What Happened to the Talking Heads Sculpture?

While walking to dinner in Hayes Valley, I spotted the “Talking Heads” sculpture—once in East Palo Alto. Its creator, local artist Oleg Lobykin, told me it was a temporary installation to spark conversation about public art. Now in San Francisco, it may return home someday.
- 4 min read

Why My Wife and I Choose to Share One Car in East Palo Alto

When my wife and I got married, we were offered the gift of a second car — and we said no. In car-dependent East Palo Alto, that choice might sound odd, but sharing one car has brought us closer, saved money, and made our daily commute an intentional part of our life together.
- 4 min read

Death & Taxes in East Palo Alto

📈 East Palo Alto's Property Tax Advantage and the Urgency of Development City's Share of Property Tax Revenue The bar chart above visualizes the property tax revenue share for each city, sorted from highest to lowest percentage. CityShare (%)East Palo Alto36.00Redwood City18.00South San Francisco17.00Mountain
- 2 min read

East Palo Alto's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials

Many people have discussed East Palo Alto City Council's decision to remove Carlos Romero from regional boards and commissions following his repeated violation of East Palo Alto's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials. The Code of Conduct for Elected Officials can be found here: Code of
- 3 min read

A New Community Garden Takes Root in East Palo Alto

East Palo Alto’s beloved community garden is finding new life on Demeter Street. Led by Fresh Approach, the new space reconnects the city with its agricultural roots and invites residents to grow, learn, and volunteer together.
- 3 min read

What Businesses Do You Want to See in East Palo Alto?

Many in East Palo Alto were excited when the Korean grocery chain Megamart opened in the former Target building. It’s a great addition to the city, and it appears to be doing well. However, East Palo Alto is a city of about 30,000 residents, and a legacy of
- 4 min read

On the Front Lines of East Palo Alto's Housing Crisis

When I was running for office last year, I knocked on doors in every neighborhood of East Palo Alto. One of the most memorable conversations I had was with a Guatemalan woman in the Gardens. Her family had lived in the same house for over ten years, during which the
- 8 min read