Faced with little progress on sanitation, the East Palo Alto EPA petitioned the San Mateo Local Agency Formation Commission (SMLAFCo) to have the city's Sanitation District (EPASD) subsidized by local government.
This was announced by East Palo Alto Mayor Rub Abrica, who through a letter addressed to the community and taxpayers specified that since 2019, the East Palo Alto City Council and other stakeholders have attempted to collaborate with the EPASD to develop solutions that facilitate the advancement of development projects such as affordable housing, advance the city's goals, and ensure that accurate information is available when the city considers future development.