Tuesday: Board of Supervisors to discuss two-year affordable housing spending plan

Noting that it has been costing San Mateo County twice as much to preserve an affordable housing unit as to fund a new one, County Manager John Maltbie is asking for $30 million for affordable housing for the 2017-19 budget and that most of it be spent on new units.

The county Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, in the first-floor supervisors’ chambers at 400 County Center in Redwood City.

The agenda includes a study session to consider a recommendation for spending $15 million a year on affordable housing initiatives over two years.

Over this period, the county expects funding requests of about $17 million to close out development of 600 housing units for seniors, veterans and families, and another $11.5 million to support development of another 800 units, Mr. Maltbie said in a staff report.

The county-wide half-cent sales tax brings in about $85 million in revenue annually. Voters approved Measure A in November 2012 with a 64.5 percent majority and approved Measure K, extending the tax by 20 years, in November 2016 with a 70 percent majority.

While the measures were tax increases, they needed only a simple majority to pass because the revenue goes directly to the county’s general fund and is not earmarked for any specific purpose.

Since 2012, the county has spent about $20.4 million in Measure A funds on affordable housing, and a total of $28.8 million toward the development of 864 new units in 16 housing projects in unincorporated county communities, the report says. About 25 percent of the new units are intended for homeless veterans, the frail elderly and people with serious mental illnesses, the report said.

IT infrastructure is another target in the coming two years for Measure K funds. Mr. Maltbie is recommending $10 million, including spending for expansion of the fiber network and public wi-fi, a new regional operations center and video conference improvements.

—