Dear Editor: While a barrage of state laws like SB9 (which allows several homes on one lot) lead the assault on suburban neighborhoods, we now have a golden opportunity to fight back at the city level in Menlo Park.

Though the proposed Flood Park development was the catalyst for Measure V, the issue is much broader, and central to the character of Menlo Park: “Do we preserve our residential neighborhoods, or stand by and watch them decimated?”

This isn’t about “teacher housing”—it’s about the ongoing attack on suburban communities and “single-family” homes. Remember when we just called them “homes”? And owning one in a nice, safe, residential neighborhood was what nearly everyone aspired to.

Measure V simply gives residents the right to vote on proposed radically upzoned, multistory complexes that would forever alter previously tranquil residential neighborhoods.

But the No on V campaign, flush with $370,000 of developer money, plus at least $70,000 from Karen Grove of Menlo Together, consider such voting selfish—a typical “woke” socialist accusation. Ms. Grove even paid a church Reverend nearly $10,000 to play that guilt card in a public announcement.

Or might the No on V folks have their eyes on another prize: the millions to be made by these developers and pals if these huge projects go through?

Measure V represents a much-needed citizen push-back against the movement to essentially eradicate our suburban residential neighborhoods.

I urge Menlo Park residents to vote Yes on Measure V .

Cherie Zaslawsky
Menlo Park