Menlo Park Council Candidates Debate Measure P and Belle Haven Growth

Voters in Menlo Park's District 1 and District 4 will choose two new city councilmembers in the Nov. 3, 2026 election, with candidates debating how to bring a grocery store to Belle Haven and whether to build affordable housing on 3 city-owned downtown parking lots, according to four candidate profiles published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026 by Arden Margulis for The Almanac (Wonman Lee, James Rohr, Charlotte Reed, and Laura Melahn).

District 1 (Belle Haven & Bayfront): Wonman Lee vs. James Rohr

In District 1, where incumbent Councilmember Cecilia Taylor is not seeking a third term, Wonman Lee and James Rohr are competing to represent the Belle Haven and Bayfront neighborhoods—an area where Snowflake recently moved its headquarters, Belle Haven Elementary School completed renovations, and the city opened a new community center in 2024 (following heated Parks and Recreation Committee debates over naming the campus after late activist Onetta Harris), yet where residents still lack a full-service grocery store, pharmacy, or commercial core after Meta paused its Willow Village project:

• Wonman Lee (44): A software engineer at educational technology company Learneo (owner of CliffsNotes and Course Hero) and current member of the Parks and Recreation Committee, Lee cites the book Abundance by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein in calling to cut red tape for housing near transit, review what stalled Willow Village, attract a full-service grocery store to Belle Haven, and expand gymnastics and aquatics programs. Lee is endorsed by Councilmembers Jeff Schmidt and Jennifer Wise, state Sen. Josh Becker, Assemblymember Marc Berman, the San Mateo County Democratic Party, AFSCME Council 57, and SEIU Local 521.
• James Rohr (48): A U.S. Army veteran and retired 20-year cybersecurity professional who moved to Belle Haven from Sunnyvale in 2022 (4 years ago), Rohr described himself at the Oct. 8 candidate forum as a "neighborhood volunteer." Rohr supports directing multifamily development outside District 1's existing single-family streets—where many families have lived for 40-plus years—while expanding tenant protections, eviction legal representation, a tenant resource center, a full-service grocery store, and an interim neighborhood farmers market. Rohr is endorsed by Cecilia Taylor and SEIU Local 521 (which dual-endorsed in District 1).

District 4 (Downtown, Central Menlo Park & Allied Arts): Charlotte Reed vs. Laura Melahn

In District 4, where Mayor Betsy Nash is not seeking reelection, the contest centers on the city's plan to build affordable housing on 3 of the 8 city-owned downtown parking lots—a plan that prompted 135 businesses in 2025 to sign a statement urging reconsideration and led Save Downtown Menlo to qualify Measure P for the Nov. 3 ballot:

• Charlotte Reed (31): A former tech communications professional, 2-time Grammy-nominated ensemble singer, and cantor at St. Raymond Catholic Church who moved to Menlo Park 2 years ago with her husband Patrick, Reed supports building affordable housing on the 3 downtown parking lots and joins all 5 other council candidates across the city's 3 district races in opposing Measure P. Reed warned that passing Measure P could decertify the city's housing element and trigger the state "builder's remedy," pointing to early 2024 when a developer proposed a skyscraper at 80 Willow Road (the former Sunset Magazine headquarters). Reed also proposes a specialized business commission and pedestrian/bicycle safety upgrades, and is endorsed by Jeff Schmidt, Jennifer Wise, Supervisors Noelia Corzo and David Canepa, Josh Becker, Marc Berman, the San Mateo County Democratic Party, and the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.
• Laura Melahn (41): A venture capital professional, 6-year Menlo Park resident, and Finance and Audit Commission member since May 2025, Melahn has not publicly stated whether she supports or opposes Measure P—campaigning on a "Team Menlo Park" platform—though she is endorsed by Save Downtown Menlo, County Supervisor Ray Mueller, 6 former Menlo Park mayors, 2026 Nobel economics laureate Robert Hall, and Richard Draeger of Draeger’s Market. Melahn proposes shifting city affordable housing subsidies to in-progress developments at the former U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and SRI International campuses rather than the 8 downtown parking lots, and highlights co-founding the Downtown Menlo Fund in 2025, launching Fourth Fridays on Santa Cruz Avenue, and backing the slow streets program.