BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
Katie Causey, a member of the city’s Human Relations Commission who is running for Palo Alto City Council, says she wants to close University Avenue to cars again.
“I was really happy with what we had during the pandemic,” said Causey, one of nine candidates running for four open spots on council.
The city blocked off stretches of University Avenue, Ramona Street and California Avenue in June 2020 when public health orders prevented people from dining indoors.
Council voted to reopen University Avenue in October 2021, hoping to give struggling retail stores a boost before Christmas.
California Avenue and a block of Ramona Street were closed to cars permanently, helping out the restaurants that use the extra space.
Causey, 30, said she wants University Avenue to look more like a park, inspired by downtown Mountain View.
“I want it to look like Castro Street, where you have beautiful spaces, where you have tables for people to hang out, where you have room for restaurants to dine,” Causey said in an interview on Friday.
Causey wants Palo Alto to have more cultural events, like the “beautiful and incredible” celebrations in downtown Redwood City.
“That is where people are going on the weekends,” Causey said.
Specifically, Causey wants Palo Alto to put on its first-ever Pride celebration.
Causey grew up by Greer Park and said she still has friends in the neighborhood who feel distant and disconnected from the rest of Palo Alto.
Causey now lives downtown and said only two people in her building own a car.
“When I moved downtown, even though my rent is higher here, my cost of living dropped significantly because I don’t need a car. Everything I need is right here,” she said.
Causey is excited that the city could add housing on downtown parking lots, and she wants developers to convert offices to housing.
“I’m a really firm believer that developers are a tool, and we want them to do what we want. So it’s figuring out what are the incentives we can offer for (developers) to make that transition,” Causey said.
Yes, please close University Ave to cars. During covid, this commercial district was booming and lots of fun. Lots of businesses were thriving. Cars can be re-directed onto Lytton and Hamilton. People who want to drive to University Ave can still park in lots right around the corner.