Six years after the state mandated all court facilities be shifted from local control, San Mateo County is finalizing the transfer of buildings in Redwood City and South San Francisco by the end of the year.

The takeover could theoretically force government officials out of their office buildings while handing the county a bill for continuing upkeep. But while the county is working on transferring the property, nothing has been announced about if it will ultimately shake up the non-court offices in the buildings.

The county manager and assistant county manager are required to sign a title transfer agreement by Dec. 31 to avoid financial ramifications. Staff reports to South San Francisco and Redwood City — the two jurisdictions housing court facilities — say it is expected the facilities will continue to be used for court purposes. The documents do not address any other effects or a timeline beyond the agreement.

In September, when the Board of Supervisors first agreed to let the county manager approve the transfer, County Counsel Mike Murphy said the agreement and moving don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand.

The shift of court buildings from counties to states has been a slow process since the Trial Court Facilities Act of 2002 announced all 450 facilities statewide be moved by June 30, 2007. Few jurisdictions made the deadline and the state pushed it back further. San Mateo County is in a more challenging situation than some counties because its courts and governments share space.

Court facilities dominate 400 and 500 County Government Center in Redwood City, meaning other offices like the Sheriff’s Office, Board of Supervisors, County Manager’s Office and District Attorney’s Office must either lease space or pack their bags. Other facilities, such as the traffic court building across the street and courthouse in South San Francisco, don’t face quite the same quandary because they are solely used by the courts.

With the state taking over the majority of the space, the county is left to either pack up or shift to a tenant/landlord arrangement. The county is already prepared for a possible move, having already shelled out approximately $1 million for land on Marshall Street in Redwood City. The site could be home to new government offices if necessary.

While the county owns the facilities, it has had to seek approval from South San Francisco and Redwood City. Particularly in the latter, the Planning Commission was asked to find that the transfer is in line with its current general plan. The commission agreed as part of its consent calendar during a joint meeting with the Port Commission last week.

The statewide takeover of approximately 10.1 million square feet of space is not just about buildings but also finances. Until 1997, counties were entirely responsible for funding trial court operations through facilities and personnel. In a move to make the courts a more equal branch of government, the state decided it should create the Office of the Court. Employees became court workers instead of county personnel and the Board of Supervisors must allocate funds annually to offset the shifted responsibility.

Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.