After attending a 2023 City Council meeting in Millbrae, author and sociologist Matthew Desmond wrote in The New York Times, “Here I was in a county where 78 percent of the residents voted for Joe Biden, but the meeting had the dark energy of a Donald Trump rally, circa 2016. It felt like the whole town would rather burn down the La Quinta Inn than use it to house the most vulnerable.”
The matter at hand was the proposed conversion of a 100-room La Quinta Inn into permanent supportive housing for homeless residents. The project would be funded entirely through California’s Project Homekey initiative, which gives cities and counties grants to acquire a variety of buildings and convert them to housing for unsheltered people.
As a former mayor of Redwood City, just 12 miles down the Peninsula from Millbrae, I found it hard to read Desmond’s characterization of our county. The San Mateo I know has been a statewide leader in implementing Project Homekey sites. In Redwood City alone, we accepted state funds for not one but three Homekey projects. Today, these projects permanently house 220 of our most vulnerable, including previously homeless seniors. By comparison, the La Quinta site was proposed for just 100 units and has been whittled to 60.
The La Quinta Inn proposal eventually escalated out of control, leading to the recent recall of Millbrae Councilmembers Maurice Goodman and Angelina Callahan and a lawsuit filed by the city against San Mateo County. What it hasn’t done is create any permanent housing for the homeless — a loss for not only the people of Millbrae but for all of us in the Bay Area.
While the recall of Goodman and Callahan was unfortunate, the remaining Millbrae councilmembers have the opportunity to drop their baseless lawsuit and get to work steering the community in the right direction. They could start by providing accurate information about what Project Homekey does for their community. And they can look down the 101 for examples of how to get this done.
Prior to approving the three Homekey projects in Redwood City, we spent years negotiating a land swap with the county to accommodate an additional 240 residents in the Navigation Center. We encountered similar community concerns during the proposal of these projects, with strong opinions voiced at raucous meetings. But we worked together to bring our community along, rather than sow division and point fingers at colleagues.
Redwood City is not alone in San Mateo in its efforts to create housing for the most vulnerable. During the same 2023 meeting at which the county Board of Supervisors voted to acquire Millbrae’s La Quinta Inn, members voted to acquire a hotel in South San Francisco for a similar Homekey proposal, which resulted in no community protest and had strong support from that city’s council.
The Millbrae City Council has the opportunity to put a similar win on the board by coming with facts instead of succumbing to fears. One of the key concerns expressed by residents is a potential increase in 911 call volume at the La Quinta site. The site is proposed for families and seniors, so it is most analogous to the Shores Landing project for seniors in Redwood Shores. A recent review of 911 call data from that site shows no increase in call volume. With effective community engagement, this concern should be laid to rest.
Another falsehood that needs to be put to rest: Millbrae’s remaining councilmembers, Gina Papan, Ann Schneider, and Mayor Anders Fung claim they are suing the county to protect their city’s budget. Millbrae City Manager Tom Williams has claimed that La Quinta Inn has occupancy rates of at least 85%, generating annual tax revenue of more than $700,000. But the hotel’s owners say occupancy rates are closer to 60%, with proportionally lower tax receipts.
Even ignoring opposing numbers, it’s hard to believe Millbrae’s fight has anything to do with fiscal responsibility. According to Williams, the city had spent at least $230,000 on legal expenses related to its lawsuit as of May 14 — and that number is likely higher by now. Millbrae’s lawsuit has also forced the county to incur fees and costs of more than $218,000, according to an email from staff.
The legal expenses are bound to rise. The city recently appealed a Superior Court decision tossing its case. The costs to the county will be borne by taxpayers, including those of us in Redwood City who are doing our part to provide housing for homeless residents. It’s not just unfair; it goes against what we call “the San Mateo County way,” which prioritizes collaboration and teamwork across our mix of small cities.
So, Millbrae City Council, it’s up to you to change the tone: less Trump-rally vibes, more Harris/Walz rizz. Millbrae’s council can still redeem its reputation among fellow cities in San Mateo County. As Desmond points out, with political will, it can be done. Millbrae, do your part to meet the needs of all residents, just as other cities have. With the undeserved national spotlight this project has brought to our county, your neighbors up and down the 280 and 101 are watching.