Homekey Recap

When your leaders make better housing policies and our housing system operates better, the survival of your community members aren’t left to chance or “luck”. Our systems should help us plan for and provide the critical things that people actually need to live, work, and thrive in the Peninsula. Your leaders on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors did just that by voting 4-1 last Tuesday (9/12) to approve the purchase of the La Quinta Inn in the City of Millbrae to create permanent supportive homes for your unhoused community members. 

HLC would like to take this opportunity to thank Supervisor Pine, Supervisor Corzo, Supervisor Slocum, and Supervisor Mueller for, in the face of immense opposition, their unwavering support of Homekey in Millbrae. We would also like to thank Vice Mayor Goodman and Councilmember Angelina Cahalan for their much-needed leadership and staunch push-back on the misinformation regarding the proposal.

We would like to extend our appreciation to County Executive Officer Mike Callagy and County Staff for their willingness to listen and work with the community members who were acting in good faith to create a proposal addressing their needs:

• Conversion of the La Quinta Inn from a hotel to permanent support homes for seniors and families (single occupancy initially proposed)
• Funding and provision of 2 sheriff deputies (1 initially proposed) for 3 years
• Funding and provision of 2 mental health clinicians (1 initially proposed) for 2 years; to be embedded with the Sheriff’s Department and deployed on calls where an individual is experiencing a mental health crisis
• Offer a 5-year lease to Bashamichi Sushi to prevent employee displacement (no contract was offered in the previous proposal)
• County-sponsored job placement and/or training for the 37 community members employed by the La Quinta Inn  

In addition, thanks to Supervisor Mueller’s advocacy, the Board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be finalized with the city of Millbrae within 30 days of approval. It will stipulate: 

• A commitment from the County to provide Millbrae with a $600,000 annual payment for 3 years to compensate for lost Transit Occupancy Taxe revue (1-time payment to cover 1 year of lost revenue initially proposed)
• Upkeep requirements of the site 
• Quarterly check-ins between City and County Staff to check on the status of the site
• Indicate that the permanent support homes will be explicitly for families and seniors.
• A report back with a plan for the displaced hotel employees in first the first 30 days of closing and periodic report backs over the course four months afterwards. 
• A restaurant safety net (via grant payment) to help with relocation if Bashamichi Sushi were to fail within a year of the use change 

Finally, thank you to everyone who provided letters in support, spoke in person/online on the need for permanent support homes, or who submitted an image to our collage. Because of your advocacy, up 110 of your most vulnerable community members will finally have a safe and stable to place to call home in the coming months.

Recap of the Daly City Serramonte del Rey BBQ

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us this past Saturday at Jefferson High School. About 30 of us gathered in the school cafeteria to learn more about the Serramonte Del Rey neighborhood and gain deeper insights by listening to the school board members, developers, teachers, and the impacted community. It was a truly inspiring experience to see our community unite, share knowledge, uplift one another, and enter the final lap of advocacy for SDR together. Our event brought together an extraordinary mix of attendees, including students, dedicated school faculty and staff, residents of SDR’s teacher housing, and passionate leaders and members of the Daly City community. The collective commitment to a shared cause was palpable and heartening.

• We are thankful to have the opportunity to hear from
• Jefferson Union High School District board president Andrew Lie
• Jefferson Union High School District board vice president Kalimah Salahuddin
• Housing Choices Board Chair Todd Marans
• Tami Strauss from Eden Housing
• Carl Hertel from The Core Companies

We must also acknowledge our outstanding volunteers, whose dedication made this event possible. Your hard work did not go unnoticed and was crucial to its success. 🫶

The BBQ was a fantastic show of support for new housing. However, our journey is far from over! We urge you to become actively involved in the last leg of our goal to approve the Serramonte Del Rey Neighborhood in Daly City! 

Join us in making a difference:

Housing Leadership Day 

✧Housing Leadership Day 2023: Join us in "Meeting the Moment on October 20th!✧

Mark your calendars for October 20, 2023, as we gear up to host the much-awaited Housing Leadership Day at the prestigious CZI Community Center in Redwood City. This year's theme, "Meeting the Moment," serves as a rallying call for all those passionate about tackling the challenges of housing head-on. This event will be a transformative experience, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, advocates, and community members to collaborate and find innovative solutions that will shape the future of housing.

✧Early Bird Registration✧

Don’t miss out on the chance to secure your spot at this year's Housing Leadership Day! Early Bird Registration is officially open, and it is your golden opportunity to reserve your ticket at a discounted rate! Register now and lock in your spot for this unforgettable experience.

✧Sponsorships✧

Thank you to our sponsors

Espanol:
El 23 de septiembre, la Red Regional de Organización de Inquilinos presentará la Asamblea de Inquilinos del Área de la Bahía en la Academia de East Palo Alto, 1050 Myrtle St. East Palo Alto, CA 94303. Esta asamblea será un espacio para que los inquilinos y los defensores de la vivienda de todo el Área de la Bahía se conecten entre sí y celebren sus victorias. El objetivo de la asamblea es que los asistentes obtengan una comprensión más profunda sobre la organización de inquilinos, la formación de asociaciones de inquilinos, y la realización de una campaña. La asamblea contará con líderes de inquilinos de toda la región que han tomado medidas para generar poder con sus vecinos y fortalecer la protección de los inquilinos en sus comunidades. Se proporcionará comida, cuidado de niños, e interpretación al español gratuita. Si tiene preguntas sobre la asamblea, comuníquese con James Huynh en james@rtonetwork.org.