Mark Zuckerberg has been trying to ease tensions with his Palo Alto neighbors, and his latest gesture was sending them gift baskets filled with sparkling wine, chocolates, Krispy Kreme donuts, and even noise-canceling headphones. The effort comes after years of construction and disruptions tied to his transformation of the Crescent Park neighborhood into a sprawling $110 million compound, according to The New York Post.
Since 2011, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have purchased at least 11 homes around Edgewood Drive and Hamilton Avenue. Several were converted into guest houses, gardens, and recreational spaces, while others supported amenities such as a pickleball court and even a statue of Chan. At one point, a property reportedly served as a private school for a small group of children, which some residents claimed violated local zoning rules.
Neighbors say the process has left them frustrated. Constant construction has brought drilling, dust, and traffic, while security patrols and surveillance cameras have added to the sense that their quiet street has been overtaken. Some homeowners have described the project as a “mini-compound” that changed the character of the community.
The gift baskets, intended as a peace offering, drew mixed reactions. Some residents appreciated the gesture, while others felt the headphones were a symbolic attempt to muffle complaints rather than address them. One homeowner suggested it was like giving people earplugs instead of stopping the noise.
A spokesperson for Zuckerberg said the family values their community and has tried to reduce the impact of the work, including using quieter electric vehicles for security and encouraging staff to carpool. Still, many in the area feel that the disruption has been hard to ignore.
For some, the gifts softened the mood; for others, they underscored the imbalance between one family’s wealth and the neighborhood’s day-to-day life. Whether headphones and chocolates can mend strained relations is still an open question.