Two New Short Films Put a Spotlight on San Mateo County History

This film provides an overview of the first contact between the native people of the San Francisco Peninsula and European explorers in 1769. Learn more about the effort to tell the history of the native Ohlone people who lived in the area and were instrumental in supporting the Spanish Portolá expedition with the creation of a heritage trail.

Don Francisco Sanchez, owner of Rancho San Pedro, built the Sanchez Adobe between 1842-1846. Today, it is a San Mateo County Park operated by the San Mateo County Historical Association.

The site is rich in history -- it was first home to a native Ohlone village, then was used by the Spanish, Mexicans and early Americans for a variety of uses. The site is now a County park operated in cooperation with the San Mateo County Historical Association. Learn more.

San Mateo County Supervisors Approve $28.7 million Toward Affordable Housing to Build or Rehab 1,068 units

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has approved $28.7 million for 12 projects in East Palo Alto, San Carlos, Daly City, San Mateo, Belmont, North Fair Oaks, Menlo Park and South San Francisco.

This is the largest allocation to date the County has made toward affordable housing. Approximately $27 million of the total is from Measure K, a countywide, voter-approved half-cent sales tax extension that provides local funds for local needs. Click on a photo or a pin on the map to learn more.

Since 2014, the Board of Supervisors has invested $114.9 million toward building, renovating and protecting housing that is affordable to individuals and families with low incomes. Each year, the County issues a “Notice of Funding Availability” where developers compete for grants. The majority of grant funds come from the Measure K local half-cent sales tax extension. For a detailed look at the County’s commitment to affordable housing, visit our Affordable Housing Dashboard.

 

More Measure K News

County Cuts Ribbon on New Regional Operations Center

 

The County of San Mateo in Sepember 2019 celebrated the completion of its new $64.5 million Regional Operations Center (ROC), a state-of-the-art and seismically safe facility to house its Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services, Public Safety Communications which operates 9-1-1 dispatch, and a secure data center.

"This is a momentous occasion for the County and so important for public safety. In San Mateo County, our community will be safer because of this modern facility and the fact that now we have a unified command center, said Supervisor Carole Groom, president of the Board of Supervisors.

The ROC, located on the County Center campus across from the parking garage in Redwood City, is the largest project to date funded by Measure K, the countywide half-cent sales tax extension. Learn more.

 

Your Measure K Funds at Work

The voters of San Mateo County have twice voiced their resounding support for improving the quality of life for all by endorsing a local tax to meet local needs.

In 2016, more than 70 percent of voters approved a measure to extend a previously approved half-cent sales tax for an additional 20 years, until 2043. The sales tax extension -- Measure K on the ballot -- raises approximately $85 million a year.

This interactive story map highlights numerous projects and services funded by the Board of Supervisors to meet local needs for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years (July 1 to June 30 of each year). For additional information, as well as financial audits of all Measure K revenues, visit our Financial Summary page.