to my house
• Finalize the fiber to the home plan, and deploy fiber widely
• Fix or remove the roundabout that was added to East Meadow and Ross. Terrible decision at the time and
still is.
• Fix potholes on El Camino Real and Alma.
• Fix ross road, the bike path is a disaster there.
• Fix sidewalks and roads.
• FIX THE DAMN POTHOLES & ROADS C DIRECT ELECTION OF THE MAYOR-REAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
• Fix the roads!! Especially EI Camino.
• Fix the streets so they're smoother for cyclists.
• Fix the streets. Remove the roundabouts.
• Focus on practical & cost effective road/transportation/zoning improvements instead of unrealistic
ideals.
• Here are potholes; street maintenance.
• High speed internet
• Installing fiber, more housing, more common sense have to tried for do it rest 15 years not enough power
available (live in condo).
• Keep California Ave. No cars repave El Camino.
• Less frequent power outages would be really appreciated.
• More street lights.
• Move quicker with grade separating the road from Caltrain. People are dying.
• Put power lines and cables to underground
• Put power lines underground
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• Residential fiber internet.
• Safer residential street lighting = Cauper Street.
• SIDEWALK REPAIRS IMPROVEMENT (DOWNSIZE AIRPORT).
• To not become over-built remembering water, energy & traffic limitations.
• To see California Avenue finished. A wandering spot with walking and biking as the way to go up and
down it.
• Underground power/wires and municipal fiber internet availability
• Utilities - improve electrical reliability, expand FTTH broadband coverage area
• Vibrant downtown? Faster internet..
Walking and Biking trails
• Allow E bikes around the baylands
• As an avid cyclist - - Enforce poor driving practices: not using blinkers & tinted front windows. These are
the two most dangerous practices I encounter daily.
• Better integration between University Ave and Stanford's campus, especially for bikes. Reduced road
traffic on University/generally more of a neighborhood feel on university like on Cal Ave
• Expanded bike lanes with lights for safety.
• Improve bike infrastructure.
• Improve bike paths and safety downtown and into campus
• Improve bike safety.
• Improve cycling infrastructure & advocate with Santa Clara & San Mateo counties to fix it & sweep. and
change lights so that pressing inchestrian buttons actually [?] gers night.
• Make downtown + California Ave walking only, and replace curbs/etc to incorporate walking only
• Make the major arteries (El Camino, Alma) and their crossings safer for bicycles
• Make the sidewalks on University Ave consist material instead of greasy hodgepodge. Implement
vacancy tax. Boring stores. Put locks on parking garages.
• Make the street I live on (Louis Road) into a bike boulevard with street furniture to reduce traffic speed
and redirect traffic volume to arterial streets.
• Manage bicyclists in downtown areas. They ride on sidewalks, don't stop at stop lights, go the wrong way
on one-way streets, and in general act like they are invincible, making them a hazard to walkers and
drivers.
• more bike friendly
• network of at least 8 feet wide separated bike lanes through the city
• Stop adding bike lanes in residential neighborhoods.
• Too many campers park along streets. Much better separation between cars & bicycles. This should be a
better bike city.
Code Enforcement
• Enforce auto muffler law/regulations. In our area, drivers set up their autos to make a huge amount of
noise.
• Enforce code violations like weeds, dead lawns, abandoned cars in driveways in South Palo Alto the way
it's enforced in the North. It's embarrassing how terrible many homes look. I've had neighbors w/weeds 4
feet higher. There seems to be no enforcement of the appearance of rental homes.
• Enforce on people having dogs on leash in the parks.
• Enforce parked vehicle laws in my neighborhood. Why do I have to live with one thousand motorhomes
parked on my street and other neighborhoods don't? Also, revise Fabian Way to be safer.
• Enforce the ban on gasoline powered leaf blowers!
• Less people, less dense housing. Patrol the blue disability spots so that those of us who need them can
use them. Quit trying to get rid of cars. We can't all walk or ride bikes.
• Remove all RV vehicles parking in the neighborhood in a clusters & painted school bus. It is scaried to
walk near them.
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• Stricter enforcement of loitering by homeless people. Including parked vehicles, sleeping on benches/
sidewalks/ in parks..
Make the city more affordable
• (1) Cost of utilities is outrageous. (2) Make permits faster/easier. (3) Make south Palo Alto greener. Wide
streets/concrete everywhere -> plant more city plants like on Midd. [?].
• (1) Lower property taxes - more businesses -> & business taxes (2) Affordable child care plz (3) Let smart
kids flourish - give them resources to excel, not "equality at all costs".
• All utilities are too high tree trimming not efficient on entire tree on street (the side of tree that grows on
property not trimmed.)
• Cut down the cost of utility bill.
• Decrease utility charging rate
• I'd love to retire in Palo Alto, but the high cost of living here and property values/property taxes will make
that financially impossible. Not sure how the City can impact that reality, but I will sorely miss not living
here someday. I believe this same issue is why Palo Alto is not accessible to young people and more
diverse populations with less financial means. It is just too expensive here. My children, even if
successful post-university, will likely not be able to reside here, where they grew up. Which is sad.
Younger residents and more diversity would enliven our "elite, rich, white, hi-tech" persona that really just
isn't very attractive. No one wants to be viewed as snobby, but Palo alto does look and feel that way
sometimes.
• IMHO, GHG reduction should be shelved unless the cost is lower, here cost includes taxes and utilities
• Lower my electric bill in winter. I'm in an all electric building
• LOWER PRICES ON EVERYTHING. I HAVE TO MOVE SOON.
• Lower utilities bill!
• Lower utility bills! Electric.
• Make services more affordable.
• Make the city resiliant to emergencies
• Make the place more affordable to average people
• More affordable
• Reduce the cost of utilities
• Reduce utilities cost.
• Reduce utility bill amount
• Reduce utility costs.
• Regulate rent prices.
• Rent control (no more than 3%) rent increases are way too high. Families live here!
• Very reliable electricity, affordable/reasonable fiber.
Other
• (1) Help Ada's cafe find a commercial kitchen close by. (2) Allow more generators rules for adding ADUS.
• a) Supporting local electricity production & link to the grid flexible. b) Setting wires underground @
internet.
• Addressing antisemitism in schools & public spaces
• All this greenhouse stuff is a hoax
• ALLOW DOCS IN OPEN SPACES (DALE).
• Better support for apartments
• Book in Spanish - houses for retired people.
• Continue to support cow-free streets like California Ave to allow outdoor dining.
• do away with daylight saving time
• Don't focus on national issues. Focus on local issues. Stop paying staff as though they run a huge city;
you don't. We are tiny
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• Don't let Whole Foods park a refrigerated truck across from my bedroom all Fall. Downtown businesses
frequently violate city codes by creating light and noise pollution.
• Encouraging kindness
• Extend PA [?] to include my [?] area.
• FILL ALL THE CONSUMER COMMERCIAL SPACES IN OUR CENTRAL ZONES - UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA
ANE, MIDTOWN - TAX LANDLORDS WHO KEEP THEIR SPACES VACANT.
• Hire more resident.
• I miss Old Palo Alto. 20-30 yrs ago. [?] are great. Streets will lean, many stores that are [?].
• I wish I could work closer to home, so that I could ride my bike again to work and be teaching in my
community.
• Increase area safty, spend more on education.
• Institute a Tenant Board to address landlord issues asap. 47% of PA are renters!!!
• Join other cities who are suing the state about the state taking away zoning and land use rights.
• Limits on the number of properties someone can own - we keep getting out bid & then these properties
become rentals.
• Local Fireworks for NYE and 4th
• Local printed newspaper.
• Make the city more diversified to include different levels of residents.
• More focused resources in midtown and south Palo Alto as opposed to downtown and Old Palo Alto.
• More like the city of 30 years ago
• More places to work as hannahouse
• permit parking in front of my condo
• Preserve duck pond
• Pricing and replacing downtown parking with other uses to make the downtown more vibrant
• Provide better access to handicapped parking and enforce ticketing of those that park in these
designated spots without permits
• Provide easily accessible specific information on Palo Alto renters rights. There seems to be rental rights
information available for Santa Clara County in general but it's difficult to find out rental rights
information specific to Palo Alto.
• Regardless of the fact that Oregon Expressway is a county road, make improvements to Oregon
Expressway for health and aesthetic reasons by removing the dead trees & shrubbery and fill in with new
trees and shrubbery, that will shield nearby homes, reduce noise and improve air quality. Also fill in the
empty spaces (esp. those caused by trees that fell in the winter storms).
• Require closed shopping units to reopen or refocus their use to end the look of blight.
• Rezoning, allowing businesses in residential areas.
• Seniors need more services at a low cost.
• Stop forcing people to use only electricity. Palo Alto electric grid is not stable. Multiple black-outs per
year. Energy diversity is important, especially in winter. Stop forcing people to use only electricity.
• Strongly fight ABAG requirements for densification of housing in Palo Alto.
• the city pay close attention to employee resident ratio (pensions are so costly) we are the highest in CA
but spearte ultilties to have fair comparison. pay close attention to adhoc financing - consultants,
downtone vacancy tax, the bridge at newell -- please make decisions as opposed to kicking the can down
the road.
• They shouldn't permit to build the house with the new units and have no back yard. You don't have any
privacy anymore
• use a better survey product. what a boring set of questions and poor respondent experience.
• Utility department and planning department process unfair charges for multifamily properties. Gas bill
lumped in with business even though we use little gas.
• Welcome conservative points of view..
Nothing/Don't know
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• DON'T KNOW.
• I am pretty happy as it is!
• I honestly don't know!
• None
• None.
• nothing
• This is an [?] community but the cost of living very very high utility cost [?].
• Too many changes that I'd like to see to list.
• Unknown.
• WHO KNOWS.
Question 20: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe
the City does well and would want to maintain?
Parks, open space, and natural environment
• Abundance of parks and valuing safe biking routes.
• Care for trees. Also Website is efficient
• City parks are beautiful.
• Downtown Walkability
• Ensuring that we preserve our canopy -- trees, green spaces, etc.
• Environment, public library.
• environmental protection
• EXCEPTIONAL PARKS & SCHOOLS.
• Foothills, Baylands, libraries, farmers markets are OUTSTANDING
• Free outdoor exercise parks(s) - strength, agility, stamina.
• good park
• Great parks and green spaces
• Great parks and outdoor spaces, great BMR program
• Great parks and schools, but maybe water the redwoods there more often
• I like the value we place on nature preserves like Foothills and Baylands. Do we have farmlands? Would
be cool to have public farmlands/gardens...
• I love the parks and libraries
• Keep the many trees and large canopies.
• Landscape, parks, safety.
• Maintain green space and libraries
• Maintain parks
• Maintaining natural environment, but should improve across the city
• Maintains our parks and open spaces
• MAINTANCE OF PARKS AND GREEN AREAS.
• Maintenance of green space.
• Maintenance of public green and recreation spaces
• Make sure trees are watered when it's dry
• Make the public park well maintained.
• Manage open spaces and preseves
• Many things, including parks & natural spaces maintenance, community engagement, and the city utility
grid.
• Mitchell Park Library
• Most of the parks are clean open and inviting.
• Neighborhood parks with dog parks.
• Open space
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• Open space and parks--thanks for finally putting in bathrooms at the smaller parks.
• Our city parks and recreation are excellent. Winterlodge as a public partnership is a magical place!
• Our public parks are great.
• Palo Alto provides very good open space and park facilities.
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks + open space.
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and open space
• Parks and Open Space
• Parks and Rec
• Parks and Recreation
• Parks and recreation facilities.
• PARKS AND RECREATION.
• Parks and water
• Parks are excellent.
• Parks are lovely and well maintained
• Parks, libraries, public safety
• Parks, locations and number of parks and open space.
• Parks.
• PARKS.
• PARKS/LIBRARIES.
• plant trees!
• Pleasant leafy greenness and cleanliness.
• Protection of those beautiful trees.
• Public parks
• Street gardening, I came from spain to Palo Alto for many reasons, but most important to be fair was
Henry M Gunn High Scool and Street gardening, the amount of trees gives me an extra day by day of life.
• Taking good care of street trees, parks and othe recreational facilities.
• taking good care of the street trees.
• The City's parks are very nice and we get a lot of enjoyment out of them.
• The parks are beautiful.
• The trees
• There is lot of trees and bike lane to make community "green".
• Tree lined streets
• Tree planting and maintenance
• trees
• Trees.
• Values the environment & education.
• Vibrant park and recreation facilities.
Utilities and city services
• Annual utility party in Baylands utility buildings area
• City owned utilities
• Consolidated utilities.
• Continue to provide excellent utilities (electric, water, gas), trash pick up, street cleaning and street repair.
All of which make this a nice place to live.
• Efficient utilities.
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• Excellent services
• Fix power outages very quickly & earthquake awareness.
• General utility provision
• Keep running our own utilities
• Keeping cost of city owned utilities in check.
• Lowest cost utility rates
• Maintenance and utilities are good!!
• Municipal utility services
• Overall utilities, including maintenance of parks, Baylands, etc
• Own utilities
• Owning our own utilities
• Owning our utilities/also year round swimming pool.
• Provide all utilities independently and be prompt for the needs of residents.
• Public facilities maintenance
• Quality of Palo Alto water.
• Running our own utility services
• The utility service
• the utility services except the prices are still too high.
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities and city events.
• Utilities and library.
• Utilities department and services are excellent.
• Utilities is great. Good public services
• Utilities management to keep the rate competitive.
• Utilities work well - Great service and no interruptions
• Utilities, Greenwaste, park maintenance
• Utilities.
• UTILITIES.
• Utility management.
• Utility program
• utility service people are great!
• Utility services.
Safety services
• Beautiful and safe
• Emerency services
• Emergency response (services.
• Emergency services
• Fast response from the police.
• Fire department
• Fire, ambulance and police
• Great police force, a main reason we live in Palo Alto (i.e, safety).
• I feel safe in Palo Alto.
• I have never felt safer in my life. This takes a huge emotional weight off my family's shoulders, it frees our
minds and bodies to accomplish more, learn more, and live more at peace. We also love this community
value of nature and wellness made clear by how the city invests in and uplifts these elements of our
environment.
• Keep Palo Alto being safe
• Keeping our streets safe for car and bike traffic.
• Maintain safety for residents.
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• maintain safety of neighborhoods
• Maintain safety of the city.
• Maintaining safety.
• Maintains good emergency response.
• Making people feel safe, family town!
• Our emergency services, police, fire and ambulance
• Police and Fire protection
• POLICE FORCE - I FEEL VERY SAFE LIVING HERE.
• Police officers are helpful and respectful
• Police services
• Police, Fire and Emergency Services
• Police, firefighters, and library.
• police, utilities
• Police.
• Public safety
• Public safety
• Public safety
• Public safety services (police, fire, emergency medical).
• Public safety we had our car broken into in our driveway and someone tried to steal a neighbor's catalytic
converter over the past couple of years. Police response was good. Strong policing is critical to maintain
a safe living environment.
• safety and emergency response
• SAFETY FROM CRIME.
• Safety of Palo Alto residents and their communities.
• SAFETY OF RESIDENTS AND FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE.
• Safety.
• Safety.
• Safety.
• Safety.
• Security of neighborhoods and their [?] people.
• The safety of our neighborhoods.
Activities and Recreation (arts, libraries, museums, theaters, etc.)
• amazing libraries and parks
• Arts center
• awesome libraries!
• Children Theater
• Classes on Enjoy Catalog
• Cleanliness of "built environment", more but affordable dining options needed.
• Community opportunities
• Continue to offer (and expand) community events and first-class parks, libraries, and open spaces.
• cultural venue/events
• Excellent libraries.
• Excellent libraries.
• Free events
• Great libraries, parks and recreation.
• Great public library and parks. Great family oriented community and services.
• Libraries and parks
• LIBRARIES ARE GREAT!
• Libraries, parks
• Libraries, paying utilities online.
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• Libraries! Open spaces, parks, preserves!
• Library and all the services at Mitchell Park like Pickle Ball, concerts, magical bridge park
• Library and park.
• library services
• Library system
• Maintaining Public Library access (in person, physical book collections)
• New book selection at Rinconada Library is pretty good.
• Promote cultural activities and events
• Provides. Good parks & rec options.
• Providing many opportunities for socialization among residents
• Public Library Services
• quality of library services
• Recreation options are great. Very diverse and affordable
• Response time of fire and police.
• safety and overall attractiveness
• The Libraries
• The libraries are awesome!
• The libraries.
• The library system is the single best thing about Palo Alto.
• The pool at Rinconada.
• You do a good job at the art and wine festival.
Government/leadership; government communication
• Allowing residents to participate in different commissions and committees is nice and annoying (the
"Palo Alto way" often add double or triple time to the outcome). It's good that residents participate but
bad if it complicates things and drags out the outcome.
• City does well on sharing information with citizen and maintain a good service.
• City respects & regards every individual equally. That needs to stay.
• Communicating with the citizens and community.
• Communication
• communication with residents
• Communication with residents.
• Comprehensive plan.
• Employees are generally very kind and understanding, including utilities and police.
• Encourage volunteers to participate.
• I believe the City is very well-intentioned. I appreciate the open communications, the transparency, the
public city council meetings, the manager's regular reporting out, and the sincere wish to care for its
residents.
• INFORM RESIDENTS OF CITY DECISIONS.
• Letting the people know how & who voted one way or another. It helps a person know who to vote for.
• official website
• Planning and anticipation of things like flood control and stuff that might go wrong.
• Respects the intelligence of its residents and provide the services accordingly
• Response to complaints
• Taking input from residents on possible projects.
Schools and education, programs for youth
• Attention to schools.
• Childrens activities from libraries & playgrounds to theatre $ 300.
• Classes for residents, parks + rec, library.
• education for kids
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• Focus on schools
• Good high schools
• Good public school system.
• Good schools
• Great schools
• K-12 education.
• Maintain good schools.
• Maintain the quality of schools K-12
• PUBLIC EDUCATION.
• Public school system.
• Public schools
• Quality of education
• School system.
• Schools, Process.
Cleanliness of community; upkeep
• Clean sidewalks
• Clean street, sidewalk.
• Clean streets, safe community/beautiful parks, friendly neighbors, good quality education for our kiddos
• Cleanliness
• General city maintenance.
• I love the cleanup days.
• I saw city of Palo Alto removed the graffiti & human faces on the wall very quickly.
• It's very clean!!
• keep city clean and safe
• Keep the city clean!!, safety, welcoming, option to apply for utilities discounts.
• keeping the public areas clean
• Keeps city clean, keeps park rules [?].
• Maintain the cleanliness and overall natural beauty of the city
• Make the street clean and pretty.
• Street cleaning
• Street sweeping
• Sweeping the streets so the water can easily drain down to the sewer.
• The city's upkeep of its parks is excellent.
• Trash pick-up & recycling & composting.
• Waste management.
Quality of life, reputation
• I like university ave/ the downtown area.
• I love the library system
• Keep the brand awareness of Palo Alto. Every city has challenges but PA is doing great!!
• Maintain a vibrant quality of living (safe and clean neighborhoods, thriving commercial centers, ease of
transportation)
• Sense of community.
• Status Quo.
• The Overall Quality of Life Is Very Good
• The precious neighborhood quality and density.
• Water quality , opportunity to apply for household discount on utility bills.
Infrastructure, streets, transportation
• alternative transportation
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• beautiful, functional, safe "built environment"
• Beauty & fashion of natural & built environment(s).
• community services and infrastrucure: libraries, parks, open space
• Experiment of new public transportation like PA Link
• FIX CRACKS IN STREETS & SIDEWALKS.
• General street maintenance.
• I think that Traffic Department does a really good job at balancing the many interests and promotes safe
streets for walking and biking. We don't have cars racing through our neighborhoods trying to get out of
the city faster.
• Improving infrastructure, especially streets, for walking, running, cycling, etc., i.e. reducing the dominance
and necessity of motor vehicles and their negative impacts.
• Its infrastructure is very conducive to walking!
• maintenance
• Palo Alto Link
• Palo Alto Link - But should be extended to adjacent cities for drop-off.
• Road maintenance is done well - too much, actually! The cost must be very high.
• Street and sidewalk maintenance
• strict building codes
Ease of bicycle travel/walking
• Bike friendly, great feeling of community, lot of great areas and outdoors, responsive city council,
• Bike trail.
• Bike trails.
• Biking and pedestrian infrastructure
• Biking safety
• car-free zones on university ave and california ave
• KEEPS & ENHANCE CAL & U..AVE PEDESTRIAN MALLS.
• No cars on cal ave
• One of its strong points is being bike-friendly.
• Safe biking and Foothills and Baylands are wonderful.
• The availability of biking and walking paths around the city.
• The bike infrastructure & green spaces are great.
• The bike programs go in the right direction
• Very bike friendly.
• Walkability.
Sustainability
• Garbage management
• Giving extensive thought to the environment and climate change
• low greenhouse emission
• Maintaining environment, utilities management.
• Recycling bins. Hazardous Waste needs to be reinstated as part of weekly pickup.
• Toxic waste collection.
Culture, diversity
• diversity
• Friendly, responsive police and fire responders.
• Good diversity, business
• Peace
• People are all nice, educated, smart, and educated
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• The city portrays the image of being a friendly and inclusive place to live and shop. It needs to clean the
streets and maintain the flora to keep up that image..
Other
• Animal control
• Animal Control personnel are prompt and helpful.
• CHG planning & communities to residents.
• Electronic communication methods
• Everything
• high housing cost
• hmmmm!
• Integrating green spaces throughout the urban and suburban landscape.
• Keep free public parking
• Keep maintaining and fostering healthy lifestyle environment
• Minimize Utilities Cost
• Public services response in general.
• Sponsoring programs to help residents with HPWH, electric cars, solar etc
• Take unwarranted credit for its proximity to Stanford
• The Stanford shopping center and Gamble gardens are lovely places to walk around. More like that (but
not commercialized like the shopping center
Nothing/don’t know/something negative
• Can't think of one.
• I do not think Palo Alto has maintained the charming wonderful diversity of yrs past. They cater to the rich
well and I don't want to encourager them to maintain.
• N/A
• No idea
• None of this time.
• Not sure. Don't take credit for things you don't control.
• Nothing! Especially with such a large head count.
• To be honest, nothing, no need for bill lane!!
• unsure
• You do well raising utilities bill and giving terrible service you don't think in PA residents only in your
pockets.
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Appendix C: Results to Open-Participation Survey
After the data collection period for the probability, address-based survey was underway, the City
made available a web-based survey to its residents through a link on the City’s website and on
social media. Visitors to the site were able to complete the survey from September 16 – October
21, 2024 and 727 surveys were received. This section contains the results of this open
participation web-based survey. These data were not collected through a random sample and it
is unknown who in the community was aware of the survey; therefore, a level of confidence in the
representativeness of the sample cannot be estimated. However, to reduce bias where possible,
these data were weighted to match the demographic characteristics of the 2020 Census and
2022 American Community Survey estimates for adults in the City of Palo Alto. The results of the
weighting scheme for the open participation survey are presented in the following table.
Table 117: Palo Alto, CA 2024 Weighting Table
Characteristic Population Norm Unweighted Data Weighted Data
Housing
Rent home 44% 14% 34%
Own home 56% 86% 66%
Detached unit* 59% 86% 68%
Attached unit* 41% 14% 32%
Race and Ethnicity
White 55% 73% 58%
Not white 45% 27% 42%
Not Hispanic 94% 97% 93%
Hispanic 6% 3% 7%
Sex and Age
Female 52% 60% 55%
Male 48% 40% 45%
18-34 years of age 23% 2% 12%
35-54 years of age 35% 26% 37%
55+ years of age 42% 71% 51%
Females 18-34 11% 2% 8%
Females 35-54 18% 16% 20%
Females 55+ 23% 42% 27%
Males 18-34 12% 1% 4%
Males 35-54 17% 10% 18%
Males 55+ 19% 29% 23%
Area
Area 1 13% 26% 17%
Area 2 19% 23% 20%
Area 3 13% 13% 13%
Area 4 20% 13% 20%
Area 5 9% 11% 11%
Area 6 26% 14% 19%
* U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022 5-year estimates
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Results Tables
Table 118: Question 1 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following aspects of quality
of life in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Palo Alto as a place to live 39% N=285 45% N=326 15% N=105 1% N=9 0% N=0 100% N=726
Your neighborhood as a place to live 44% N=316 44% N=316 11% N=80 1% N=9 0% N=0 100% N=721
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 36% N=258 37% N=264 16% N=115 3% N=19 9% N=63 100% N=719
Palo Alto as a place to work 23% N=166 38% N=274 12% N=90 3% N=22 24% N=170 100% N=721
Palo Alto as a place to visit 20% N=145 36% N=254 29% N=205 10% N=73 5% N=38 100% N=713
Palo Alto as a place to retire 15% N=107 25% N=177 19% N=140 27% N=192 14% N=103 100% N=720
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 30% N=219 49% N=358 20% N=142 1% N=8 0% N=0 100% N=727
Table 119: Question 1 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of life in Palo
Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Palo Alto as a place to live 39% N=285 45% N=326 15% N=105 1% N=9 100% N=726
Your neighborhood as a place to live 44% N=316 44% N=316 11% N=80 1% N=9 100% N=721
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 39% N=258 40% N=264 18% N=115 3% N=19 100% N=656
Palo Alto as a place to work 30% N=166 50% N=274 16% N=90 4% N=22 100% N=551
Palo Alto as a place to visit 21% N=145 38% N=254 30% N=205 11% N=73 100% N=676
Palo Alto as a place to retire 17% N=107 29% N=177 23% N=140 31% N=192 100% N=617
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 30% N=219 49% N=358 20% N=142 1% N=8 100% N=727
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Table 120: Question 2 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they
relate to Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor
Don't
know Total
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall
design, buildings, parks and transportation systems) 15% N=112 50% N=365 25% N=181 10% N=70 0% N=2 100% N=730
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 38% N=280 44% N=318 14% N=103 4% N=27 0% N=0 100% N=729
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 38% N=274 48% N=344 13% N=92 1% N=8 0% N=2 100% N=719
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 36% N=262 43% N=310 17% N=119 2% N=12 2% N=16 100% N=719
Residents' connection and engagement with their
community 15% N=108 42% N=306 29% N=208 10% N=75 4% N=29 100% N=726
Table 121: Question 2 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo
Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems) 15% N=112 50% N=365 25% N=181 10% N=70 100% N=728
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 38% N=280 44% N=318 14% N=103 4% N=27 100% N=729
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 38% N=274 48% N=344 13% N=92 1% N=8 100% N=718
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 37% N=262 44% N=310 17% N=119 2% N=12 100% N=703
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 16% N=108 44% N=306 30% N=208 11% N=75 100% N=697
Table 122: Question 3 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do
each of the following: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely
Very
unlikely
Don't
know Total
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who
asks 29% N=210 40% N=290 18% N=134 11% N=79 2% N=12 100% N=725
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 55% N=395 25% N=184 8% N=61 8% N=54 4% N=30 100% N=724
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends 65% N=472 19% N=138 5% N=33 4% N=28 7% N=53 100% N=723
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Table 123: Question 3 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the
following: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely
Very
unlikely Total
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks 29% N=210 41% N=290 19% N=134 11% N=79 100% N=713
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 57% N=395 26% N=184 9% N=61 8% N=54 100% N=694
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends 70% N=472 21% N=138 5% N=33 4% N=28 100% N=670
Table 124: Question 4 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community
does at each of the following. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Making all residents feel welcome 16% N=120 38% N=274 26% N=189 14% N=100 6% N=47 100% N=730
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 20% N=147 28% N=207 23% N=168 22% N=158 7% N=48 100% N=728
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse
backgrounds 24% N=170 39% N=282 21% N=149 9% N=68 8% N=55 100% N=724
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled,
homeless, etc.) 10% N=71 21% N=154 28% N=203 22% N=157 19% N=140 100% N=725
Table 125: Question 4 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community does at each of
the following. Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Making all residents feel welcome 18% N=120 40% N=274 28% N=189 15% N=100 100% N=683
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 22% N=147 30% N=207 25% N=168 23% N=158 100% N=680
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds 25% N=170 42% N=282 22% N=149 10% N=68 100% N=669
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled, homeless, etc.) 12% N=71 26% N=154 35% N=203 27% N=157 100% N=586
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Table 126: Question 5 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as
they relate to Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Overall quality of business and service
establishments in Palo Alto 14% N=103 51% N=373 26% N=192 7% N=52 1% N=6 100% N=725
Variety of business and service establishments in
Palo Alto 11% N=82 34% N=248 39% N=280 15% N=108 1% N=6 100% N=725
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 13% N=90 32% N=231 37% N=265 17% N=121 2% N=12 100% N=719
Employment opportunities 11% N=78 27% N=192 19% N=139 9% N=62 35% N=252 100% N=724
Shopping opportunities 20% N=143 42% N=300 27% N=197 10% N=69 1% N=8 100% N=718
Cost of living in Palo Alto 1% N=7 4% N=26 22% N=156 73% N=525 1% N=9 100% N=723
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 29% N=206 44% N=320 22% N=160 4% N=30 0% N=3 100% N=720
Traffic flow on major streets 4% N=25 35% N=250 37% N=265 25% N=177 1% N=5 100% N=722
Ease of public parking 14% N=104 43% N=308 29% N=211 11% N=82 2% N=16 100% N=721
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 16% N=115 47% N=334 28% N=203 8% N=58 1% N=9 100% N=719
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 3% N=20 13% N=95 23% N=168 36% N=263 24% N=176 100% N=721
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 22% N=160 40% N=285 19% N=135 6% N=45 13% N=96 100% N=721
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 34% N=246 42% N=301 17% N=121 7% N=52 0% N=3 100% N=723
Variety of housing options 4% N=31 16% N=112 33% N=239 38% N=275 9% N=68 100% N=725
Availability of affordable quality housing 3% N=22 4% N=30 12% N=86 67% N=484 14% N=100 100% N=722
Recreational opportunities 26% N=188 49% N=353 16% N=118 5% N=39 3% N=25 100% N=723
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 4% N=30 9% N=65 12% N=90 18% N=130 57% N=411 100% N=726
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 26% N=188 44% N=313 20% N=144 7% N=47 3% N=24 100% N=715
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Table 127: Question 5 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to
Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Overall quality of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 14% N=103 52% N=373 27% N=192 7% N=52 100% N=719
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 11% N=82 34% N=248 39% N=280 15% N=108 100% N=718
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 13% N=90 33% N=231 37% N=265 17% N=121 100% N=707
Employment opportunities 17% N=78 41% N=192 30% N=139 13% N=62 100% N=473
Shopping opportunities 20% N=143 42% N=300 28% N=197 10% N=69 100% N=710
Cost of living in Palo Alto 1% N=7 4% N=26 22% N=156 73% N=525 100% N=714
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 29% N=206 45% N=320 22% N=160 4% N=30 100% N=717
Traffic flow on major streets 4% N=25 35% N=250 37% N=265 25% N=177 100% N=718
Ease of public parking 15% N=104 44% N=308 30% N=211 12% N=82 100% N=706
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 16% N=115 47% N=334 29% N=203 8% N=58 100% N=710
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 4% N=20 17% N=95 31% N=168 48% N=263 100% N=545
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 26% N=160 46% N=285 22% N=135 7% N=45 100% N=625
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 34% N=246 42% N=301 17% N=121 7% N=52 100% N=720
Variety of housing options 5% N=31 17% N=112 36% N=239 42% N=275 100% N=658
Availability of affordable quality housing 4% N=22 5% N=30 14% N=86 78% N=484 100% N=622
Recreational opportunities 27% N=188 51% N=353 17% N=118 6% N=39 100% N=698
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 9% N=30 21% N=65 29% N=90 41% N=130 100% N=315
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 27% N=188 45% N=313 21% N=144 7% N=47 100% N=692
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Table 128: Question 6 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as
they relate to Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool 4% N=30 11% N=82 16% N=116 24% N=171 45% N=322 100% N=721
K-12 education 41% N=294 29% N=205 10% N=74 3% N=21 17% N=124 100% N=718
Adult educational opportunities 23% N=165 38% N=274 14% N=97 2% N=16 23% N=166 100% N=719
Opportunities to participate in social events and
activities 15% N=109 48% N=347 22% N=159 4% N=28 10% N=74 100% N=718
Openness and acceptance of the community toward
people of diverse backgrounds 20% N=144 39% N=277 23% N=166 9% N=66 9% N=64 100% N=718
Opportunities to learn about City services via City
website, social media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook,
Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn) 17% N=122 43% N=312 23% N=167 5% N=33 12% N=83 100% N=716
Table 129: Question 6 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to
Palo Alto as a whole: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool 7% N=30 20% N=82 29% N=116 43% N=171 100% N=399
K-12 education 50% N=294 35% N=205 12% N=74 3% N=21 100% N=594
Adult educational opportunities 30% N=165 50% N=274 18% N=97 3% N=16 100% N=553
Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 17% N=109 54% N=347 25% N=159 4% N=28 100% N=643
Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse
backgrounds 22% N=144 42% N=277 25% N=166 10% N=66 100% N=654
Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social
media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn) 19% N=122 49% N=312 26% N=167 5% N=33 100% N=633
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Table 130: Question 7 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please indicate whether or not you have done each of the following in the last 12 months. No Yes Total
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services 42% N=304 58% N=418 100% N=722
Visited a neighborhood park or City park 3% N=21 97% N=702 100% N=723
Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services 24% N=170 76% N=553 100% N=723
Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto 73% N=525 27% N=196 100% N=720
Attended a City-sponsored event 36% N=257 64% N=466 100% N=723
Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors 9% N=62 91% N=661 100% N=723
Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills 41% N=299 59% N=421 100% N=720
Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills 33% N=240 67% N=483 100% N=724
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help or information 42% N=304 58% N=417 100% N=721
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to express your opinion 66% N=474 34% N=246 100% N=720
Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City Council or County Commissioners,
advisory boards, town halls, HOA, neighborhood watch, etc.) 63% N=458 37% N=265 100% N=722
Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting 68% N=494 32% N=228 100% N=721
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto 47% N=344 53% N=381 100% N=725
Voted in your most recent local election 11% N=80 89% N=644 100% N=723
Used bus, rail, subway, or other public transportation instead of driving 53% N=381 47% N=342 100% N=723
Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto 86% N=621 14% N=101 100% N=721
Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto 81% N=587 19% N=134 100% N=720
* This question did not have a “don’t know” option.
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Table 131: Question 8 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Please rate the following categories of Palo Alto
government performance. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto 11% N=78 36% N=259 28% N=197 16% N=116 9% N=65 100% N=715
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 6% N=45 33% N=240 32% N=233 22% N=157 6% N=46 100% N=721
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming
resident involvement 11% N=77 36% N=256 24% N=175 12% N=87 17% N=121 100% N=716
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government 6% N=45 36% N=259 34% N=246 19% N=135 5% N=33 100% N=718
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 7% N=52 39% N=282 30% N=215 17% N=125 7% N=48 100% N=721
Being honest 9% N=64 34% N=244 24% N=175 13% N=93 20% N=142 100% N=717
Being open and transparent to the public 7% N=48 31% N=225 30% N=212 16% N=115 16% N=116 100% N=717
Informing residents about issues facing the community 8% N=55 38% N=272 29% N=206 17% N=118 9% N=65 100% N=716
Treating all residents fairly 7% N=52 31% N=225 21% N=153 17% N=121 24% N=171 100% N=722
Treating residents with respect 12% N=89 39% N=282 21% N=153 9% N=66 18% N=126 100% N=716
Table 132: Question 8 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the following categories of Palo Alto government
performance. Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto 12% N=78 40% N=259 30% N=197 18% N=116 100% N=650
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 7% N=45 36% N=240 35% N=233 23% N=157 100% N=675
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming resident involvement 13% N=77 43% N=256 29% N=175 15% N=87 100% N=595
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government 7% N=45 38% N=259 36% N=246 20% N=135 100% N=685
Generally acting in the best interest of the community 8% N=52 42% N=282 32% N=215 19% N=125 100% N=674
Being honest 11% N=64 42% N=244 30% N=175 16% N=93 100% N=575
Being open and transparent to the public 8% N=48 37% N=225 35% N=212 19% N=115 100% N=601
Informing residents about issues facing the community 8% N=55 42% N=272 32% N=206 18% N=118 100% N=651
Treating all residents fairly 9% N=52 41% N=225 28% N=153 22% N=121 100% N=551
Treating residents with respect 15% N=89 48% N=282 26% N=153 11% N=66 100% N=590
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Table 133: Question 9 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services
provided by each of the following? Excellent Good Fair Poor
Don't
know Total
The City of Palo Alto 15% N=109 52% N=372 23% N=164 8% N=54 2% N=18 100% N=717
The State Government 5% N=34 41% N=290 33% N=235 14% N=99 8% N=54 100% N=712
The Federal Government 5% N=32 36% N=259 40% N=283 13% N=94 6% N=41 100% N=710
Table 134: Question 9 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by
each of the following? Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
The City of Palo Alto 16% N=109 53% N=372 23% N=164 8% N=54 100% N=699
The State Government 5% N=34 44% N=290 36% N=235 15% N=99 100% N=658
The Federal Government 5% N=32 39% N=259 42% N=283 14% N=94 100% N=669
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Table 135: Question 10 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the quality of each of the following
services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Traffic enforcement 7% N=51 34% N=242 24% N=172 23% N=160 12% N=84 100% N=708
Traffic signal timing 7% N=46 39% N=275 31% N=222 21% N=150 3% N=18 100% N=711
Street repair 7% N=49 32% N=228 35% N=248 24% N=172 2% N=14 100% N=712
Street cleaning 21% N=150 54% N=385 16% N=114 6% N=45 2% N=17 100% N=710
Street tree maintenance 16% N=116 46% N=328 23% N=167 8% N=54 7% N=47 100% N=711
Sidewalk maintenance 10% N=73 41% N=288 32% N=228 12% N=83 5% N=37 100% N=709
Land use, planning, and zoning 3% N=21 18% N=126 29% N=206 30% N=213 20% N=138 100% N=704
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 3% N=24 25% N=175 21% N=146 17% N=120 34% N=238 100% N=703
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands,
and greenbelts) 28% N=198 48% N=340 14% N=96 3% N=20 7% N=49 100% N=703
Building and planning application processing services 3% N=20 11% N=81 16% N=114 23% N=164 46% N=328 100% N=707
Affordable high-speed internet access 9% N=63 21% N=149 25% N=174 22% N=153 23% N=165 100% N=704
Electric utility 27% N=195 41% N=291 18% N=132 8% N=57 5% N=38 100% N=713
Gas utility 25% N=179 42% N=296 15% N=106 8% N=59 10% N=72 100% N=712
Utility payment options 30% N=209 44% N=311 13% N=91 3% N=20 11% N=74 100% N=704
Drinking water 44% N=312 37% N=265 11% N=80 3% N=24 4% N=29 100% N=710
Sewer services 32% N=229 44% N=311 13% N=95 1% N=10 9% N=66 100% N=711
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams,
levees, etc.) 22% N=156 43% N=304 18% N=126 5% N=37 12% N=87 100% N=709
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and
e-waste) 40% N=287 44% N=315 10% N=72 3% N=23 2% N=14 100% N=710
Police services 24% N=170 31% N=219 8% N=58 3% N=22 34% N=244 100% N=712
Crime prevention 12% N=88 41% N=292 16% N=115 8% N=56 23% N=160 100% N=711
Animal control 19% N=131 32% N=224 9% N=64 1% N=9 39% N=278 100% N=705
Ambulance or emergency medical services 26% N=183 22% N=153 4% N=28 1% N=10 47% N=329 100% N=703
Fire emergency services 30% N=208 22% N=156 3% N=22 1% N=8 43% N=303 100% N=697
Fire prevention and education 15% N=109 28% N=199 7% N=48 2% N=13 48% N=336 100% N=705
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 130
Please rate the quality of each of the following
services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Palo Alto open space (e.g. Foothills, Baylands) 51% N=357 38% N=267 8% N=55 2% N=11 2% N=11 100% N=701
City parks 47% N=330 42% N=296 9% N=61 3% N=19 0% N=1 100% N=707
Recreation programs or classes 21% N=151 39% N=279 12% N=87 3% N=20 25% N=176 100% N=712
Recreation centers or facilities 23% N=161 39% N=277 12% N=83 3% N=20 23% N=163 100% N=704
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes,
teen events, bookclubs) 49% N=346 30% N=216 5% N=33 1% N=5 16% N=112 100% N=713
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment,
accessibility) 52% N=370 30% N=214 5% N=36 0% N=1 12% N=87 100% N=708
Variety of library materials (books, e-books,
streaming, databases, audiobooks) 44% N=313 33% N=238 8% N=59 1% N=6 14% N=98 100% N=715
Art programs and theater 31% N=224 34% N=245 8% N=58 1% N=10 25% N=175 100% N=713
City-sponsored special events 15% N=108 42% N=299 14% N=98 3% N=22 25% N=179 100% N=706
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 12% N=87 48% N=341 21% N=146 8% N=57 10% N=72 100% N=703
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees
(police, receptionists, planners, etc.) 19% N=130 45% N=319 14% N=96 6% N=41 16% N=114 100% N=700
Table 136: Question 10 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Traffic enforcement 8% N=51 39% N=242 28% N=172 26% N=160 100% N=625
Traffic signal timing 7% N=46 40% N=275 32% N=222 22% N=150 100% N=693
Street repair 7% N=49 33% N=228 36% N=248 25% N=172 100% N=697
Street cleaning 22% N=150 56% N=385 16% N=114 6% N=45 100% N=694
Street tree maintenance 17% N=116 49% N=328 25% N=167 8% N=54 100% N=664
Sidewalk maintenance 11% N=73 43% N=288 34% N=228 12% N=83 100% N=672
Land use, planning, and zoning 4% N=21 22% N=126 36% N=206 38% N=213 100% N=567
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 5% N=24 38% N=175 31% N=146 26% N=120 100% N=465
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands, and greenbelts) 30% N=198 52% N=340 15% N=96 3% N=20 100% N=654
Building and planning application processing services 5% N=20 21% N=81 30% N=114 43% N=164 100% N=379
Affordable high-speed internet access 12% N=63 28% N=149 32% N=174 28% N=153 100% N=539
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 131
Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Palo Alto: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Electric utility 29% N=195 43% N=291 20% N=132 8% N=57 100% N=674
Gas utility 28% N=179 46% N=296 17% N=106 9% N=59 100% N=640
Utility payment options 33% N=209 49% N=311 14% N=91 3% N=20 100% N=630
Drinking water 46% N=312 39% N=265 12% N=80 4% N=24 100% N=682
Sewer services 36% N=229 48% N=311 15% N=95 1% N=10 100% N=645
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees, etc.) 25% N=156 49% N=304 20% N=126 6% N=37 100% N=623
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste) 41% N=287 45% N=315 10% N=72 3% N=23 100% N=697
Police services 36% N=170 47% N=219 12% N=58 5% N=22 100% N=469
Crime prevention 16% N=88 53% N=292 21% N=115 10% N=56 100% N=550
Animal control 31% N=131 52% N=224 15% N=64 2% N=9 100% N=427
Ambulance or emergency medical services 49% N=183 41% N=153 7% N=28 3% N=10 100% N=374
Fire emergency services 53% N=208 40% N=156 6% N=22 2% N=8 100% N=394
Fire prevention and education 30% N=109 54% N=199 13% N=48 3% N=13 100% N=368
Palo Alto open space (e.g., Foothills, Baylands) 52% N=357 39% N=267 8% N=55 2% N=11 100% N=690
City parks 47% N=330 42% N=296 9% N=61 3% N=19 100% N=706
Recreation programs or classes 28% N=151 52% N=279 16% N=87 4% N=20 100% N=537
Recreation centers or facilities 30% N=161 51% N=277 15% N=83 4% N=20 100% N=541
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen events,
bookclubs) 58% N=346 36% N=216 6% N=33 1% N=5 100% N=601
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment, accessibility) 60% N=370 34% N=214 6% N=36 0% N=1 100% N=621
Variety of library materials (books, e-books, streaming, databases,
audiobooks) 51% N=313 39% N=238 10% N=59 1% N=6 100% N=617
Art programs and theater 42% N=224 46% N=245 11% N=58 2% N=10 100% N=538
City-sponsored special events 21% N=108 57% N=299 18% N=98 4% N=22 100% N=527
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 14% N=87 54% N=341 23% N=146 9% N=57 100% N=631
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees (police,
receptionists, planners, etc.) 22% N=130 54% N=319 16% N=96 7% N=41 100% N=586
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 132
Table 137: Question 11 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents including "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto
Utilities’ services: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don't know Total
Reliability of utility services 45% N=314 40% N=275 9% N=60 3% N=19 4% N=27 100% N=694
Affordability of utility services 16% N=108 33% N=227 31% N=217 16% N=110 5% N=33 100% N=695
Community value received from the City owning and
operating its own municipal utility services 40% N=278 27% N=188 11% N=74 6% N=41 16% N=113 100% N=693
Utilities online customer self-service features 25% N=170 35% N=240 9% N=64 4% N=25 28% N=189 100% N=687
Providing opportunities for energy and water
efficiency at home or business 22% N=147 36% N=244 16% N=111 4% N=26 22% N=153 100% N=682
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 17% N=118 26% N=182 21% N=146 13% N=90 22% N=152 100% N=687
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for
the price you pay 20% N=136 37% N=251 24% N=165 11% N=78 8% N=56 100% N=687
Ease of obtaining information or performing a
transaction through the City’s website 18% N=123 33% N=229 19% N=132 7% N=49 22% N=154 100% N=686
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 20% N=135 39% N=262 17% N=114 5% N=34 19% N=131 100% N=676
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 20% N=132 28% N=188 11% N=78 6% N=41 35% N=240 100% N=679
Speed of response after contacting Utilities
department staff 19% N=128 28% N=187 11% N=72 5% N=37 37% N=251 100% N=675
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 133
Table 138: Question 11 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto Utilities’
services: Excellent Good Fair Poor Total
Reliability of utility services 47% N=314 41% N=275 9% N=60 3% N=19 100% N=667
Affordability of utility services 16% N=108 34% N=227 33% N=217 17% N=110 100% N=662
Community value received from the City owning and operating its own
municipal utility services 48% N=278 32% N=188 13% N=74 7% N=41 100% N=580
Utilities online customer self-service features 34% N=170 48% N=240 13% N=64 5% N=25 100% N=498
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home or
business 28% N=147 46% N=244 21% N=111 5% N=26 100% N=529
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 22% N=118 34% N=182 27% N=146 17% N=90 100% N=535
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price you
pay 22% N=136 40% N=251 26% N=165 12% N=78 100% N=631
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through the
City’s website 23% N=123 43% N=229 25% N=132 9% N=49 100% N=533
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 25% N=135 48% N=262 21% N=114 6% N=34 100% N=545
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 30% N=132 43% N=188 18% N=78 9% N=41 100% N=439
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff 30% N=128 44% N=187 17% N=72 9% N=37 100% N=424
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 134
Table 139: Question 12 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Please rate how important, if at all, you think it is for the Palo
Alto community to focus on each of the following in the
coming two years. Essential
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not at all
important Total
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall
design, buildings, parks and transportation systems) 44% N=300 38% N=259 16% N=109 2% N=16 100% N=683
Overall economic health of Palo Alto 37% N=252 46% N=320 15% N=107 2% N=11 100% N=690
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 48% N=335 33% N=230 15% N=102 4% N=26 100% N=694
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 40% N=279 40% N=281 17% N=120 2% N=17 100% N=696
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 18% N=127 42% N=294 33% N=229 7% N=47 100% N=697
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 26% N=179 41% N=281 29% N=203 4% N=28 100% N=690
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 20% N=140 42% N=291 33% N=231 4% N=31 100% N=693
Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions 25% N=174 34% N=236 27% N=190 14% N=94 100% N=694
Increasing local solar generation capacity within city
boundaries 24% N=167 32% N=220 29% N=200 15% N=107 100% N=695
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities
billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information 14% N=100 31% N=215 40% N=278 15% N=102 100% N=695
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public
safety issues 29% N=200 35% N=243 28% N=190 8% N=53 100% N=686
* This question did not have a “don’t know” option.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 135
Table 140: Question 13 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents Including "Don't Know" Responses
In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely
Don't
know Total
Participate in organized group activities (such as
clubs, sports teams, volunteer your time, attend
church/temple) 41% N=285 19% N=134 17% N=117 23% N=162 0% N=3 100% N=701
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or
neighbors 64% N=449 24% N=164 6% N=44 6% N=39 0% N=1 100% N=697
Table 141: Question 13 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents Without "Don't Know" Responses
In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Total
Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports
teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple) 41% N=285 19% N=134 17% N=117 23% N=162 100% N=698
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors 65% N=449 24% N=164 6% N=44 6% N=39 100% N=696
Table 142: Question 14 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What mode of transportation do you use most for your typical daily needs for getting around town? Percent Number
Driving 66% N=465
Walking 13% N=91
Biking 18% N=126
Bus 1% N=6
Train 0% N=0
Scootering 0% N=0
Palo Alto Link 1% N=4
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 0% N=2
Carpooling 1% N=8
Total 100% N=702
* This question did not have a “don’t know” option.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 136
Table 143: Question 15 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very convenient Somewhat convenient Somewhat inconvenient Very inconvenient Total
Walking 29% N=195 34% N=224 23% N=149 14% N=94 100% N=663
Biking 38% N=254 31% N=207 15% N=97 16% N=103 100% N=661
Bus 3% N=21 22% N=144 37% N=239 38% N=250 100% N=653
Train 8% N=54 30% N=192 29% N=184 33% N=209 100% N=638
Scootering 12% N=74 23% N=147 20% N=127 44% N=279 100% N=627
Palo Alto Link 15% N=91 38% N=228 27% N=164 19% N=113 100% N=596
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 40% N=263 39% N=253 11% N=72 9% N=62 100% N=650
Carpooling 8% N=55 25% N=164 30% N=195 36% N=231 100% N=645
* This question did not have a “don’t know” option.
Table 144: Question 16 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents with "Don't Know" Responses
If you plan to purchase a new car within the next
two years, what is the likelihood of it being: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Don't know Total
All-electric 36% N=228 23% N=146 8% N=52 23% N=142 9% N=58 100% N=626
Plug-in hybrid 23% N=141 36% N=222 7% N=45 23% N=142 10% N=59 100% N=609
Hydrogen fuel cell 1% N=7 6% N=35 8% N=49 67% N=406 18% N=106 100% N=604
Other 13% N=60 7% N=30 2% N=9 12% N=53 67% N=301 100% N=452
Table 145: Question 16 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
If you plan to purchase a new car within the next two years,
what is the likelihood of it being: Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Total
All-electric 40% N=228 26% N=146 9% N=52 25% N=142 100% N=568
Plug-in hybrid 26% N=141 40% N=222 8% N=45 26% N=142 100% N=550
Hydrogen fuel cell 1% N=7 7% N=35 10% N=49 82% N=406 100% N=498
Other 40% N=60 20% N=30 6% N=9 35% N=53 100% N=151
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 137
Table 146: Question 17 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to reduce greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions 80% by 2030? Percent Number
Extremely familiar 3% N=23
Very familiar 10% N=69
Moderately familiar 21% N=146
Slightly familiar 22% N=153
Not familiar 44% N=306
Total 100% N=697
* This question did not have a “don’t know” option.
Table 147: Question 18 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents with "Don't Know" Responses
How likely are you to do the following to support
strategies that reduce GHG emissions? Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Don't know Total
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump
water heater 26% N=182 19% N=133 9% N=64 25% N=169 21% N=142 100% N=690
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump
HVAC system 26% N=176 16% N=107 11% N=72 26% N=175 22% N=150 100% N=679
Considering whole home electrification 17% N=117 16% N=106 13% N=90 35% N=233 19% N=125 100% N=672
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an
induction cook top 22% N=150 15% N=101 13% N=87 34% N=226 16% N=110 100% N=674
Table 148: Question 18 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents without "Don't Know" Responses
How likely are you to do the following to support strategies that
reduce GHG emissions? Very likely
Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely Very unlikely Total
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump water heater 33% N=182 24% N=133 12% N=64 31% N=169 100% N=548
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC system 33% N=176 20% N=107 14% N=72 33% N=175 100% N=530
Considering whole home electrification 21% N=117 19% N=106 17% N=90 43% N=233 100% N=547
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an induction cook
top 27% N=150 18% N=101 15% N=87 40% N=226 100% N=564
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 138
Demographic Questions
Table 149: Question D1 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do you think
the impact will be: Percent Number
Very positive 5% N=36
Somewhat positive 24% N=168
Neutral 53% N=371
Somewhat negative 15% N=101
Very negative 3% N=20
Total 100% N=695
Table 150: Question D2 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your employment status? Percent Number
Working full time for pay 46% N=325
Working part time for pay 13% N=94
Unemployed, looking for paid work 3% N=24
Unemployed, not looking for paid work 5% N=35
Fully retired 31% N=214
College student, unemployed 1% N=9
Total 100% N=702
Table 151: Question D3 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Do you work inside the boundaries of Palo Alto? Percent Number
Yes, outside the home 21% N=144
Yes, from home 27% N=183
No 52% N=357
Total 100% N=684
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 139
Table 152: Question D4 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
How many years have you lived in Palo Alto? Percent Number
Less than 2 years 4% N=28
2 to 5 years 11% N=78
6 to 10 years 13% N=89
11 to 20 years 19% N=136
More than 20 years 54% N=382
Total 100% N=714
Table 153: Question D5 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Which best describes the building you live in? Percent Number
One family house detached from any other houses 68% N=484
Building with two or more homes (duplex, townhome, apartment or condominium) 30% N=215
Mobile home 0% N=1
Other 1% N=10
Total 100% N=710
Table 154: Question D6 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Do you rent or own your home? Percent Number
Rent 34% N=240
Own 66% N=468
Total 100% N=708
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 140
Table 155: Question D7 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
About how much is your monthly housing cost for the place you live (including rent, mortgage payment, property
tax, property insurance and homeowners' association (HOA) fees)? Percent Number
Less than $500 per month 4% N=23
$500 to $999 per month 5% N=31
$1,000 to $1,499 per month 7% N=46
$1,500 to $1,999 per month 7% N=45
$2,000 to $2,499 per month 7% N=43
$2,500 to $2,999 per month 10% N=60
$3,000 to $3,499 per month 8% N=51
$3,500 to $3,999 per month 6% N=34
$4,000 to $4,499 per month 8% N=48
$4,500 to $4,999 per month 4% N=23
$4,500 to $4,999 per month 5% N=31
$5,500 to $5,999 per month 4% N=24
$6,000 to $6,499 per month 3% N=19
$6,500 to $6,999 per month 2% N=14
$7,000 to $7,499 per month 1% N=9
$7,500 to $7,999 per month 4% N=25
$8,000 to $8,499 per month 2% N=14
$8,500 to $8,999 per month 2% N=11
$9,000 to $9,499 per month 1% N=6
$9,500 to $9,999 per month 0% N=3
$10,000 or more per month 9% N=54
Total 100% N=613
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 141
Table 156: Question D8 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Do any children 17 or under live in your household? Percent Number
No 64% N=448
Yes 36% N=253
Total 100% N=701
Table 157: Question D9 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Are you or any other members of your household aged 65 or older? Percent Number
No 57% N=402
Yes 43% N=299
Total 100% N=701
Table 158: Question D10 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
How much do you anticipate your household's total income before taxes will be for the current year? (Please
include in your total income money from all sources for all persons living in your household.) Percent Number
Less than $25,000 3% N=17
$25,000 to $49,999 4% N=25
$50,000 to $74,999 13% N=72
$75,000 to $99,999 11% N=62
$100,000 to $149,999 13% N=71
$150,000 to $199,999 10% N=59
$200,000 to $249,999 6% N=35
$250,000 to $299,999 8% N=47
$300,000 to $349,999 5% N=28
$350,000 to $399,999 5% N=26
$400,000 to $449,999 4% N=22
$450,000 to $499,999 18% N=100
$500,000 or more 0% N=0
Total 100% N=565
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 142
Table 159: Question D11 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino? Percent Number
No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 93% N=619
Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or Latino 7% N=47
Total 100% N=666
Table 160: Question D12 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your race? (Mark one or more races to indicate what race(s) you consider yourself to be.) Percent Number
American Indian or Alaskan Native 2% N=13
Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander 26% N=170
Black or African American 3% N=19
Middle Eastern or North African 5% N=29
White 65% N=421
Other 8% N=51
Total may exceed 100% as respondents could select more than one option.
Table 161: Question D13 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
In which category is your age? Percent Number
18 to 24 years 0% N=3
25 to 34 years 11% N=78
35 to 44 years 15% N=101
45 to 54 years 22% N=153
55 to 64 years 16% N=109
65 to 74 years 21% N=143
75 years or older 14% N=94
Total 100% N=681
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 143
Table 162: Question D14 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your gender? Percent Number
Female 55% N=368
Male 44% N=296
Identify in another way 1% N=8
Total 100% N=672
Table 163: Question D14 - Response Percentages and Number of Respondents
What is your sexual orientation? Percent Number
Heterosexual 89% N=560
Lesbian 1% N=6
Gay 1% N=7
Bisexual 6% N=38
Identify another way 3% N=20
Total 100% N=631
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 144
Appendix D: Results to Open-Participation Survey
compared to Probability Survey
Table 164: Question 1 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based Sample Open participation Sample
(A) (B)
Palo Alto as a place to live 91%
B
84%
Your neighborhood as a place to live 93%
B
88%
Palo Alto as a place to raise children
84% 80%
Palo Alto as a place to work
84% 80%
Palo Alto as a place to visit 70%
B
59%
Palo Alto as a place to retire 54%
B
46%
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 89%
B
79%
Table 165: Question 2 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Overall "built environment" of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
75%
B
66%
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 88%
B
82%
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto
87% 86%
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto
85% 81%
Residents' connection and engagement with their community
61% 59%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 145
Table 166: Question 3 - by Sample
Percent rating "very likely" or "somewhat likely"
Sample Type
Address-based Sample Open participation Sample
(A) (B)
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks 78%
B
70%
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years
79% 83%
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends
92% 91%
Table 167: Question 4 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Making all residents feel welcome 68%
B
58%
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 59%
B
52%
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds
71% 68%
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled,
homeless, etc.)
52%
B
38%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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Table 168: Question 5 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Overall quality of business and service establishments in Palo
Alto
71% 66%
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto 54%
B
46%
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 59%
B
45%
Employment opportunities 64%
B
57%
Shopping opportunities
66% 62%
Cost of living in Palo Alto 8%
B
5%
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto
78% 73%
Traffic flow on major streets 48%
B
38%
Ease of public parking 68%
B
58%
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 72%
B
63%
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto 31%
B
21%
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 81%
B
71%
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 82%
B
76%
Variety of housing options
24% 22%
Availability of affordable quality housing
11% 8%
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 41%
B
30%
Availability of paths and walking trails
73% 71%
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths
or trails, etc.)
78%
B
71%
Recreational opportunities 79% 77%
Availability of affordable quality mental health care 34% 30%
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities 70% 72%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 147
Table 169: Question 6 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool
34% 28%
K-12 education 89%
B
84%
Adult educational opportunities
83% 80%
Opportunities to participate in social events and activities 65% 71%
A
Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse
backgrounds
71%
B
64%
Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social
media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn)
73% 68%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 148
Table 170: Question 7 - by Sample
Percent "yes"
Sample Type
Address-
based Sample
Open
participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services 50% 58%
A
Visited a neighborhood park or City park 95% 97%
Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services 75% 76%
Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto 24% 27%
Attended a City-sponsored event 55% 64%
A
Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors 84% 91%
A
Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills 60% 59%
Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills 72% 67%
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help
or information
57% 58%
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to
express your opinion
17% 34%
A
Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City
Council or County Commissioners, advisory boards, town halls, HOA,
neighborhood watch, etc.)
17% 37%
A
Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting 16% 32%
A
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto 40% 53%
A
Voted in your most recent local election 73% 89%
A
Used bus, rail, subway, or other public transportation instead of driving 43% 47%
Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone 59% 58%
Walked or biked instead of driving 86% 83%
Observed a code violation or other hazard in Palo Alto (weeds,
abandoned buildings, etc.)
46% 53%
A
Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto 13% 14%
Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto 17% 19%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 149
Table 171: Question 8 - by Sample
Percent "excellent" or "good".
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto
56% 52%
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking
47% 42%
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming resident
involvement
54% 56%
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government
49% 44%
Generally acting in the best interest of the community
53% 50%
Being honest 61%
B
53%
Being open and transparent to the public 53%
B
46%
Informing residents about issues facing the community 58%
B
50%
Treating all residents fairly 66%
B
50%
Treating residents with respect 74%
B
63%
Table 172: Question 9 - by Sample
Percent "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
The City of Palo Alto 74%
B
69%
The State Government
47% 49%
The Federal Government
41% 44%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 150
Table 173: Question 10 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Traffic enforcement 56%
B
47%
Traffic signal timing 57%
B
46%
Street repair 52%
B
40%
Street cleaning 80% 77%
Street tree maintenance 72%
B
67%
Sidewalk maintenance 57% 54%
Land use, planning, and zoning 41%
B
26%
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) 44% 43%
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands, and
greenbelts)
81% 82%
Building and planning application processing services 29% 27%
Affordable high-speed internet access 44% 39%
Electric utility 67% 72%
A
Gas utility 71% 74%
Utility payment options 80% 82%
Drinking water 84% 85%
Sewer services 83% 84%
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees,
etc.)
77% 74%
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-
waste)
83% 86%
Police services 81% 83%
Crime prevention 69% 69%
Animal control 82% 83%
Ambulance or emergency medical services 91% 90%
Fire emergency services 92% 92%
Fire prevention and education 80% 83%
Palo Alto open space (e.g Foothills, Baylands) 89% 90%
City parks 90% 89%
Recreation programs or classes 80% 80%
Recreation centers or facilities 81% 81%
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen
events, bookclubs)
92% 94%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 151
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment,
accessibility)
93% 94%
Variety of library materials (books, e-books, streaming,
databases, audiobooks)
89% 89%
Art programs and theater 84% 87%
City-sponsored special events 76% 77%
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) 72% 68%
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees (police,
receptionists, planners, etc.)
79% 77%
Table 174: Question 11 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Reliability of utility services 88% 88%
Affordability of utility services 46% 51%
Community value received from the City owning and operating its
own municipal utility services
78% 80%
Utilities online customer self-service features 77% 82%
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home
or business
70% 74%
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive 53% 56%
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price
you pay
58% 61%
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through
the City’s website
69% 66%
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications 72% 73%
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff 70% 73%
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff 73% 74%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 152
Table 175: Question 12 - by Sample
Percent rating "excellent" or "good"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems)
79% 82%
Overall economic health of Palo Alto 78% 83%
A
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 82% 81%
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto 79% 80%
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto 61% 60%
Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts 69% 67%
Residents' connection and engagement with their community 60% 62%
Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions 60% 59%
Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries 55% 56%
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities
billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information
47% 45%
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public
safety issues
61% 65%
Table 176: Question 13 - by Sample
Percent rating "very likely" or "somewhat likely"
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports
teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple)
52% 60%
A
Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors 83% 88%
A
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 153
Table 177: Question 15 - by Sample
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Sample Type
Address-based Sample Open participation Sample
(A) (B)
Walking 74%
B
63%
Biking 82%
B
70%
Bus 30% 25%
Train 42% 39%
Scootering 42%
B
35%
Palo Alto Link 54% 54%
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service 76% 79%
Carpooling 41%
B
34%
Table 178: Question 16 - by Sample
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Sample Type
Address-based Sample Open participation Sample
(A) (B)
All-electric 65% 66%
Plug-in hybrid 65% 66%
Hydrogen fuel cell 14%
B
9%
Other 59% 59%
Table 179: Question 17 - by Sample
Percent rating "very" or "extremely" familiar
Sample Type
Address-
based Sample
Open
participation
Sample
(A) (B)
How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability and Climate Action
Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
80% by 2030?
13% 13%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 154
Table 180: Question 18 - by Sample
Percent rating "very" or "somewhat" likely
Sample Type
Address-based
Sample
Open participation
Sample
(A) (B)
Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump water
heater 50%
57%
A
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC system 46%
53%
A
Considering whole home electrification 36% 41%
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an induction
cook top 39% 44%
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 155
Appendix E: Verbatim Responses to Open-ended
Questions from Open Participation Survey
Following are responses to questions 16, 19 and 20. Responses are presented here in verbatim form,
including any typographical, grammatical or other mistakes. Responses are in alphabetical order.
Question 16: If you plan to purchase a car within the next two years,
what is the likelihood of it being one of the following: (Other)
• 100% gasoline powered
• 100% Gasoline powered
• Affordable
• All-electric with range extender (small engine, small gas tank, to recharge battery)
• Already own an EV
• Anything not EV
• BEV
• BMW gas car
• Car
• Conventional ICE
• don't know probably another gas car so I can go to rural areas and long road trips
• Fossil fuel car
• gas
• gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas
• Gas for me. I like to go on long road trips. Imagine looking for a Tesla charger in the Arizona or New Mexico
desert.
• Gas hybrid
• gas powered
• Gas powered
• Gas powered
• Gas powered
• Gas you morons
• Gas-powered
• Gas. Palo Alto's grid is unable to sustain more electric demand, as well documented in the local press.
• gasoline
• gasoline
• Gasoline
• Gasoline
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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• Gasoline or Diesel Powered
• Gasoline powered car
• Gasoline powered engine
• Gasoline powered fully
• Gasoline powered vehicle
• hybrid
• hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• Hybrid
• hybrid ( electric & gas)
• Hybrid but not plug-in
• hybrid electric
• Hybrid or gas
• hybrid or gas engine
• Hybrid sedan
• hybrid that isn't plug-in
• Hybrid/gas
• I am not likely to get any 'other' aside from all-electric or hybrid.
• I am shopping for a car that is 100% gasoline
• I haven't done enough research yet to decide what type of energy efficient vehicle we would get
• I may consider all gas
• I may purchase a gas-powered car.
• I selected a response to "Other" because it is a survey question. I assume it means gas or diesel powered
car, or motorcycle?
• I will be buying a fully gas powered car -
• I will not purchase a gasoline car
• I won' buy an all gas car again
• I would only buy a BEV for any future car purchase
• I've worked @ Stanford, lived nearby, and shopped/eaten/attended fun things in Palo Alto for 40 years. I'm
getting ready to retire & looking forward to attending nearby events in the surrounding communities. I tried
to buy a plug-in hybrid during COVID but couldn't find one. Decided to keep my gas-sipping Honda till it dies,
then replace with a little electric vehicle, while looking for a hybrid that can tow a travel trailer for
adventuring or bugging out in case of fire, flood, or earthquake. In a year or two. The older I get, the more
important safety and accessibility become. Global warming is an existential threat, and if the ocean rises
more than 3 feet I will lose my house. Rise is happening MUCH faster than expected or planned for!
• IC
• ICE
• ICE
• ICE hybrid Turbo
• if we don't get a plug in hybrid it will a gasoline car
• Just purchased a hybrid
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
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• just purchased a new to me hybrid, almost got plug in hybrid due to ability to charge at city hall but plug in
was too expensive
• Likelihood of it being some other category of car (e.g. gas-powered) is very low
• Manual transmission car of any type.
• My next car purchase will be EV
• n/a, would only buy all-electric
• No longer drive a vehicle.
• non-plugin hybrid
• Not enough high speed free plug options to depend on plug in and guests can't visit and park locally, nor
can we rent or borrow a car on occasion
• Not interested in driving
• Not planning on buying a new car
• Old beat up 40's Jeep or other.
• Only gas
• petrol car
• Possible I would. get an internal combustion engine vehicle
• powered
• Probably gas because I don't have the capability to charge at home
• Rebuilding engine of older diesel car and run biodiesel.
• Regular gas powered
• regular hybrid
• Regular hybrid (not plug-in)
• Runs on gasoline exclusively
• Second-hand gasoline-powered car with wheelchair ramp
• shopping for a new SUV - 100% gasoline - not an EV or a hybrid
• The ROI on an EV does not pan out for me. Very little usage. PAUD is still 62 percent gas powered.
• There was no "other".
• Toyota Dry Cell Hydrogen 3 cylinder engine in the Corolla. Hydrogen on-demand, no compressed storage
tanks.
• Traditional car, as there are not long term parking options with plug in available
• Traditional gas car
• Traditional gas car
• Truck-extended backwoods travel
• Unlikely to buy a car within the next two years
• Used or something affordable
• Very unlikely to purchase gas car
• We are in our 80's and don't plan on buying a new car after our present 25 + year old car dies.
• We rent and the resources to plug in a vehicle to charge are not sufficient
• would get the traditional gas powered car... would not want anything else.
• Would love to walk only! More car-free spaces! Fully protected (physical barrier) bike lanes!.
Question 19: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the
City make that would make you happier?
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 158
• #1 build more housing#2 build a quality community center with gym facilities, fitness classes,
etc#3 work to minimize jet noise (from SFO and others) - it continues to be disruptive
• 1. City Uber: Do not waste taxpayer money on silly services like Tesla's owned by city to drive
around residents. 2. Utilities price gouging: Reduce corruption in our utilities. The price gouging
by the city owned utility is unacceptable. 3. Poor stewards of taxpayer $$: Ed Shikada is not a
good steward of our taxes. Please replace Ed Shikada and hire someone who will use our
money efficiently. 4. City recreational service out of reach for families: The JMZ is too
expensive. I can't believe you took a free or by donation entity and turned it into a money
generating machine for the city. 5. Overbuilding housing: I do not support overbuilding in Palo
Alto and I have noticed that the city is pushing it all to South Palo Alto because the richer
residents push back in North Palo Alto. The pattern is clear and needs to stop. 6. Contain the
airport: Palo Alto loves to overbuild and extend - that airport serves very few families in Palo
Alto. It needs to be contained. We don't need the noise pollution. 7. Contain Castelleja: We do
not need the crowding and traffic from a private school that serves very few local families. It's in
the middle of a residential neighborhood and needs to be contained. They should find a campus
to expand somewhere else just like all other private schools do like Keys.
• 1) Streamline the building planning/permit/inspection process to make residential construction
more efficient and less costly 2) Raise then maintain a 6 to 7 story limit on residential and
commercial buildings (like Paris, France)
• A downtown with more retail and fewer restaurants. Also opening op California Ave. to cars.
• A greater focus on building community: requiring gathering spaces in new developments,
providing more social events--some targeted at specific age groups (eg, high school students,
those in their 20s/30s, and then for older adults)--and some city-wide events, possibly
supporting neighborhood associations if needed. Better communication/promotion of the
"What's happening in Palo Alto?" and "Hot Topics" part of the web site.
• A lot of neighbors are remodeling their homes. The city planers need to review fast and approve
projects instead of sitting and dragging. I heard it's a night mare over the past year. Can you
check if this is true. Some of us are planning to remodel in the coming 1-2 years. Your
department cannot be dragging. What is going on. Can the city government look into
this???Thank you
• A toss-up: Reduce the amount of high density housing. Enforce strict rent control for retail
business and housing.Use 'tough love" to provide shelter and medical service to our homeless
• Abandon the pointless S/CAP. End the City recycling programs.
• abolish R-1 zoning
• Active, engaged senior activities at Cubberley
• Actively lobby the State to moderate demands for growth.
• Add *only* affordable housing, improve traffic plan
• add housing and allow for increased density esp in areas with large lots that are likely to be
redeveloped when they next turnover
• Add more pickleball courts!!!
• Add more public trash bins and add more dog parks
• Add public restrooms and budget every year to the Palo Alto Parks where there is no access to
public facilities within .5 miles. Upgrade the bathrooms at Lucie Stern.
• Add retail including large affordable grocery stores so we don't have to shop outside of Palo
Alto
• Address vacancy rate downtown
• affordable housing
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 159
• Affordable housing
• Affordable housing
• Affordable Housing
• Affordable Housing
• Affordable housing for local service providers
• Affordable housing for young families. My children work in Palo Alto/Menlo Park but cannot
afford to buy a home.
• Affordable housing in reasonable locations (transit, groceries, health, with support as needed.
• Affordable housing, finding housing for all
• affordable housing, reduce homelessness
• Affordable housing. Doing everything we can to house more neighbors and ensure we are
getting young families to thrive here.
• Affordable services! Where can we shop without spending outside of the city? How can we
access the city using shared bikes, or for those that can't bike- use public transportation??? Link
is so limited- great concept but not applicable to most all users as the boundaries of range are
too restricted, and age of users does not include children, and the hours of operation are
incapable with Life needs. Try calling a city service- no one ever answers the phone. Even the
police don't have hours accessible to public. Library is great, but hours are so restricted and
services are minimal outside of books circulating. Rec classes all look good, but everyone gives
up as enrollment is always full and hours are not conducive to working families. Worst is
requiring tickets and reservations on PA website- so embarrassing when guests visit and can
not visit our establishments. If guests come to the park, for example, they have to drive because
there is no public transportation from the train, but then they can not park for more than 2
hours! We can't even get tree limbs cleared or water fountains fixed or fields leveled at our
parks. Seeing how other communities excersise their funds so much more efficiently is
disheartening. Having consistent power does help PA stand above other cities.
• Aggressively work with local, state, and federal agencies to reduce the flooding threat of San
Francisquito Creek.
• Airplane noise is CONSTANT and ruins any outdoor enjoyment of our home. Get your over-paid
city attorney to make the FAA stop funneling all air traffic over PA.
• All internet access
• Allow dogs off leash in parks
• Allow e-bikes on Baylands trails
• Allow for the building of du, tri and quad plebes on SFR lots.
• Allow mixed-use multifamily developments everywhere
• Allow more more construction of multi family homes
• Allow much more residential building. Current zoning is a massive class+income-based act of
discrimination - a disgrace.
• Allow multi-story residential buildings and rezone commercial areas to residential to improve
housing options. Builder's remedy has been a very good thing to force progress in this area.
Also, give teenagers a place to study in the evenings (til 9 or 10 pm) in addition to Mitchell Park
Library, which is a long drive for us.
• Allow neighborhood camping in the neighborhood parks; group camping spaces at Foothill park.
Community pool in Evergreen Park area.
• Allow outdoor hemp plants
• Allow parking passes for employees of local businesses.
• Allow residents to choose (or sign-up for) clean-up days.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 160
• Allow taller buildings, more homes, more afforable development and stop standing in the way.
Rezone more areas for high density developent -- up to 14 stories! Invest in more public transit.
Get rid of parking minimums and so many requirements for development.
• Answering 311 issues
• approve applications for more dense housing, like those 4-story condos all along El Camino up
and down the Peninsula, not just for high-income rental but FOR PURCHASE BY FAMILIES.
• Approve permits faster.
• As seniors, we would like to have access to free daily meals as all the Chinese elderly are given.
Why are they the only group offered those "Self-Help" free meals??
• As the population has grown, facilities are difficult to find - summer camp for kids get booked
within seconds, tennis courts are always full, most of the useful retail has left the city. It will be
good to invest in bolstering small businesses, services, camps, retail.
• Be in their offices at city hall!
• Be less involved in home changes/upgrades.
• Be more aggressive about reducing the airplane noise from both commercial jet and general
aviation overflights.
• Be more decisive. Don't always worry about consensus. Stop these ridiculous consultants.
• Be more fair about new housing development in terms of north Palo Alto and south Palo Alto. It
seems like most of the new housing is in south Palo Alto. Build brand new pickle balls courts
instead of repurposing tennis courts.
• Beautify the Oregon/101 entrance/exit ramps
• Being more efficient in city council making good decision
• Better all year fire protection in our area
• Better code/traffic enforcement.
• Better design of new developments. I feel that so many recent developments have infringed on
sidewalks And are frankly pretty ugly. It's very hodgepodge, Especially in South Palo Alto.
• Better enforcement of driving laws and speeding
• Better enforcement of gas leaf blower ban.
• Better enforcement of traffic rules: running red lights, speeding, kids on fast throttled e-bikes
• Better renter protection and affordability of apartments and childcare (in particular for early
years)
• Better retail plan for downtown. Redwood City and Menlo Park seem much more focused on
creating an integrated retail / living environment.
• Better support for the unhoused
• Better talent in the Planning Department. Chiraq in particuar
• Better timing of traffic lights, especially Embarcadero near Paly/Town and Country and relation
to El Camino timing.
• Better traffic enforcement, esp. on Embarcadero Rd
• Better traffic oversight and management on the main city arteries
• Better traffic patrol around major travel areas during school start time. Especially in and around
Charleston/ El Camino/ El Camino Way. Hold cyclists including electric scooters and bicycles
accountable for following traffic laws as well as cars. Adjust traffic lights so no gridlock at
Charleston between El Camino and Charleston. Enforce traffic laws to prevent intersections
blocking.
• Better zoning - I'd like more mixed use development and walkable areas.
• Bike boulevards to Stanford Mall and the Baylands
• Bike lanes that are separated from cars
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 161
• BMR- Housing purchase program, a program that provides home in PALO ALTO for low and
moderate income buyers.
• Bring back retail to Cal Ave and University Ave
• Bring in another yoga studio to midtown
• Broad up zoning of residential areas to increase affordability, availability of amenities like shops
and restaurants, and help fight the ongoing legacy of residential segregation in Palo Alto and
EPA.
• Build a bicycle underpass near Paly.
• build a safer community
• Build a viaduct for rail grade separation
• Build housing to support all income levels
• Build lots and lots of low-cost housing close to train stations and high streets.
• Build more affordable housing
• Build more affordable housing
• Build more affordable housing
• BUILD MORE HOMES. ELIMINATE NO-GROWTH AGENDA.
• build more housing
• Build more housing to improve affordability. Allow more mixed zoning that combines retail and
housing.
• Build more housing, especially along El Camino
• Build more housing, knock off the zoning ********, none of the rest of this crap matters to me
• Build/allow more cafes in south Palo Alto. This area feels neglected compared to the richer
downtown and cal ave areas.
• Ceate more separate bike paths and give the streets back to cars.
• Celebrating Pride Month and promoting the safe spaces business campaign.
• Change city manager and director of PAUSD attract
• Change the process for getting things done, especially housing.
• cheaper electricity and gas rates
• Cheaper utility bill-half paid =tax. If I use $100/month, I ended up paying $200. Garbage is too
expensive. We don't need affordable housing yet - need to take care of those already living in
the city. Planning dept for remodeling home projects:1. (currently contractors are working for
the city) Please speed up the process within 2 months to approve......2. Need to expand footage
allowed when residents are remodeling home. a. High ceiling >17 feet should not be
counted as extra footage. High ceiling can cool down a home and save energy - should promote
in new and remodeling projects. b. Garage should not be counted as 100% living
space. 99% of homes have cars in the garage - why penalized the whole community?
Please go back to counting garage as 60% of square footage allowed for homes. c. City is
allowing ADU - why hold people back with counting high ceiling >17" and 100% of garage space
as living space? This was old rules - to create more space on limited plots of land - the
city planners/contractors need to review and update rules of building codes to allow more
living space being created.3. Traffic lights - some major intersections need sensor to move
traffic along. If timed - there may be no traffic in one direction, but everyone has to stop on
opposition if based on set timing for traffic lights.Thank you so much.Please carefully read my
comments - they are frustrations of people living ion PA.Thank you for doing your best in this
city. All your efforts are appreciated.
• City attorney who supports resident's interest.
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• City beautification: I notice little bits of trash all over our neighborhood and street sweeping only
does so much. Enforce residents to take care of their lawns better. Increase the
plantings/flowerings around city - add some hanging flower baskets around the city, bring some
color and vibrancy to the plants in addition to trees!
• City building code enforcement officer do not abuse their power upon residents
• City council make decisions faster.
• City council more open to addressing international concerns
• City government should be more responsive to citizens. For example, City Hall should be open!
• City leadership is slow as molasses to make decisions and has allowed areas such as Cal Ave
to become dilapidated. Leadership should look to neighboring cities such as Redwood City (see
downtown) and Mountain View (see Castro St.) for examples of how to build vibrancy, and
create spaces that are appealing to visit.
• City staff (Ed Shikada, Kristin O'Kane) cooperating with the nonprofit organization, PAMSACO,
consenting for their teams to participate in league competitions, and ideally productive
cooperating with them to improve middle school sports in Palo Alto.
• City staff that better listens to resident concerns and isn't so developer/corporation friendly.
• Clean up the downtown area. It is dirty and unkept.
• Clean up the mentally unwell unhoused population that has come to palo recently. Tied of
seeing drug use on the pathways our kids take to school. Students now feel unsafe going to
town and country.
• Clean up the neighborhoods - enforce keeping your home at least fairly decent looking
• Close the Palo Alto Airport, shut it down altogether -- doing so would improve health,
environment, and climate dramatically. Did you know that people who live near airports have
higher blood pressure? That's just one example. The airport serves a very limited number of
people, most of whom don't even live in our City. The emissions are terrible. The noise is
horrendous. Its impact on the Baylands' wildlife, visitors, and overall clean air and water is
terrible. Also, because I don't know where else to comment about it: See Question 20 -- we have
already replaced our hot water heater and our furnace with heat pumps, so the question has no
logical answer for us except "Very unlikely". Someone needs to help with a lot of these surveys.
This isn't the first one I've tried to respond to that doesn't allow for a logical response to some
questions (the one about the airport expansion was extremely biased!).
• Close University Ave to traffic, or make it one lane/one way like Menlo Park did on Santa Cruz
Ave.
• Combating anti-semitism, in the public schools in particular
• Commit to dramatically reducing car trips by greatly improving alternative modes, possibly
reducing car trip convenience.
• Community building
• comprehensive plan for more affordable housing with plan to mitigate resulting increase in
traffic
• Control the speeding on my street: Greer Road between Embarcadero and Channing. Family
cars, construction vehicles of all kinds, delivery people from all companies, gardeners use it as a
fast track side street from off or to Embarcadero. Never patrolled by law enforcement.
• Control traffic violations and cars running red lights and speeding through neighborhoods
• Convert more unused tennis courts to pickleball courts
• Convince CalTrans to maintain the roads adequately and provide bicycle safety solutions
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• Council agenda items need rework on process: 1) City staff presentation on topics should show
a balanced perspective, instead the residents' point of view is done by public comment versus
the staff report (should show both sides) and 2) the Staff should be checking in with council
instead of the consternation they put the residents/neighbors through when parameters from
council could be defined in advance before getting everyone wound up e.g., PAO.
• cover every parking lot in the city with PV panels
• creat tree lined street center improve biking safety
• Create a "Quiet Zone" and significantly reduce train noise.
• Create better surveys. This one is totally biased. I have reasons for each answer. We have way
too many services and employees for a city our size
• Create incentives for residents to install solar panels and sell back power to the grid.
• Crescent park and community center have too many break ins and property crime. My neighbor
had their car stolen out of their driveway, my other next door neighbor has a video of someone
trying to open car doors at 1:30am, and someone a few doors down was burgled. It weighs on
my mind that crime could happen to me and while we've taken steps with flood lights and
cameras, that isn't enough for some criminals. I'd like to see more proactive engagement from
PAPD to address this issue and if they need more budget or drones or dogs or whatever to
make a bigger presence and catch property crime, then so be it. We lived in San Francisco for
10 years and never in the city did we have so many people around us experience crime in such a
short time (8 months).
• Curate more awareness and opportunities for willing residents to participate in the care of the
city.
• Cut down on the frikin airplane noise!
• Deal with the crazy drivers in downtown. I don't know how but it is just plain dangerous!
• decrease airplane noise
• Dedicate more housing opportunities to affordable housing, preferably in a mix of housing.
• Define problems and take actions to resolve them more quickly
• Develop a plan for Cubberly to include, studios for artists, classrooms, exercise facilities, rooms
for non- profits
• Develop and stick to a future vision rather than constantly spending time and money to ask for
community input, and then ignoring it to do short-sighted piecemeal projects that add up to a
mess.
• Discourage auto use.
• Disinvestment in automobile infrastructure in favor of other transportation options
• Do a better job of making University Avenue, California Avenue and Midtown nicer with better
consumer oriented businesses. Los Alto and Menlo Park have done a much better job keeping
the downtown areas looking beautiful, vibrant with fine businesses, a variety of food offerings
and traditional hardware stores, clothing and furniture. Events are more interesting and grocery
stores are accessible in those cities. Midtown is a mess and the plan for California Avenue is a
disaster. There are maybe 2-3 places I visit on University..Letter Perfect , Cafe Venezia and
Teatime. City events are rehashed versions of what has been happening forever. Try bringing
back Palo Alto square theatre with indie films! Adult classes that are more interesting.
• Do not allow a single resident or family to purchase multiple adjoining properties and turn it into
a personal compound that disrupts the quality of life of all surrounding neighbors.
• Do not expand airport. Do not take homes for train. Listen to XCAP recommendations re train.
Keep Churchill open. No bike tunnel on seale.
• Do not expand the airport
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• DO NOT EXPAND THE AIRPORT. PROTECT THE BAYLANDS.
• Do something with the traffic lights at the intersection of Embarcadero & El Camino
• don't expand the Palo Alto airport.
• Don't focus on climate change - nothing Palo Alto does makes any difference.
• Don't keep increasing the utilities rates. The more water one saves the more the rates go up.
Same with all the other stuff.
• Don't make the city denser. There is huge pressure to do so, to infill everywhere, but It already
feels uncomfortably crowded. And that makes life ever more difficult for the animals, taking up
all there space. I know this is very non-PC, but more housing should be built in places that have
more space, and more water. Palo Alto isn't abundant in those things. It's well-meant to want to
build more and more housing, but Palo Alto doesn't have to do it just because it's a big
applauded idea at the moment. Step back and look at the big picture. Where can the animals
live, when the city is denser, and when it has more cars?
• Don't waste my tax dollars on senseless projects like dolphin painting and redesign of
interaction on Louis which wasted tax dollar money and caused more confusion.
• Dont upzone single family neighborhoods
• Dramatically increase building of new housing and clean up El Camino so it is not an
embarrassment.
• Educate people to stop at stop sign. Improve signage at stop signs!
• Eliminate fees for foothill park
• Eliminate the economic disparity that makes this place elitely unaffordable.
• Eliminating homeless encampments and reducing "smash and grab" crimes (e.g., stores like
Apple)
• Enable public servants, eg police, teachers, dental techs to live here
• Encourage affordable Senior housing for retirees.
• Encourage more vibrancy in the downtowns
• Ending exclusionary zoning, more housing built, less car dependency, making the city more
walkable by allowing small shops and stores in and near where people actually live, more and
safer protected bike routes
• Enforce code violations promptly
• Enforce our existing laws and codes, seems like next to nothing is enforced in this city.
• Enforce the ban against gas blowers. The current enforcement is not effective.
• Enforce the traffic laws. Walking and riding a bike is dangerous. I have had near misses while
walking and riding my bike. The police dept is a joke. My coworkers laugh about the police here .
If you are white or Asian you don't get tickets. I don't think it's funny because I live here.
• Enforce traffic laws (running stop signs and speeding EVERYWHERE!
• Enforcement of speed limits
• ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC LAWS. People run stop signs all day, every day, even by schools.
Reckless speeding everywhere, especially residential areas. I witnessed a cyclist get hit by
reckless driver in Palo Alto. A few days ago my dentist hygienist was shaken due to having to
call 911 for a cyclist hit by a reckless driver (in Palo Alto) and pinned under it. With what I am
seeing on the roads, unless significant enforcement starts now, I'm confident we'll eventually
see bouquets and memorials on our streets where a person or child was killed by reckless
driving. Cars going 40-50 mph down Meadow Dr. Yes it's that bad! I stopped going Downtown to
University ave, it doesn't feel safe. California Ave is excellent however! PS: For question 20 I
already did all four selections so "very likely" isn't accurate, because already done.
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• Engage the economic divide and social divides that permeate the city and city govt. South Palo
Alto and Midtown are the poor step children of the Palo Alto story.
• Engaging residents on every project decision/review done by the city.
• Enhanced oversight of the Buena Vista redevelopment.
• Ensure continuation of water supply fromSan Francisco/Hetch Hetchy. We feel strongly about
this.
• Ensure fair concern and treatment toward different sections of the City, i.e downtown/North vs
Midtown/South PA, etc.
• Equity in high school facilities.
• Establish quiet zones along the rail corridor
• Even safer bike lanes and policies for slower traffic and pedestrian safety
• Expand schedule for Palo Alto Link
• extensive system of protected bike lanes (physically separated from car trafiic)
• Faster decisions and processes
• Faster home renovations approval.
• Fewer consultants and committees. We have paid staff who should be able to make decisions
and study options for most issues.
• fewer consultants, use the expertise of the city staff
• Fight Prop 19 with Huntington Beach, et-al
• Find ways to encourage more retail and commercial activity in the downtown and California
Ave. Right now there are a large number of vacant offices and stores in both areas, which make
the them less vibrant, offer fewer options for shopping and entertainment, and reduces tax
revenues to the city.
• Find ways to reduce noise pollution from planes, trains, construction, etc.
• Finding a parking especially in the downtown area and some shopping centers can be
challenging.
• Fix Pope Chaucer bridge
• Fix potholes on many streets especially el Camino.
• Fix sidewalk hazards, e.g. tree wells not covered by a grill, which are major tripping hazards.
• fix sidewalks and streets
• Fix the potholes and uneven sidewalks-it can be a hazard walking around town for a person with
disabilities.
• Fix the railroad crossings, all of them.
• Fix the road at Forest and Ramona at Citihall.
• Fix the roads and traffic. Decide on a plan for the train crossings. Either stop the transfers from
the utilities to the general fund or treat it as a tax that it is. The current approach to raise utility
rates masks the actual value of city owned utilities.
• Fix the terrible Caltrain intersections at Meadow Drive and Charleston. The behavior of these
lights is unacceptable: they allow one car through when the train is on-coming, and then make
no attempt to extend the light timing to catch up later when there aren't trains. I regularly curse
the engineers who designed these intersections.
• Fix the timing of the traffic lights.
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• Fix the timing on traffic lights so simple errands aren't eating all my time. And stop allowing
constant tear downs and construction of houses in our neighborhoods. Several houses on one
street is ridiculous. For the amount of taxes we pay there should absolutely be air conditioning
in all classrooms. Our kids are breathing so much smoke during wildfire season. There are also
way too many empty buildings downtown and on Cal Ave that should be used for retail. Why are
they empty for years? We need more doctors that aren't Stanford affiliated. Terrible cell service
around town.
• Fix the traffic and walk signals at train crossings to reduce traffic jams
• Fix traffic issues. By reducing lanes for "traffic calming" this has created more traffic, longer
times to get anywhere, and more car pollution as a result. By adding more housing our traffic
problem will become impossible.
• Fix up the downtown area with cleaner, nice streets and better stores and restaurants
• Focus on areas of city besides north PA.
• Focus on cars not bikes!
• Focus on diversity and ensure there are spaces for Black and Brown people
• Focus on essentials that only City can do-- street maintenance, broken sidewalks/tripping
hazards, drainage, building permits faster, police patrols.
• Focus on maintaining residential ethos, not cramming in more housing and adding to traffic.
• Follow Zoning rules equally for every resident. Also make residents feel safe from home break-
ins and other aggressions.
• For the police department enforce the law equal to all residents. Inforce the speed limits and
have more police presence all around Palo Alto.
• For the police to be more responsive,
• From the road perspective, better maintenance for driving and bicycling and better traffic
enforcement (specifically, stop sign and red light enforcement)
• Funding for public schools
• Funding more to police
• fyi: I'm disabled. You didn't have a category for that.
• Get all electricity through non-CO2 producing sources
• Get FAA and SFO to minimize noise from passenger jets overhead, especially during nights
• Get grade separation done at rail crossings
• Get important stuff done. The "Palo Alto Process" is a nightmare, resulting in major issues
being unaddressed for years. For example, it is an embarrassment that we don't have a grade
crossing solution at Churchill after how many years of fussing. As a lifelong resident, whenever
I've had an issue (like playground equipment at Peers Park being condemned for safety reasons
years ago), the city has been unable to find an actual solution in a timely fashion. Things get
bogged down in a process practically designed to create inaction on real annd practical issues.
Instead, the council seems to focus on symbolic actions. A major issue right now is that turning
California Avenue into a real walking street is long overdue. It is great that the council closed it,
but why is it taking so long to take the next step? The public process so far has been a major
waste of time -- really we needed to all vote on the look & style? The real issues in my view are
things like traffic flow around the closed street, vacant buildings, etc. The city keeps asking
versions of the same questions and not getting on with the important work.
• Get new businesses into the vacant downtown units.
• Get people to slow down their driving.
• Get rid of CivicRec; provide the JMZ with more staffing
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• Get rid of parking on bike lanes and enforce these parking rules. Provide more public
transportation
• Get rid of residential parking program in Crescent Park
• Get rid of the airplane noise!
• Get rid of the homeless people downtown and reduce theft
• Get rid of the RV's on our streets which are both an eyesore, health/safety hazards and NOT
ACCEPTABLE HOUSING! Close the PA Airport down so we can enjoy the Baylands.
• Get the roads resurfaced/repaired
• Getting the police force back to full capacity. Adding officers so they can patrol again. Traffic
crimes have almost injured me and my children to bike to school multiple times a month. Police
need to be able to keep us safe from crime and commuters most of all.
• greatly increase enforcement of traffic speeds - rarely does one see police enforcing traffic
speeds and laws
• Have City Council Members who listen to residents and vote for the direction of residents rather
than voting for their own interests. It is disturbing....
• Have events/activities for young adults. Similar to events for teens, but make it for young adults
who have returned to live at home and/or those who work at companies in Palo Alto
• Have more recording cameras.
• Have ride share or bus shuttle in my neighborhood
• Having participated in a city-program in the past, I feel that our neighborhood is ignored when it
comes to transportation safety. We also get 8Mbps as DSL as our only non-cable option...NOT
FAST internet. It would also be nice if the city was proactive and didn't rely on residents
reporting hazardous issues like cracked sidewalks.
• Help us with our psychotic neighbor
• Higher first tier electric rates in winter for those who do not use natural gas.
• Humanly find ways to get the unhoused and those dealing with mental and or drug issues off
the sidewalks and out of the bushes.
• I know it's in the works and has been planned for a while, so there's nothing to do now, but by
god, resurface El Camino already! No need to preserve the travelling experience from the 1700s
(I joke, but really, folks, really...) Improve sidewalks for wheelchair users.
• I really like Palo Alto, but it's SO expensive. Also, people speed in my neighborhood and there's
no enforcement.
• I want us to make it easier to add housing in our community. Yes, this will add density and
decrease privacy, but I would like to live in a community that is less skewed towards wealth; one
that is more economically diverse as well as racially and ethnically diverse.
• I wish there was no gas. It's polluting and dangerous. Thank you for moving towards that goal.
• I would be so much happier with less jet noise. The City needs to address noise because it is a
HUGE quality of life and health issue. During Covid, everyone noticed and was happier with less
jet noise and cleaner air. The City needs to be more proactive with noise and air quality
measurements, and invest in more advocacy to reduce noise .
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• I would like to see the city leadership show greater concern with the issue of global change,
particularly global warming and sea-level rise. As large and broad as this issue is, the city can
become a model for green energy use and long-term planning for sea-level rise, partnering with
county, state, and federal agencies and projects to reduce greenhouse gasses, both proactively
and through conservation. This issue is the 900-pound gorilla "in the room" that nobody in
either of the two major political parties wants to talk about or deal with. But deal with it we'll
have to, sooner or later, and the sooner we do, the more tractable these problems are going to
be.With regard to sea-level rise as a consequence of global warming, we will not be able to deal
with this problem just within the limits of the city alone, but will have to join a cooperative effort
that includes all the Bay shoreline communities. These efforts will require thoughtful
assessments of the long-term impacts of sea-level rise, and the necessary solutions to a variety
of contingencies, including protection, mitigation, and relocation.
• I would love it if my children and relatives could afford to live here. Cost of housing prevents
that. As a result, we live in a rich bubble, to the detriment of enriching the city culturally and
otherwise.
• I would love University Ave to be pedestrian-only!
• I would put train underground and I would allow branded stores onto university avenue. (i have
heard there is a rule about what type of retail can open on Unversity.
• I'd like to see answers given to simple questions asked of staff (and Council) by citizens at City
Council meetings. AND - more 'equity' between N and S Palo Alto. e.g. new/high density/low
income housing in NPA; more investment in amenities/infrastructure in SPA.
• If the city got back to providing improved basic services and stopped virtue signalling and hiring
useless consultants like the retail consultants who never even visited here. Cut utility rates.
• If there was a way to make Palo Alto a "quiet car" city, that would make me happier. We live
near the on ramps to 101, and there are too many cars with souped up engines/exhaust that are
so loud and disturbing.
• Improve affordability of homes (and reduce number of foreign bought empty homes
• Improve City Manager's performance.
• Improve cubberley facilities as community center even small changes. For example increase
lighting on driveways and parking lots.
• Improve downtown and California Ave. Support small local businesses. The bike lane on El
Camino was a slap in the face to all of the local merchants. I also think the City/State needs to
adjust the housing criteria. PA is not growing like it's been predicted. We do not need all of the
housing that is being proposed.
• Improve free transit between downtown and midtown
• Improve quality/vibrancy/variety of University Ave. downtown - more entertainment/events,
retail, safety and less offices, banks, vacant stores.
• Improve retain on University and California Ave to make those streets really attractive like in
Carmel
• Improve safety for students walking & biking to school
• improve safety. resolve the flood issue.
• Improve the "Palo Alto Process" to be faster and more efficient. Permitting and construction
decisions are a great impediment to making personal and city-wide improvements. Shift away
from paying retired City employees medical insurance; provide payroll funds for the employee to
purchase and invest. (I didn't get it in my local employment and find the escalating health care
costs to be bankrupting the City)
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• Improve the parking sitution at Bixbee Park (e.g., paint parking lines on the existing lot and
expand the lot or permit parking along the road leading up to the park). Reduce flight noise.
Simplify the building permit process.
• improve traffic (traffic lights esp. El CamXEmbaradero and Churchill X Alma), and lower utility
bill.
• Improve traffic backups at major intersections
• Improve traffic flow and road repair
• Improve traffic signal timings on east Bayshore at Laura lane and embarcadero to make getting
in and out of east palo alto easier.
• Improve traffic/congestion at Town and Country / Paly area of Embarcadero
• Improve turn around time for lot line changes and building permit approvals.
• Improved bicycle infrastructure.
• Incentivize construction of higher density housing
• Increase density of housing
• Increase of affordable housing options, Increase height limits
• Increase opportunities for responsible development to create more housing and reduce the cost
of living
• Increase PAPD budget to include more police officers for traffic enforcement. Speeding and
running red lights are serious problems.
• Increase pedestrian and bike safety on El Camino and Embarcadero crosswalks, especially
during school days
• Increase police presence and response substantially. Enforce all laws effectively. Pursue
criminals and persecute to the fullest extent of the law. Zero tolerance for any assaults, hate
crime, catalytic converter theft, property crime, etc.
• Increase police sensitivity to minority and mental health issues
• Increase the education standards at PAUSD. We are heart of Silicon Valley and need to be the
change rather than follow state/federal induced lower standard of education.Allocation of more
funds towards K-12 education!
• Increase the number of pickleball courts, preferably at Mitchell Park
• Increase the number of Twilight Concerts. The program has become almost nonexistent. The
concerts were a great opportunity to get community together with people of all ages in many of
the local parks. Other local towns have extensive programs. Meanwhile our city wastes $300k
on a temporary art project. And the city is funding the 3rdThursday program to the exclusive
benefit of businesses, not residents.
• Increase the quantity and frequency of bus routes.
• Increase traffic enforcement
• Install fiber on Palo Alto Avenue in Downtown North
• Install fiber to the home so that we can cancel Comcast internet. Fix pot holes faster
• Interactive 2-way government-community communication and government solicitation of "broad
meaningful" community input for overall, and specific, program priorities
• Invest in Community Neighborhood Garden Spaces
• Invest in schools that don't deteriorate children mental health (PAMC is a good example for a
step in the right direction), don't let PAUSD set a bar that pushes students outside the school
district. Stop making it impossible to remodel residents homes. Living in Palo Alto feels like
living in a supposedly high quality environment yet being treated badly by the city you pay a
ridiculous amount of money of taxes.
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• It has been 3-4 years since regular cleaning of the Matadero Creek. Please prioritize creek
channel maintenance.
• It is imperative that the City take an aggressive and proactive approach to reducing the
incessant airplane noise from SFO flights. The planes are audible continuously and neither the
noise nor particulate pollution is acceptable. The current FAA plan is nonsensical when
reasonable alternatives (such as flying over the Bay) are easily within reach, and places a severe
and almost exclusive burden on Palo Alto versus surrounding areas.
• It should be much easier to build new multi-family housing units
• It would encourage more middle-class values, as it once did, and be less elitist.
• It's just really expensive to live / retire here, but I'm not sure what to do about it.
• Keep sidewalks clear of cars and vegetation; improve traffic enforcement
• Keeping kid safe.
• Less airplane noise!!!
• Less construction (noise, dust, pollution)
• Less expensive utilities maintenance of
• Less focus on green house and diversity. More focus on the actual quality of life in the area
bordering the 101. We have constant noise, smell, and air pulsation. Yet we don't have a sound
wall to protect us. This is really basic. I asked for it many times, in email,s, community meetings
and I've being ignored. also allowing RV to camp on Fabian make our neghibrhood feel like the
rundown part of the city. Will you allows RV parking next to city hall instead? Will you allow RV
to park in old Palo Alto? Will you rotate the area where RV can camp? How is that decision was
made and can it be changed?
• Less high density building. Causes more traffic. We are on a peninsula. There is less land. And
housing is less affordable. The whole character of PA is changing and not for the better.
• Less high density housingSafer bike routes
• Less onerous regulation within private property, e.g., protected tree requirements
• Less traffic
• let commercial landlords rent to people.... there is so much vacancy and the city makes it
impossible for landlords to get tenants
• Lower cost recreation, remember that it takes a CAR to get to the Open Space. Profide easy way
to report excess garbage starting to accumulate at a recently vacated business (eg Honey
BAked Ham) - can't even figure out waht department!! eg Police, Code enforcement, other. I
gave up.
• Lower property prices
• lower property taxes, lower utility prices, overall cost of living may drive me away eventually
• Lower property taxes!
• Lower taxes and stay out of my business. Focus on economic viability. Decrease crime and
homeless population on the streets. Get rid of vans parked on El Camino. Stop the senseless
climate nonsense - just move the problem to China and send the Palo Alto residents the bill.
And fix the streets and sidewalks - going on six or seventh tire/rim!
• Lower taxes and utilities costs; less FYEs
• Lower the cost of services. Palo Alto spends much more than other Bay Area cities on a per
capita basis, and much of this spending is due to administrative bloat and feel-good issues
such as combating global warming.
• Lower utilities cost
• Lower utility rates
• Maintain R1 zoning as is
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• Maintain roads and improve traffic signaling. Finish crossings for Charleston and Meadow.
• maintain single family home zoning. No ADUs
• Make all our parks dog friendly. Recently, dogs off-leash have been restricted in the city which
forces us to take our dogs to the very few and dusty dog parks where some dogs are
aggressive. We need grassy areas cordoned off for pets to run freely and interact with other
dogs. Every city park should be off-leash dog friendly.
• Make bathrooms available at all the public parks!
• Make California Avenue permanently pedestrian-only and make it a shopping/dining hub.
• Make Channing Ave safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
• make city government and bureaucracy understand that the needs of long-time residents are as
important as the needs of future residents.
• Make cycling/public transit better
• Make ECR safe for bikes
• Make electric service more reliable
• Make it affordable for regular people beyond the very few "affordable or low income" units at
new complexes.
• Make it easier and faster for reasonable multi-family housing developments to be approved and
built - where at least some of the units are affordable to those with relatively modest incomes.
• Make it easier for businesses to operate so they want to stay here!
• Make it easier for much needed affordable housing to be built. Remove existing barriers that
make it difficult for projects to be completed in a reasonable time. Provide more funding for
affordable housing.
• Make it easier to add housing to expand the options for all economic levels
• Make it easier to walk at night. When I was a kid (1960s), our streets were bright and safe at
night. Now they're too dark to walk without a super-bright flashlight. My dog loved our late-
night walks. Now I can't even see the sidewalk, and trip over curbs. So I don't.Also, the city
council needs to stop wasting money on artsy-craftsy nonsense. Why should I pay for stuff that
benefits no one?
• Make it more walkable and bikeable, preferably without the current method of increasing
complexity and pavement! People don't meet people in cars.
• Make it safer and less noisy.
• Make it safer to bike around the city.
• Make it safer to walk by enforcing bicycle rules of the road.
• Make more efficient progress on city projects and revitalization for the masses.
• Make Palo Alto beautiful (better architecture, open space, fewer cars, walkable/bikeable city,
etc)
• Make the airport LARGER
• Make the city manager more accountable to the city council.
• Make the city more beautiful and a destination with a variety of high quality establishments like
RH
• make the remodeling process less daunting and unfair
• Make University a pedestrian mall
• Making new buildings , new homes and downtowns attractive.
• Making Palo Alto a quieter place to live. The sound of planes screeching as they break really
decreased my quality of life.
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• Massive amounts of new housing across the economic spectrum and across the city - I want to
see density and affordability and am tired of seeing the City Council again and again get in the
way of this inevitability.
• massively expanded (more routes, more stops, nights and weekends) public transit
• Matadero creek weeds should be cleaned up and maintained regularly just like before
Pandemic! Now the weeds are so tall and dirty all the time. We no longer get to enjoy the
beautiful views of ducks and birds resting on the creek water. Not to mention my worry that it
may flood during rain season. Please send workers to clean up the creek now.
• Metrics! Reduction in city costs -- $1.2 Billion for 2025. Ridiculous.
• minimize the crime
• More "fun" citywide events, like how Los Altos does first fridays and beer crawls. Health fairs
downtown just don't do the same thing.
• More accessible tennis courts - very difficult to get open courts her. MV and Sunnyvale have
tennis centers that charge for courts for non residents - we should too.
• More affordable areas for youth to hang out
• More affordable hoiusing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing
• More affordable housing (condos and apartments in appropriate locations)
• More affordable housing BUILT NOW
• More affordable housing options
• More affordable housing, lower property taxes
• More attention to safer walking/bike infrastructure.
• More bathrooms in parks
• More bike lanes and infrastructure
• More car-free infrastructure! More multi-family/mixed use zoning! Put a set of apartments
above every business on University. Sidewalks wide enough for two people to pass shoulder-to-
shoulder!
• More city sponsored events to boost engagement with downtown.
• More classes for kids so they don't fill up so fast!
• More creative options for affordable communal and noncommunal housing that uses existing
buildings rather than new construction offering everyone the right to own at least a fractional
interest of where they live. I would have preferred any housing near the Bay happen at the Palo
Alto Airport rather than at the end of San Antonio Rd.
• More diversity and welcoming diversity
• More diversity from African American community
• More diversity on City Council,and Committees
• More dog parks!
• More dog parksschoo
• More economic growth, more shopping, eating, and entertainment - be the next best thing to SF
• More family and adult entertainment options.
• More focus on residents by parks and rec
• more housing - both affordable and market rate - Palo Alto is woefully behind in supporting
housing infrastructure.
• More housing and more affordable housing! It's just ridiculous!
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• More housing available, rent control, and allow people to have pets in rentals. It is very limiting
as a family of 5 to find housing for us. We enjoy living in palo alto but its very challenging to find
housing.
• MORE HOUSING FOR MORE INCOME DIVERSE PEOPLE
• More housing of all types
• More housing options
• More incentives for solar power, power walls, electric vehicles, and in particular tankless water
heating systems that don't take up too much space in small houses, unlike heat pumps.
• More inclusion for autistic friendly camps, parks and activities
• More Link cars.
• More opportunities to interact with community members in fun meaningful ways
• More opportunities to see art and theater that is walkable from Cal Ave.
• More organised activities for teens and seniors
• More parks for diverse group of people. The city focuses only on parents but there's growing
number of households that don't have kids and don't plan to have them. We need to provide
entertainment places for elderly, pets, and adults. There are no good parks for dogs with grass
and no mulch or sand which are disgusting.
• More patrol cars for traffic and crime prevention
• More pickleball courts
• More pickleball courts
• more pickleball courts - courts are so full that it is hard for residents to play.
• more police, more police patrols and better traffic enforcement
• More public transportation with more routes and more frequent time table.
• more Senior services
• More shade along more streets
• More small neighborhood grocery stores so I can limit my driving.
• More traffic enforcement
• More transparency and more support to individuals instead of special interests
• More trees and birds
• More vibrant downtown with kid friendly activities and snacks
• More welcoming to younger, less affluent individuals. Support less car centric design, higher
density near walkable areas, and public transportation. Make bike lanes protected and available
across the city.
• Move El Camino underground so that we can have pedestrian-only public spaces. Have
protected bike lanes like what Amsterdam has -- not just a lane that is painted a different color.
Have better architecture so that it's fun to walk around
• My house is already all electric. The city can refocus on walkable neighborhoods - making sure
amenities are within walking distance of homes. Refurbish Cubberley that is such an eyesore.
Actively encourage workforce housing for missing middle. Also, repair of sidewalks!
• My very local concern is the amount overhead electric lines on my lot as well as in the
neighborhood. I see no effort to underground making the city look like a village from the 1950s.
• Neighborhood preservation, no high density projects
• neighborhood streets seem to be constantly in a state of disrepair and never gets to a state of
being "fixed". Beyond this, it would be fantastic to see a utilities undergrounding effort taken -
eliminating all the poles and wires from neighborhoods would be transformative in terms of
beauty and desireability, not to mention lower fire risks.
• Never taking away our natural gas hook up
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November 2024
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• No eminent domain -taking families property and/or homes- related to train and focus some
attention on people who rely on cars for daily transport- enough with emphasis on bikes!!!!
• No eminent domain for the train and Consider aging population who don't ride bikes and stop
taking parking spaces
• No homeless or rv parking on the streets
• Noise and pollution caused by air traffic is VERY IMPORTANT, as is eliminating the continued
use of gas leaf blowers. Palo Alto needs to do more about SFO planes that fly too low and too
frequently over our area. There are days when I can't have a conversation while sitting in my
yard, or have to turn up the volume on my TV to compensate for the noise.
• None
• Not allow houses to be overbuilt and too high for their neighborhood. We have a monstrous
house next door that has taken all privacy away from our back yard. I would also like a say on
allowing a childcare center next door. We have one and the noise is outrageous.
• Not allowing enormous houses to be built that hardly leave any land to spare
• Not overbuild--there is already too much traffic and too many large buildings
• Not waste residents time asking our opinion and then ignoring it, e.g., North Ventura planning
process. Residents wasted thousands of collective hours on this.
• Nothing comes to mind
• Nothing. AOK
• Offer fiber to my residence.
• Offer less expensive recreation classes (such as intro to pickle ball)
• Open Baylands to legal hunting, establish a gun and and archery range, focus on fishing/hunting
opportunities.
• Open city hall for drop in business from residents
• Open City Hall to the public!
• Options for a economically wide range of residents - yes there are city services, but so few most
people don't bother to even look into them after trying at first. Go to a rec class- all full
immediately and no services are scheduled for the access of working people- no transport or
after care, neighborhood library and city services accessible hours are not available after work,
etc. Even calling the city services or police- service is not accessible and Never answer the
phone! Try obtaining child care or finding family friendly restaurant- non existent. Tell visitors
about our great zoo or foothills- well you can't get in at the entrance. Go to the neighboring city
and the library is Packed with free events and services and extended hours. For middle class
residents and visitors we are not welcoming. The services provided for this population feels like
they are put out to 'check a box' we did have a cultural event, we did provided a low-income
option- but does not actually try to address the need nor the population- looks good on a
website. This is a lovely place We wish could be experienced by all.
• own a house
• Parking somewhat difficult around parks on weekends due to park sports reservations. City
should create more parking so residents don't struggle to find parking, all weekend long.
• People with their dogs racesyou used to have them
• Permit more high density housing.
• Physical safety - no crime please
• Plant milkweed at the Baylands for Monarch habitat
• Plant more native trees and other plantings
• Plant more trees and native plants
• Plant the tree in my front yard that they removed over two years ago
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• Please add "Look both ways" signage at every ramp from Oregon Expwy where they enter Alma.
Drivers only look left and it is VERY hazardous for pedestrians and bicyclists. An ongoing, daily
issue! And cheap and easy to fix.
• Please do not take people's homes away for the ridiculous Caltrain project. People who have
lived here for decades will be forced to leave Palo Alto, their friends and the benefits of living
here
• PLEASE get rid of huge "Builder remedy" buildings. Also, do everything possible to reduce
airplane noise.
• Power wash University and California Aves weekly. The weekly farmer's market mixed with the
urine smell on Ca Ave is horrible.
• Preserve and take care of natural open spaces. Stop intensive zoning.
• Preserve parks and green space, don't build up in areas with sfh
• prioritize walkers over bikers
• promote diversity and inclusion
• Protect bike lanes during contruction
• Protect the Baylands and golf course by not expanding Palo Alto Airport
• Provide affordable housing so workers don't have to drive 100 miles
• Provide incentives and programs for residential electrification
• provide more affordable housing
• Provide more affordable housing
• Provide more affordable housing
• Provide more street parking permits for residents.
• Provide quality transportation for getting around town at a reasonable price.
• Provide reduced electric rates or at least tier allowances for fully electric homes. I already did all
of the things mentioned in Q20.
• Provide school busses again. Too many high school kids driving to school. Too much traffic
getting in and out of Palo Alto.
• Provide some free park based community events eg group tai chi, group yoga, group art lessons
• Public transportation. School Bus
• Push back against state housing/zoning regulation.
• Put in safe crosswalks and protected bike lanes. Improve pedestrian (and bicyclist) safety, and
prioritize pedestrian (and bicyclist) access and convenience. Stop designing streets and traffic
lights for cars instead of pedestrians.
• Put sunshades over playgrounds
• Put the train tracks into a city long tunnel. we have been talking about this for more than 10
years and it could already have been done by now costing LESS than the sum of these grade
separation projects at Churchill, EAst meadow and san antonio - which will cost MORE now
because of inflation, etc. the longer you wait (the typical approach of city council which never
wants to make a decision but rather push the can down the road) the more costly it will be.
• Put the train underground
• Putting in place protected bike lanes on the major routes to the school and busier road that
have bike lanes.
• Quiet zone for caltrain on Palo Alto avenue
• Quit transferring money from the utilities account to the general find. Because of this, the city
needs to keep raising utility rates. Also do not give any mores raises to city of Palo Alto
workers with the exception of Police and Fire Departments.
• Rebuild Cubberley Community Center
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November 2024
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• Receiving meaningful feedback to questions asked to City staff and City Council
• Recruiting and supporting independent small businesses that will bring people together in
walkable public spaces; this is how to create community. I want to be able to walk to a public
area where my neighbors and friends are likely to be shopping and eating (affordably) on the
weekends. Where is my walkable, local, "square"?
• Redevelop California Avenue
• Reduce 'light pollution' at night!! I can't see stars at night due to businesses NOT having the
right types of outdoor lighting fixtures that comply with City/County/State lighting codes to
block lighting "glare" and "trespass" into neighboring properties and the night sky. Have a city-
wide 'campaign' for a full year that educates and encourages businesses to upgrade their
outside attached light fixtures to be 'capped' / 'covered' with opaque tops and/or 'screens' that
block these flood lights from shooting up into the windows of residential apartments.
• Reduce air traffic noise
• Reduce air traffic noise. It seems to be getting worse.
• Reduce Aircraft Noise
• Reduce aircraft noise please! This excessive noise really has a negative effect on the quality of
life here when we have such great opportunities to be outdoors much of the year. It even makes
me consider moving. No airport expansion in Palo Alto, and work with officials to get the flight
paths for SFO and SJC further away from populated areas again.
• Reduce airplane noise
• Reduce Airplane Noise and Limit locations of Cell Towers near homes
• Reduce airplane noise over my house
• reduce airplane noise. Ensure that new housing developments include walkable access to
parks and services like groceries and schools. Don't just build housing ... make infrastructure
for communities
• Reduce airplane noise. Reduce risk of flooding on SF Creek - build the storm drain on Hamilton
and replace Newell Road and Chaucer Street Bridges.
• Reduce barriers for retail/restaurants to set up in Downtown & Cal Ave. Look at what Redwood
City is doing right.
• Reduce chances of flooding in our area from San Francisquito Creek
• Reduce city rules that make things more complicated
• Reduce cut-through traffic on our purely residential street
• Reduce jet noise
• Reduce Middlefield Road to two lanes in Midtown from Oregon Expressway to Loma Verde and
put in proper bike lanes and more trees. Midtown is my local shopping district and I would love
to spend more time patronizing the businesses there but I find it difficult and unpleasant to
access on foot or bike (my primary mode of transportation around Palo Alto). Same for
accessing Safeway and the Winter Lodge. Middlefield has bike lanes south of Loma Verde and
North of Oregon and also reduces to two lanes north of Oregon. Why can't the two lane section
be extended South of Oregon? Those of us in South Palo Alto also deserve pleasant tree lined
streets with reduced traffic. Lots of kids from Greene and JLS also congregate by bike in
Midtown in the afternoons, and are forced to dangerously ride on the sidewalks and through the
parking lots. We should be encouraging folks to patronize their local establishments by making
them safe and pleasant to access. Midtown could be a lovely place to spend and afternoon if
bikes and pedestrians were prioritized, much as they are in Downtown and Cal Ave but instead
we are stuck navigating the ugliest, most dangerous few blocks of Middlefield Rd.
• Reduce noise - including air traffic (NextGen) and train horns (quiet zone implementation)
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• Reduce noise from train and airplanes
• Reduce noise! Shut down the Palo Alto airport or at least limit its use, reduce SFO, SKO, and
OAK noise. Crack down on gas powered leaf blowers.
• reduce obstacles to building housing, especially affordable housing
• Reduce overall cost of living. In answering questions above, the services are overall very good -
but the cost of living here (inclusive of property taxes, garbage collection, utilities) is extremely
high compared to other places I have lived, with the level of services being about the same.
• reduce tax
• Reduce the air traffic noise.
• Reduce the bureaucracy and red-tape associated with buildings and getting projects done
• Reduce the crazy overregulation of everything. And encouragement for neighbor to rat out,
neighbor on things that are trivial, or should just be dealt with on a neighbor neighbor basis
• Reduce the flooding possibility at Pope Chaucer Bridge
• Reduce the number of city employees by 30%, with the reductions all from management
positions, to free up money for infrastructure and services of direct benefit to residents, and
thwart the inevitable future bankruptcy of an increasing number of city retirees on large
pensions with defined benefits. The quality of service would increase with task-level employees
facing fewer meetings and more empowered to do their excellent work.
• Reduce the number of ultra-wealthy foreigners who buy homes here, drive up the cost of real
estate, and make it impossible for even families with seven-figure incomes who are American-
born US citizens to buy homes here
• Reduce the population of unhoused members of our community.
• Reduce traffic on Middlefield from San Antonio northward.
• Reduce vehicle traffic
• Reduced bureaucracy in building process
• Reducing noice and traffic - cars and planes. Getting rid of zillionaires like Zuckerberg who are
ruining the neighborhood.
• Reducing traffic congestion and train crossing wait time near Paly
• Reduction in airplane noise both from Palo Alto airport and sfo
• Remodel Cubberley to a useful, modern multi-use space
• Remove all the foreign elderly from senior and adult low income housing so homeless Veterans
have housing near the VA Hospital. We are too generous to foreign elderly when they contribute
little. Housing should be owned by American citizens only.
• Remove all the parklets and car-free zones in our shopping districts that sprung up during
Covid. They aren't necessary any longer and they make going to these districts a hassle for a lot
of people, which means people don't shop there as much. The city council seems to just
assume that they are good for our shopping districts. I'm not sure why that is--while it is the
case that you see a lot of people eating meals in them, if you look inside the adjoining
restaurants, they are mostly empty, which means that the extra capacity provided by the
parklets is not necessary and is reducing possible parking. Also, why do we have so many rug
galleries in downtown palo alto? That seems like a poor use of prime real estate since people
don't shop for rugs very often...
• Remove fee for resident parking passes
• Remove the traffic control center from the five corners (Hamilton, Lincoln, Center, East Crescent
Streets)
• Removing red tape and making the gov't more responsive to citizens. Also, district elections
for city council and school board.
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• Rent control
• Rent control!
• Repair pavement (and force third-party contractors like fiber installers to repair the damage they
leave behind)
• Repair the Chaucer Street bridge to make the San Francisquito watershed less susceptible to
overflow/flooding.
• Replace City Council Members who do not vote in reflection of the residents and instead vote
for their own interests to include do not take away -via eminent domain - families homes or land
for the train - the train which has reduced ridership. Should be criminal - the lawsuits will cost
the City millions...
• Replace our City Manager
• Replace Pat Burt and Greer Stone on the City Council. Have the current City Council Members
listen to the PA residents concerns re the expansion of the airport (do NOT do it); and do not
take people's homes and/or land via eminent domain re the train plans which is NOT what XCAP
recommended.
• require better building restrictions for ADUs so they do NOT impinge on neighbors' privacy, set-
backs and daylight plane. Consider the added burden of utilities, schools, parking, etc. REQUIRE
THAT ADUs ARE ACTUALLY USED FOR HOUSING, NOT OFFICES OR OTHER NON-RESIDENTIAL
USES.ALSO VERY IMPORTANT. CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE FLYOVER OF COMMERCIAL JET
TRAFFIC. AFTER LIVING HERE FOR 50 YEARS, THE AIR TRAFFIC HAS GONE FROM
OCCASIONAL TO FLYOVERS THAT CAN OCCUR EVERY 5 MINUTES FOR HALF A DAY.
• Require every new or rehabbed multi-family building to include 30% units far below market rate
(like $1200/month for a 1 bedroom)
• Respectable and quick response during construction. Permit generation and inspectors aren't
the friendliest.
• Restoring the number of middle-income, single-family homes by (the City) purchasing large lots
and leasing mid-sized, affordable homes to residents.
• Rethink housing re parking needs and neighborhood resources/availability.
• Return University Ave to a pedestrianized street
• Revitalize our downtowns (University Ave and California Ave.) areas to feel more updated,
modern w/pedestrian only streets, more areas to hang out in park like settings with cafes/
music and social gathering opportunities. Include more nice outdoor restaurant spaces that are
more permanent and aren't just bordered by sidewalks and cars. Create more of a vibrant ,
youthful, interesting downtown for residents to want to come and socialize. And that isn't just
filled up with expensive restaurants and bars, etc.
• Revitalize the University Ave. business district.
• Revitalize University Ave retail scene
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• Revive downtown. I grew up in Palo Alto and after living in SF for 20 years, moved back to raise
my kids here now. The schools seem great but I have never seen downtown so depressed, so
many empty storefronts. Palo Alto used to be cool in the 1990s and now it's completely lame.
No cool bars, no nightlife, no music. Also, with young kids, there's nothing for kids to do except
play at playgrounds, but what happens when they outgrow those? Palo Alto kid's community
classes fill up in minutes due to limited spots. There are no toy stores anywhere in Palo Alto
now. No music venues, no gathering places for kids. No fun community events. High priced
rents have forced creativity out of Palo Alto. It's depressing to walk down University Ave. Also,
as a young girl, I could ride my bike everywhere. There's so much traffic now, and everyone
drives so fast and doesn't stop at stop signs, I'm frightened for my children walking or riding
bikes in Palo Alto. There MUST be more control of cars speeding and not paying attention to
road signs. Place cameras on every main road for automatic ticketing. The city must do
something to revive and protect our community. Take a look at what San Carlos has downtown
and you'll see what Palo Alto can be. We pay so much in property taxes, and the general feeling
from residents is "for what?". Where is all that money going, Palo Alto?
• Safe parking for bikes. If I knew that my bike would not be stolen, I would bike around the city
more instead of driving.
• Safer bike routes and slowing down cars
• Safer streets for all users -- reducing speeds and adding safety engineering to reduce risk for all
users like European countries have been doing for years. Wider and faster is NOT better!
• Safety - it can become a major issue quickly. Invest more in our police officers and technology.
• Safety for bikers
• School bus route
• See an occasional police car cruse through the neighborhood
• Sensible people-friendly development, not densification, to retain town or village feel vs
urbanization
• Significantly prune city owned trees that were planted when not enough was known about their
suitability.. And dont' expand the airport!
• Simplify the approval of permits and decrease the cost of bureaucracy in city hall
• Slower growth, less office development, better paved roads
• Solve the San Francisquito Creek flooding issue before the next disaster
• Speed and traffic light enforcement on Embarcadero Rd
• Speed control (traffic enforcement) on Embarcadero between 101 and Middlefield.
• Speed up converting utility lines underground. Decades for small areas is ridiculous.
• Speed up the replacement of Pope Chaucer and Newell Road Bridges
• Spend more energy on using non-internet communications with residents. Not everyone is
computer savvy. Especial the seniors.
• Sponsor monthly events to train people to switch from driving to biking (commuting, dropping
off and picking up school kids)
• Spruce up the downtown and Cal Ave to make it more inviting, provide more retail and
restaurants on ground level, close University Ave and Cal Ave and give them a very nice
pedestrian makeover. Asphalt is not a friendly, attractive or inviting look! Clean University
Avenue and Cal Ave regularly , it always looks like a mess now. If you need ideas, go to
Burlingame, Walnut Creek, Mountain View, Santana Row(and many other Bay Area Cities) and
take a look what they have done.
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• Start cleaning up the entire city - trash, cracked sidewalks, homeless encampments are
everywhere. The city no longer looks attractive for visiting. You cannot rely on the city's
previous "prestige"
• Start enforcing some of the traffic laws ( Speeding, running lights and stop signs, overall
aggressive driving. Its crazy how bad it is now. no excuses for not enforcing laws that are still
in effect. YOU FAILED THIS
• Stop airplane noise!!!
• Stop arguing and finally decide on train crossings. Traffic on Charleston and Meadow is
becoming unbearable at certain times of the day. At times I struggle to get out of my
neighborhood.
• Stop being hostile to residents.
• Stop being manipulated by developers
• Stop building more housing until the infrastructure & roads are able to handle more people.
• Stop building structures in the ugly cold modern style. It doesn't fit with the existing historical
architecture of our town. That includes commercial and residential.
• Stop building unaffordable big buildings
• Stop catering only to the wealthy residents. And it sucks after fifty years of feeling very safe not
to feel safe here at all anymore.
• stop charging me for gas. I've been paying for it on my utility bill since 2009, though I've never
used gas
• Stop closing streets for bikes. NO ONE BIKES except kids. I walk or bike every where. Not one
person I know understand it or would do it. You are completely out of touch with the real
residents and only listen to the special interest groups
• Stop enabling developers to build massive residential buildings. Slow down all growth, both
housing and commercial.
• Stop funneling utilizes charges to the general fund.
• Stop overbuilding
• Stop overbuilding.
• Stop planning residents' social lives.
• stop putting money and effort into bike causes and consider more the many people who rely on
cars as daily transportation
• Stop raising utilities rates, especially water
• Stop raising utility prices!
• stop speeders and stop planes from flying directly over the city
• Stop speeding! Cars routinely do 50 on Middlefield and 60 on Embarcadero! And stop cutting off
streets from cars. Traffic on my residential arterial has tripled since I moved here.
• Stop spending so much money on consultants
• Stop subsidizing city government with funds from Utilities
• Stop the inefficient on-going effort to block Castilleja construction. The school has complied
with request and put forth a reasonable plan and it feels like the PA City Council remains held
hostage by a small but vocal group of neighbors. Doesn't the City Council have more important
matters to spend their time on? 10 years has been too long! This is just one tangible example
of how PA growth has been despite its civic leadership. Hard decisions need to be made and
no decision for change will ever be unanimous; it feels like we need some stronger clearer
leadership that does not take for granted that change and growth need to happen to ensure that
Palo Alto remains as vibrant as it has been in the past.
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• Stop the madness - do NOT take peoples homes or land for the train issue. No need to destroy
Charleston etc for the train. Reduce the 'approved' train plans as the citizens did NOT want nor
approve such after many, many meetings. Get rid of current City Council members who are
NOT transparent with citizens. Stop Airport expansion. Protect way of life. Stop cramming so
many people into the area and changing our homes so we do not feel safe at night anymore.
Hire more police to support our excellent police force. Stop allowing mega size homes to be
built and crammed on smaller lots. Get rid of current City Manager who won't even take calls or
respond to messages - sad. Keep certain bathrooms in all places including schools to be
separated by declared gender - if you want to add non-gendered bathrooms > ok. But not all
bathrooms should be open to all. Stop trying to be so 'woke' at the expense of young ladies who
will 'hold it' until they get home/safe which will can lead to infections.
• Stop trying to be the beacon to the world and making it costly for the residents
• Stop trying to forbid gas usage and instead allow people to reduce GHG in multiple ways
through individual choice based on their individual situations
• Stop virtue signalling and provide cost-effective services, get rid of the idiot costly "retail"
consultants that destroy businesses and LISTEN to the residents. Get
• Stop wasting so much tax money on projects that provide little or no benefit for Palo Alto
citizens (e.g., Ross Street bike boulevard).
• Streamline permitting process. And stop trying to unreasonably control what people do on their
own property
• Stronger focus on public safety/crime reduction
• stronger resistance to state control of zoning and building.
• Succeed at getting rid of incessant noise from planes landing at SFO
• support a more thriving retail, office, and restaurant environment
• Support the efforts to create pollinator corridors that are part of the parks master plan.
Volunteers are doing it but there needs to be a paid position for a biologist/botanist to create,
engage, and maintain these spaces in perpetuity.
• Take a firm stand to make pedestrian life safer and pleasant. There has been a noticeable
increase in the use of bikes and scooters (especially electric that can go as fast as cars) in
pedestrian areas like the path along the tracks and California Ave.
• Take all necessary actions to reduce aircraft noise over Palo Alto,. That includes the noise
caused by PAO traffic as well as Stanford helicopters, which use PAO mainly as a refueling
station (not transporting patients or medical things). For example, Stanford could build their
own refueling station (they have plenty of land), refuel at other airports, switch to electric
helicopters when feasible, vary the routes to avoid affecting the same residents over and over.
• Take care of homeless people living in campers in my neighborhood
• Take care of the vagrancy and drug sale problems along El Camino in south Palo Alto
• Take seriously the potential health impacts of cell tower installations, gas leaf blowers,
application of toxic pesticides, rodent poisons, flights over our city and baylands, etc. Strive to
create a healthier environment for us to live in.
• Target store!!!
• The street sweepers should be all electric!
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November 2024
Report of Results
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• The city is severely missing casual group entertainment options. Bowling alleys, laser tag, mini
golf, etc. All of these things are gone now that used to be around 10-15 years ago.I don't think
the government has to be the one providing them. But cramming in more housing and hotels
while losing recreation makes for a very boring city to live in.The plans for rethinking Cubberley
that I saw included switching some of it to housing (bad idea) when I think it could be creatively
used as a community entertainment center, plus all the important community serving uses.
Would be great to have some FUN! Put back into Palo Alto.When we think about how to serve
our youth - a reasonably priced bowling alley would be great.
• The city should LISTEN to their community members. I am VERY disappointed that community
members volunteer to work on committees to address major projects, (such as Fry's site - North
Ventura committee, the underpasses at Meadow & Charleston, bike bridge over 101, Medical
Disaster Response unit,) then the city completely disregards all their years worth of work and
does what it wants anyway. Why make the pretense of wanting community input, allowing us to
spin our wheels, and then disregarding our work???? After living in this community for more
than 45 years, I no longer wish to volunteer on any project that involves the city.
• The investment in the arts is embarrassingly small. West Bay Opera is forced to cut back on
programming with no city financial support. No decent live theater in Palo Alto. Arts and theater
facilities outdated and falling apart, forced to rely on donations.. capacity is woefully inadequate
at the arts center. It would be a joy to live somewhere with a vibrant arts scene. Need
subsidized studios and housing and stipends for artists. Need to enlarge the arts center to
serve even a fraction of the community demand. Maintenance on city facilities is poor: broken
sinks in art center take months to repair. Broken SOS phone in parking garage under city hall.
Inadequate restrooms in Lucy Stern center for audience size. These are just examples. Midtown
area gets no investment from the city and needs a vital business and cultural center.
• The Libraries are a mess - too many branches, poor service, too limited collections.
• The pound used to be better, and I miss that. I miss local theaters like the Varsity and the Fine
Arts. I'm sorry the Nut House closed.
• The so-called "Palo Alto Process" kills civic engagement by needless and endless delays for
seeking a "perfect" solution. The need for rail grade separations is a good example. Prop 1 in
2008 raised the alarm, 16 years later, the endless debate of 'what to do?' continues. Sad.
• The time and effort being spent on heat pumps promotion is a luxury and unreasonable for
existing structures. For new builds or massive remodels they may be appropriate. Palo Alto is
increasingly a community of renters and small scale landlords who are not financially capable
of making such an investment.
• There is so much trash along roadways coming off the freeway. Along meridians, and road
loops. Bushes obscure vision of oncoming cars particularly At Embarcadero coming from
Baylands then going over 101. They need a bigger yield sign!! Most drivers Don't stop and yield.
So dangerous there.
• To have the Police Department be more responsive to people's calls and concerns.
• Toilets at Eleanor Pardee Park
• Too many council decisions are made without legal transparency and inadequate or incomplete
staff reporting.
• Traffic calming measures on Alma. It's insane.
• Traffic enforcement for bicycles -very dangerous !
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• Two things - Improve wireless cell service or make it easier. Why is it that we live in the heart of
technology, and I can't get cell signal regardless of provider? It's embarrassing for our city. 2nd,
why do we charge so much to rent the school gyms in PAUSD? Let the kids use the gyms for
free or at a nominal cost. Get them off their phones and being active. My kids play indoor
volleyball and there's no place for them to play. Others play badminton or indoor basketball.
• underground all power & utility lines; plant many more street trees & preserve the ones we have
• Underground our power lines
• Underground the Overhead utility lines!!
• underground utilities
• Underground utilities in the ares that haven't been, yet (e.g. Ventura).
• University Avenue downtown is a bit boring to visit. Emerson Avenue sidewalks could do with a
thorough wash down. You wouldn't ask someone to meet you downtown to take a stroll and
enjoy the ambience. It's lacking a gathering place such as a book store, art gallery, family-
friendly restaurant. Thank goodness for Crepevine, Oren's Hummus etc. When Jing Jing closed
down this year, I've realized we haven't been downtown since. President's Barbers are reliable
and the Post Office on Hamilton is a go to, even if there are mostly two staff members at the
counter with long lines. Do Stanford students even make it downtown. I imagine for them
there's just the frozen yogurt stores to visit on a student's budget. My High School teens only
visited Town N Country as there was nothing downtown. It's very difficult to meet everyone's
wishes but I feel downtown is lacking charisma. The side walk trees lit at night is always
welcoming. See this Website for most beautiful main streets in America
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-main-streets-americaThe
welcoming buzz in my home European university town reaches different target audiences.
There's permitted busking, known shops (either local and nationwide chains) that people can
peruse and shop in, book stores, coffee shops, family-friendly restaurants, lively pubs with either
music or sport for night life, music store or two with one selling musical instruments (for all
those buskers!) craft store to attract tourists (local artisan pottery, knitwear, art), art gallery with
local artists work, colorful outdoor murals, walking history tours and affordable fast food stores
- burger joint, fish and chips, that the teen kids can afford. It's a broad mix and accommodates
all needs.
• Until the state of California has the power grid issues and wild fire situation managed, I am not
interested or comfortable with total dependance on electricity. The price of electricity is too
high in our state, and often unreliable. Cooking with a gas stove is better and produces better
food outcomes. The idea that gas stoves, water heaters and home heating systems are being
outlawed is completely ridiculous and outside the realm of the rights of citizenship. Crime has
skyrocketed. Just this week my license plates were stollen off my car while parked in my
driveway. Theft of cars, personal property, break ins and other lawlessness are rampant and the
laws and criminal justice system need reforms. Homelessness is a problem and I am tired of
feeling unsafe walking in downtown because of these people, who are largely mentally unstable,
addicted to drugs and usually have criminal backgrounds. Our neighbor's daughter had her
throat slashed by a homeless women a couple of years ago in broad daylight off of University
Avenue. It's time to get tough on crime and put our tax dollars to work making our state and
town safe, prosperous and beautiful.
• Update Cubberly as a city resource.
• Upgrade to the health and rec facilities at cubberley and rinconada. Our gyms, pools, locker
rooms and spaces are not great relative to Menlo Park.
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• Urban planning, it is sad to see the independently opened stores gone for the most part. These
types of merchants create a community and we no longer have that. University Ave feels like a
food court. There are now book stores, art stores, fabric stores, toys stores etc....Palo Alto has
become a shell of what it was when I moved here 40 years ago.
• Use utility money only for utilities, speed bumps on Hamilton, would get heat pump for water
and heat but not feasible.
• Use viaducts for rail crossings.
• Vacancy at for home and business
• Vigorous enforcement of posted prohibitions on long-term RV parking.
• We are about to leave Palo Alto because the superintendent Don Austin is terrible. So fix the
schools. The rankings don't mean anything if the kids aren't allowed to learn.
• We have a shortage of Frontline workers in hospitals and in schools. We need to value all labor
is skilled labor and create affordable housing or we're going to see the shortage affecting our
hospitals and our schools and our future. We also and Alto have lost our public transportation
for the children to get to school and seniors and other people who don't have cars. The new
transportation system does not work cannot count on it and you can get stranded. We can't run
a healthy community without being inclusive of the fact that not all people make a lot of money,
but their jobs are still really important. For example, the janitors at Stanford are homeless , but
they work two jobs. Until we address this issue we're gonna run out of those people to take care
of those jobs that are vital to a healthy community and we need to find a way to include them
and make it affordable for them to live somewhere near here because commuting isn't gonna
work either . Thank you, I am disabled, and so these things are more important to me as we've
lost a lot since Covid
• We need to embrace expanded affordable housing now.
• We replaced gas hot water heater in 2018 and all the rest in Q10 in 2023 -- in each case, JUST
BEFORE CPAU started rewarding residents with discounts. It would really have made us happy
to have received some form of reward for being early adopters!!
• Weed the foxtail grass in city parks so dogs don't get hurt, & trim the trees before they fall.
• Well, I don't live 'here'. I hear you have something other than PG&E! More power to you, and I
wish RWC did too. Anything that makes Palo Alto green, shaded, and welcoming to visitors will
bring me in even after I retire.
• Work harder to bring in new businesses to Cal Ave and downtown, to fill vacant storefronts.
• Work more effectively to balance residents' quality of life with business and construction
development
• work towards pedestrian-only University Ave
• working on items that facilitate public transport.. not talk for ever as in electrification of the train
crossing
• You could stop the insanely loud planes from flying directly over our home !! We've lived there
50 years and since the FAA has changed their routes, it's difficult to get sleep. They don't stop
until almost midnight and start at 6 !!
• You do too many costly studies
• You need very low affordable housing I don't mean 3000 a month I mean 1000 or less .food
pantry services ,visibility of community events besides on the website.
Question 20: As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe
the City does well and would want to maintain?
• 100% green electricity
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• A clean aesthetic city
• Access to electricity (this shouldn't be a compliment)
• access to open space
• Access to public assets and services.
• activities, parks, libraries,
• Adult education and recreation opportunities
• all the great services for kids -- libraries, offering a wide range of children's activities through
Palo Alto Enjoy Online, Jr Museum
• All the green areas where we can enjoy nature and get a break.
• Almost everything pertaining to city owned parks
• Although rarely needed, police response has been excellent. They were great helping a lost little
boy, and checking out. Suspicious noise. Very professional.
• Ambulance services
• Animal control is the best!!!!
• Animal control team
• Answering the phone
• Art and nature
• Art Center exhibits and programs are first class; as are the Library programs
• Arts and culture offerings/parks & playgrounds
• Arts and music, especially Third Thursdays
• Arts and Recreation activities.
• Attention to open space, parks
• Attract world class professionals to make PA their home
• Attracts intelligent people to the city council
• Availability of city parks
• Availability of parkss.
• Baylands
• Baylands, parks, soccer, little league, foothills,
• Beautiful parks and open spaces.
• Beautiful parks and rec areas
• Better management t of the services and programs already offered such as the heat pump
replacement program, gas powered ordinance and use of 311.
• Bicycle infrastructure
• Bicycle routes
• Bicycling.
• Big garbage days
• Bike routes
• Bike safety
• Bikes
• Broadcasting city council and other meetings on the Midpen Media Center.
• Bryant Street Bike Boulevard
• California Avenue is a treasureI love that it is blocked off for pedestrians and regularly has
music and, of course, the farmer's market.
• Can't think of any. I had terrible experience dealing with the city staff as first time Palo Alto
resident
• Car free downtown areas
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• Care of trees and parks
• Caring for seniors (La Comida, etc.)
• Caring for the physical environment, particularly the thousands of trees in the city and the
Foothills and Baylands Preserves.
• Caring for tree Canopy and the environment.
• Cater to developers - oh you're already doing that constantly! How nice!
• character of city
• Children enjoy parks and libraries and open spaces
• Children's library extended hours
• Children's theater
• Children's Theatre
• Children's Theatre!
• City Council did not approve airport expansion!! Yeah! They prioritized the Duck Pond and
Baylands.
• City does most things well
• City events
• City feels safe but we can't be complacent and need to maintain the safety of it's residents
• City is clean and generally a happy place to live, but the quality of life has decreased since 2020
here
• City of Palo Alto utilities
• City of Palo Alto Utilities
• City owned utilities
• City owned utilities
• City owned utilities.
• City owned utilities.
• City parks and open spaces are excellent
• City parks, in particular Baylands, foothills, arasterdero. Baylands is real treasure please
continue to protect wildlife and environment. Make sure people keep their dogs on lease in
these parks as well
• City plazas wellMaintained
• City services (streets, trees, utilities)
• City street trees
• City tree program (also libraries!)...
• City utilities and libraries, and small-town character
• City wide entertainment.
• City wide landscaping
• City-owned utilities.
• Civic engagement
• Clean streets
• Clean up days
• Cleanliness of City streets and sidewalks
• close foothills to all non residents. Gas water and electric programs seem well designed.
• Commitment to honesty and inclusion.
• communicate
• Communication
• Communication
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• Communication and city services seem responsive. Good job.
• communication, public service
• communications, and public safety
• Community activites like Thursday night on CA ave
• Community engagement
• Community engagement
• Community involvement
• Community services
• continue to cover parking structures with PV panels
• Continue to improve libraries. MV is much better. I often go there for books PA does not have or
put me as 112 on the wait list!!
• Continue with our own utility unit. No PG&E, no outside garbage company.....
• Continued focus on reducing/minimizing impact to the climate.
• Continuing to keep streets and properties clean.
• Crime is low
• Cultural activities
• Cultural offerings
• Customer service at utilities dept. is excellent
• Does well: I can't think of anything other than have meetings to talk about plans but never do the
actual plans. Want to maintain: nothing really
• Electric rates are great
• Emergency and library services
• Emergency communication
• emergency services come quickly when called.
• Encourage high quality of life
• Encourage recreational activities and library use.
• enforce local building standards to keep our city green and push back against the dictate from
Sacramento to build more housing - which will only be a boon for developers and unaffordable
for those who actually need it.
• Ensuring our city is safe from crime and residents feel like they are in a connected community.
• environment maintenance
• Environmental concerns, including biking
• Everything you are doing' A+o
• Excellent libraries
• excellent utilities service, particularly lower electricity prices compared to PG&E and few
outages
• Family friendly place
• Feeling safe to take walks and go to downtown
• Financial support & communication of the Arts and Cultural events, i.e. Palo Alto Players, Music
in the parks, Children's Theater, PA Art center.
• Fire and safety
• Fire stations and libraries in the neighborhoods - need more of them
• Fix the road on 82
• Foothills Park
• for the most part, it is willing to listen to its resident's concern and seek input to see how should
prioritize concern.
• Friendly and helpful staff.
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• Friendly and welcoming atmosphere
• Garbage and recycling.
• Garbage Collection
• Garbage, compost and recycling collection.
• General walkability and bicycle access in neighborhoods.
• Generally good services.
• generally happy with the schools (though wish the state budget were better)
• Giving itself raises and hiring consultants who given them the answers they want -- a self-
perpetuating problem
• Good libraries
• Good school system
• Good schools
• Great libraries - keep on improving them!
• Great lilbraries, thank you.
• Great parks & libraries
• Great parks and open space
• great parks and trails maintenance, love utility efficiency tips, operating in good faith
• Great parks, bike lanes, recreational clubs/activities
• Great police department
• Great schools, parks and libraries
• Great walking and biking culture
• Green landscape and zoning
• Green spaces
• Green spaces and library services
• Green Waste customer service employees are very nice and knowledgeable. Please keep them.
• Hard to pick one ... the city is doing LOTS of things right
• Hardly anything, I think the city is going downhill and it is doing. It's very best to not change.
• Has a distinct sense of identity, balancing lifetime residents with new arrivals
• Has a very well trained police department who care about the residents.
• Having holiday actives.
• Having holiday events
• Having open parks and tennis courts.
• Hires top police officers
• I don't know.
• I feel safe walking around town. I don't worry about porch pirates. Our cul-de-sac feels very safe.
• I have no idea
• I LOVE Rinconada pool, the parks, our clean streets, and generally I feel safe - please keep I that
way. thank you thank you
• I love the animal welfare officers
• I love the community libraries
• I love the email newsletters!
• I love the public services, parks, and keeping utilities private!
• I really liked blocking off California Ave to car traffic.
• I think Palo Alto is a good steward of open space. We should continue to protect Foothills,
Arastradero, and other properties to maintain their high quality prioritizing Palo Alto residents.
• I think the city does a wonderful job - thankyou
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• I think the City works toward making this a good place to live for all Palo Altans.
• I think the PA Utilities work pretty well well and I'd like to see the maintained.
• I think the utility services are fair for the area and the department does a good job of
communicating to the public.
• I would like the city to maintain its focus on being environmentally friendly.
• Ignoring the building codes and allowing really awful eye sore homes and businesses to get
uglier each day. They have really done a great job of making us look like like San Jose and daily
city. Keep going this will allow for affordable housing in no time. Don't believe me look at
Monterey park.
• Importance of sustainability programs
• In the last year or so, it seems that the City is deepening its commitment to sustainability and
making a more serious effort to meeting the 80% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030. Let's do
this!
• Infrastructure is well maintained.
• Investing in library resources.
• involve citizens
• It seeks to make the city more and more eco-friendly.
• It's a fantastic place to raise kids
• It's a very nice city to live in if you have managed to own your own home which you bought a
generation ago.
• it's a walkable city
• It's a well run city with thoughtful employees. I grew up here and raised my kids here.
• It's very clean
• Its police force
• Just one? Hard to do. Up keep of trees on the streets and parkways. Up keep of Parks. School
quality.
• k-12 education
• keep Cal Ave pedestrian
• Keep duck pond as is without expanding airport and not putting a tunnel under Seale
• Keep it as a special place to live
• Keep it walkable, love my local grocery store.
• Keep on prioritizing park and recreational and natural space and city beautification efforts
overall
• Keep pushing for affordable housing, although it took the state to make the city to address this
problem.
• Keep residents aware of emergencies and power shutdowns
• Keep Stanford shopping center!
• Keep the lovely trees and help maintain them. Also, love that CPA encourages and creates safe
bike routes
• Keeping and supporting the Children's Theater
• Keeping its own utilities
• Keeping parks beautiful and our city clean
• keeping parks in good condition
• Keeping PAUSD a top-quality education system.
• Keeping residents informed and inviting residents to voice opinions on policies.
• Keeping the residents involved in matters and taking feedback
• Keeping the town clean
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• Keeping us informed of outages.
• Keeping vagrants from sleeping/camping on the sidewalks and 'lanes' (i.e. 7W) aka alleyways,
downtown and on the pedestrian/bike path from Town and Country to the Homer Street/train
underpass. I've noticed an alarming uptick of vagrants setting up tents along the bike path from
Town and Country to the downtown train station in the last year... some lasting for weeks.
• Keeps things running and safe
• Landscaping of city gardens
• libraries
• libraries
• libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries
• Libraries and kids' activities are good.
• Libraries and parks
• Libraries and parks
• Libraries are excellent
• Libraries--one of Palo Alto's strongest assets
• Libraries, art center.
• Libraries, parks
• Libraries, Parks, valuing the arts
• libraries, schools and parks
• Libraries!
• Libraries! And Thursday night music on Cal Ave.
• Libraries.
• libraries. Bring back author alerts
• library
• Library and early childhood recreational camps
• Library resources
• Library services
• Library services
• Library services and other public spaces
• Library, arts, utilities department offer a lot of useful servicees.
• Library, park and recreation services
• Like the parklets, bulk trash pick up
• Link but allow pre-orders, CAL AVE improvements
• Listening to the community
• Listens to people. Attempts to be forward thinking.
• Local parks and green space. Would be nice to pave the Baylands trails like Mountain View did
to make them better for children on bicycles and dog walking.
• Locally owned utilities.
• Lots of community infrastructure is great - Jr Museum, library, parks
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• Lots of green space, libraries
• lots of trees
• love the farmers markets
• Love the Idea of city owned utilities, especially if they are affordable. Especially appreciate the
reliability of utilities. Love the idea of a car/ride share option if accessible to all (including kids
as there is no bus system!)
• Love the schools, parks, library and regular events organized by the city.
• Low rise buildings
• Lower exorbitant prices to live here
• maintain a healthy shopping area downtown and calif st
• Maintain and beautify parks
• maintain and improve quality of life services. For example zoning, city services, budget controls,
etc.
• Maintain City-owned municipal utilities
• Maintain clean streets
• maintain excellent libraries PLUS make the county library system offerings more available to
library users
• maintain parks
• Maintain public safety and not reduce fire stations...
• Maintain quality mix of housing, nature (parks, trees, etc.), and services/events (quality
environment).
• Maintain quality of life locally
• Maintain SFR zoning and bar sale of ADU's independent of SFR property (see S. Jose alarming
decision!)
• Maintain the overall high quality of life for Palo Alto residents.
• Maintain the tree canopy, but STOP property owners from cutting down protected and heritage
trees.
• Maintaining and preserving Palo Alto's parks and open space
• Maintaining greenspace and community activities
• Maintaining quality public school system including adult education
• maintaining street trees
• Maintaining the parks, the trees and the more natural environment. 2) Trusted, respected police
department, including Animal Control. There are many areas where Palo Alto excels.
• Maintaining the tree canopy and general walkability
• Maintains parks and recreational opportunities
• Maintains the baylands.
• Maintenance of open space.
• Maintenance of streets and parks
• Maintence in all facets of the community and safety
• Making our streets more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
• Making the outdoors attractive and liveable, with parks, closure of Cal Ave, events (e.g. Third
Thursdays on Cal Ave)
• Managing our utilities
• Managing utilities.
• Mitchell Park Library and Neighboring Parks
• Mixes of cultures
• MOST City services.
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• Most things are done quite well
• municipal utilities
• My favorite thing about Palo Alto is the College Terrace Library. I like the libraries, and I wish the
city would revert to pre-covid levels for funding the College Terrace Library.
• N/A
• Natural environment
• Nature preserves
• Nature preserves, open space.
• Neighborhood greenery and small town look
• Nice libraries but now not as usable with the unhoused
• Nice parks and bike lanes
• No cars on Cal Ave (would love to see the same on University Ave)
• No homeless
• None
• Not much.
• Not sure
• Not sure
• Nothing.
• Offering public services
• Ongoing attention to transportation and transportation safety for children/youth
• Open space
• Open space
• Open space
• Open space
• open space (foothills park, baylands, e.g.)
• Open space and Recreation
• Open space protection
• Open space, parks, libraries
• Open space/parks
• Open spaces, parks and outdoor areas.
• Openness to diversity
• Our beautiful parks.
• Our city government is pretty effective, and I feel it is getting better. Although there is grumbling
from people who want more rapid change from our city council/government, I do feel building
consensus takes time and is generally worth it when approaching difficult topics. Keep up the
communication.
• Our education and safety are top notch!
• Our first responders are awesome and are doing a great job in spite of the crazy climate they
now have to work in.
• Our large parks, including Foothill and the Baylands staying protected!!
• Our libraries are great. Please keep the wonderful staff and facilities intact.
• Our library system is excellent. They are clean, beautiful and staffed with helpful and
knowledgable staff.
• Our police department, emergency service and utilities are amazing
• our schools
• Outdoor and public spaces, education offerings
• Outdoor space including parks and open space
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• Overall day-to-day services are great. We finished a remodel recently and have good experience
with building department.
• Overall dedication to and support of parks, recreation, and open space.
• Overall parks and facilities are well maintained
• Overall range and quality of services available to residents
• Overall safety, walkability, community feel, nice parks and facilities. The schools work well for
our daughter (not for our dyslexic son)
• Overall, I think the City is well run.
• Own utilities.
• Owning our own Utilities. Open spaces and parks
• Owns its own utilities.
• Palo Alto Cultural Center
• Palo Alto does a good job at continuing to keep our town relatively safe from crime. Although,
we do need more officers patrolling.
• Palo Alto is clean and safe. Our police department is very responsive.
• Palo Alto is extremely bike friendly. I brag about it to my friends who don't live here!
• Palo Alto Utilities is excellent
• Palo Alto's electric system.
• Palo Alto's emphasis on having bike paths and improving them is really good. But please do
more.
• PAPD is GREAT
• PAPD is very good. Quick to respond and they take care of issues. A pleasure to work with
them.
• park and Baylands maintenance
• Park and reck are pretty good. But could be improved with creative planning, such as public
access to JLS pool in the summer when school is out and it gets very little use. If it were to have
an open entrance on the Mitchell Park (east) side, it probably would get more use from
residents. Also a safe natural swimming place in either Foothill Park or Arastradero Park, like
Sonoma County has provided for residents is a super benefit for residents. Sonoma county has
diverted a small creek, to make a natural community swimming area and it's just wonderful.
• Park maintenance
• Park maintenance
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks & Recreation
• Parks and facilities are nice
• Parks and green spaces
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries
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• Parks and libraries
• Parks and libraries.
• Parks and natural space
• Parks and open spaces
• Parks and open spaces
• Parks and openspace
• Parks and opportunities for children's activities
• Parks and public areas
• Parks and rec
• Parks and rec
• Parks and rec and utilities.
• Parks and Rec; parks, libraries, facilities.
• Parks and rec.
• Parks and Rec.
• Parks and recreation programs
• Parks and recreation services
• Parks and recreation services and facilities
• Parks and Recreation; Libraries
• parks are good
• Parks are in good shape, although we could always use more pickleball courts!
• Parks seemed well maintained. Utilties seem very reliable compared to PG&E.
• Parks that are safe and well maintained and fun and beautiful and available to all to enjoy.
• Parks, bike lanes, Utilities's services and upgrades.
• Parks, but we need to build more pickle ball courts instead of repurposing tennis courts. We
need ALL of our tennis courts for tennis!
• Parks, Community Resources (PAAC, PACT, PA Libraries)
• Parks, Libraries,
• Parks, Library, Recreation
• Parks, Open Space
• Parks, street cleaning, community police car, and ESPECIALLY Palo Alto Link!!!!
• Parks. Summer concerts.
• parks/rec
• Performance of the Police Department
• police
• Police
• Police and firefighters
• Police and safety
• Police department
• Police force and fire department are very good.
• police response time
• Police services
• Police, fire crew, school
• Police/Fire services
• Polite and Rapid response to phone and email inquiries to assist with issues as they arise.
• Preservation and use of open space.
• Preservation of and access to parks, libraries, baylands.
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• Preserve small-town feel despite mandated construction of multiple-housing complexes
• Preserve the 1950's suburbia low density with extremely high housing prices.
• Prioritizes public spaces such as parks for public use. This will be more important as denser
housing becomes more common.
• Private utilities, garbage and recycling and compost
• Promotion of bicycling as a means to get around town
• Prompt utilities department response to problems
• Protect the Baylands and maintain programs like the Art Center classes and Children's Theatre.
• Protect trees
• Provide utilities
• Provides a high class community/environment also with privately-owned utilities
• Provides a serene environment.
• Provides adequate greenspaces for residents.
• Providing and maintaining parks and open space
• providing open space for parks and playgrounds
• Providing safe, clean place to live.
• public K-12 education
• public libraries
• Public libraries
• Public Libraries
• Public library system
• Public parks are the absolute best!
• Public safety and fire safety
• Public safety and police services.
• public schools
• Public services - police, fire and utilities are all very good.
• Public utilities
• Quality of K-12 grade education. Pls maintain. If you allow more affordable housing and
temporary housing for the homeless- pjs make sure you have to prepare twice the effort and
manpower to educate these less fortunate children.I have worked with many and find that they
have no support at home and poor lifestyle and courtesy and social responsibility concepts pls
don't ignore them and just let them go to school. The standard of education in Palo Alto needs
to be maintained, as this is the main attraction for younger families. Thank you.
• Quality of PA schools is excellent.
• Quality of public schools
• Quality of public space is good.
• Quality schools
• Recreational opportunities
• Reduce overdevelopment. Roads are already overcrowded during lengthen rush hours. More
people will make it worse.
• Reduce utility prices
• reliable utilities
• Repairing electric outages
• Respect for everyone and our surroundings. In Palo Alto we can keep the schools open as parks
because the residents feel respected ad therefore are respectful (they clean up after
themselves and their dog)
• respond quickly to emergencies.
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• Responsiveness of police, utility people, etc. Palo Alto workers are "on it."
• Restraint from building too much residential houses
• Restrictions on residential development
• Rinconada Pool
• Run the essential services like police and utilities
• Running its utilities.
• Running our own electric an gas utility
• Sadly, the best I can come up with is Parks.
• safety
• Safety
• Safety
• Safety
• Safety - I feel very safe in Palo ALto
• Safety. Clean.
• Safety. PA Police do a great job.
• Schools
• Schools
• Schools
• Schools
• Seeks community input, provides and supports many services, excellent libraries, excellent open
space.
• Sense of Community
• Sidewalk repair
• sidewalks are wonderful, police department is great.
• Soliciting input from the community and offering transparency and involvement
• Speed bumps. We need LOTS more speed bumps to slow down idiots.
• Stop taking funds from the utility department...reduce the city budget. Improve building permit
process.
• Street are clean
• Street cleaning.
• Street trees
• summer programs, sport programs,
• support local non-profits
• Support libraries
• Support of local parks and trees, native plant areas, etc.
• Support the library.
• Sustainability and Climate Action Plan and promoting electrification to combat climate change
• Taking good care of the trees
• Talks issues to death at City Council meetings :-)
• Thanks you City of Palo Alto for all the fun festivals and art shows
• That the city council has decided they will not undedicate park land (the Palo Alto Bayland
Preserve) for any kind of airport expansion. have appreciated the few times I have had to call
about house construction going on on my street past the posted time/day limits; officers
usually have driven over to those addresses to tell workers to stop.I wish the city could control
speed limit on Embarcadero Road. It is too heavily congested all the time and everyone drives
so fast.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 197
• The Bryant Street bikeway is awesome. And I really like the new bike lanes along
Charleston/Arastradero.
• The city does a great job with our parks and opens spaces for recreation.
• The city does most things well but nothing exceptionally, primarily because there are too many
management layers. The City needs to defend R-1 zoning while working to aggressively build
affordable housing in non-R-1 zones. 20-year moratorium on new office space. Work with East
Palo Alto on transportation and housing.
• The city feels like it's not working in the best interest of its residents. Kids who struggle mentally
or academically suffer in the school system with no real support or resources. It honestly feels
like the city is working against it's residents.
• The city has had a strong focus on improving bike infrastructure and street safety and I would
love to see that continue and expand.
• The city owned utilities are extremely valuable in enabling our community to take actions that
positively impact climate change. Let's keep improving!
• The city provides many opportunities for residents/community members to come together
socially and civically
• The City provides many parks that offer plenty of recreational opportunities to residents and
visitors.
• The City seems to succeed despite itself. It has many more resources (tax base, funding) than
other towns but seems to take for granted that people will always find PA attractive
• The city utilities are well managed.
• The city was very helpful when I reserved courts for Junior Team Tennis matches for my 10-
year-old son's team.
• The city-owned utilities are great and I hope they add fiber internet!
• The garbage/recycling/compost pick up is timely and efficient.
• The good staffers are excellent. Knowledgeable, approachable, etc. The problem is when the
staffer is not good.
• the libraries
• The Libraries and Rinconada pool
• The libraries are amazing! Our police/fire is excellent. More support for our Police and fire is
needed. Baylands and Foothills preserve is superb, but please increase weed maintenance on
the trails. Foothill preserve is tick infested and waist high weeds on trails is terrible. Bike safety
and planning is also excellent. Unfortunately the lack of traffic enforcement negatively impacts
the bike safety efforts around town. What good are wide clearly marked bike paths when cars
speed, run stops signs and traffic lights non stop?
• The libraries are great. Specifically, the children's library. The city has great engagement
opportunities for kids through classes and events. The farmers markets are fantastic. I'm glad
the airport expansion won't destroy the duck pond.
• The library and recreation programs
• The library and the parks are excellent!
• The open space parks (Baylands, foothill, Arastradero) are amazing!!!
• The Palo Alto libraries are a treasure. I use them constantly and they add so much to my quality
of life here.
• The parks are excellent! Please keep up the good work.
• The parks are good. Some just need bathrooms eg Eleanor Pardee and Bol park. The children's
library is awesome. Rinconada pool is great also.
• The parks are nice. Now fix the darn streets. I spent thousands on my car because of pot holes.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 198
• The parks are wonderful
• THe parks we have are very nice but not adequate for current of increasing population
• The pickleball courts at Mitchell (though they need expansion)
• The public libraries are top notch and provide places for people to learn and gather. They should
be maintained at a high level.
• The quality of its residents.
• The safety of our neighborhoods.
• The schools are great.
• The tree cover and city parks like Foothills Park and Palo Alto Baylands are important to protect.
• The trees and natural beauty.
• The trees. Although I am worried because the pace of replacement rate for trees cut down or
brought down by storms, seems very slow.
• The utilities dept. is remarkably responsive to questions and actual service needs. Yay!
• Their Utilities
• There a lot of things the city does poorly - code enforcement, building - planning, adherence to
going all electric while not acknowledging that not everyone could afford to go electric, even if
they wanted to. The city does a nice job of events, but a terrible job of letting people know
ahead of time.
• There are many things the city does well.
• They focus on offering lots of programs and services that really add to the quality of life.
• Third Thursdays on Cal Ave
• Thoughtful about ecological enviry- keep this and invest in it, invite us in to specific time
bounded opportunities e.g. recycle drives, put it unwanted items for free day
• trails, parks, golf course, airport, recreation, theater, libraries, community event
• Transparency in communications.
• Transparency of communication
• Trash collection and recycling
• Tree canopy.
• Tree maintenance
• Tree trimming
• Trees
• Trees. Being mindful that not every large/old tree still works in its current location. Trees can
outgrow the space available.
• Underground wire program was great plan..., especially if you want homes to electrify- maintain
the program.
• Updates on parks and community areas
• Upkeep of parks and libraries
• use of community center
• utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• utilities and landscape maintenance and garbage collection
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 199
• Utilities are consistent in that power is rarely out. Festivals and facilities such as library and
theater is well maintained.
• Utilities are great - love that we own them. Way less expensive than PG&E. PAUSD also
awesome (would be first if our kids were still around, but we are empty nest now)
• Utilities compared to PG&E
• Utilities do a great job.
• Utilities ownership
• Utilities services
• Utilities, basic services
• Utilities.
• Utilities. Excellent job by that group.
• Utilities. Excellent. Especially when compared to other cities. Well done!!!
• Utility has inexpensive reliable electricity. We gotta get rid of the natural gas... This survey
took too long with too many questions...
• Utility ops
• utility services
• Utility services
• Utility services
• Utility services.
• Very clean street streets
• Very few utility outagesChloe what are you doing
• Vibrant economic community that attracts great people
• Walkability, biking
• Walkability, parks and playgrounds
• Water supply
• We have excellent police and fire departments.
• We have great public parks and libraries.
• We love libraries, pools, and parks. We also love the middle school sports programs and young
chef classes hosted by the city recreational department.
• We still have somewhat of a "small-city" environment, but it's rapidly changing. We need to
decide whether we are going to become a big, tall city with perennial high traffic flow and high-
rise buildings, or try to preserve. some of the small-town, residential qualities that we've had in
the past. City government has been historically effective in maintaining open space, especially
public parks, and expanding new open-space, such as the Baylands. There is, however, the
danger of surrendering to development pressures, such as faster traffic flow and relaxation of
zoning regulations, at the expense of the city's small town atmosphere, one which is rapidly
disappearing.
• Well maintained bike routes
• Wonderful parks and libraries
• working to preserve and make available open space
• Would be great to have more formal and informal interactions between the City and Stanford,
with it's focus on sustainability, climate issues, deep understanding of policy, regulation,
economics, sciences, humanities, etc.
• Yummy food, books, (SO sad the bookstore(s) on University Ave. are gone), events, (I like the
farmer's market but parking is terrible!) and generally looking forward to things I can do in
retirement.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 200
Appendix F: Survey Materials
The following pages contain copies of the survey materials sent to randomly selected households within
the City of Palo Alto.
Dear Palo Alto Resident,
Our annual Community Survey is a critical feedback tool that helps the City Council and City staff
understand resident perspectives on current services and programs, as well as unmet needs and
priorities. You can wait for a paper survey in the mail, or you can go online and complete the survey
at:
polco.us/xxplaceholder
Please do not share your survey link. This survey is for randomly selected households only.
The City will conduct a separate survey that is open to all residents just a few weeks from now.
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (650) 329-2392.
For additional ways to join the conversation and provide input, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage
Thank you for your time and participation!
Sincerely,
Ed Shikada
City Manager
Para contestar la encuesta en línea en su
idioma, seleccione su idioma en el menú
desplegable que aparece en la parte
superior de la página de encuesta.
想要使用您的语言回答在线调查，请在调查
页面顶部的下拉菜单中选择您的语言。 Scan the QR code to take the
survey on a mobile device!
QR Code
Placeholder
Tell us what you think! Please complete the Palo Alto community survey.
¡Su opinión nos interesa! Participe en la Encuesta Comunitaria de Palo Alto.
请告诉我们您的想法！请完成帕洛阿尔托社区调查。
City Manager’s Office
250 Hamilton Avenue, 7th Floor
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Presorted
First Class Mail
US Postage
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit NO. 94
August 2024
Dear City of Palo Alto Resident:
Your household has been selected at random to participate in the 2024 Palo Alto
Community Survey. The annual Community Survey is a critical feedback effort that helps
the City Council and City staff understand resident perspectives on current services and
programs, as well as unmet needs and priorities. The survey is one way among many
through which we gain insights from residents regularly.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the enclosed survey. Your participation is very
important – especially since your household is one of only a small number of households
being surveyed. The survey results are reviewed by the City Council and City staff and
your input helps inform the City’s decision-making and potential changes to City services.
A few things to remember:
• Your responses are completely confidential.
• You may return the survey by mail in the enclosed postage-paid
envelope, or you can complete the survey online at:
polco.us/xxplaceholder
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (650) 329-2392.
For additional ways to engage with the City, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage.
Thank you for your time and participation!
Sincerely,
Ed Shikada
City Manager
Para contestar la encuesta en línea en su
idioma, seleccione su idioma en el menú
desplegable que aparece en la parte
superior de la página de encuesta.
想要使用您的语言回答在线调查，请在调查
页面顶部的下拉菜单中选择您的语言。 Scan the QR code to take
the survey on a mobile
device!
QR Code
Placeholder
2024 Community Survey
Page 1 of 5
Please complete this survey if you are the adult (age 18 or older) in the household who most recently had a birthday (the year of
birth does not matter). Your responses are anonymous and will be reported in group form only.
1. Please rate each of the following aspects of quality of life in Palo Alto. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Palo Alto as a place to live ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Your neighborhood as a place to live ............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Palo Alto as a place to raise children.............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Palo Alto as a place to work .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Palo Alto as a place to visit ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Palo Alto as a place to retire .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto ............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
2. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo Alto as a whole. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design,
buildings, parks and transportation systems) .............................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto .............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto ......................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto .................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Residents’ connection and engagement with their community ....................... 1 2 3 4 5
3. Please indicate how likely or unlikely you are to do each of the following. Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t likely likely unlikely unlikely know
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who asks .................... 1 2 3 4 5
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years .................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Recommend Palo Alto’s libraries to friends .................................... 1 2 3 4 5
4. Please rate the job you feel the Palo Alto community does at each of the following. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Making all residents feel welcome ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse backgrounds ................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly, disabled, homeless, etc.) ........... 1 2 3 4 5
5. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo Alto as a whole. Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Overall quality of business and service establishments in Palo Alto ................. 1 2 3 4 5
Variety of business and service establishments in Palo Alto ............................ 1 2 3 4 5
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Employment opportunities ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Shopping opportunities ................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Cost of living in Palo Alto ............................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Traffic flow on major streets ......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of public parking ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto ................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo Alto ......................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto .............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of walking in Palo Alto .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Variety of housing options ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Availability of affordable quality housing ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto ............................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Availability of paths and walking trails ........................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Fitness opportunities (including exercise classes and paths or trails, etc.) ....... 1 2 3 4 5
Recreational opportunities ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Availability of affordable quality mental health care ........................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities ...................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Page 2 of 5
6. Please rate each of the following characteristics as they relate to Palo Alto as a whole.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know Availability of affordable quality childcare/preschool ....................................... 1 2 3 4 5 K-12 education ............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Adult educational opportunities ..................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to participate in social events and activities .............................. 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to participate in community matters ......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds.............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Opportunities to learn about City services via City website, social media (Twitter/X, Nextdoor, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, LinkedIn) ................. 1 2 3 4 5
7. Please indicate whether or not you have done each of the following in the last 12 months.
No Yes Used Palo Alto recreation centers or their services ................................................................................... 1 2
Visited a neighborhood park or City park ................................................................................................. 1 2 Used Palo Alto public libraries or their services ......................................................................................... 1 2 Participated in religious or spiritual activities in Palo Alto .......................................................................... 1 2 Attended a City-sponsored event ............................................................................................................ 1 2 Talked to or visited with your immediate neighbors ................................................................................. 1 2 Used the City’s website to conduct business or pay bills ........................................................................... 1 2 Used the Utilities webpage to conduct business or pay bills ...................................................................... 1 2 Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person, phone, email or web) for help or information .......................... 1 2 Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-person, phone, email or web) to express your opinion ................. 1 2 Attended a local public meeting (of local elected officials like City Council or County Commissioners, advisory boards, town halls, HOA, neighborhood watch, etc.) ................................... 1 2 Watched (online or on television) a local public meeting .......................................................................... 1 2
Volunteered your time to some group/activity in Palo Alto ....................................................................... 1 2
Voted in your most recent local election .................................................................................................. 1 2
Used bus, rail, or other public transportation instead of driving ................................................................ 1 2
Carpooled with other adults or children instead of driving alone ............................................................... 1 2
Walked or biked instead of driving .......................................................................................................... 1 2
Observed a code violation or other hazard in Palo Alto (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) ...................... 1 2
Household member was a victim of a crime in Palo Alto .......................................................................... 1 2
Reported a crime to the police in Palo Alto .............................................................................................. 1 2
8. Please rate the following categories of Palo Alto government performance.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto ...................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming resident involvement ......... 1 2 3 4 5 Overall confidence in Palo Alto government ................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Generally acting in the best interest of the community ................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Being honest ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Being open and transparent to the public ...................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Informing residents about issues facing the community ................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Treating all residents fairly ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Treating residents with respect ..................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
9. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the services provided by each of the following?
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know The City of Palo Alto ..................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The State Government ................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 The Federal Government .............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
2024 Community Survey
Page 3 of 5
10. Please rate the quality of each of the following services in Palo Alto.
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Traffic enforcement ............................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Traffic signal timing ............................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Street repair ....................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Street cleaning ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Street tree maintenance ..................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Sidewalk maintenance ........................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Land use, planning, and zoning ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned buildings, etc.) ....................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Preservation of natural areas (open space, farmlands and greenbelts) ................. 1 2 3 4 5
Building and planning application processing services .......................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Affordable high-speed internet access ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Electric utility ...................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Gas utility ........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Utility payment options ....................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Drinking water .................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Sewer services ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Storm water management (storm drainage, dams, levees, etc.) ......................... 1 2 3 4 5
Refuse collection (garbage, recycling, yard waste, and e-waste) .......................... 1 2 3 4 5
Police emergency services .................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Crime prevention ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Animal control .................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Ambulance or emergency medical services .......................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Fire emergency services...................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Fire prevention and education ............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Palo Alto open space (e.g Foothills, Baylands) ..................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
City parks ........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Recreation programs or classes ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Recreation centers or facilities ............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
Public library services (e.g., hold requests, storytimes, teen events, bookclubs) .... 1 2 3 4 5
Library facilities (buildings, computer equipment, accessibility) ............................. 1 2 3 4 5
Variety of library materials (books, e-books, streaming, databases, audiobooks) ... 1 2 3 4 5
Art programs and theater ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
City-sponsored special events ............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
City website (cityofpaloalto.org) .......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Overall customer service by Palo Alto employees
(police, receptionists, planners, etc.) ............................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
11. Please rate the following as they relate to Palo Alto Utilities’ services: Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Reliability of utility services ................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Affordability of utility services ............................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Community value received from the City owning and operating its
own municipal utility services ......................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Utilities online customer self-service features ..................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Providing opportunities for energy and water efficiency at home or business ...... 1 2 3 4 5
Working hard to keep utilities prices competitive ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Value of all the services Palo Alto Utilities provides for the price you pay ............ 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of obtaining information or performing a transaction through the
City’s website ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Value of Palo Alto Utilities’ customer communications ........................................ 1 2 3 4 5
Ease of contacting Utilities department staff ...................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Speed of response after contacting Utilities department staff ............................. 1 2 3 4 5
Page 4 of 5
12. Please rate how important, if at all, you think it is for the Palo Alto community to focus on each of the
following in the coming two years. Very Somewhat Not at all
Essential important important important Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto (including overall design, buildings, parks and transportation systems) .................................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall economic health of Palo Alto ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto .................................................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall quality of natural environment in Palo Alto ............................................. 1 2 3 4 Overall health and wellness opportunities in Palo Alto ........................................ 1 2 3 4 Overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts .................................... 1 2 3 4 Residents’ connection and engagement with their community ........................... 1 2 3 4 Reducing community greenhouse gas emissions ............................................... 1 2 3 4 Increasing local solar generation capacity within city boundaries ........................ 1 2 3 4
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for Utilities
billing issues, efficiency tips, outage information ............................................. 1 2 3 4
Faster notification systems (online, mobile or email) for public safety issues ....... 1 2 3 4
13. In a typical week, how likely are you to: Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t
likely likely unlikely unlikely know Participate in organized group activities (such as clubs, sports teams, volunteer your time, attend church/temple) ......................... 1 2 3 4 5 Spend quality time with local friends, family, and/or neighbors ........... 1 2 3 4 5
14. What mode of transportation do you use most for your typical daily needs for getting around town?
Driving Biking Train Palo Alto Link Carpooling
Walking Bus Scootering Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service
15. If you did not have access to a car for your usual daily transportation around town, how convenient
(based on time and proximity) would you consider each of the following methods of getting around?
Very Somewhat Somewhat Very convenient convenient inconvenient inconvenient Walking ............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4
Biking ................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4
Bus ................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4
Train ................................................................................................. 1 2 3 4
Scootering ......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4
Palo Alto Link .................................................................................... 1 2 3 4
Uber/Lyft or similar rideshare service ................................................. 1 2 3 4
Carpooling ......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4
16. If you plan to purchase or lease a car within the next two years, what is the likelihood of it being one of
the following: Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t
likely likely unlikely unlikely know All-electric ......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Plug-in hybrid .................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Hydrogen fuel cell .............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Other:_____________________________________________ .......... 1 2 3 4 5
17. How familiar are you with Palo Alto’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) and its goal to
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% by 2030?
Extremely familiar Very familiar Moderately familiar Slightly familiar Not familiar
18. How likely are you to do the following to support strategies that reduce GHG emissions? Very Somewhat Somewhat Very Don’t
likely likely unlikely unlikely know Replacing your gas water heater with a heat pump water heater ....... 1 2 3 4 5
Replacing your gas furnace with a heat pump HVAC system ............... 1 2 3 4 5
Considering whole home electrification ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5
Replace gas appliances with electric, such as an induction cook top .... 1 2 3 4 5
19. As a resident of Palo Alto, what one change could the City make that would make you happier?
2024 Community Survey
Page 5 of 5
20. As a resident of Palo Alto, what one thing do you believe the City does well and would want to maintain?
Our last questions are about you and your household.
Again, all of your responses to this survey are completely anonymous and will be reported in group form only.
D1. What impact, if any, do you think the economy will have on your family income in the next 6 months? Do
you think the impact will be:
Very positive Somewhat positive Neutral Somewhat negative Very negative
D2. What is your employment status?
Working full time for pay
Working part time for pay
Unemployed, looking for paid work
Unemployed, not looking for paid work
Fully retired
College student, unemployed
D3. Do you work inside the boundaries of Palo Alto?
Yes, outside the home No
Yes, from home
D4. How many years have you lived in Palo Alto?
Less than 2 years 11-20 years
2-5 years More than 20 years
6-10 years
D5. Which best describes the building you live in?
One family house detached from any other houses
Building with two or more homes (duplex,
townhome, apartment or condominium)
Mobile home
Other
D6. Do you rent or own your home?
Rent Own
D7. About how much is your monthly housing cost
for the place you live (including rent, mortgage
payment, property tax, property insurance and
homeowners’ association (HOA) fees)?
Less than $500 $5,500 to $5,999
$500 to $999 $6,000 to $6,499
$1,000 to $1,499 $6,500 to $6,999
$1,500 to $1,999 $7,000 to $7,499
$2,000 to $2,499 $7,500 to $7,999
$2,499 to $2,999 $8,000 to $8,499
$3,000 to $3,499 $8,500 to $8,999
$3,500 to $3,999 $9,000 to $9,499
$4,000 to $4,499 $9,500 to $9,999
$4,500 to $4,999 $10,000 or more
$5,000 to $5,499
D8. Do any children 17 or under live in your
household?
No Yes
D9. Are you or any other members of your
household aged 65 or older?
No Yes
D10. How much do you anticipate your household’s
total income before taxes will be for the
current year? (Total income from all sources
for all persons living in your household.)
Less than $25,000 $250,000 to $299,999
$25,000 to $49,999 $300,000 to $349,999
$50,000 to $99,999 $350,000 to $399,999
$100,000 to $149,000 $400,000 to $449,999
$150,000 to $199,999 $450,000 to $499,999
$200,000 to $249,999 $500,000 or more
D11. Are you Spanish, Hispanic or Latino?
No, not Spanish, Hispanic or Latino
Yes, I consider myself to be Spanish, Hispanic or
Latino
D12. What is your race? (Mark one or more races to
indicate what you consider yourself to be.)
❑ American Indian or Alaskan Native ❑ White
❑ Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander ❑ Other:
❑ Black or African American ___________
❑ Middle Eastern or North African
D13. In which category is your age?
18-24 years 45-54 years 65-74 years
25-34 years 55-64 years 75 years or older
35-44 years
D14. What is your gender?
Woman
Man
Identify in another way → go to D14a
D14a. If you identify in another way, how would you
describe your gender?
Agender/ I don’t identify Transgender man
with any gender Transgender woman
Genderqueer/gender fluid Two-spirit
Non-binary Not listed, I identify as:
_________________
D15. What is your sexual orientation?
Heterosexual Bisexual
Lesbian Identify in another way
Gay → go to D15a
D15a. If you identify in another way, how would you
describe your sexual orientation?
Asexual Questioning
Pansexual Not listed, I identify as:
Queer ____________________________
Thank you! Please return the completed survey in the postage-paid envelope to:
National Research Center, Inc., PO Box 549, Belle Mead, NJ 08502
Dear Palo Alto Resident,
Just a reminder—if you have not yet completed Palo Alto’s 2024 Community Survey, please do so.
If you have completed it, thank you! Please do not respond twice.
Your participation in this survey is very important—your answers will help City Council and City staff
understand resident perspectives on current services and programs, as well as unmet needs and
priorities. Please complete the confidential survey online at:
polco.us/xxplaceholder
Please do not share your survey link. This survey is for randomly selected households only.
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (650) 329-2392.
For additional ways to join the conversation and provide input, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage
Sincerely,
Ed Shikada
City Manager
Para contestar la encuesta en línea en su
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desplegable que aparece en la parte
superior de la página de encuesta.
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¡Su opinión nos interesa! Participe en la Encuesta Comunitaria de Palo Alto.
请告诉我们您的想法！请完成帕洛阿尔托社区调查。
City Manager’s Office
250 Hamilton Avenue, 7th Floor
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Presorted
First Class Mail
US Postage
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit NO. 94
City of Palo Alto Resident Survey
April 2015
1241 John Q. Hammons Dr, Suite #203
Madison, WI 53717
info.polco.us • 608-709-8683
CITY OF PALO ALTO
COMMUNITY SURVEY 2024
Supplemental Benchmarks
November 2024
Report of Results
Page 2
Bay Area Benchmark Comparisons
Table 1: Quality of Life
Quality of Life Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto 78% 5 14 Higher
The overall quality of life in Palo Alto 89% 4 15 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to live 91% 5 15 Similar
Recommend living in Palo Alto to someone who
asks
78% 11 14 Similar
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five years 79% 11 14 Similar
Table 2: Governance
Governance Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government 49% 7 14 Similar
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking 47% 9 14 Similar
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo
Alto
56% 4 14 Similar
Generally acting in the best interest of the
community
53% 7 14 Similar
Being honest 61% 5 14 Similar
Being open and transparent to the public 53% 6 13 Similar
Informing residents about issues facing the
community
58% 2 13 Similar
The job Palo Alto government does at
welcoming citizen involvement
54% 6 14 Similar
Treating all residents fairly 66% 3 14 Similar
Treating residents with respect 74% 3 13 Similar
The City of Palo Alto 74% 2 14 Similar
The Federal Government 41% 6 14 Similar
Report of Results
Page 3
Table 3: Economy
Economy Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall quality of business and service
establishments in Palo Alto
71% 6 14 Similar
Variety of business and service establishments
in Palo Alto
54% 7 13 Similar
Vibrancy of downtown/commercial area 59% 7 13 Similar
Shopping opportunities 66% 4 14 Higher
Palo Alto as a place to visit 70% 8 14 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to work 84% 2 14 Higher
Employment opportunities 64% 2 14 Higher
Cost of living in Palo Alto 8% 12 14 Lower
Table 4: Mobility
Mobility Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Traffic flow on major streets 48% 6 15 Similar
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto 72% 6 14 Similar
Ease of travel by public transportation in Palo
Alto
31% 11 14 Similar
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto 81% 2 14 Higher
Ease of walking in Palo Alto 82% 2 14 Higher
Ease of public parking 68% 4 14 Similar
Traffic enforcement 56% 8 15 Similar
Traffic signal timing 57% 4 14 Similar
Street repair 52% 7 15 Similar
Street cleaning 80% 2 15 Higher
Sidewalk maintenance 57% 5 14 Similar
Used bus, rail or other public transportation
instead of driving
43% 5 14 Similar
Carpooled with other adults or children instead
of driving alone
59% 4 14 Similar
Walked or biked instead of driving 86% 1 14 Higher
Report of Results
Page 4
Table 5: Community Design
Community Design Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto
(including overall design, buildings, parks and
transportation systems)
75% 2 14 Higher
Your neighborhood as a place to live 93% 3 14 Similar
Overall quality of new development in Palo Alto 41% 9 14 Similar
Variety of housing options 24% 12 14 Similar
Availability of affordable quality housing 11% 12 14 Similar
Land use, planning and zoning 41% 8 15 Similar
Code enforcement (weeds, abandoned
buildings, etc.)
44% 7 14 Similar
Table 6: Utilities
Utilities Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Affordable high-speed internet access 44% 10 13 Similar
Drinking water 84% 3 13 Higher
Sewer services 83% 4 13 Similar
Storm water management (storm drainage,
dams, levees, etc.)
77% 2 14 Similar
Utility payment options 80% 1 12 Much Higher
Table 7: Safety
Safety Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 88% 4 14 Higher
Police emergency services 81% 4 15 Similar
Crime prevention 69% 5 14 Similar
Animal control 82% 1 13 Higher
Ambulance or emergency medical services 91% 1 13 Higher
Fire emergency services 92% 2 13 Similar
Fire prevention and education 80% 3 13 Similar
Report of Results
Page 5
Table 8: Natural Environment
Natural Environment Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo
Alto
87% 5 14 Similar
Preservation of natural areas (open space,
farmlands and greenbelts)
81% 5 14 Similar
Palo Alto open space (e.g. Foothills, Baylands) 89% 2 14 Higher
Table 9: Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Availability of paths and walking trails 73% 8 14 Similar
City parks 90% 2 14 Higher
Recreational opportunities 79% 5 15 Similar
Recreation programs or classes 80% 2 14 Higher
Recreation centers or facilities 81% 2 14 Higher
Fitness opportunities (including exercise
classes and paths or trails, etc.)
78% 6 14 Similar
Table 10: Health and Wellness
Health and Wellness Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall health and wellness opportunities in
Palo Alto
85% 2 14 Higher
Availability of affordable quality mental health
care
34% 7 14 Similar
Table 11: Education, Arts, and Culture
Education, Arts, and Culture Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music
activities
70% 3 15 Higher
Availability of affordable quality child
care/preschool
34% 9 14 Similar
K-12 education 89% 1 14 Much Higher
Adult educational opportunities 83% 1 14 Higher
Report of Results
Page 6
Table 12: Inclusivity and Engagement
Inclusivity and Engagement Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Residents’ connection and engagement with
their community
61% 4 13 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to raise children 84% 4 15 Similar
Palo Alto as a place to retire 54% 7 15 Similar
Openness and acceptance of the community
towards people of diverse backgrounds
71% 4 14 Similar
Making all residents feel welcome 68% 8 13 Similar
Attracting people from diverse backgrounds 59% 9 13 Similar
Valuing/respecting residents from diverse
backgrounds
71% 6 13 Similar
Taking care of vulnerable residents (elderly,
disabled, homeless, etc.)
52% 6 13 Similar
Opportunities to participate in social events
and activities
65% 5 14 Similar
Opportunities to participate in community
matters
68% 5 14 Similar
Table 13: Participation
Participation Items
Percent
positive Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Contacted the City of Palo Alto (in-person,
phone, email or web) for help or information
57% 1 14 Higher
Contacted Palo Alto elected officials (in-
person, phone, email or web) to express your
opinion
17% 6 14 Similar
Attended a local public meeting (of local
elected officials like City Council or County
Commissioners, advisory boards,
17% 11 14 Similar
Watched (online or on television) a local public
meeting
16% 11 14 Similar
Volunteered your time to some group/activity
in Palo Alto
40% 2 13 Higher
Voted in your most recent local election 73% 6 12 Similar
Report of Results
Page 7
Table 14: Focus Areas
Importance Items
Percent
essential or
very
important Rank
Number of
communities
in
comparison
Comparison
to
benchmark
Overall economic health of Palo Alto. 78% 14 14 Similar
Overall “built environment” of Palo Alto
(including overall design, buildings, parks and
transportation systems)
79% 3 14 Similar
Overall feeling of safety in Palo Alto 82% 12 14 Similar
Overall quality of natural environment in Palo
Alto
79% 8 14 Similar
Overall health and wellness opportunities in
Palo Alto
61% 14 14 Lower
Overall opportunities for education, culture and
the arts
69% 7 14 Similar
Residents’ connection and engagement with
their community
60% 13 14 Similar
December 9, 2024 www.cityofpaloalto.org
2024 Community Survey Study Session
Lupita Alamos,
Assistant to the City Manager
Results for
Palo Alto, CA
Community Survey
2024
●20th time conducting the Palo Alto Community Survey
●Survey conducted from August 19 to October 21, 2024
●Probability-based sample of 3,600 households
●All households received 3 mailings
●Online survey available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese
●Results grouped by 6 areas.
●585 total responses received; 17% overall response rate
●3 surveys completed in Simplified Chinese
●2023: 603 responses, 17% response rate
●Results statistically weighted to reflect Palo Alto overall
●95% confidence interval with a +/- 4% margin of error
●Non-probability, open-participation sample: 727 responses
●2023: 93 responses
Survey Methodology
Response Rate and Margin of Error Over Time
29%27%25%26%21%21%22%
12%17%17%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
5%
3%4%4%4%3%4%5%4%4%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2021 2022 2023 2024
Response Rate Margin of Error
Polco’s Benchmarking Database
More than 500
comparison communities
across the nation.
Representing the opinions
of more than 50 million
residents.
Overview of
Survey Results
Comparisons to National Benchmarks
65
received similar
ratings
3
received
lower
ratings
23
received
higher
ratings
Comparisons to Previous Survey Year
120
received similar
ratings
19
received
more
negative
ratings
3
received
more
positive
ratings
Key Findings
Palo Alto residents
continue to rate
their quality of life
highly.
Quality of Life in Palo Alto
Quality of Life Measures
74%
78%
75%
84%
77%
77%
78%
79%
Recommend living in Palo Alto to
someone who asks
Remain in Palo Alto for the next five
years
2024
2023
2022
2021
Excellent
, 41%
Good,
48%
Fair,
10%Poor, 1%
Percent excellent or good
Quality of Life
Other Aspects of Quality of Life
46%
69%
87%
79%
88%
88%
53%
73%
83%
85%
90%
92%
54%
70%
84%
84%
91%
93%
Palo Alto as a place to retire
Palo Alto as a place to visit
Palo Alto as a place to raise children
Palo Alto as a place to work
Palo Alto as a place to live
Your neighborhood as a place to live
2024
2023
2022
Percent excellent or good
Higher than national benchmarks
Aspects if Quality of Life by Area
While residents were
very satisfied with
many City services,
there are areas
for improvement.
Top-rated City Services
Higher than national benchmarks
Percent excellent or good
90%
93%
93%
90%
93%
93%
93%
89%
89%
90%
91%
92%
92%
93%
Variety of library materials
Palo Alto open space
City parks
Ambulance or EMS
Fire emergency services
Public library services
Library facilities
2024 2023
83%
77%
85%
83%
84%
85%
78%
87%
87%
83%
86%
80%
80%
80%
81%
81%
81%
82%
83%
83%
84%
84%
Recreation programs or classes
Fire prevention and education
Utility payment options
Preservation of natural areas
Police services
Recreation centers or facilities
Animal Control
Sewer services
Refuse collection
Art programs and theater
Drinking water
2024 2023
Percent excellent or good
City Services by Area
Lower-rated City Services
Aspects of Utility Services
38%
40%
53%
45%
29%
41%
44%
44%
Building and planning application
processing services
Land use, planning and zoning
Code enforcement
Affordable high-speed internet
access
2024
2023
Lower-rated City Services by Area
Service Ratings Changes Over Time
Increased since 2023:
•Street repair
Decreased since 2023:
•Building and planning application processing services
•Code enforcement
•Traffic enforcement
•Traffic signal timing
•Sidewalk maintenance
•Electric utility
Issues related to
affordable housing and
cost of living remain a
concern for residents.
Housing and Cost of Living
Cost of Living
Excellent, 1%Good, 4%
Fair, 22%
Poor, 73%
Availability of Affordable
Quality Housing
Excellent, 4%Good, 5%
Fair, 14%
Poor, 78%
Top of Mind – Changes to the city
2%
9%
4%
4%
4%
5%
5%
6%
7%
7%
8%
15%
23%
Don't know
Other
Homelessness and Social Services
Economic Development
Walking and Biking trails
Public Safety and Policing
Make the city more affordable
Noise and Urban Environment
City Governance and Administration
Community Amenities and Services
Develop Infrastructure
Transportation and Traffic
Housing and Construction
Top Community Characteristics
Community Characteristics
78%
80%
72%
76%
76%
77%
79%
76%
85%
72%
74%
73%
73%
76%
76%
77%
77%
80%
70%
71%
72%
73%
78%
78%
79%
81%
82%
Opportunities to attend cultural/arts/music activities
Overall quality of business and service
establishments
Ease of travel by car in Palo Alto
Availability of paths and walking trails
Overall image or reputation of Palo Alto
Fitness opportunities
Recreational opportunities
Ease of travel by bicycle in Palo Alto
Ease of walking in Palo Alto
2024
2023
2022
Percent excellent or goodHigher than national benchmarks
Community Characteristics by Area
Parks, open space,
and natural
environment
topped the rank of
things that the
City does well.
Top of Mind – Thing the city does well
4%
4%
1%
2%
3%
3%
4%
5%
5%
7%
11%
12%
13%
25%
Don't know
Other
Sustainability
Culture, diversity
Government/leadership; government communication
Quality of life, reputation
Schools and education, programs for the youth
Infrastructure, streets, transportation
Ease of bicycle travel/walking
Cleanliness of community; upkeep
Utilities and city services
Safety services
Activities and Recreation (arts, libraries, museums)
Parks, open space, and natural environment
Ratings for Palo
Alto government
performance
remain strong.
Government Performance
51%
53%
50%
68%
61%
62%
62%
71%
58%
61%
66%
74%
Informing residents about issues
facing the community
Being honest
Treating all residents fairly
Treating residents with respect
2024
2023
2022
Treating Residents with Respect
Excellent, 24%
Good,
50%
Fair, 19%
Poor, 6%
Aspects of Government Performance
Percent excellent or good
Government Performance
Aspects of Government Performance
42%
47%
52%
53%
46%
51%
54%
52%
55%
57%
55%
57%
47%
49%
53%
53%
54%
56%
The overall direction that Palo Alto is taking
Overall confidence in Palo Alto government
Generally acting in the best interest of the community
Being open and transparent to the public
The job Palo Alto government does at welcoming
resident involvement
The value of services for the taxes paid to Palo Alto
2024
2023
2022
Percent excellent or good
Summary of
Key Findings
1.Palo Alto residents continue to rate their quality of life
highly.
2.While residents were very satisfied with many City
services, there are areas for improvement with
planning, zoning and enforcement.
3.Issues related to affordable housing and cost of
living remain a concern for residents.
4.Parks, open space, and natural environment topped
the rank of things that City does well.
5.Ratings for Palo Alto government performance
remain strong.
Questions?
Thank you!