On Dec. 2, 2016, Facebook announced its plan to invest $20 million to address the need to increase the supply of affordable housing and the related issues of displacement, particularly in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, and communities within a 15-mile radius of their campus. This is exactly the kind of leadership that we in local government seek: Leaders who are willing to take stock and commit resources, time and talent to help solve the problem — creatively and collaboratively

On December 13, 2016, the Board of Supervisors enacted a moratorium on outdoor marijuana growing as well as commercial operations in response to voters approving Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana in the state. The temporary ban will initially last for 45 days and could be extended to two years, but the end goal is to study potential regulations and attempt to create a more regional approach. Getting feedback from stakeholders may assist the county in forming a blueprint law cities in the county could adopt.

At our very first San Mateo County Veteran of the Year Award Luncheon, four outstanding honorees were recognized. I introduce you to them and congratulate them on their work to support veterans in our county. There are three award categories. I present to you the 2016 Patriot of the Year - Carolyn Livengood, the 2016 Enterprise of the Year - Reveille, Peninsula Covenant Church, and the 2016 Veterans of the Year - Judge John Grandsaert and Tim Healy. Congrats to all of the 2016 honorees!

The housing crisis currently facing San Mateo County and the region is often positioned as a series of alarming numbers. Between 2010 and 2014, for example, the county welcomed 54,600 new jobs but developers built a mere 2,100 housing units. The median household income in the county is $108,088, but affording a median-priced home requires $205,965. A county renter needs to earn at least $88,903 to afford an average two-bedroom apartment. And that's why ... 62 percent of existing jobs in the county are filled by non-county residents, which means heavier congestion on our roadways and a greater impact on the longevity of this vital infrastructure. Housing and transportation are two sides of the same coin.

In this current economic climate, there's nothing more important than preserving affordable housing in San Mateo County. In a first-of-its-kind partnership with MidPen Housing, our Board of Supervisors agreed to lend $5.8 million for the purchase of the Atherton Court apartments. In all, 55 homes were saved--forever.

You can now notify the San Carlos & Half Moon Bay Airport online prior to your non-commercial UAS operations!

The California Clubhouse, located in San Carlos, is a non-profit organization that provides support for adults living with a severe mental illness. I was proud to co-sponsor a $30,000 grant of Measure A funds with Supervisor Don Horsley. It was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors at our November 15, 2016 meeting for the purpose of financing the purchase of a 12-person passenger van that will be used for grocery shopping, field trips and other uses.

November is Adoption Month in San Mateo County, however happy endings happen year round! Ron and Mary Beth and their kids, Bruno and Maya, were on hand at our Board of Supervisors meeting on November 15th to share their family with us. You can go online to find out more about our programs and the joys that they can bring at: http://hsa.smcgov.org/adoptions .

More than 150 community members attended San Mateo County’s inaugural Veteran of the Year Luncheon Thursday, an event that not only honored the more than 33,000 veterans in the county, but also highlighted the hard work put forth by a few individuals dedicated to making life easier for all veterans.

The San Mateo County Veterans Commission will honor three individuals and a Peninsula church at its first annual Veteran of the Year luncheon held in appreciation of their notable commitment and significant effort to improve the quality of life for those who served our country.

As a tribute to our county veterans and their families, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the waiver of park entrance fees beginning on November 11, 2016 going forward. I asked our Board to consider this request and to honor our veterans and their families by welcoming them to the most beautiful and wild places in our County - our parks! The proposal was unaninously approved by the Board and supported by the San Mateo County Parks Commission and the San Mateo County Parks Department.