Housing

Providing housing for all income levels is a focus for all Bay Area cities, including Palo Alto. Palo Alto has long been a leader in the production of affordable housing and currently has the second highest inventory of affordable housing for incorporated jurisdictions within Santa Clara County (as a percentage of total housing stock).

Palo Alto Housing by the Numbers

$57 million contributed or pledged towards affordable housing since 2017
Approximately 2,300 units or ~9% of total housing stock dedicated to affordable housing (deed restricted)
Over 1,000 housing units permitted in the last eight years

To further the work on housing, Palo Alto City Council adopted Housing for Social and Economic Balance as a 2025 Council Priority, and endorsed the State certified Housing Element to help guide future housing production and housing-related programs and policies. The City continues to make progress on this important priority through a variety of methods. Learn more about the City's housing priorities by clicking on the boxes for more.

What's New

Visit the Housing Dashboard Below

Palo Alto Permit View

Use Palo Alto Permit View to search for Building, Planning, and Code Enforcement activity.

3980 El Camino Real / Buena Vista

After pausing the vision to redevelop Buena Vista because of cost concerns and impending funding deadlines, the Housing Authority determined that the redevelopment project, as originally envisioned, is no longer feasible. While the original project is no longer moving forward, the Housing Authority is upgrading the park’s failing infrastructure, increasing livability and safety for its residents.

View More Housing News

Housing Priorities & Resources

Affordable Housing

Providing housing for all income levels is a focus for all Bay Area cities, including Palo Alto. Housing is the first and largest expense for Palo Alto households. High housing costs and a lack of affordable housing affect all residents. Find affordable housing locations within Palo Alto and Santa Clara County here.

Tenant & Landlord Resources

Learn more about the Palo Alto renter community, including resources and current programs to support landlords and tenants.

Housing Policies & Projects

Gain information on the City's policies and programs aimed to increase the total production of housing in Palo Alto. Housing projects, programs, and guiding documents can be found here.

Community Support Services

Find community resources and organizations providing disability services, emergency assistance, employment and training opportunities, food distribution, health services, legal services, mental health services, parenting and family resources, and services for seniors here.

Accessory Dwelling Units

An Accessory Dwelling Unit is an accessory to a primary residence and has complete independent living facilities for one or more persons. Learn more about ADUs in Palo Alto here.

Homeless Response and Support

Details sharing information about the City's homeless response, support services, where to get help and how to report a concern.

2023-2031 Housing Dashboard

This new online dashboard tracks the City’s progress on housing production and tracks Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), multi-family housing development, new ADU production, affordable housing development, and measures progress towards goals outlined in the Housing Element.

The dashboard is updated monthly to reflect changes in key housing data, with annual updates provided for longer-term metrics.