there was a time when you could actually afford to live in palo alto. what brings this acclaim to palo alto anyway? this is silly reporting. why not report on st. elsewhere than this?

This is correct: none of this international real estate investment in PA is worth any accolades or acclaim. Neither are PA's business relationships with China, the crusher of human rights, polluter of the globe, and persecutors of Americans in our own country.

I love this community. Even thou the standard of living is very high compared to Texas but it is innovative and focused in making it one of the best communities in the world.

[Post removed.]

I am with Paul. I love this community and am grateful to the past generations and the current residents who make this a wonderful,place to live.

I understand the inconvenience of traffic and not enough parking (there are plenty of ways to expand capacity for downtown) but those inconveniences are the price of success and vitality.

There is nothing like a really big recession to lower traffic and housing prices (really the only proven methods) but I would rather deal with the challenges of success with approaches like the successful Stanford shuttle system that combines growth with transportation management.

Things apparently getting out of proportion when Mr DeLeon touring cash wielding Chinese buyers .

I can't help wondering: if non-citizens of the US buy homes here, especially for cash, do those homes and the property they are on cease to be American and then become a little colony of whatever nation the buyer is from? If it does, and I hope it does not! then sellers are selling out their country bit by bit.

why was my post removed. I don't subscribe to the illogical? PA your a farce...

Mr.Levy just doesn't understand what defines a great city or community.
It is long-term sustainability, commitment to good design and aesthetics,
ennvironmental quality, and establishing limits within these parameters.
He like our City Council is fascinated by a blowoff in office construction
in a non-regulated situation which is what is happening here now, before the impacts of this insanity and giveaway to private developers are even
close to being fully felt or even understood as the social impacts are
mounting as more valued businesses close,pushed out.

@UnAmerican: Only in this country are people without citizenship here, or at least citizenship in the works, allowed to buy homes and businesses. Much of the rest of the world, especially Western Europe, requires citizenship in their respective country in order to own real estate.

This also one of the very few countries in the world that does not check foreign travelers for signs of illness at entry.

Only in America

Your comment should be addressed to those without green cards. There are many hard working green card holders who also own property, live in the community, often providing work for Americans, and pay all their US taxes (twice) who have no intention of becoming US citizens for various reasons. Not allowing them to own real estate just because they choose not to use a US passport when traveling or vote in megabucks elections, is not a good reason for denying them the opportunity of owning their own home.

Until we can consistently balance the city budget and pay for our vital civic needs without another tax increase, how about less emphasis on the world stage. Anything less represents irresponsibility, being completely out of touch, and stupidity.

Green Card, are you a guest worker? Or a permanent resident? Why would you want to live and work here , but not become a citizen. Most likely, your nation of origin does not allow non-citizens to own real estate! If you are from a country that has a trade agreement with the US, you only have to pay taxes to one country, either your or ours, not both.

Also, if you are a citizen and you buy a house, or take out a loan of any kind, you will pay lower taxes and lower interest. As a non-citizen, you are considered a flight risk by financial institutions. I know this because I used to work in banking, and before rates to non-citizens were raised, foreigners often absconded with loan money and cars, abandoned houses and returned to their home countries.

There are perks to being a citizen of the US. If you refuse to become a citizen, you should not complain about the taxes ( or interest rates) you pay. You many not really be a flight risk, but the government and the financial institutions assume that if you were NOT, you would have become a citizen

Guest, I am also a Green Card holder - Permanent Resident, and Palo Alto property owner. The issue of citizenship is a very emotive one and I, for one, have not quite got there yet. I love Palo Alto, I love California and, if I could, would happily become a citizen of just the State. However there are large swathes of the country for which I have little affinity and pledging myself to the whole country, and giving up allegiance to my home country, is not something I feel able to do yet. Contrary to your post, my home country, the UK, is quite happy for non-citizens to own property, it has never been an issue, and I have never felt at any disadvantage being a non-citizen property owner here.
Yes, there are many advantages to being a citizen - taxation without representation being one of them. However, there are downsides, particularly for anyone who may want to return to their home country at some point - which, btw, is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, which make the decision much, much more complex.

Just wondering . . .if cities from China to Europe want to be like Palo Alto, why do we hear so much about the European model and try to copy it?

To the green card holder(s) above:

Well, whether you like it or not, California ia part of the US. I too am from Europe. I too don't relish too much attitudes more prevalent in red states, but, hey, the fact is California is part of this nation that is the US. Actually, California often is ahead of the curve and a model for the rest of the country.

That said, can't UK citizens have dual citizenships? I am from France and have dual citizenship. I could no longer live in a place where I could not vote. That was the clincher for me. I also have children who most likely will live in this country most of their lives and who feel more American than French, frankly. I owed it to them to be a citizen in their own country.

I will concur with you on one thing: in France too, a foreigner can own real estate. And I believe it's true as well of many other European countries such as Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, for example. Strange that people would think the US is the only place where a foreigner can own real estate.

@ Annette,

I doubt that European cities want to be everything that Palo Alto is. I believe they admire the innovation, the creativity, the business acumen and the economic dynamism of the area. They probably also envy the openness to new ideas, and even to failure. They envy the overall affluence, and yes, the climate.

I don't believe they envy the overall lifestyle. I think they would be shocked to see how much people are in their cars and the utter lack of public transportation. They would decry the gap in wealth between rich and poor, and the lack of safety net and universal health care, as well as the easy availability of firearms. They usually find all of this shocking.

Let's put it this way: they want to emulate the economic vitality and one or two other things. They don't want the rest. IMO.

@ Annette

They would also be appalled at the lack of maternity leave, the long hours worked, the little amount of paid leave, the disparity between schools, the lack of universal preschool system, the cost of higher education, and on, and on.

Naturalized Citizen - yes, the UK allows dual citizenship, and my child (born in the US) and husband (naturalized US citizen) both have UK passports as well. However, the oath you take as a US citizen specifically revokes allegiance to any other country. Sure, I could cross my fingers when I say that bit but if I am going to become a citizen I should do it properly. My green card is up for renewal and I did look seriously at citizenship but I am just not there yet - doesn't mean I never will be, but just not now.

Yes, there are many reasons why someone would not want to take out citizenship.

For me there is no reason to do it. I do not need the expense or the time to do so, I do not need to take an exam or swear an allegiance to something I have never had to do for my own country. I do not want to vote in elections that make no sense to me and cost so much money. I do not want a US passport that would not get me into countries I can presently do so without a visa. I would not give up my present citizenship where I have family and sentimental attachment as well as assets and allegiance.

Moving here was done primarily for business reasons. Buying property was for practical reasons, I do not like to live in a home that I have no control over. I have children who are dual citizens and are proud of their heritage.

I do not think this country is as wonderful as most Americans think. It is not the leader of the free world (whatever that is supposed to mean). It is very backward in many respects. It has many pros and cons to living here. The attitude of many Americans to how wonderful it is, is actually one of the reasons I would not want to become an "arrogant American" as many of the world view this country and its people. I am with natauralized citizen above and am disappointed in some of the laws here regards to vacation time, maternity/paternity leave, education, public transportation, guns, and healthcare, to name just the ones that come to mind without too much thought.

The positives are here too, and I enjoy the lifestyle I have with the many benefits, but the fact that so many people can't understand why I can't feel loyal to my community without taking out citizenship baffles me. I am not a flight risk. I obey all the laws, pay all the taxes, act in the most neighborly manner and feel very much a Palo Altan without feeling any more is necessary. Why that isn't enough for some of you to understand is beyond me.