Prohousing Designation Program Application

Prohousing Designation Application graphic.png

The City of Palo Alto is preparing an application to State's Prohousing Designation Program, recognizing housing achievements over the last several years, including the successful implementation of many Housing Element programs. A Prohousing Designation would give Palo Alto a meaningful advantage when pursuing State housing and infrastructure funding and allow the City to access additional funding for housing efforts through the Prohousing Incentive Program.

Key components of the draft application include: Self-Scoring Sheet identifying enacted and proposed Prohousing Policies; a summary of encampment best practices, consistent with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness' "7 Principles for Addressing Encampments;" and supporting materials demonstrating the City's commitment to housing production. 

Public Review Period Extended Through June 24

Draft application materials were shared with the public in-person and online on May 18, 2026. Members of the public may view the draft application materials(PDF, 11MB) through Wednesday, June 24, 2026 (extended from June 17, 2026). Printed copies of the draft application materials are also available for public review at the City's Development Center located at 285 Hamilton Ave. The Development Center is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday. 

Note: An updated version of the draft materials was made available at the Development Center on June 15, 2026 and online on June 17, 2026. The updated version incorporates recent feedback received from the State into Appendix 5 and provides additional reference documents in Appendix 7.

Recent Community Engagement

Learn more about the City's Prohousing Designation Program application process, ask questions and/or share feedback on the draft materials at the following hybrid in-person and virtual meetings. Please follow the event links for virtual attendance information and other instructions:

Translation Services Available 

Translation services are available for the above listed public meetings through the Wordly app upon request. Please contact the City Clerk's Office at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting to request translation services. The City Clerk's Office may be contact at city.clerk@paloalto.gov or (650) 329-2571. To view the information in other languages online click the green button in the top right hand corner of the City's website. 

Share Feedback Now

In addition to participating in one of the above hybrid meetings, community members may also use the below comment form to share feedback on the City's draft application materials. The deadline to share input is Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

Click here to view form.

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