Redwood City – San Mateo County supervisors today voted 5-0 to approve a budget for the next two fiscal years that invests in ending homelessness and other key priorities while sounding the need for fiscal caution.
“This budget fulfills a promise to tackle some of the biggest issues facing our region today,” said Dave Pine, president of the Board of Supervisors.
“We are investing taxpayer dollars in programs and services that help people experiencing homelessness find permanent housing, supports children and families, and continues the transformation of mental health care,” Pine said. “I appreciated hearing from all of our talented County department heads.”
Following three days of public hearings, supervisors approved a two-year Recommended Budget totaling $7.7 billion for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years. The Board will hold hearings in September on a revised final budget based on emerging needs and changing economic conditions.
Guided by priorities set by the Board of Supervisors, the blueprint emphasizes investments in sustaining initiatives, not launching new programs. Highlights include:
Supporting operations at the County’s first Navigation Center, which opened in May 2023 as a state-of-the-art low-barrier, short-term interim housing program for adults who are experiencing homelessness with intensive on-site services that include medical, dental, substance-use counseling and housing-focused case management to assist clients with moving toward permanent housing.
Increasing outreach and engagement services to many more unsheltered individuals residing in the county with the goal of connecting them with services and ultimately more permanent housing.
Building up the County’s Affordable Housing Fund to finance development and preserve affordable housing for families and individuals earning low incomes, seniors on fixed incomes and people experiencing homelessness.
Investing in housing for low-income farmworkers, including 18 households displaced by the January mass shooting in Half Moon Bay.
Expanding equity training throughout the organization both to improve decision making and client services.
Making the outdoors and County Parks more accessible to children and families with low incomes or other barriers by providing new opportunities for field trips, camping and other activities.
Continuing to modernize Parks facilities, including replacing older playground slides and other equipment and improving restrooms and picnic areas.
Mitigating the threat of wildfire to communities near County Parks and identifying, classifying and removing hazard trees.
Adding an equity manager in the Probation Department to lead Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.
Implementing an electronic health record for patients and clients throughout County Health, including San Mateo Medical Center’s many sites and clinical services through Correctional Health and Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.
Expanding access to housing for clients with mental illness and addictions, along with services and care navigation to support them.
Combating climate change and building resiliency with investments in reducing stormwater runoff and greenhouse gas emissions and helping communities meet challenges from excessive heat, poor air quality and power outages.
Expanding treatment options and services for San Mateo County residents with opioid or fentanyl additions.
Bolstering emergency management staffing to focus on earthquake preparedness.
Committing funds to support the County Housing Voucher Program to subsidize rents for 200 county’s homeless households.
Increasing adult literacy and outreach services and supporting the expansion of makerspaces.
Purchasing a new Bookmobile that brings essential library programs and services to residents throughout the County.
Implementing improvements to Tunitas Creek Beach and Flood County Park, among other County Parks.
This budget recommends the net addition of 120 positions in the general fund, primarily in County Health, in FY 2023-24 for a total of 5,768 positions for All County Funds. Two additional positions are added in FY 2024-25. Approximately 40 percent of the positions added were a result of converting both extra help and limited term positions to permanent positions.
In presenting the Recommended Budget to the Board, County Executive Mike Callagy stressed the importance of taking a measured approach.
“This is the longest anticipated recession in history,” said County Executive Mike Callagy, who presented the Recommended Budget to the Board. “That’s why I’m proposing we take this measured approach which allows us more time to understand both the need for services and the fiscal outlook. We remain dedicated certainly to providing the services our residents rely upon.”
Michelle Durand
mdurand@smcgov.org