It isn’t easy being a renter in San Mateo. Rents here are among the highest in the nation and continue rising far faster than wages. According to Apartments.com, the average one bedroom costs about $2,965 a month, and a two bedroom nearly $3,802. Yet many of the workers our community depends on like, EMTs, security guards, preschool teachers, ambulance drivers, and child care providers, earn between $3,250 and $5,333 a month. Too many households are spending more than half their income just to stay housed.
These are the people who cook our food, care for our children, keep our parks clean and show up in emergencies. They deserve stability, but instead, many are doubled up, delaying medical care, or living in constant fear of displacement.
Earlier this year, renters came together to ask the San Mateo City Council to adopt modest, proven policies to prevent no-fault evictions, cases where tenants are pushed out despite doing nothing wrong. Unfortunately, at the April study session, the council dismissed these proposals without meaningful engagement or outside expert analysis. Other nearby cities, like Redwood City, have taken a more thorough approach.
Since April, federal cuts have made life even harder for low- and moderate-income families by stripping away basic supports like food and health care. Now more than ever, renters are urging the City Council to revisit eviction protections, seek expert input, and make decisions rooted in real data. Our neighbors deserve fair consideration and a real chance to stay in the community.
Thanks for your letter, Mr. Arellano-Rosales, and for highlighting a number of issues with rising rents. But what potential solutions would you propose? Rent control, although shown to reduce the number of units for rent, won’t increase supply. Rent control will only help those who live in existing units. A few potential solutions…increase supply by building more units; increase supply by removing those who’ve entered our country illegally and are taking up residence in units that could be rented to American citizens; increase supply by creating more jobs outside the area so existing folks will move to more affordable units. Those actions will increase supply and positively affect the supply/demand ratio.
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Thanks for your letter, Mr. Arellano-Rosales, and for highlighting a number of issues with rising rents. But what potential solutions would you propose? Rent control, although shown to reduce the number of units for rent, won’t increase supply. Rent control will only help those who live in existing units. A few potential solutions…increase supply by building more units; increase supply by removing those who’ve entered our country illegally and are taking up residence in units that could be rented to American citizens; increase supply by creating more jobs outside the area so existing folks will move to more affordable units. Those actions will increase supply and positively affect the supply/demand ratio.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.