Raimi + Associates updated the General Plan for the City of East Palo Alto, one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the Bay Area. As part of the planning effort, R+A also created a chapter of the General Plan focused on East Palo Alto’s Westside, which provides a significant percentage of the San Francisco Peninsula’s existing affordable housing stock. The updated General Plan emphasizes pressing community issues, such as affordable housing, public safety, infrastructure deficiencies, increased employment opportunities, public realm improvements, public health, fiscal health, and the need for better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. It includes specific policies guidance for each unique neighborhood of the City.

The Plan also clarifies and strengthens protections for affordable housing, creates a strong community benefit program and ensures an open and transparent engagement process prior to the approval of significant new development projects. Throughout the General Plan process, R+A implemented an extensive engagement process that included 2 advisory committees, a dozen workshops, pop-up workshops, and focus groups. The engagement process provided education and community empowerment to ensure that the vision is implemented in the future.