Mark Zuckerberg Opened an Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. His Neighbors Revolted

"The Crescent Park neighborhood of Palo Alto, California, has some of the best real estate in the country, with a charming hodgepodge of homes ranging in style from Tudor revival to modern farmhouse and contemporary Mediterranean. It also has a gigantic compound that is home to Mark Zuckerberg, his wife Priscilla Chan, and their daughters Maxima, August, and Aurelia. Their land has expanded to include 11 previously separate properties, five of which are connected by at least one property line."

"The Zuckerberg compound's expansion first became a concern for Crescent Park neighbours as early as 2016, due to fears that his purchases were driving up the market. Then, about five years later, neighbors noticed that a school appeared to be operating out of the Zuckerberg compound. This would be illegal under the area's residential zoning code without a permit. They began a crusade to shut it down that did not end until summer 2025."

"WIRED obtained 1,665 pages of documents about the neighborhood dispute-including 311 records, legal filings, construction plans, and emails-through a public record request filed to the Palo Alto Department of Planning and Development Services. (Mentions of "Zuckerberg" or "the Zuckerbergs" appear to have been redacted. However, neighbors and separate public records confirm that the property in question belongs to the family. The names of the neighbors who were in touch with the city were also redacted.)"

Residents in Palo Alto's Crescent Park live among varied historic and contemporary homes and an expansive compound owned by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. Their land grew to encompass 11 previously separate properties, five sharing property lines. Neighbors raised concerns beginning in 2016 about market impacts from the purchases. By around 2021, a school appeared to be operating on the compound without a required municipal permit, with neighbors observing as many as 30 students. Complaints over almost a decade included noise, security guards, and heavy traffic. A 1,665-page public-records release contains records, filings, plans, and emails documenting the dispute.

Read at WIRED