Policy and Services Committee Meeting - August 11, 2026

The City of Palo Alto Policy and Services Committee met on August 11, 2026, to discuss several key items related to city services and housing policy. The committee reviewed an audit of the Junior Museum and Zoo, which highlighted strong community demand and recommended improvements in performance measurement, education program management, and safety compliance. The committee unanimously approved sending the audit to the full council for consent. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the proposed expansion of the HISRAP grant program to better manage nonprofit funding requests outside established priority categories, with a recommended funding range of $100,000 to $200,000 annually. The committee supported a joint meeting with the Human Relations Commission to refine the proposal before full council consideration. Additionally, the committee discussed housing element program 6.5, focusing on alternative housing types such as microhousing, senior housing, and shared housing, prioritizing transit-oriented areas. The committee endorsed advancing these housing models with further study on zoning amendments and incentives. Lastly, the committee reviewed the scope of work for state and federal legislative advocacy and grant consulting services, approving the scope with a provision to include federal advocacy if future budget allows. No contract awards or vendor selections were made during this meeting, but several policy and programmatic decisions were taken that could influence future procurement and funding allocations.