Redwood City — The County of San Mateo today announced an ambitious goal: End homelessness by the end of the year.
“Let’s go for it,” said Mike Callagy, county executive officer. “I ask every resident of San Mateo County to take just one step toward achieving this goal. Just think about the lives we can change and all the good that will come about from ending homelessness.”
The goal is outlined in an initiative publicly launched today: “2022: Our Year of Working Together to End Homelessness.”
Central to the initiative is a shift away from simply sheltering people. The focus is on intensive services that address the root causes of an individual’s or families’ barriers to housing and providing an array of temporary and permanent housing options.
That will take the combined efforts of local, state and federal officials, local employers, volunteer organizations, nonprofit groups, faith communities – “all of us,” Callagy said – to build and maintain support.
County residents are also critical players, Callagy said, because their support is needed to help ensure the creation of enough shelter and housing units for the County to achieve “functional zero” homelessness.
“Functional zero” means ensuring that every county resident experiencing homelessness can be safely sheltered in an emergency shelter, or in temporary or permanent housing.
The County’s vision to end homelessness relies on three key initiatives:
“Our Year of Working Together to End Homelessness”
County officials invite everyone to a series of discussions and events through the year that will lead to a final summit in September and a set of action items to reach functional zero.
The first event launches Friday, April 22, with, “Why Homelessness is a Countywide Issue.” Local health and education experts will discuss the impact of homelessness on health and education. This is a virtual event so anyone with a computer, tablet or smart phone and access to the Internet can attend.
The panel will be followed by videos and a presentation on the services for homeless residents of San Mateo County including a discussion around what is effective and what needs to be improved. Other planned events will focus on the move from the streets to interim housing, moving into a permanent home and volunteer opportunities.
Learn more about “Our Year of Working Together to End Homelessness” by signing up for email updates.
Creating a New Navigation Center to Replace the Maple Street Shelter
The County today (April 13, 2022) broke ground on a new 240-unit Navigation Center in Redwood City that will provide both temporary housing and intensive services for individuals and couples. The navigation center model focuses on case management with the goal of moving every client into permanent housing.
The Navigation Center, which will be able to accommodate up to 260 clients each night, will replace the Maple Street Shelter, which currently provides emergency and transitional housing for up to about 110 individuals each night.
Increasing Housing Options and Supply
With the help of state Homekey funds and other grants, the County has purchased five former motels/hotels for conversion into permanent or temporary housing for individuals who are unsheltered or at serious risk of becoming unsheltered.
These properties are:
- Shores Landing, 1000 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City: 95 units.
- The former Comfort Inn and Suites, 1818 El Camino Real, Redwood City: 51 units
- Stone Villa, 2175 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo: 44 units
- Coast House, 230 Cabrillo Highway, Half Moon Bay: 51 units
- Pacific Shelter, 2610 El Camino Real, Redwood City: 74 units
Learn more and register for events at smcendinghomelessness.org.
Michelle Durand
Chief Communications Officer
mdurand@smcgov.org