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  • A sign warns of contaminated soil at a construction site in East Palo Alto. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
  • Views of the Bay Trail from a vacant lot near the end of Fordham Street. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
  • Wildflowers pop up on a vacant lot along Bay Road. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.

Eleanor Raab reported this story while participating in the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2024 Data Fellowship, which provided mentoring and funding.

Real estate in San Mateo County is among the most valuable in the United States. Even small parcels can fetch millions. Yet, in East Palo Alto’s Ravenswood Business District, acres of land sit empty, their potential unrealized.  […]

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Eleanor Raab joined The Almanac in 2024 as the Menlo Park and Atherton reporter. She grew up in Menlo Park, and previously worked in public affairs for a local government agency. Eleanor holds a bachelor’s...