The Board of Supervisors of the San Mateo County received staff recommendations this Tuesday for a $34.5 million aid package aimed at bolstering support in three vital areas identified by the community as priorities.
The recommended package proposes spending $15 million for housing and homelessness initiatives, $16 million for children, family and senior services, and $3.5 million for emergency preparedness efforts.
The $34.5 million comes from Measure K, a countywide voter-approved sales tax extension.
“Measure K allows us to direct our local public resources to address local needs,” said Warren Slocum, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. ?We ask the public what they need to thrive. The answers we received are clear: programs and services focused on those who need a lift most, as well as improving our ability to plan and respond to emergencies?
With community feedback in hand, the county asked local nonprofits and community organizations to propose ways to address the three priority areas, generating 315 funding requests exceeding $250 million annually, or seven times the available financing.
Eleven evaluation panels comprised of 60 county staff and subject matter experts rated community applications based on program impact, experience and qualifications, performance measures and cost, among other factors, the city said in a statement. release.
The Board of Supervisors will consider the $34.5 million in community-led recommendations at its March 26 meeting along with an additional $75.5 million in Measure K revenue to support programs and services currently operating throughout the county. The new contracts, once approved, are scheduled to begin in July.
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