County Executive’s Office

Redwood City – As home prices and rents have shot up – and homelessness is at “crisis” levels in California – federal support for local housing assistance and homelessness prevention is at a 30-year low. 

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development sent $4.18 million in entitlement grants to the County of San Mateo this fiscal year. That’s an 18 percent drop from the $5.1 million in the 1994-95 fiscal year.

The total today would be $10.5 million just to keep pace with inflation.

At a time of unprecedented need for affordable housing, the County’s Board of Supervisors has stepped in to fill the gap with funds from Measure K, the countywide, voter-approved half-cent sales tax. Since 2013, the County has invested $150 million in Measure K funds toward affordable housing and homelessness prevention.

Today, the Board today voted 5-0 to include additional Measure K funds in a plan that outlines how federal, state and local dollars will be invested local in housing and homelessness prevention. 

“We are grateful voters had the foresight to approve a local sales tax that provides local funds for local needs,” said Warren Slocum, president of the Board of Supervisors.

“Without Measure K funds, we wouldn’t be treading water,” he said. “We’d be falling farther and farther behind in supporting affordable housing and preventing homelessness.”

The Board agreed to allocate approximately $6.9 million in federal, state and local funding, including $567,768 in Measure K funds through what’s known as the FY 2024-25 Annual Action Plan, which spells out how HUD Entitlement Awards and additional sources of revenue will support housing and community development solutions. Federal funding still plays a critical role in supporting affordable housing and community development in San Mateo County.

Today’s action by the Board allocated:

• $2.4 million in Federal funds to support three affordable housing projects;
• $978,288 funding public facilities and minor home repair for eight agencies;
• $289,940 in public services such as legal aid, meals on wheels, youth mentoring and fair housing;
• $977,722 to support homeless shelters and services;
• Measure K funding activities that benefit lower-income persons and support racial, ethnic, gender and economic equity in San Mateo County.

The Measure K funds will be used to kick-start an Equity Innovation Fund that provides grants that prevent homelessness or assists individuals and families in finding shelter.

Michelle Durand
Chief Communications Officer
mdurand@smcgov.org