Mark Zuckerberg gifted noise-canceling headphones to his Palo Alto neighbors because of the nonstop construction around his 11 homes

Real Estate·Mark ZuckerbergMark Zuckerberg gifted noise-canceling headphones to his Palo Alto neighbors because of the nonstop construction around his 11 sBy Dave SmithBy Dave SmithEditor, U.S

NewsDave SmithEditor, U.S

NewsDave Smith is a writer and editor who previously has been published in Insider, Newsweek, ABC News, and USA TODAY.SEE FULL BIO This isn’t the first time Zuckerberg has clashed with neighbors over real estate jects.Jason Henry / Bloomberg—Getty ImagesBillionaire Mark Zuckerberg has been rankling his neighbors in Palo Alto as he works on expanding and modifying the 11 s that he has purchased in the area

To smooth over tensions, the New York Times says Zuckerberg gifted his next-door neighbors noise-canceling headphones as a peace offering

Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire cofounder of Facebook and CEO of Meta, reportedly gave noise-canceling headphones to his neighbors in the Crescent Park neighborhood of Palo Alto in an effort to address years of frustration over construction and disruption surrounding his expanding residential compound, according to the New York Times

Some of these perties sit empty in a region known for its acute housing shortage, while others have been converted into guest s, lush gardens, a pickleball court, a pool with a hydrofloor, and—at least for a time—a private school for Zuckerberg’s children and several others (a use that appears not to comply with local zoning ordinances)

Several neighbors cited street blockages, debris, and relentless noise as issues

Not Zuckerberg’s first perty controversy The noise-canceling headphones were among several gifts ext by Zuckerberg’s staff to appease neighbors during particularly loud periods, along with bottles of sparkling wine and boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts

These gestures, however, have not always been effective

Some of his neighbors say their community has been transformed—and not in a good way—by absentee ownership, strict privacy barriers, and heavy security presence, including cameras overlooking adjacent perties and frequent patrols by private security guards

Meta didn’t immediately respond to a request for

This is not Zuckerberg’s first clash with neighbors over real estate jects

While the city denied the specific application, Zuckerberg ultimately ceeded gradually, undertaking similar work in a piecemeal fashion to avoid further regulatory hurdles

The Palo Alto City Council and some residents have since criticized what they describe as the exploitation of zoning loopholes and the city’s regulatory inaction

Zuckerberg’s residential portfolio extends far beyond Palo Alto

He also owns s at Lake Tahoe and a mansion in Washington, D.C

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft

An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing

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