Finding Refuge in the Storm: County Opens Shelter Beds to Homeless During Weekend Deluge

Redwood City – As cold rain and wind battered the Peninsula, Donovan Shepherd found a refuge this weekend where he could get a warm meal, sleep soundly and clean and dry his clothes. Shepherd lost his job as a professional chef and then his home during the COVID-19 pandemic. He had gladly taken up an offer to stay in a shelter this weekend rather than spend more time outdoors in a pounding rain.

Community Resource Centers Open Starting at 10 a.m. Today

Redwood City — The County of San Mateo is urging residents to stay safe today because, while the brunt of a hard winter storm has passed, flooded roads, downed trees and power outages remain.

UPDATED: Weather Intensifying in San Mateo County; Ways to Stay Safe

The National Weather Service is warning of severe storms starting tonight, Feb. 2, going through Monday. The prediction is 1 to 3 inches of rain, winds up to 80 miles per hour and high coastal surf up to 25 foot waves.

Affordable Community Breaks Ground in East Palo Alto

East Palo Alto – If you ask San Mateo County residents to name their top needs (and we did), the answer nearly always includes finding an affordable place to live.

Colibri Commons Breaks Ground on February 2

On February 2, EPACANDO and MidPen Housing will break ground on Colibri Commons, a new affordable rental housing property on City-owned land at 965 Weeks Street in East Palo Alto. When construction is complete in Summer 2025, the property’s 136 new apartments will serve a broad range of the community’s housing needs, with rents affordable to people earning between 30% and 60% of Area Median Income and a unit mix of studios up to four bedrooms.

It’s Official: County of San Mateo Certified as “Welcoming Place”

Redwood City – The County of San Mateo has been recognized as a Certified Welcoming place by Welcoming America, becoming the first county in California to achieve the distinction for its commitment to immigrant inclusion and belonging.

Another Storm is Coming: How to Get Prepared

Redwood City – Heavy rain and high winds are forecast today for San Mateo County, prompting local officials to urge residents to stock an emergency kit and sign up for emergency alerts.

HCDC Welcomes New Members

The Board of Supervisors recently appointed three new members to San Mateo County’s 15-member Housing and Community Development Committee (HCDC):

Making a Difference with Meals and Friendship

The Department of Housing is proud to fund organizations like Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. whose work helps older adults remain in their home with nourishing meals and neighborly check-ins.

SB 267 Reduces Barriers for People with Rental Subsidies

Starting on January 1, 2024, landlords must consider a housing applicant’s receipt of a government rent subsidy including, for example, a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, when assessing the applicant’s income and ability to pay the rent.  In addition, housing applicants who receive a government rent subsidy must be allowed to provide an alternative to a credit report as a means of proving their ability to pay rent, including, for example, public benefit payments, pay records, and bank statements.

New Affordable Homes Coming to Burlingame

A loan of $5,698,107 from San Mateo County’s Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) and an award of 30 Project-Based Vouchers from the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo helped to pave the way for construction to start in late December 2023 on Eucalyptus Grove Apartments in Burlingame.

Celebrating our Housing Heroes: Peggy Jensen and Betsy Zobell

Congratulations to two housing heroes, recently recognized for their lifetime contributions to housing our community at the Housing Leadership Council’s Housing Leadership Day.