San Mateo affordable housing gets big funding boost

San Mateo County, Calif., officials opted Tuesday to spend $43.75 million over the next two years to boost the number of housing units geared at working families.

The county's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate more than a quarter of the annual proceeds from the Measure K sales tax toward affordable housing, according to a news release. Measure K, which extends an existing sales tax through March 31, 2043 and was approved by voters last year, raises approximately $80 million annually.

The allocation is less than the $50 million proposed in April by Supervisor Dave Pine, but more than $30 million initially agreed on for housing.

Of the funds, $35.75 million will go to the county's Affordable Development and Preservation Fund; $5 million will go to the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust, a loan fund toward workforce housing; $1.4 million for tenant assistance programs; and $1.6 million for ongoing programming and staffing. The board earlier earmarked $22 million for the Preservation Fund, saying it could create 600 new units for seniors and begin development of 800 more units. The 62 percent funding increase suggests those figures could go significantly higher.

Supervisors on Tuesday also committed Measure K funds to expand learning and literacy programs; build a new regional operations center for 911 dispatchers and other emergency and support services for veterans and seniors; and improve health and mental health services.

Since 2012, the county said it has spent $56.5 million toward 908 new housing units, of which 268 are complete, 73 are under construction and 567 are in development, according to the news release. It has also spent $13.1 million toward the preservation of 86 affordable rental units.

Supervisors are expected to consider final recommendations for the 2017-2019 budget in June, with adoption expected in September.

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