• Enforce traffic laws by using automated red-light and speed cameras in major intersections near safe-to-school routes, and prioritize people over passenger vehicles • For the police to enforce the low. For the city council to be aware of what is going on in difference areas of Palo Alto.
• Install speeding ticket cameras on Middlefield in Midtown and South Palo Alto • Make the city safer and reduce noise.
• Monitor the sale of canbis products to minors. Several parents have informed PAPD about Smokers Station on El Camino selling canbis vapes to minors only to be told PAPD cannot "do anything" without a self-incrimiting statement from the minor. Why is that necessary? Why can't PAPD just go into Smokers Station and remind them of their legal obligations? Shouldn't PAPD be doing that anyway? Right now they are selling with impunity and have a "we dote to PAPD" sticker on their front door. If PAPD is not protecting our kids, what are they doing? • More police watching speeders
• More traffic enforcement
• More traffic enforcement (drivers on Alma exhibit crazy and fast driving behaviors) • Patrol my street better for speedy drivers. I live on Greer Road between Embarcadero and Channing. Speedy vehicles go down my street all the time, especially during the work week, mornings and afternoons especially. It's used as 'through way.' Would lov e if city would install speed bumps along Greer Road between Embarcadero and Channing. • Stronger law enforcement. Removal of all street or parking lot parked RVs and junk them.
Transportation and Traffic
• Better traffic enforcement. Too often, I see red lights run, speeding, and stop signs run. • Better traffic flow
• Better traffic law enforcement
• For the question above that does not apply to renters - my landlord also has no interest in upgrading or my heath. One change that would make me happier is to elimite the train-crossings.
I don't mean talk about it for a few more decades, I mean start doing it now. • Have public transportation options for South Palo Alto • hire traffic enforcement personnel
• I know you asked for one, but I'm giving you two themes and some specific suggestions.Theme:
continued improvements to public transit1. A light rail running perpendicular to Caltrain.2. Making University Avenue pedestrian only similar to California Avenue and Castro Street in MTV.3. More infrastructure that prioritizes bikes over cars. Theme: aggressive action to mitigate climate change4. More programs that incentivize homeowners to fully convert appliances to electric options. The heat pump program was fa ntastic.5. Making our climate goals more aggressive.
Why not 100% by 2027? We should be leading the country.6. Offer homeowners $$$ incentives to participate in Virtual Power Plants if they have a home storage battery.7. Offer homeowners $$$ to termite their gas connection.
• Improve traffic flow and police speed enforcement
• improve traffic light timing in major streets especially El Cam and Embarcadero • Provide more public transportation, so I don't have to rely on my car as much.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Road safety and reducing speeding drivers!
• Stop rumiting over railroad crossings and leave it the way it is. • Traffic control on Embarcadero road
• Traffic enforcement. Cars aren't even stopping at stop signs and they speed everywhere. It's dangerous.
• Traffic law enforcement
Homelessness and RVs
• Deal with homeless and vehicle dwellers
• Find a successf Approach to getting the unhoused off the streets and out of the parks • Get rid of the vans
• Resolve the issue of RV parking in residential and business locations. • Work on homeless RVs due to reduced sanitation and order.
City Governance and Administration
• (1) Fire super-intendent.
• A fully staffed fire engine in Midtown; treating Midtown area equally to Old Palo Alto. • Be less dismissive of resident concerns and questions and more transparent about communicating what the city is and is not doing. For instance, if a setback is optiol for developers, don't leave out that information when staff talks about it in public meet ings. Plan comprehensively as the city used to, and pay more attention to planning for south Palo Alto where the city has decided to put most of the state -mandated housing. Also, multiple choice surveys are not good for the kinds of questions you are asking here. For instance, this survey asks very general questions about existing conditions and gives little opportunity to give nuanced responses and no opportunity to express concerns about planning for substantive future land use changes that are coming.
• Better listening to south Palo Alto residents regarding transportation plans esp grade separation preferred plan by certain city council members that reduce safety for students commuting from Gunn back to their house on the east side of Alma, turning Alma into an expressway to improve traffic flow
• Building code less restrictive and move project faster. • City Council make decisions quicker and stick with them -- too much back and forth and trying to please everyone. Also, neighborhood representation on Council, i.e., not citywide elections • City Council should listen to all residents, not just NIMBYs. We need more affordable housing for everyone. And don't close Churchill crossing to cars - Paly staff and buses need that intersection.
City Council only listens to Southgate NIMBYs on that issue • City council to serve the community- be honest and effective and utility department to be present and responsive and billing to be fair
• City Government could be more receptive to resident input, not just listening but taking the feedback to heart.
• City planning department be more efficient
• Dealing with the planning dept. in "days" instead of weeks, months, and years.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• End all monetary subsidies for electrification. Highlight the fact that mandatory fees already offset all CO2 emissions. After that, remove protections on redwood trees. • Figure out a way to totally subsidize conversion to electric for low income homeowners. Hire more Code Enforcement officers. Try to reign in Builders Remedy, SB9 lot splits and SB79 projects to maintain City quality of life.
• Focus on getting things done, rather than endless debates that are never resolved (railroad crossings, fiber to the home, underground utilities, low cost housing, homeless issues, zoning, etc., etc.)
• Get a new City Mager.
• Get rid of hight limits
• Have city council members represent specific areas of the city as their districts. • Help keep neighborhoods more residential and uncrowded. Too many ADU's or multi units in neighborhoods will over urbanize Palo Alto. Put denser housing on busier streets away from neighborhoods.
• Lower taxes!
• lower utility rates
• Make decisions based on the quality of life for it's residents, and not just economic impact. • mayor should not ignore problems by saying resident issues are "unintended consequences". City council protects many sectors ( low income, homeless, developers/builders) but shows little empathy for condo & homeowner issues. Nice that they protect the needed and they want future jobs/campaign funds from the wealthy developers.
• More input on community issues -- resident voting online on current items before the council and committees (2nd: Fix permitting process)
• Prioritize resident interests over business demands. Whatever business wants, it seems to get regardless of how it affects the quality of life for residents. Many meetings with businesses to generate altertives and action plans based on what business wants. Meetings with residents are only after decisions have been made. Residents are not in the room where things happen. • Replace all the City Council members who don't want change or do anything to make this City better.
• Replace PAUSD board and superintendent. Not safe for kids. • Retain person to peron interactions. Was surprised to be denied speaking with a staff person at City Hall. Too much reliance on the internet degrades comminity" • Speed up building department approvals
• Speed up the "Palo Alto process." Make posicy by what is good for the city as a whole, and stop retreating in the face of NIMBYs.
• Stop isolating city offices from public. Open up city hall again • That the city STOP/cut using expensive consultants with no local knowledge like the bike and retail consultants and the business registry morons that waste our time correcting and that have little staff oversight and push up our utility rates
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Too much bureaucracy. It takes years to do projects such as Charleston / Arastradero. Rail upgrades and improvements (the city's part). Cubberly. I feel like it takes so long to get these project done I might not be alive to see them complete and I am not that old. • Urban planning and programming to make Palo Alto more attractive to young adults. Palo Alto feels like a retirement community.
• Use consultants a lot less, eg less than half of current status • We are having a horrible experience with the planning department. They do not seem to communicate with each other and renegotiate what they've already agreed to. It is costing us thousands in fees to our architect who has to respond and chase them when they take weeks to reply and they have also made comments about our plans as if our budget is infinite, specifically that instead of a remodel, we should just do a new build. Well that's another $500k for the work that would take and it comes off tone deaf a s if everyone here is Zuckerberg or Marissa Mayer.
I'd like to have the city have a clear process for permitting work on my home and it's clear that the people in planning can't collaborate or communicate with each other. It seems like everything is done over email and that's not an auditable or repeatable process. I'm really irritated at this and will vote for whoever improves this problem. It also cost $17k to have them do the initial review and it's just been a huge headache.
• With the implementation of the bike lanes and the need to build so much housing because of ABAG requirements, I would like that there be more consideration given to the individual neighborhoods in the city when creating overall long range plans for future development. Not every neighborhood in Palo Alto is the same, so what might work for downtown PA creates big problems in south Palo Alto. I am feeling that many residents do not have a voice.
Community Amenities and Services
• 8 (or more) additiol pickleball courts in Mitchell Park • Add more pickleball courts to Mitchell Park, please!
• Allow rapid and complete redevelopment of El Camino corridor through the length of the city, providing more attractive spaces for walking, recreation, business, and much denser housing. • Be more transparent, invest less in the airport (1%) but more in people services like theater and recreation for many (99%). I would like to remove my PAUSD tax because I don't have kids in the school district.
• Build new Cubberley Community Center
• Complete Mayfield soccer complex upgrade and better maintence of soccer fields in general. • No more pickleball sites near my house
Economic Development
• Being less of a boring place. Having more commerce, everything closes • better more diverse restaurants
• Bigger grocery store in midtown. More opportunities for small business owners. • creative ways to encourage local business development • Fill vacant commercial leases; utilize available space City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Here are two : ). Please incentivize development and commerce along El Camino in south Palo Alto. So many abandoned -looking places are there currentlya very depressing place to pass through and an unfortute image for a town that is otherwise vibrant (Midto wn could use similar incentives but it is less dire). And how about an education campaign to ensure cars stop at stop signs - that would greatly improve safety and quality of life. • Revitalize the downtown area with retail business and community-building events. Our town looks like a ghost town compared to RWC, Mountain View and even Los altos. It looks like we are pandering to Asian tourists.
• Too many vacant store fronts downtown. I would like to see more restaurants and stores so that Palo Alto is a better destition with more choices.
• University Downtown has stagted. Years back, there were surveys run on Downtown Revitalization, and nothing has been done. This effort, put on hold, is vital to not only the community you seek to build in Palo Alto, but the economic vitality, traffic abatement and safety, and desirability as a travel destition. In the meantime, California Avenue is closed to traffic and is your obvious example sitting right in front of you. It is high time you take this issue on, since COVID is no long here as an excuse to hide behind. Want to make a difference in your public service, get the community and funding behind revitalizing University Avenue and downtown.
Noise and Urban Environment
• close down the airport
• Protect open space by reducing FAR in zoning ordinces and/or increasing public parks. For example, for each 1000 square feet of ADU that is actually built increase public park space by ten square feet. Or increase the number of units allowed per 10,000 square foot lot but require a large fee payment into the public park land acquisition fund. Or reduce the FAR so that there is more open space (private) on each lot.
• Reduce noise from trains and train crossings
• Reduce the impact of aircraft noise. This includes traffic at PAO airport, including Stanford Hospital helicopters that fly at very low altitudes (as low as 500 ft), including at night, just to refuel (these flights are not emergency flights). From a noise, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions perspective, this does not make any sense. Stanford could easily build a ground helipad with a fueling station with about 10,000 square feet of land at a cost of $1M or less.This also includes stopping the promotion and growth of PAO, including for new electric aircraft (air taxis, drones).
Even though electric aircraft are quieter, most of them will fly at low altitudes (sometimes only a few hundred feet) resulting in additiol audible noise for many residents who are already exposed to aircraft noise. The sheer volume of low -flying electric aircraft combined with the fact that the City cannot regulate PAO operations (such as imposing curfew or limiting the number of operations) will severely impact the quality of life for many residents, let alone very likely endanger their safety. Low-flying aircraft are more dangerous for communities because of a much higher risk of collision with obstacles (buildings, power lines) and a much higher likelihood of accidents because pilots have a very limited time to react to unforeseen events and prevent a crash. • Stop destroying the environment by overbuilding and adding more human population, since both use more tural resources and also degrade the local livability.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• The noise level from the 101 freeway has been exponentially increasing. We live 1/2 mile from the freeway, and we now feel we are near it. It might be related to the new sound walls installed in a new townhouse project on Bayshore. Is the City studying the noise impact of neighborhood before allowing sound walls?
Develop Infrastructure
• Address the uttractive overhead utility lines. Remove or tidy up. • City of Palo Alto high bandwidth internet service
• Coming el Camino real to be a complete street
• Extend the fiber-optic network for FTTP to my area of town (Barron Park) before I die - the city seems to prioritize "north palo alto" over "south palo alto" in almost everything they do • Fix deadly intersection at Lincoln/middlefield
• Move more quickly on flood control related to the San Francisquito Creek • No forced fluoridation in water
• Quickly address the San Francisquito Creek problem
• Underground utilities (Ventura)
Walking and Biking trails
• A solution to the E Charleston and E Meadow train crossing that preserves as many properties as possible and ensures the safety of both pedestrians and bicyclists • Better bike infrastructure -- it always takes second priority to cars and/or pedestrians, most drivers will never make the switch until the infrastructure is built. e.g. Passages under Caltrain require bicyclists to dismount for pedestrians -- would you ever ask drivers to push their cars to defer to bikers?
• Bikability of Churchill train intersection is so bad. I feel unsafe / can take 5+ minute of waiting to cross over to Paly
• Bike paths that are bike first. Bryant St is great, El Camino is frightening. Cal Ave underpass is frustrating. Make biking a first class transit method, not a 'scurry around and don't bother cars or people'
• Make biking safer and easier
• More bike friendly lanes (more than just paint)
• more protected bikeways and enforcement of bike safety laws • Require more bicycle racks in retail spaces. Build most new housing downtown, where public rail and bus transportation exists, not in the traffic-clogged air-polluted (from 101) San Antonio Road section of the city.
• Safer biking on major streets
• Wider sidewalks
Code Enforcement
• Better access to code enforcement. The app is difficult to use. Code enforcement takes a long time to get back to you.
• Better cleanup of vehicles constantly parked in same locations without moving. People are camping on streets and making some areas feel unsafe and dirty • Enforce the ban on gas-powered leaf blowers
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Force my immediate neighbor to observe building codes and stop being such an *** to everyone on the entire street. He is mentally ill and nobody does anything. • Keeping landlords of single family homes as accountable as landlords of multiple-unit dwellings, with regard to property maintence and safety.
Make the city more affordable
• Ability for families! How about a place that is affordable for dinner, groceries, visit South Palo Alto on public transportation? Police address crime when it is reported. How about some public transportation to the locations we actually need to go - Kaiser, Target- PA is not a bubble. How about libraries and a zoo that is actually open when kids are Not in school Monday holidays and after 6PM - that is when we can go and this would be actually meeting customer needs. San Mateo County is doing a great job and it seems that we are not aware of how to provide services for people that are not ritch and retired.
• Lower costs for everything
• Stop letting billioires buy all the homes in the area and rent them out and keep home prices so high
Cleanliness of community; upkeep
• beautify clean up downtown and keep schools up to-date, clean • Improve the look and feel of Downtown and Cal Ave. Create attractive, inviting areas for restaurants, shopping is largely done outside of these areas anyway. Do not cheap out like the broken glass thrown on the sidewalk of Cal Ave. If you had $150M to spend on an opulent police station, we don't need to be sitting out on some dirty old asphalt with ebikes flying by at 30 mph!! Also, stop raising our utility rates to siphon cash into the general fund. • increased flexibility around clean-up days. should be twice a year (as now) but customer shuld be able to pick the day. should not have it so close to Labor Day and other holidays. I called to see if I could move it and was treated rudely and told no way. We paya fortune and get treated terribly.
Also I hate the 'smart meter' for utilities.
• Keep city clean, less expensive utilities
• Replace dead vegetation along Oregon Expressway; fill in gaps in vegetation. These changes recommended to improve aesthetic appearances for the busy lanes of traffic that cut PA in half, but most importantly to improve the health of community members who l ive in adjacent neighborhoods.
• Weed the foxtail weeds in parks which injure dogs. They are everywhere. Cost me $4000 for my dog. He was so sick! And tree pruning is badly neglected.
Other
• Allow for limited income seniors that currently qualify for BMR apartments to continue living in BMR apts once retired. SS, retirement & possible small side business is not sufficient income to qualify to continue in BMR. Forced to retire due to work-related injuries.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• California St (between Alma and High St) too wide - it makes me feel unsafe (my house on the corner) - is it possible to make it rrower (options include planting more trees on California St between High St and Alma, or simply extending Boyden park towards California St (and thus make California St rrower)? Would very much appreciate some feedback, especially given the recent burglary next door to me
• Car dependent city design means choices that are made across city planning often are compromised or fall short.
• Consider the bias towards the city has towards homeowners, for example the last question assumes that I own a home rather than rent.
• Elimite fee for residential parking permits
• Highlight & publicize how "average citizens" are working to reduce their GHGs. • If I saw that the City was being much more considerate to its residents than to the new developers of very large construction.
• Improve San Antonio residential corridor
• Improve the quality of life here. For example, enforce traffic violations such as speeding and running red lights.
• increase diversity of city residents
• Less virtue sigling and more realistic assessment of aspiratiol goals • More connection with the community
• Provide opportunities for open discussion of RH.
• Remove 3-day limit for resident/permitted on-street parking • Stop being a bunch of rrow -sighted pearl -clutching NIMBY -ebling slow -moving virtue sigling politicians and actually building ******* dense housing near transportation hubs. The entire process of building in Palo Alto and the Bay Area is absurd, convoluted, socially destructive, and too slow. Local zoning and regulations need to be updated, expedited, and the power to determine who gets to build more housing is held by too many people. Simply put, you need to build, build, and build more housing, and you need to ignore the whining, NIMBY boomers, because otherwise you're going to start getting "**** the system" political candidates who reflect the anger and frustration we see tion -wide. That means the so -called "In This Neighborhood Love Is Real" slacktavists have had their turn at stagting resources and hoarding housing, and real leadership that can address the housing crisis needs to be empowered. Whether it's going to be realignment of our progressive values or some "burn it all down and start over" candidate, something is going to need to happen before the disparity of wealth inequality leads to worse outcomes and more frustration.
• Stop focusing on tiol and world political issues. Focus on what you can affect: Palo Alto. And stop pushing for electrification. It does not meaningfully impact the environment and is a huge pain. • Tell residents to stop acting so entitled, bring back gas leaf blowers • Welcoming to diverse residents and visitors of All INCOME and services that address a wide range of needs
Don't know
• I'm pretty happy living here - I think all is going well.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• None
• None.
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
• Access to city parks and preserves.
• Baylands, Foothill ture Preserve.
• Clean parks
• Done a nice job with the public parks, need to continue to support and take care of them. • Foothills Park and Baylands; Utilities
• Gorgeous green spaces
• great parks and libraries
• Green parks. Johnson Park in particular.
• Greenery and landscaping (trees lining the streets)
• I love Foothills Park.
• It's green spaces (Parks, Foothills, Arastradero, Baylands) • Keep Foothills Park open and its wildlife protected
• Keep the open and green place
• Keeping public parks available
• Maintain the open space parks. Expand them.
• Maintain the tree canopy.
• Maintaining the trees in this city.
• Maintencecfor all city building parks etc
• Many things, Parks, Street Maintence, Utility Service, Police Department, • Open space.
• Open spaces and parks
• Our trees
• our tural environment ( bay land , and foot hill park ) • Overall quality of spaces - generally safe and clean. • Palo Alto has maintained its parks which do a lot to make the city more livable. Unfortutely, an increase in park space is not considered given the increased density of housing. We are paving to the curb everywhere
• Park maintence
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
• Parks
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Parks and arts
• Parks and libraries
• Parks and open space--Maintain the current ratio of space per resident in south Palo Alto as the city adds population there. Though --No more pickleball courts. Let other cities serve THEIR residents with their tax dollars. Mitchell Park is overrun by car traffic and parking and noise from regiol pickleball players. This is destroying the serenity and availability of the park space for local residents.
• Parks very appreciative for the new Ventura neighborhood park • parks, open space, trees
• Parks!
• Prioritizing trees
• protect the baylands and get rid of the airport.
• Quality of parks, libraries, classes.
• Supports the parks and libraries.
• The parks and tree-lined residential areas must be maintained. • The parks.
• tree lined streets
• trees
• Trees
• We have incredible parks and libraries and community centers.
Utilities and city services
• City owned public utilities
• City owned utilities.
• City-owned utilities
• I appreciate our city-owned utilities.
• Infrastructure and basic services
• It's a safe city
• Low cost utilities
• Mage utilities well
• Municipal utilities are excellent and a major reason I love Palo Alto • Our locally owned utilities program is excellent and I hope we keep it! Almost everything else is really also excellent, too.
• Palo Alto Utilities! We appreciate the excellence of the city's own utility service. Thank you! • Proud we have our own utilities and make sustaible guided decisions • Provides good services for residents - utilities, water, roads for example. The core needs for all residents to live in a city need to be maintained.
• Providing efficient public services
• Public utilities (with the possible exception of water) • publicly owned utilities are great
• The city-owned utilities have proven to be a valuable investment for many decades. Continued strong leadership of the utilities is essential.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• The fact that we have our own utilities is a major benefit of living in Palo Alto. However, water / sewer is way too expensive.
• Trash pickup is great.
• utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities
• Utilities, and other city services
• Utilities, cleanliness
• Utility governce, park space historically
• Utility services.
• Utilities and city services
Safety services
• emergency services and response times
• EMT and police
• Focus on safety downtown (too many drug addicts/homeless - they are one and the same), For their own safety and everyone else's, remove them from the street and put in rehab, relocate to shelters or jail if they refuse those options.. Open up California Avenue!! You've ruined it! Will not go down there - it's ugly and there's no parking. See downtown Los Altos with small park -lets.
That's what Calif Ave should do.
• I live in a very safe, walkable and bikeable neighborhood. I want to maintain that character, even if density increased
• Keeping the city safe
• Overall safety
• Provides everything one needs to have a comfortable and safe neighborhood. • Public safety
• Public safety
• Safety, great neighborhood feel.
• this is a safe, beautiful place to live without a lot of hassles of bigger cities. Trying to preserve that is important to the City and I appreciate that.
Activities and Recreation (arts, libraries, museums, theaters, etc.) • A lot of planned activities, classes, feedback and study groups... • Charge non-Palo Alto residents when they use our public facility • City librarians esp at Rincoda area great, support of Ada's at Mitchell community center providing job opportunities to some more challenged residents, pickleball courts, bike lanes except for El Camino bike lanes
• Community driven events such as art walks, library reading events and small park concerts. I love having these and maintaining these is crucial to keeping residents engaged and happy. • community events
• Cultural events are a must to engage communities.
• Excellent library services
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Fine library and quality cultural and educatiol events. • Good library system.
• Here are two: ) Great rec department! Super responsive and helpful and a good variety of available offerings. And the libraries are a gem!
• I like the Mayfield soccer complex.
• libraries and parks
• Libraries and recreation programs.
• libraries and trees (2)
• Library operations
• Library services.
• Maintain an environment with eating, entertainment, cultural opportunities. • Music in the parks
• Neighborhood block parties
• Neighborhood meetings. Need to do more follow up on suggestions. • programs for seniors
• reacreatiol opportunities
• recreatiol activities
• Recreation opportunities, beautiful parks and open space • Supporting the libraries and the senior Avenidas Center. • The libraries used to be great until they stopped doing author alerts to save a piddling amount of money
• The library is excellent, parks are good except where they have children's play equipment and no bathroom. Streets are generally well paved and bike lanes are abundant. • The library, art center, summer camps, children's theater etc are cherished programs that build and nourish community in Palo Alto.
• The various communities (volunteer, hobbies, sports, etc) are a wonderful part of living here. • They library system is excellent
Government/leadership; government communication
• Communicating with the public and we are lucky to have the Palo Alto Weekly. • Enlightened policing - City Council meetings with police chief and independent police auditor are critical to maintain this good policing.
• Great staff
• High quality leadership
• Outreach to residents
• public hearings over the internet are useful and helpful, and we have good bike parking (thought not at the train or transit centers!),- this is another example of assuming everyone has everything they need, no rentable options. Our utilities in house is a plus. Public works projects seem to take 2x as long as other cities. The public events are very well done. • shares sustaibility info, great job with weekly residential collections and cleanliness of streets, attempts to communicate clearly but still lots of room (ex. water increase, does public hearing 2 weeks before increase and at a time where most people have left for summer vacation.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• The efforts to keep everyone informed.
• Transparency
Schools and education, programs for the youth
• educatiol system
• education
• Excellent education especially the schools, the children's museum and the libraries. • Good public schools and libraries.
• Quality of education and basic essential services (safety, street cleaning, park maintence). • Quality of public schools
• School quality.
• Schools
• Schools
• Support our public school teachers who are the "gold" in our community. • We have good schools, but let's take care of our kids please.
Cleanliness of community; upkeep
• City property maintence
• cleaning streets and maintaining trees
• It keeps the City clean.
• keep city clean
• Keeps Palo Alto a clean city
• Picking up garbage, recycling, hazardous waste area
• Sweep streets
Quality of life, reputation
• Attempts to provide quality services to residents
• Creates a community environment well
• It's focus on the quality of life, green spaces and parks, and just the overall feeling of Palo Alto as a green and livable small city.
• Keep a focus on quality of life for many residents. Keep investing in the Baylands, parks, libraries, separated bike lanes, pedestrian areas, etc. because such things benefit many people, generate few negative exterlities, and contribute to reducing carbon emissions. • Keeping Palo Alto as a great place to raise kids, from the good work PAUSD has been doing to the parks, libraries and safe environment
• Low density neighborhoods
• Maintain overall quality of life for residents
• Positive attitude as a community
• Supporting quality of life activities like the farmers markets and swimming pool • The overall beauty of the city and the surrounding area. NO development in the Stanford Foothills! • This is an excellent city to live in.
Infrastructure, streets, transportation
• quality of infrastructure maintence (utilities, streets) is quite good.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
Ease of bicycle travel/walking
• Baylands paths are excellent
• Bike and pedestrian routes and infrastructure are great, and we need more safe routes to be prioritized over car parking
• Bike safety
• Bikeabilty.
• Good biking for students and feel safe to walk
• Maintains walkability
• Making PA a bike-friendly city
• Marking for bikes, more trails for bikes
• Prioritizes bike/walking over cars
• The pedestrian/bike bridge over 101 is awesome. Keep doing inspiring projects like this.
Sustainability
• city maintains the environment well. I love to walk and feel safe doing so. • Climate change goals
Culture, diversity
• Make Palo Alto affordable to the lower and middle class again by joining with the county to provide revolving construction loans to affordable housing developers and building/renovating mixed income public or nonprofit- owned housing
• respect for diverse opinions and types
Other
• (2) continue to work with builders to "build up" in palo alto and increase occupancy in smart ways. • Attracts high tech businesses and cooperation with Stanford • Currently very disillusioned by the way the City of Palo Alto has treated younger residents (<45 years old) and renters (including long term, middle aged renters) by excluding them in public processes and and defacto pushing them out. We are not building a next generation in our city or making it affordable for the next generation to live here, so the community is ossifying, becoming anti-innovative and uble to build a strong future Palo Alto. • Encouraging people to get to know their neighbors with the KYN grant and in helping people reduce their carbon footprint
• Hard to think about any . When I compere how was Palo Alto on the 70, 80, and 90, today is very well define that are certain benefit that only apply to certain people. • Most things
• Palo Alto has walked a balance between trying to feel like a small city and courting billioires and cowtowing to tech interests. Often, it has erred in the side of money and wealth. But it also has some of the brightest minds in the world in these few zip codes, and it's very diverse. Palo Alto sometimes embraces that cultural and intellectual diversity, and that's why it continues to be a place where ground breaking ideas happen. It's a city sized incubator, and that's pretty neat. I hope the city continues to emphasize education and the arts. • Remain your high tech sophistication
• Resale value due to limited housing
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
• Startup and business community is the jewel of Palo Alto • Take decisions on buildings faster (ie., Cubberley and San Antonio) • The very, very, slow permit process for housing construction. Less construction equals less dirt and noise. Thank you.
• They have numerous areas of improvement
Nothing / Don’t know
• None
• Not sure.
City of Palo Alto Community Survey
October 2025
Report of Results
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 Denver Resident,
It won’t take much of your time to make a big difference! Your household has been randomly selected to participate in the 2025 Denver Public Library Survey. Scan the QR code or visit the link below to complete our survey and enter your email for a chance to win Denver Zoo passes, Denver Nuggets tickets, or a grocery gift card! https://polco.us/xxplaceholder
Please do not share your survey link . This survey is for randomly selected households only. A separate survey that is open to all residents will open in a few weeks.
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (720) 865-1111.
Thank you for your time and participation!
Sincerely,
Para contestar la encuesta en
línea en español y participar por
un premio, seleccione la opción
‘español’ en el menú desplegable
que aparece en la parte superior
de la página de la encuesta.
Để trả lời khảo sát trực tuyến
bằng tiếng Việt và tham gia nhận
giải thưởng, vui lòng chọn tùy
chọn ‘Tiếng Việt’ trong menu thả
xuống ở đầu trang khảo sát.
እባክዎ ከኢንተርኔት ጥናቱ ገፅ ላይ ከላይ
ያለው የሚወጣ ምናሌ ማውጫ
ማናቸውንም አማርኛ አማራጭ
ይምረጡ እና እንደዚህ በአማርኛ
የሚካሄደውን መለማመጥ በመሙላት
ሽልማት ለመሸምተት ይሳተፉ።
Nicolle Davies
City Librarian
Presorted
First Class Mail
US Postage
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit NO. 94
Tell us what you think!
Complete the Denver Public Library survey by scanning the QR code. ¡Su opinión nos interesa! Hãy cho chúng tôi biết suy nghĩ của bạn! ምን እንደሚያስቡ ይንገሩን! QR Code
Placeholder
Denver Public Library
Attn: Strategy & Evaluation
10 W 14th Ave. Denver, CO 80204
Dear Denver Resident,
Just a reminder—if you have not yet completed the 2025 Denver Public Library survey, please do so. If you have completed it, thank you.
Please do not respond twice.
Your household has been randomly selected to participate in the 2025 Denver Public Library Survey. Scan the QR code or visit the link below to complete our survey and enter your email for a chance to win Denver Zoo passes, Denver Nuggets tickets, or a grocery gift card! https://polco.us/xxplaceholder
Please do not share your survey link. This survey is for randomly selected households only. A separate survey for all residents will open next week.
If you have any questions about the survey, please call (720) 865-1111.
Thank you for your time and participation!
Sincerely,
Para contestar la encuesta en
línea en español y participar por
un premio, seleccione la opción
‘español’ en el menú desplegable
que aparece en la parte superior
de la página de la encuesta.
Để trả lời khảo sát trực tuyến
bằng tiếng Việt và tham gia nhận
giải thưởng, vui lòng chọn tùy
chọn ‘Tiếng Việt’ trong menu thả
xuống ở đầu trang khảo sát.
እባክዎ ከኢንተርኔት ጥናቱ ገፅ ላይ ከላይ
ያለው የሚወጣ ምናሌ ማውጫ
ማናቸውንም አማርኛ አማራጭ
ይምረጡ እና እንደዚህ በአማርኛ
የሚካሄደውን መለማመጥ በመሙላት
ሽልማት ለመሸምተት ይሳተፉ።
Nicolle Davies
City Librarian
Presorted
First Class Mail
US Postage
PAID
Boulder, CO
Permit NO. 94
Denver Public Library
Attn: Strategy & Evaluation
10 W 14th Ave. Denver, CO 80204
Tell us what you think!
Complete the Denver Public Library survey by scanning the QR code. ¡Su opinión nos interesa! Hãy cho chúng tôi biết suy nghĩ của bạn! ምን እንደሚያስቡ ይንገሩን! QR Code
Placeholder
Denver Public Library Survey Page 1 of 5
Denver Public Library Survey 2025
Please take this survey if you are the adult (age 18 or older) in your household with the most recent birthday. Your year of birth does not matter. All responses are confidential and reported only as a group. Thank you.
1. Do you have a Denver Public Library card?
Yes No Don’t know
2. In the past 12 months, how often did you use any Denver Public Library service? Daily Weekly Monthly Less than once per month Never
3. If you have not used Denver Public Library in the last 12 months, why not? (Please check all that apply.) ❑ I don’t need to use it ❑ It's too hard to find what I am looking for ❑ I use another library (e.g., school library, library in ❑ Library hours are not convenient another city, etc.) ❑ Parking is difficult
❑ The library is too far from my home ❑ The library is an unsafe environment ❑ I don't have any transportation ❑ The customer service at the library is not very good ❑ I don't have a library card ❑ The hold times are too long to get the books and ❑ I get my information from the Internet materials I want ❑ I buy my own books/magazines/DVDs ❑ Not applicable
❑ I don't know what the library offers
4. Which library location do you visit most frequently? (Please select one.) Athmar Park Branch Library
Bear Valley Branch Library
Blair-Caldwell African
American Research Library
Bob Ragland Branch Library
Denver Central Library
Decker Branch Library
Eugene Field Branch Library
Ford Warren Branch Library
Green Valley Ranch Library
Hadley Branch Library
Hampden Branch Library
John "Thunderbird Man"
Emhoolah, Jr. Branch Library
Montbello Branch Library
Park Hill Branch Library
Pauline Robinson Branch
Library
Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales
Branch Library
Ross-Phyllis Bigpond Branch
Library (formerly Ross-
Barnum)
Ross-Broadway Branch Library
Ross-Cherry Creek Branch
Library
Ross-University Hills Branch
Library
Sam Gary Branch Library
Schlessman Family Branch
Library
Smiley Branch Library
Valdez-Perry Branch Library
Virginia Village Branch Library
Westwood Branch Library
Woodbury Branch Library
I only access the library online
None/I don’t visit any library
location
5. In the past 12 months, about how often, on average, did you: Less than once Daily Weekly Monthly per month Never
Browse shelves ............................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Borrow physical materials (books, DVDs, music, etc.)
from the library ....................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Borrow digital materials (books, movies, music, etc.)
from the library ....................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Borrow newspapers and magazines from the library ................ 1 2 3 4 5 Request an interlibrary loan .................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Pick up materials put on hold ................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Receive staff-provided book/material recommendations ....... 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's Internet access/Wifi ............................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's computers ................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's printer, photocopier, or fax machine............... 1 2 3 4 5 Use makerspace equipment ................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Have a librarian help you use computers, printers, etc. ............ 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's online services (website, catalog,
research databases, etc.) ..................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Use reference/research services (assistance from librarians) ......1 2 3 4 5 Book 1x1 appointments ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Access archival collections ..................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's study rooms ............................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's community/meeting rooms ................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Use the Denver Public Library as a place to spend time ............ 1 2 3 4 5
Denver Public Library Survey Page 2 of 5
Less than once
Daily Weekly Monthly per month Never
Attend programs for children (classes, storytimes, etc.) at the library ............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Attend programs for adults (classes, book clubs, etc.)
at the library ............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Use the Bookmobile ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Get help from the library's social workers or
peer navigators ........................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Get a sack lunch, snack, cold weather gear, or other items ...... 1 2 3 4 5 Utilize small business & non-profit support ................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Other (please specify):_________________________________________ .... 1 2 3 4 5
6. Please first rate the quality and importance of each library service.
Don’t Very Somewhat Not at all Don’t
Excellent Good Fair Poor know Essential important important important know Browse shelves ....................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Borrow physical materials (books, DVDs,
music, etc.) from the library .......................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Variety of physical materials (books,
DVDs, music, etc.) from the library ............ 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Borrow digital materials (books, movies,
music, etc.) from the library .......................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Borrow newspapers and magazines
from the library .................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Request an interlibrary loan ............................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Pick up materials put on hold ........................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Have library books and materials
delivered to your home ................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Receive staff-provided book/material
recommendations.............................................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's Internet access/Wifi .......... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's computers .............................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's printer, photocopier, or
fax machine .......................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use makerspace equipment .............................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Have a librarian help you use computers,
printers, etc. ......................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the online catalog .......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library’s website .......................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use reference/research services
(assistance from librarians) ............................ 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Book 1x1 appointments ...................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Access archival collections ................................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's study rooms ........................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the library's community meeting
rooms ...................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the Denver Public Library as a place
to spend time ....................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Attend programs for children (classes,
storytimes, etc.) at the library ...................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Attend programs for adults (classes,
book clubs, etc.) at the library ...................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Use the Bookmobile .............................................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Get help from the library's social
workers or peer navigators ........................... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Get a sack lunch, snack, cold weather gear,
or other items ................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Utilize small business & non-profit support ...... 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Other (please specify):
__________________________________________........ 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Denver Public Library Survey Page 3 of 5
7. In the last year, did you or anyone in your household go to denverlibrary.org for any of the following, either at the library or outside the library?
Wanted to, Did not know the Did not
Yes, with but did not library website want or
Yes someone’s help know how offered this need to
Search a public library catalog ................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Download library e-book, magazine or audio file .. 1 2 3 4 5 Search a database through the library’s website .... 1 2 3 4 5 Request or renew a library book............................. 1 2 3 4 5 Register for a library program ................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Find a program or event to attend ......................... 1 2 3 4 5 Reserve a meeting room or a study room ........... 1 2 3 4 5
8. In the last 12 months, how often have you interacted with library staff? (Please include any interactions such as in person, by phone or online.) (If "0 times," please skip the next question.) 0 times (skip to question 10) 1-2 times 3-5 times 6-8 times 9 or more times
9. How would you rate your last experience with library staff? Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Knowledge .......................................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Courtesy .............................................................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Responsiveness to requests and/or needs .......................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Treating all people in a respectful manner .......................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Overall impression of library staff member ........................................................ 1 2 3 4 5
10. How often are you able to locate the books and other materials that you are looking for in the library or on its website?
Always Sometimes Rarely Never Not applicable
In the Library ..................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 On the website ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
11. In general, how do you feel about the time it takes to receive items you request or place on hold? The time is longer than I expect
The time is just as long as I expect
The time is shorter than I expect
Don’t know/I don’t place items on hold
12. Please rate the Denver Public Library location you use the most on each of the following:
Excellent Good Fair Poor Don’t know
Condition of the outside of the library ................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Condition of the inside of the library ...................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of access entering the building ....................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Ease of access inside the library ............................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Signs and signage ............................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Layout and arrangement .............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of seating and tables .............................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of meeting spaces ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of technology ............................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Availability of youth designated space .................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Time waiting for service ............................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Cleanliness ......................................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Lighting ................................................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Acoustics ............................................................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Safety .................................................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Temperature and comfort ........................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
13. What types of materials do you prefer?
I prefer physical items only
I prefer digital items only
I prefer physical items but sometimes use
digital items
I prefer digital items but sometimes use
physical items
Format does not matter to me
Don't know
Denver Public Library Survey Page 4 of 5
14. When do/would you like to visit the library? (Select top 3.) ❑ Early mornings (before 10am) ❑ Weekday evenings ❑ Sunday mornings ❑ Late evening (after 8pm) ❑ Saturday mornings ❑ Sunday afternoons ❑ Weekday mornings ❑ Saturday afternoons ❑ Sunday evenings ❑ Weekday afternoons ❑ Saturday evenings
15. When do/would you like to attend programs and events? (Select top 3.) ❑ Early mornings (before 10am) ❑ Weekday evenings ❑ Sunday mornings ❑ Late evening (after 8pm) ❑ Saturday mornings ❑ Sunday afternoons ❑ Weekday mornings ❑ Saturday afternoons ❑ Sunday evenings ❑ Weekday afternoons ❑ Saturday evenings
16. How much do you know about the programs and services provided by the Denver Public Library? Very knowledgeable Somewhat knowledgeable Not at all knowledgeable Don’t know
17. How do you learn about library programs and services? (Please check all that apply.) ❑ Library staff and/or signage
❑ Library website
❑ Library publications (Engage, Conexiones, flyers, etc.) ❑ Library email newsletters
❑ Library social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
❑ Search Engines
❑ Advertisements (TV, radio, magazine, etc.)
❑ Other social media (not from the library)
❑ Other events (not at the library)
❑ Word of mouth (not library staff)
❑ Other: ______________________________
❑ Don't know/Not applicable
18. If you use Denver Public Library's promotional materials to learn about programs and services, how reflective do you find these resources of your community? Very reflective Somewhat reflective Not at all reflective Don't know
19. How important is it that Denver Public Library offers programs for:
Very Somewhat Not at all Don’t
Essential important important important know
Young children (0-5) .......................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Primary/middle school children (6-12) .................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Teens (13-18) ....................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Adults (18+)........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Older adults (50+)............................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Immigrants/refugees ........................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Lower-income residents ........................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Residents without technology at home ....................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Unhoused individuals ........................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Unemployed individuals .................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5
20. How much do you agree with the following statements? Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly Don’t
agree agree disagree disagree know
The library helps me to feel more connected to my community............. 1 2 3 4 5 The library is a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds and identities ........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The library helps me learn and grow .................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 The library is a trustworthy institution ............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 The library is a space where I feel less likely to experience discrimination and racism ................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The library is a good use of public funds ........................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 The library is committed to its values of equity and welcoming ............ 1 2 3 4 5 The library helps me connect to other resources and organizations .... 1 2 3 4 5
Denver Public Library Survey Page 5 of 5
21. Please rate which of the following features make you feel welcome at the library.
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly Don’t
agree agree disagree disagree know
Library staff ................................................................................................................ 1 2 3 4 5 Access to computers and technology .............................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Library spaces ........................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 Other library visitors .............................................................................................. 1 2 3 4 5 Building safety .......................................................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5
22. What contributed to your experience of either feeling welcome or unwelcome at the library?
23. How can Denver Public Library better serve you and your community?
24. Would you like to subscribe to our emails for a chance to win a prize? 🔾 No 🔾 Yes -> please type your email here___________________________________________________________ Our last questions are about you. These responses will be used to compare survey responses to better understand the potential differing experiences of residents from diverse backgrounds. These questions are voluntary, but we are asking you to please help us by providing this critical information so that we can fully understand survey results. The Denver Public Library strives to fairly meet the needs of all of our customers. To do this well, we want to understand more about people using the library. Your answers will help us design programs, services and spaces to better meet your needs.
D1. How long have you lived in Denver?
Less than 2 years
2-5 years
6-10 years
11-20 years
More than 20 years
D2. 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
🔾 Transitional/unhoused
D3. Do you rent or own your home?
Rent
Own
D4. Do you describe yourself as a person with a
disability? (Check all that apply).
❑ Developmental disability
❑ Learning disability
❑ Mental health or emotional disability
❑ Unseen disability
❑ Physical disability
❑ Sensory disability
❑ If you use an alternative term, please describe
here: ________________________________________________
❑ Not applicable
D5. How do you describe yourself? (Check all that
apply).
❑ Indigenous/Native American or Alaskan Native
❑ Black or African American
❑ East or Southeast Asian
❑ Hispanic or Latino
❑ Middle Eastern or Arab
❑ Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
❑ South Asian
❑ White
❑ Biracial or Multiracial
❑ Other: ______________________________________________ ❑ Prefer not to say
D6. What is your age?
18-24 years 55-64 years
25-34 years 65-74 years
35-44 years 75 years or older
45-54 years Prefer not to say
D7. How do you describe your gender identity?
Woman/girl
Man/boy
Non-binary, third gender, or Two Spirit
Prefer to self-describe:
______________________________________________________