San Mateo County approves Moss Beach affordable housing project
At least 25% of the units will be set aside for agricultural workers.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a new affordable housing project in Moss Beach north of Half Moon Bay, as well as an aid package of $34.5 million for various social services.
The Cypress Point housing development, located at the corner of Carlos and Sierra streets, will have 71 units, with one to three bedrooms, in 16 buildings. The project targets low-income workers, many of whom work at farms, hotels and other local businesses in the area.
At least 25% of the units will be set aside for agricultural workers.
All units, apart from the managers’ units, will be rented to households who earn less than 80% of the area’s median income — currently about $124,000 for a family of four.
Over 30 people, many from immigrant communities, spoke in favor of the project during the public comment portion of the board meeting. A few people opposed the project and expressed concern over the traffic it would create in the area, saying the roads in Moss Beach would not be able to handle the level of traffic the project would bring.
The project is located near popular beaches and tourist destinations.
Supervisor Ray Mueller said that concerns over traffic should be addressed, but should not postpone or delay construction of the much-needed affordable housing in the area.
Concern over the lack of adequate farmworker housing in Half Moon Bay was raised following a mass shooting last year that exposed workers living in squalid conditions.
Separately, the board also approved a $34.5 million aid package for various social services, including housing projects in San Mateo County, sourced from funds raised through Measure K, which extended a local sales tax.
The package allocates $15 million for housing and homelessness initiatives, $16 million for services for children, families and seniors, and $3.5 million for emergency preparedness efforts.
An additional $75.5 million was approved to fund existing services and programs.
“Measure K allows us to target our local public resources to address local needs,” said Warren Slocum, president of the Board of Supervisors. “We asked the public what they need to thrive. The answers we received are clear: programs and services focused on those most in need of a lift as well as improving our ability to plan for and respond to emergencies.”
Measure K, first approved by voters in 2016, is a half-cent county-wide sales tax extension which expires by 2043.
The tax extension provides a crucial revenue bucket for the county to fund critical projects and services. Last month, county staff estimated the county faces a budget shortfall of $69 million by the end of this fiscal year.
Earlier this month, the county secured an extra $4 million in federal funding for farmworker housing in Half Moon Bay and the renovations of a playground in Coyote Point.