A GoFundMe page raising financial assistance for San Mateo residents and businesses who sustained property damage during the recent storms and floods is now available, with around $44,000 raised as of Monday.
The funding will go to the city of San Mateo for flood relief and was organized by San Mateo Mayor Amourence Lee, who said she wants to help those who suffered tens of thousands of dollars in damage and may not get immediate financial relief from the state or federal government.
“The community has really been instrumental in supporting it and digging deep and being very generous,” Lee said.
Lee plans to ask the council, at its next meeting, for an emergency study session to discuss an allocation from the city to issue grants to flood victims, with the potential of combining the GoFundMe money into a larger total. She wants to work with nonprofit agencies on funding allocation, given the agencies are the closest to the community and can provide the fastest help to residents. Working with nonprofits would allow donors to see their dollars go to work more immediately, and people with needs can get relief as quickly as possible. Lee said the city doesn’t have a complete inventory of the financial need but is hopeful to see the same urgency as when pandemic relief funding became available.
“FEMA reimbursements, if they ever do come to fruition, can sometimes take years, so we will definitely be ahead of that curve,” Lee said.
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Lee said the city needed to upgrade and invest in its antiquated sewer and storm infrastructure to support long-term fixes, calling it an important issue. Lee has experienced flooding in her North Central neighborhood over the last decade and said she knows how damaging it can be. In the future, Lee wants the city to continue to work on climate resiliency and emergency response systems because of the urgency brought on by climate change.
San Mateo is currently working on its Clean Water Program, a plan to upgrade San Mateo’s wastewater collection system and wastewater treatment plant. The project would replace aging infrastructure, meet regulatory requirements, increase system capacity during heavy rains, and be more sustainable. Lee also wants to improve the way the city communicates with residents, suggesting the city have a 24-hour nonemergency number so residents can report issues, similar to San Francisco’s 311 number. She noted many residents could not reach anyone on the city storm hotline during the major storm Dec. 31.
“That’s a real opportunity for the city to consider, and it will be one of my council priorities,” Lee said.
Lee also hopes to see a more detailed inspection of the city’s response during the storm and the improvements it can make.
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