Mark Zuckerberg’s $168 million takeover sparks neighbourhood outrage

Tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg has been on a property shopping spree for the last 14 years. 

In that time, the Meta CEO has splashed out $US110 million ($168 million) on 11 houses in a wealthy Silicon Valley suburb in Palo Alto, The New York Times reported. 

Neighbours say the Facebook co-founder has offered locals millions to sell up. In some cases, they claim he offered homeowners three times what their property is worth. 

Zuckerberg’s purchases are concentrated on a small residential block between Edgewood Drive and Hamilton Avenue in Crescent Park, Palo Alto. 

It is an exclusive residential neighbourhood where heritage homes sit beneath prim lines of deciduous trees.

However, not all locals are happy about the billionaire’s neighbourhood takeover. 

Nine residents of Crescent Park spoke to The Times to vent their frustration, seven under condition of anonymity. 

Michael Kieschnick, who lives on Hamilton Avenue, claimed the Palo Alto Police Department recently created a tow-away zone on the road for five hours, leaving locals unable to park. 

The reason, Kieschnick said, was that Zuckerberg was hosting a backyard barbeque. 

Other neighbours claimed they have been subject to eight years of construction as the billionaire has embarked on several knockdown-rebuild projects. 

They complained of their driveways being blocked on occasion and their car mirrors being knocked off by building equipment. 

Hamilton Avenue residents also reported loud parties at Zuckerberg’s home. 

They say his staff have sent gifts of wine, chocolate, doughnuts and noise-cancelling headphones when the parties were particularly loud.

A spokesperson for Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, told PEOPLE they have taken steps to accommodate neighbours. 

“Mark, Priscilla and their children have made Palo Alto their home for more than a decade,” the magazine quoted the representative as saying. 

“They value being members of the community and have taken a number of steps above and beyond any local requirements to avoid disruption in the neighbourhood.” 

The spokesperson acknowledged that construction occasionally blocks street parking, but stated that parties and social events comply with local laws and do not block parking. 

Zuckerberg isn’t the first high profile individual to have beef with his neighbours.

Last week it was reported that Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour is embroiled in a planning row over a new addition in his London backyard.

Residents in the affluent neighbourhood of Hampstead have filed complaints about the British music legend’s shed, which they claim is “intrusive” and “overbearing”.