On September 12, 2023, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to purchase two hotels and turn them into homeless shelters. These hotels would be located in Millbrae and South San Francisco. In total, this plan would be able to bring 120 permanent residences for the homeless people of our community. Furthermore, the residents of these shelters would have access to healthcare and counseling.
On a 4 to 1 vote, the board agreed to purchase the Millbrae residence for $33 million and separately, they agreed to purchase the South San Francisco residence for $11 million. While this seems like a very optimistic plan, many locals are protesting the addition of homeless shelters.
(photo of the Millbrae Residence)
Some members of the community are concerned about increased tax rates as well as the safety of their children at a school near the shelter. Around 60 people protested the decision, urging supervisors to postpone and reconsider the decision. Even the mayor of Millbrae is opposing the sale, stating that the city is losing a vital source of revenue.
Although there are oppositions against this plan, ultimately San Mateo County has made their decision, despite all the backlash. I thought that this decision revealed the sense of superiority that the county has over the cities, and found it similar to the scope of the federal and state governments. Under the Constitution, specifically the Supremacy clause that we learned about, federal law trumps state law. I saw a connection here, where the county ruling trumped the city ruling.
I think that this issue is difficult to comment on, especially from someone not directly affected by the decision. On one hand, I believe that homelessness is a huge problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Anyone who has walked in San Francisco can attest to how sad and sometimes scary seeing people living on the streets can be. Recently, there were also tents that showed up in Downtown San Mateo's Central Park. The reality is that lately, affordable housing is hard to come by. I also think that as a community, it is important that those who are able to give back should provide for the homeless. However, I also agree with citizens that having a homeless shelter near a school and within a community could potentially be scary, if not dangerous.
Websites used:
https://www.smcgov.org/ceo/news/county-purchase-two-hotels-convert-supportive-housing-key-step-countys-functional-zero
https://localnewsmatters.org/2023/09/15/community-upset-as-san-mateo-board-allows-to-turn-millbrae-hotel-into-homeless-housing/
https://www.ktvu.com/news/controversy-over-buying-la-quinta-inn-in-millbrae-for-homeless
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/peninsula/millbrae-hotel-housing-homeless-people/3316072/
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/county-plan-to-purchase-millbrae-hotel-approved-despite-pushback/
https://hoodline.com/2023/09/millbrae-community-divided-over-33-million-hotel-conversion-for-homeless/
7 comments:
I think this issue also ties into the republican form of government. Rather than using direct democracy and asking the people their opinion on the purchase of a homeless shelter, the board, which is made up of representatives, made the decision on its own. This could help explain how the decision was made and maintained despite protests.
Touching on the relationships in a federal system, I wanted to add (from the article linked below) that the person on the board who disagreed in the 4-1 vote did so partly because they were hesitant to, as a county, mandate something for a city. However, I think this situation is a reminder that local governments ultimately are not sovereign, which is what permits counties to have a final say in what happens in cities. I do think that it is important, especially locally, that governments collaborate on issues, and there may be backlash if counties repeatedly "pull rank" and make decisions without consulting city governments. For this issue on homelessness, however, it makes more sense to organize a solution at a county level.
I also sympathize with both sides of the argument. I'm happy that the county is paying more attention to homeless people and making space for them in cities. I also appreciate that they are not only providing housing but also healthcare and counseling to help people without shelter move forward. However, I can understand the complaints by people that it can be dangerous and expensive, and I'm also wondering if it will also bring down the value of nearby residences and businesses.
https://abc7news.com/san-mateo-county-board-of-supervisors-millbrae-affordable-housing-la-quinta-inn-hotel-conversion/13775898/
Similarly to Carole, I really only see the overwhelmingly negative sentiment against this project. Due to its close proximity to senior citizen homes and schools, citizens are angry as this can pose a severe threat to disadvantaged and not of-age citizens of their city. Additionally, driving through El Camino in Millbrae proves that this hotel is truly in the heart of Millbrae- one of many resident's main complaints about this project. Connecting to a larger issue that many middle-class citizens feel, frustrated Millbrae residents said they are "already disproportionately paying for the Bay Area’s homeless problems compared to wealthier neighboring cities." This extends to the thematic issue of people's views of their government being too overbearing and perhaps surpassing their jurisdiction and not necessarily aiding each person to how it should be seen fit.
https://nypost.com/2023/08/21/residents-of-liberal-bay-area-town-millbrae-protest-hotel-for-homeless/
Although it is a controversial topic, crime rates near homeless shelters are a legitimate concern for people to have. According to a study run by the University of Pennsylvania in Vancouver, "The presence of a shelter appears to cause property crime to increase by 56% within 100m of that shelter, with thefts from vehicles, other thefts, and vandalism driving the increase." Since these specific shelters in Millbrae are near schools, this concern is especially strong. I agree with the idea that homeless shelters are a necessary and beneficial aspect of our society, but at the end of the day, the best way to treat homelessness is by curing the problem itself. Why are people going homeless in the first place? Well, there's a variety of reasons, but there are quite too many for me to go into without a tailored blog post. With that being said, the San Francisco Chronicle states that there are 60,000 vacant homes in the city. That's an insane number! These are all forms of shelter that can help our homeless population in the city get the help that they so desperately need. Unfortunately, many land lords are holding back on renting their apartments and placing them in the market in hopes of those units rising in price. This just isn't fair though. By doing this, the real estate market gets inflated, and the reality of paying rent month by month becomes increasingly more difficult for the working class of the city. Hopefully there will be more government intervention to offer our homeless community much more support since if we were to allow this plague of homelessness to continue, then this problem will persist. It should be our duty to help others if we have the means!
https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/SF-Victorian-vacant-17542833.php#:~:text=Supporters%20of%20Prop%20M%20have,vacant%20homes%20in%20San%20Francisco.
https://crim.sas.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Ridgeway_Effect%20of%20Emergency%20Shelters-v5_1.2.2018.pdf
(I forgot to post the links I've been using for sources)
I think this is a complicated issue and there are valid arguments to both sides of the argument. While homelessness is a huge issue that needs to be addressed, the residents' concern for safety is a very valid point as well.
According to this research article University of Pennsylvania: https://crim.sas.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Ridgeway_Effect%20of%20Emergency%20Shelters-v5_1.2.2018.pdf
"The presence of a shelter is associated with an increase in property and
mischief crime, with a decreasing effect with increasing distance from the shelter", this research study was conducted over the course of 10 years, and their evidence clearly showed that there was an increased rate of crime near a homeless shelter.
I do think it is vital that homelessness is addressed, I am glad the government is being proactive about it. But, I feel like the location they chose for it is incorrect, notably having it be near a school, I don't believe that was a wise decision. Solving one social issue should not cause problems to another. In this case, actions being taken towards reducing homelessness is risking public safety.
I agree with Ashley and Mia. This issue is very complicated and both sides have very valid arguments. It is understandable that people who live in Milbrae and South San Francisco may feel their safety may be at risk, but homelessness has been an issue for years and I am glad that our county is finally addressing it. Personally, I feel like the homeless have been given a bad rep in general, but I do agree that putting the shelter near a school wasn't the best location. The majority of people think that if you give them money, they will use it to buy drugs because they became homeless due to being addicted to drugs. In reality, many of them are homeless because they have no choice/opportunity to try and get out of it. I have seen videos of people helping the homeless who genuinely want to pick themselves back up and reestablish themselves in society. This is the least we can do to provide a safe space for those who are trying to get back on their feet. I have seen so many people walk past the homeless who are begging for food and ignore them, it is almost as if people see them as below them, dirty, and nonhuman. I am glad San Mateo County is starting to address this issue. I hope they continue to try and fix this issue because according to the County of San Mateo, the number of homeless people in 2022, has grown to 1,808 after the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase of 20% from 2019. Moreover, according to Cal Matters, the number of homeless people in California in 2022 has risen to 173,800 after the pandemic (an increase of AT LEAST 22,500 since 2019).
https://www.smcgov.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/2022%20One%20Day%20Homeless%20Count%20Executive%20Summary%20%281%29.pdf
https://calmatters.org/housing/2022/10/california-homeless-crisis-latinos/
While I believe it's crucial to address homelessness, I appreciate the government's proactive stance on the matter. However, I have reservations about the chosen location, particularly its proximity to a school, which I think was an unwise decision. Resolving one social issue should not compromise the safety of another, and in this case, the measures taken to alleviate homelessness may pose a risk to public safety.
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