Friends of the Hills carries forward the work of Hills 2000, which protected Los Altos Hills for more than 25 years. Hills 2000 leadership aged out during the COVID-19 pandemic and formally passed their legacy to FOH. The mission is the same — keeping residents informed and engaged — but FOH is forming at a moment of particular urgency, with state housing mandates placing new demands on our town.

No. FOH is an independent, nonpartisan residents association. We work collaboratively with Town leadership where our interests align and advocate independently on behalf of residents. We do not endorse candidates.

FOH is funded by voluntary household contributions. We publish a transparent annual report on our finances. We do not accept funding from developers, political campaigns, or any entity with a financial interest in Los Altos Hills land use decisions.

Your personal information is used only to communicate with you about FOH activities and is never sold or shared with third parties. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Membership is free, and every resident is welcome regardless of ability to contribute. To help cover our basic operating costs, we ask households who are able to make a voluntary contribution of $50 per year.

Not automatically, but you are warmly invited to join. Hills 2000 passed us a list of email addresses, but we are rebuilding our membership record. If you received an email from us, your address was on that list. Please visit LAHfriends.org and sign up so we can welcome you properly.

We aim to communicate meaningfully, not frequently — a monthly newsletter during quieter periods, with additional updates when time-sensitive issues arise. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

California law requires every city and county to adopt a Housing Element describing how it will accommodate its share of regional housing need. A Housing Element that doesn't satisfy state requirements can expose the Town to legal action and loss of local land use authority. Getting it right — meeting state requirements while protecting Los Altos Hills — requires active community participation. How the Town chooses to implement its Housing Element has a dramatic impact on our community: one path adds about 169 homes and 475 residents; the other requires permitting nearly 900 units and adds about 2,500 new residents. Read the full comparison on our Issues page →

Communities that are organized, informed, and engaged consistently achieve better outcomes. Residents can influence which sites are identified for development, how zoning overlays are written, and how elected officials prioritize the issue. Showing up at public meetings, submitting public comments, and serving on the newly formed Standing Committee for Housing Element Implementation are all meaningful actions. FOH exists to make all of those things easier.

Los Altos Hills has a one-acre minimum lot size, no commercial district, no downtown, and no transit infrastructure. It has significant natural features — hillsides, oak woodlands, ridgelines, and equestrian trails — that require careful protection. State mandates designed for a broad range of communities must be applied with particular care here. An engaged community is the most effective way to ensure that happens.

Absolutely. Sign up and stay informed. Forward our emails to neighbors. Serve as a neighborhood liaison. Attend one public meeting per year when a key vote is scheduled. Even a small commitment, consistently applied, makes a real difference when multiplied across hundreds of residents.

Yes, and we need you. FOH provides clear issue briefs and talking points so you never need to be an expert to participate effectively. Residents who speak from lived experience — what they love about Los Altos Hills, what they want to preserve — are often more persuasive than technical experts.

Cherish Los Altos Hills is a nonprofit organization established by the Mayor of Los Altos Hills. It focuses on philanthropic and community enrichment — funding town beautification, parks, trails, events, and civic programs the Town budget may not cover.

Friends of the Hills is a residents advocacy association: we monitor legislation, analyze land use policy, and coordinate public comment. Cherish is a philanthropic nonprofit focused on community enrichment. FOH advocates; Cherish gives.

No. Friends of the Hills is fully independent with no formal affiliation with Cherish Los Altos Hills, the Mayor’s office, or the Town government.

Absolutely. Cherish is the right channel for donating to community programs and beautification. Friends of the Hills is here for housing policy, land use, and community advocacy. Supporting both means investing in Los Altos Hills from two important angles.

Housing mandates, zoning changes, and loss of local land use authority require organized advocacy, not just charitable giving. Philanthropy enriches a community; advocacy protects it. Friends of the Hills exists to ensure residents have a strong, unified voice when those decisions are being made.