Mark Zuckerberg angers locals in tony Silicon Valley enclave over 11-home, $110M compound: ‘They’ve occupied our neighborhood’

For years, Palo Alto’s Crescent Park was a postcard of California suburban bliss — leafy streets, neighborly block parties and children coasting on bikes. Now, residents say their once-idyllic enclave has been transformed into a real-life game of Monopoly, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg buying up the board.

Since arriving in 2011, the billionaire and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have amassed at least 11 properties along Edgewood Drive and Hamilton Avenue, spending more than $110 million.

Five homes were folded into an expansive private compound for the couple and their three daughters, outfitted with guest houses, lush gardens, a pickleball court and a pool with a hydrofloor cover, according to the New York Times.

(The Zuckerberg’s 14-year expansion in Palo Alto’s Crescent Park has transformed a once-tranquil, tight-knit neighborhood into a walled-off billionaire’s enclave, according to neighbors and public records.FilmMagic)

(The Meta CEO has spent over $110 million acquiring at least 11 homes, often paying well above market value.Splash News)

Nearby structures serve as an entertainment hub, staging area for outdoor events, and — controversially — a private school for 14 children, an unpermitted use under city code.

In the middle of the compound stands a 7-foot silver statue of Chan, commissioned by Zuckerberg, while beneath it lies 7,000 square feet of underground space that permits describe as basements — but neighbors call bunkers or “a billionaire’s bat cave.”

(Falon Wriede / NY Post Design)

The eight years of ongoing construction have clogged streets with heavy equipment, blocked driveways, and, residents say, knocked mirrors off parked cars, according to the Times.

Surveillance is another sore point. Neighbors report cameras trained toward their yards and security guards stationed in vehicles, filming visitors and questioning pedestrians on public sidewalks.

(He converted five into a private compound with gardens, a pickleball court, a hydrofloor pool, and underground “bunkers” spanning 7,000 square feet.Splash News)

(Some properties sit vacant in a city with a tight housing market, while one operates as an unpermitted private school.Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Critics accuse officials of bending to the tech titan. In one instance, police created a tow-away zone for several hours so the family could host a barbecue.

(Residents complain of years of construction noise, heightened surveillance, and special treatment from city officials, including police-assisted events.AP)

(Zuckerberg’s purchases have pushed out families and fueled resentment from neighbors.CBS)

(A spokesman says the family values being part of the community and takes steps to minimize disruption.CBS)

(Critics argue the tech billionaire has effectively “occupied” the neighborhood, with the city enabling his gradual buildout despite earlier rejections.CBS)

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Photo Credit-CBS, Bloomberg via Getty Images, AP, SplashNews, FlimMagic, Falon Wriede / NY Post Design