The East Palo Alto City Council voted on Tuesday to spend approximately $1.1 million of Measure JJ tax funds annually to provide direct rental assistance, foreclosure prevention and legal housing support for city residents.
Following years-long debates on how exactly to spend the funds, the council voted 4-1, with Council member Webster Lincoln abstaining, to grant the money to local housing and legal nonprofits that will provide anti-displacement support beginning in January 2026.
East Palo Alto residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of Measure JJ, which would re-allocate the city’s 2.5% parcel tax to direct housing support instead of general government work, in November 2024. The tax is predicted to generate approximately $1.6 million in the fiscal year, according to city documents…