By Thomas Hughes. Bay City News.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday reallocated more than $2.5 million to shore up emergency financial assistance programs for people in need, including the emergency rental program, and called for a reexamination of a county policy that restricts rental assistance to those who have lived in the county for at least 90 days.
Several supervisors said the policy will have to be relaxed in the face of increased demand.
“The need for emergency financial assistance has increased,” said Claire Cunningham, director of the County Human Services Agency, during his application to the board.
Cunningham asked the board to approve adding just over $1 million from Measure K, the half-cent increase in the county’s sales tax approved in 2016, to the programs, which are administered through a group of eight nonprofit service providers known as the county’s “core providers.”
Another $1.5 million specifically for rental assistance was directed to the emergency program through an appropriations transfer request from Supervisor Noelia Corzo. The funds, also from Measure K, were allocated to the county manager’s office. The rental assistance program is administered through the nonprofit Samaritan House for those who qualify.
But board members questioned one of those qualifications, which requires 90 days of county residency to be eligible for rental assistance.
“Maybe that’s something the board really needs to consider. I’d like to look into it a little bit more,” said Supervisor David Canepa.