The San Mateo Board of Supervisors on Tuesday awarded three cities in the county with $2.4 million to help end homelessness.
With the grants, Redwood City and Millbrae will expand existing programs that bring homeless individuals and families to shelters and services, a county spokesperson said. For its part, Half Moon Bay will provide a secure parking area, with hygiene facilities and outreach services for people living in vehicles.
According to the county, the funds will help only some of the 1,092 unsheltered residents living in San Mateo County. The money will help service providers to support people in the transition to temporary or permanent housing. The grants will be matched with local funds, and each city will report on progress and performance metrics.
Thus, Redwood City will receive approximately $1.05 million to increase shelter capacity and emergency supportive housing. It will also leverage state and city funding to expand intensive, coordinated, interagency outreach to homelessness through local nonprofit community partner organizations.
“Through this generous grant, Redwood City will be able to step up civic outreach, providing a more personalized approach to our homeless residents,” said City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz.
Half Moon Bay's share will be nearly $1 million. The city and county will work with the nonprofit organization WeHope to provide secure parking for individuals and families living in vehicles, along with showers, restrooms, laundry and other services. The program is expected to launch in 2023 with an anticipated accommodation of ten vehicles to kick off, with an average stay of 90 days.
WeHope will provide case management, connections to housing, employment and other services, the county said.
Half Moon Bay Mayor Debbie Ruddock said the secure parking program will improve the safety, health and quality of life for Coastside residents who live in vehicles.
“We are grateful to San Mateo County for this crucial funding and partnership,” Ruddock said, “as well as WeHope and other involved nonprofits who work so diligently to bring substantial, practical help to those who need it.”
Approximately $370,000 will go to Millbrae, with a focus on the homeless who live in the downtown area.
Homeless outreach teams in Millbrae will provide “rapid response and outreach” to serve and support the homeless with case management, including services that address mental health and drug and alcohol use issues. Individuals and families will receive shelter services, transportation assistance, and referrals. It will also expand an existing program focused on the BART/SFO transit corridor.
The impetus for funding for the three cities came from a challenge announced in September to develop "bold and innovative solutions" to local homelessness. A six-member advisory committee recommended funding the three approved Tuesday. Ultimately, the funding comes from the US Rescue Plan federal stimulus package, which was created to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities.
This year's Point in Time count of people in San Mateo County experiencing homelessness found that 67 percent of that population are male and 32 percent female, while the remainder are transgender or not uniquely male or female. .
Thirty percent of those surveyed lived in their car or truck, 26 lived in an RV, 16 percent lived in a tent or other campground, and 26 percent lived on the streets. Ten percent lived in secure parking areas, and the remaining two percent were listed as "other."
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