Redwood City – Most County of San Mateo offices will be open to the public on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in alignment with the state’s reopening plan.
"Thanks to everyone who did their part, the County is back,” said County Manager Mike Callagy. “On behalf of all of our 5,500 employees, I can say we are looking forward to providing our residents with high-quality in-person services as well as continuing to provide many of those services over the phone or via the web.”
This includes in-person voter registration, applying for marriage licenses, recording documents, obtaining official records and a host of other services. Public safety agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and Probation Department, are currently open to the public with counter hours available on their websites.
The County operates dozens of health clinics, public assistance programs, administrative offices and other services from Daly City to East Palo Alto and from Pacifica to Pescadero as well as at County Center in Redwood City. Most offices will open to the public on June 15.
In-person services, however, may vary across departments so County officials recommend calling ahead or visiting department websites before visiting County facilities. For a full listing of County departments, visit https://www.smcgov.org/departments
“The main message we want to convey is for our residents to call or check a website first. In addition to in-person operations, we offer so many services by phone or over the internet that we might be able to save you a trip in the first place,” Callagy said.
While more offices will be open to the public, note the following exceptions (partial list):
► The Office of Child Support Services located at County Center, for instance, remains closed to the public due to a construction project. For service, customers can call 866-901-3212, send an email to smcdcss@smcgov.org or access their account at https://childsupport.ca.gov/customer-connect/.
► San Mateo County Libraries is open for modified in-library services, called Express Service, when patrons can enter a library during limited hours to browse the collection, checkout items and use computers and printers. Curbside Walk-Up Service is available at all San Mateo County community libraries.
► The Planning and Building office, located on the 2nd floor of 455 County Center, will be open for in-person service by appointment only. The department will also staff the customer service window, located on the exterior of 455 County Center, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, where the public can make payments to the department (checks and credit cards), set appointments, and submit plans and documents. The customer service window will be closed between 12 and 1 p.m.
► The Human Services Agency regional offices in South San Francisco, Belmont, Redwood City and Daly City will re-open on June 28. Offices in East Palo Alto and San Carlos are undergoing construction and are closed for the time being. Clients in East Palo Alto are being referred to the Human Service Office in Redwood City while clients in San Carlos are being taken by appointment only. All services are available over the phone at (877) 328-9677 or online at www.mybenefitscalwin.org. Questions can be sent to Questions@smcgov.org).
If you have business with any County department, the first step should always be calling or checking the department’s website to verify hours and operations.
Full, in-person services will be available at most other departments. This is seen as an important step in the overall community’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many County offices, as well as private businesses, have not been open to the public for 15 months.
As of Tuesday, June 15, the state plans to lift capacity and physical distancing requirements in most circumstances as part of its “Beyond the Blueprint” reopening plan.
However, masks will still be required for members of the public entering County offices or interacting with County employees. County employees will be required to wear facial coverings in alignment with Cal-OSHA’s workplace safety requirements. The County will also continue to enforce physical distancing requirements in County offices as well.
Throughout the pandemic, County departments have continuously served the public through the innovative use of technology and have responded to needs by phone, mail and online services. Callagy said the County will continue to explore ways to continuously improve services based on needs and ongoing lessons learned.
Important Links:
County Departments: https://www.smcgov.org/departments
Vaccination Clinic Calendar: https://www.smchealth.org/vaccine-clinic-calendar
Testing Locations: https://www.smcgov.org/testing
County Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CountyofSanMateo
County Twitter account: https://twitter.com/sanmateoco
Joint Information Center: https://cmo.smcgov.org/jic
Guidance for Face Coverings: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx#June15guidance
And Remember:
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over. The coronavirus is deadline and highly contagious for those who are not vaccinated. Continue to do your part to slow the spread and get tested if you suspect you have been in contacted with an infected person or have symptoms.
