The Board of Supervisors today approved $1.85 million of Measure A funding for a variety of needs in parks, health and housing, including allocating the remaining $1 million reserved for affordable housing programs and projects.
Measure A is the 10-year half-cent sales tax approved by voters in November 2012.
The board opted to wait until September to act on two proposed housing projects:
· a landlord/tenant mediation program and
· an apartment registry for properties on unincorporated county lands to improve living conditions with more routine housing inspections
The Board did unanimously approve the remaining proposals, which include:
· forgivable rehabilitation loans for smaller multi-family buildings in return for a period of rent control on improved units for $300,000; and
· returning $200,000 in remaining Measure A funds to the Affordable Housing Fund to support the construction of projects for seniors and veterans.
The Board put aside approximately $11.5 million in Measure A funds for affordable housing in March. In May, the Board approved $10.5 million of those Measure A funds to specific projects leaving the $1 million remaining in affordable housing Measure A funds.
In addition to the housing projects, at Tuesday’s meeting the Board also approved $350,000 to fund an agreement with San Mateo County Parks and the Pacifica Land Trust to provide trail building and restoration activities for the Pedro Point Headlands Restoration and Trail Building Project. This Parks project is the fourth of the six Measure A grants being brought to the Board.
A funding request for $351,235.68 from Puente de la Costa Sur and the San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) was also approved today to support expanded medical services and provide outreach to low income, hard-to-reach residents of the South Coast communities in relation to health care and other services provided by Puente, SMMC and the County of San Mateo. An extra $6,000 was specified to renovate existing facilities into appropriate exam space.
Lastly, the Board approved $150,000 of one-time district-specific Measure A funds for the Human Services Agency to execute agreements with Ravenswood City School District for its Parent and Youth Academy Program; Joan and Lewis Platt YMCA in East Palo Alto for the Youth and Government Program; and LEMO Foundation for the Playmakers Program.
District 4 Supervisor Warren Slocum requested the funding for the programs which are aimed at, respectively, strengthening family engagement, teaching youth about the democratic process and teaching at-risk teens life and academic skills.