Partly cloudy early then becoming cloudy with a wind-driven rain after midnight. Low near 60F. S winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..
Partly cloudy early then becoming cloudy with a wind-driven rain after midnight. Low near 60F. S winds at 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Updated: November 4, 2025 @ 6:33 pm
Editor,
The transformation of San Mateo is underway with higher housing costs and traffic gridlock. From historic downtowns to glossy tech towers. From diverse, family-oriented, suburban communities to micro-unit company towns. Demolition, displacement and gentrification. Many have been persuaded it’s inevitable. It isn’t.Â
Democracy is not a spectator sport. Are you still on the sidelines? There is a growing realization that those of us who live here should have a say in our future, not just the global tech corporations and real estate interests who have always unduly influenced local politics. Residents and voters are standing up and fighting back. Standing up to those who view our community as nothing more than an economic opportunity and a resource to be exploited.
These interests have chafed under rules that have protected San Mateo from development exploitation and can’t wait for them to expire. The threat is real. And if they are allowed to expire, three votes of the City Council will start approving much taller buildings. Traffic and school impacts will continue to be disregarded.Â
San Mateans for Responsive Government (SMRG) is circulating a petition to put the extension of the adopted height, density and affordable housing protections on the November ballot.Â
The clock is ticking. Don’t wait to join your friends and neighbors in keeping San Mateo livable. Join the fight.Â
Sign the petition today. Call (650) 539-4930, email limitheights2018@gmail.com or visit www.smartergrowthsm.com to see how you can help.
Keith Weber
San Mateo
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(2) comments
Measure P has never made San Mateo livable; in fact, for the last two decades, height and density limits under this measure have stifled growth and made San Mateo UN-livable for tens of thousands of low-income and middle-class families. This measure was wrong then, and it's wrong now.
"Democracy is not a spectator sport. Are you still on the sidelines?"
That's an interesting quote from someone who has written letters to the employers of young workers in an attempt to get them fired for participating in democracy. Now he claims to be against gentrification and displacement? Gentrification of who? These homeowners are sitting on multi million dollar investments. Displacement of who? In San Mateo a high school diploma is an eviction notice. No young high school graduate can afford to live here unless their parents are rich or they live with them.
Measure P has been in effect since 1991; has traffic got better since then? How about affordable housing that Keith likes to tell people he supports while he is simultaneously imposing height limits? If Measure P was really intended to protect against displacement and create more affordable housing whoever crafted it should be embarrassed. Since 1991, Measure P’s inclusionary ordinances have produced a total of 78 low-income condos and 164 rental units, according to San Mateo’s 2015 Housing Element Report. That’s fewer than 10 units per year. One tax credit property could build the entire history of Measure P's affordable housing stock.
Lets move away from this one size fits all height limit and allow developers to build taller buildings right on CalTrain and in downtown. Then we can leverage developers to add more affordable housing with density bonuses. That's what happened in Millbrae where housing advocates were able to leverage the developer to make 25% of their 400+ units affordable. That's over 100 affordable units! Measure P doesn't even create that in a decade.
Do your community and region a favor and let this failed Measure die. Don't be fooled by their fake concern for affordable housing. The overwhelming majority of housing advocates see Measure P as a detriment to creating more affordable housing not an advantage. Don't Sign!
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