Getting Stuff Done: A Two-Year Reflection on Moving East Palo Alto Forward

When I was elected to the City Council in November 2024, I stepped into office with a commitment to deliver tangible results for our community. As we approach the end of my first two years on Council, it’s important to look back and reflect on what we’ve actually delivered.
Local government is a team effort. We operate as a five-member council, meaning it takes at least three votes to pass any policy or fund any initiative. Working closely alongside my colleagues Martha Barragan and Webster Lincoln, we formed a productive majority focused on action—passing budgets that directly fund the improvements our city needs.

Nothing gets done without city staff. Many thanks to City Manager Melvin Gaines, Assistant City Manager Shiri Klima, Public Works Director Humza Javed, and all the city staff that has worked hard to move EPA forward.

Here is a look at what we have accomplished together over the last two years:

🧹 Safer, Cleaner, and Quieter Neighborhoods

Targeted Blight & Code Enforcement: Directed staff to proactively address street-visible blight, including broken appliances, garbage piles, and abandoned vehicles that degrade our neighborhoods.

East Palo Alto leaders spar over code enforcement

Amid ongoing concerns about unaddressed dumping, illegal construction and other code violations, three East Palo Alto council members pushed city staff Tuesday to take a more proactive approach toward enforcement.

Palo Alto OnlineLisa Moreno

24/7 Parking Enforcement: Partnered with LAZ Parking to bring round-the-clock parking enforcement to local streets. We also took first steps towards a parking permit ordinance.

East Palo Alto hires company for 24-hour parking enforcement

The East Palo Alto City Council this week unanimously approved hiring an outside company to provide around-the-clock parking enforcement, in an effort to address overcrowded streets while reducing the burden on a low-staffed police department.

Palo Alto OnlineLisa Moreno

Traffic Calming Expansion: Reformed the city ordinance to make more local streets eligible for speed humps and traffic-calming infrastructure.

Regulated Street Vendors We passed an ordinance to regulate street vendors and ensure health and safety standards.

East Palo Alto looks to regulate street vendors

East Palo Alto is considering street vending rules like more enforced permits, trash cleanup, location and operation hours.

Palo Alto OnlineLisa Moreno

Pulgas Avenue Roundabout: Completed the roundabout at Beech and Runnymede, slowing down traffic near local schools and creating a safer route for students attending Aspire.

• Citywide Street Lighting Upgrade: Funded a comprehensive street lighting study by an engineering firm, laying the groundwork for millions of dollars in lighting upgrades by the end of this year.
  

Clarke Avenue Bridge Cleanup: Removed the privacy curtain from the Clarke Ave bridge that had previously invited litter, open substance use, and blight, restoring a cleaner and safer crossing.

🌳 Parks, Recreation, and Youth Investment

• Upgraded Athletic Fields: Replaced broken scoreboards at MLK Park and Jack Farrell Park—fixing infrastructure that hadn’t worked in a generation—and funded new field lighting at MLK so youth sports can continue after sunset in winter.

MLK Park Expansion: Approved a strategic land swap on University Avenue for property next to MLK Park, paving the way for a regulation soccer field, expanded parking, and improved amenities.

EPA Approves Affordable Housing Plans and Expansion of Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. - M-A Chronicle

The project expands a local park and adds affordable housing nearby.

M-A ChronicleBrianna Ruiz, Lucia Liu

Ravenswood Preserve Access: Installed a new pedestrian gate at the Ravenswood Preserve, giving residents direct access to the preserve and regional bike paths

Arts & Family Programming: Funded EPACENTER to bring live music, cultural programming, and family-friendly events directly to our community

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

YouTube

Expanded YMCA Access: Funded weekend operations so East Palo Alto residents can access the YMCA for free, alongside expanded swim lessons, fitness classes, and youth basketball.

Established Youth Commission: Formed and funded our city’s first dedicated Youth Commission to give young residents a direct voice in local government.

With new panels, East Palo Alto looks to amplify youth voices

As East Palo Alto Community Services Manager Maurice Baker made his presentation to the City Council on Tuesday afternoon, he didn’t stand alone as most presenters do. He stood with a large group of community members, a feat he said exemplifies the importance of his presentation on the city’s first-ever youth representative group.

Palo Alto OnlineLisa Moreno

New Dog Park: Planned and funded a new dog park adjacent to MLK Park (currently awaiting final PG&E approvals).

🏗️ Essential Infrastructure and Efficient City Operations

• East Bayshore Improvements: Commenced construction on critical sidewalk and storm drain upgrades along East Bayshore between University and Willow.
  
• Expanded City Hall Hours: Increased public operating hours at the Tate Street building (Planning, Building, and Public Works/CEDD) from just 18 hours a week to 40 hours a week, making city hall far more accessible to residents and business owners.
  
• Modernized IT Systems: Funded essential upgrades to East Palo Alto’s IT infrastructure to streamline city operations, increase transparency, and improve overall efficiency.
  

🛡️ Public Safety, Preparedness, and Good Governance

Historic Public Safety Milestone: Proudly celebrated two full years with zero homicides—a significant achievement for our community’s ongoing public safety efforts.

East Palo Alto marks 2 years without a homicide after violent past

The city of East Palo Alto has made it two years without a homicide.

NBC Bay AreaBay City News

• Smart Crime Prevention Tools: Retained our Flock License Plate Readers (LPRs), maintaining a high-impact crime-fighting tool supported by strict, privacy-focused oversight.
  
• Emergency Preparedness: We funded local emergency preparedness initiatives to ready East Palo Alto for major earthquakes, regional flooding, power grid failures, and climate events. There is still a lot of work to do!
  
• Enforcing Standards & Ethics: Upheld our Council Code of Ethics by voting to remove Council Member Carlos Romero from regional board assignments following unprofessional conduct on the dais.
  

🏠 Housing, Growth, and Civic Future

Major Housing Approvals: Approved landmark residential developments on Euclid and at Four Corners, the first step to transform long-empty lots into much-needed housing.

Council Term Limits: Approved a ballot measure establishing a three-term limit (12 consecutive years) for City Council members to ensure fresh perspectives and accountability.

East Palo Alto voters to weigh in on City Council term limits

The East Palo Alto City Council advanced on Tuesday a November ballot measure that could limit council members to three four-year terms.

Palo Alto OnlineLisa Moreno

Civic Commons Measure: Placed a transformative measure on the ballot to build a new Civic Commons—housing a modern library, sports fields, city hall, and police station—while funding critical repairs for sidewalks, water lines, and storm drains.

Looking Ahead

Government often moves much slower than I would like, and not every project listed above is fully completed yet. But the momentum is real, and the direction is clear.
We still have significant work ahead of us when it comes to addressing parking issues, expanding housing, driving local economic development, and modernizing our infrastructure. Most residents have jobs, families, and busy lives that keep them from sitting through long hours of council meetings—and that’s how it should be. Serving on City Council is a public trust, and I am proud of the measurable progress we’ve delivered for East Palo Alto over these past two years.

Let’s keep moving forward.