Showers early, becoming a steady rain overnight. Windy. Low 56F. Winds S at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph..
Tonight
Showers early, becoming a steady rain overnight. Windy. Low 56F. Winds S at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.
As a former councilmember and mayor of the city of San Mateo, I advocated strenuously — and successfully — for an increase in the minimum wage. This was done in an effort to uphold the dignity and improve the lives of many worthy members of our local community who were struggling to just get by.
For the same reasons, I am proud to stand with Our Home San Mateo, which is organizing a community rally 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Congregational Church of San Mateo to ask, again, that the San Mateo City Council adopt a set of protections to prevent evictions and help keep families in their homes.
In April, the group asked the San Mateo City Council to approve five straightforward policies designed to keep families housed. They shared their stories, presented solid data, and made a strong case for basic dignity and stability. The council listened politely but declined to adopt any proposals, except for a small $150,000 annual investment in rent relief, which was helpful but an insufficient and incomplete response.
According to a report by the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County, renters in San Mateo County need to earn $63.81 per hour — 3.7 times the current minimum wage — to afford a two-bedroom apartment at $3,318, and pay for all other life needs. It’s no surprise that the 2024 San Mateo County Point-In-Time count shows homelessness has risen from 1,808 to 2,130 people — over 17%. Of those surveyed, 59% are experiencing homelessness for the first time.
Recent federal actions, like the poorly-named One Big Beautiful Bill, have worsened the situation for vulnerable communities, particularly Latino families in San Mateo. Our community needs local leadership to step up now.
The City Council should recognize this unfortunate reality and improve its April decision. There is no shame in changing a position based on new information. While the $150,000 investment is a start, short-term interventions cannot solve the housing crisis. We need long-term, sustainable policies that these eviction protections offer. The eviction protections proposed included the following: Increase in relocation assistance above the one month now required by state law; a prohibition on no-fault evictions during the school year; a tenant right to return after a substantial remodel; requiring a just cause for eviction starting on the first day of tenancy, instead of year two; and a rental registry to create data about current realities in the rental market.
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The organizers deliberately chose Veterans Day for the rally. Veterans are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and homelessness. On a day when we honor those who served, we must ask: How do we honor that service? Ensuring everyone, including veterans, has a secure home is part of the answer.
I strongly urge the City Council to muster the political will to protect our most vulnerable neighbors. The five policies proposed in April were modest, achievable, and grounded in basic fairness. They are aimed for greater transparency and accountability in the way evictions are conducted in San Mateo.
This is about human dignity, stability for families, fairness and neighbors living without constant fear of displacement. These are not radical ideas; they are fundamentally American values — and on Veterans Day especially, they are worth fighting for.
The reality has evolved since April. The question for our City Council is simple: Will you evolve too?
Great column Rick. I'm sure if a good faith effort was made between stakeholders, rather than having to balance the "campaign donation groupings" who are well organized and ever active in trying to insure that renters remain powerless even though they number nearly half the population of the town, an equitable solution could be found. With shrinking school populations and a housing shortage, it seems a no-brainer that maxing out the housing supply is the way to go.
Thanks for your guest perspective, Mr. Bonilla. We know that when Newsom increased the minimum wage for many fast food workers, nearly 20,000 people lost their jobs and many had their hours cut. Nowadays, AI bots are replacing workers in drive-thrus. Although you claim there was an increase in dignity and life improvement in many worthy members, we know that many (I guess less worthy members) lost their dignity and life improvements when they lost their hours or their jobs. A hat tip to Ariolimax for listing outcomes from excessive governmental rules. Rules which increase the number of problems those housing rules are meant to address.
Meanwhile, I’d propose folks help ICE to remove as many invaders to our country as possible, as that will lead to increased availability and potentially reduced rents for American citizens. We know criminals are currently taking up residence in units that veterans or any other citizen can use. Good luck to ICE.
Why not demand more affordable units at Hillsdale Mall. We are short units. Any tenant protections will just be abused and further increase. The State has effectively made evictions a hand slap since you need to have the a
Exact case number to look up. There should be no protections for non payment.usinging your terrible math if both people are working they are at $40 per hour, so we do. It need everyone making over $60 per hour. If you are a landlord it takes almost 4 months to get a bad tenant removed so if a unit becomes available double the rent and deposit so you can.maybe make it to the other side.
Adding more affordable housing to the Hillsdale project is a great idea Thomas. Do we need the office space that is in the plan as it stands now? What we really need is more low income housing.
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(5) comments
Great column Rick. I'm sure if a good faith effort was made between stakeholders, rather than having to balance the "campaign donation groupings" who are well organized and ever active in trying to insure that renters remain powerless even though they number nearly half the population of the town, an equitable solution could be found. With shrinking school populations and a housing shortage, it seems a no-brainer that maxing out the housing supply is the way to go.
Thanks for your guest perspective, Mr. Bonilla. We know that when Newsom increased the minimum wage for many fast food workers, nearly 20,000 people lost their jobs and many had their hours cut. Nowadays, AI bots are replacing workers in drive-thrus. Although you claim there was an increase in dignity and life improvement in many worthy members, we know that many (I guess less worthy members) lost their dignity and life improvements when they lost their hours or their jobs. A hat tip to Ariolimax for listing outcomes from excessive governmental rules. Rules which increase the number of problems those housing rules are meant to address.
Meanwhile, I’d propose folks help ICE to remove as many invaders to our country as possible, as that will lead to increased availability and potentially reduced rents for American citizens. We know criminals are currently taking up residence in units that veterans or any other citizen can use. Good luck to ICE.
Increasing right-to-return rules and rental assistance BEYOND what is required by California's Department of Housing and Community Development:
- discourages renovations and property upgrades (bad for renters);
- imposes "double penalties" and extra financial burdens (bad for housing providers);
- creates more Gov't administrative and compliance nightmares (bad for taxpayers);
- reduces rental housing supply by squeezing Mom & Pop who are then forced to sell (Good for Private Equity); and
- heightens legal and dispute risks (Good for Attorneys) leading to less owner-occupied units converting to rentals in the market (Bad for Everyone).
Why not demand more affordable units at Hillsdale Mall. We are short units. Any tenant protections will just be abused and further increase. The State has effectively made evictions a hand slap since you need to have the a
Exact case number to look up. There should be no protections for non payment.usinging your terrible math if both people are working they are at $40 per hour, so we do. It need everyone making over $60 per hour. If you are a landlord it takes almost 4 months to get a bad tenant removed so if a unit becomes available double the rent and deposit so you can.maybe make it to the other side.
Adding more affordable housing to the Hillsdale project is a great idea Thomas. Do we need the office space that is in the plan as it stands now? What we really need is more low income housing.
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Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
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Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.