Of life and death in the city

Thanks HAC, whose concerns might encourage a longer life for needed services at the Bridgepointe Shopping Center.

It may be too late to stop the early death of the Hillsdale Shopping Center’s Trader Joe’s, Barnes and Noble and other businesses there, due to a mixed use redevelopment moving forward on that part of that center.

Such development’s owners enjoy diversified incomes, from office and retail, plus ongoing income from 1,400 to 1,670 new housing units supported for the center’s sites.

Such financial returns justify San Mateo requiring a much higher percentage of affordable housing units than the city typically accepts.

Don’t overlook the fact that our public agencies benefit financially from conversion to housing of commercial buildings, due to reassessments increasing property tax revenue.

In exchange, that’s where a lower percentages of affordable housing might be offered as an incentive for conversion.

For the next General Plan update, new state-mandated housing needs might be met on the empty parking lots of larger office campuses.

Residents as well as downtown employees express their despair, due to many now-vacant lots in or near downtown San Mateo. Short-sighted city decisions too often result in premature vacancies and demolitions

Major grocery stores exiting also hurt the city’s historic core. Not causing its death, we hope.

Doug Handerson

San Mateo