Dear Marci,

This past month has seen a lot of emotion over the County purchase of one hotel to house families and seniors facing homelessness. At the same time, in another community, we saw support and community compassion for these same individuals.

At our September 12 Board of Supervisors – we heard from over 200 residents of Millbrae, including members of their City Council, regarding our purchase of the La Quinta Hotel. See the story below for more details. Some of the public comments were difficult to hear with a lack of compassion and understanding.

According to County data, some 38% of our unhoused are seniors. And most recently, we had 30 families on our waiting list to be housed. Without question, we must take care of our most vulnerable – and unhoused elderly and families are acutely vulnerable.

Imagine the impact on children who are unhoused. According to the National Alliance on Homelessness – these children have higher levels of emotional and behavioral issues, increased risk of serious health problems, more likely to experience separations from their families, and have lower academic performance.

This is 100% about compassion – and about who we are as a community. And our Board came to the right decision in this purchase – in a 4-1 vote – because these families who will move into the La Quinta will finally have a place to call home. And they most definitely deserve this. As Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted, noted: “Decent, affordable housing should be a basic right for everybody in this country. The reason is simple: without stable shelter, everything else falls apart. The home is the center of life. It is a refuge from the grind of work, the pressure of school, and the menace of the streets.”

Thank you for taking a moment to read our September newsletter. And if you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Warren Slocum

Tickets are now on sale for the San Mateo County Veterans Commission 8th Annual Veterans Recognition Lunch that will be held on Thursday, November 9^th at the Westin SFO in Millbrae.

This year’s honorees are remarkable in their work as veterans and for veterans. We will honor as Veterans of the Year two very special individuals. For the first time, a World War II veteran Al Adreveno (U.S. Army) will be honored alongside his son-in-law, Vietnam veteran (U.S. Navy) John Muller, known as "Farmer John" to all. Both have served their community of Half Moon Bay as Mayors and on the City Council – and as decades-long tireless volunteers on the coast and beyond. Consummate volunteer Peggy Toye, president of the American Legion Auxiliary District 26, has been selected as the Patriot of the Year, and PGA HOPE Norcal, a non-profit that introduces golf to veterans to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being is the Enterprise of the Year. Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, Pacific Area Commander of the United States Coast Guard, will deliver the keynote address.

As a proud U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, it’s important that we recognize the work and sacrifice of our veterans and their advocates. Equally important is how that spirit of service is so inspiring the rest of us.

Tickets can be purchased here for this sure-to-sell-out event!

LATINX HERITAGE MONTH

Every year Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 through October 15 to embrace the history, culture, and contributions of Latin American countries and individuals.

I am so proud to represent District 4, particularly North Fair Oaks, with our large Hispanic and Latinx community. Here in San Mateo County, Hispanics represent nearly 24% of our population. The Latinx culture is deeply rooted in many places in our County but especially in North Fair Oaks – from the restaurants on Middlefield Road, to the community celebrations and our large Spanish-speaking community. And we are proud of all the contributions the Latinx community has done and continues to do to enhance our diversity of culture.

San Mateo County Libraries are a wonderful resource to learn more about Latinx Heritage Month. All month, they will be featuring an array of programming to educate, entertain and enjoy – including my favorite, mariachi and ballet folklorico at several locations.

At our October 3 Board meeting, Supervisor Noelia Corzo and I will present a proclamation celebrating Latinx Heritage Month.

HEALTHY COMMUNITY MURAL CELEBRATION – OCT. 7!

It has been years in the making – and the day is finally here! Artist Emily Fromm is about to complete the 19 panel murals known as the Healthy Community Mural. And we are going to celebrate this beautiful and moving set of murals, located at the 5^th Avenue underpass in North Fair Oaks.

Join us on Saturday, October 7 from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm to celebrate the completion of these beautiful murals! Meet artist Emily Fromm and take a tour of the new murals and reflect on the message sent to the community through this creative and meaningful work of art.

Many thanks to the Healthy Community Mural Committee for their work on seeing this project to completion – from vision to reality. Thank you to the partners involved including El Concilio of San Mateo County, Casa Circulo Cultural, the North Fair Oaks branch of the San Mateo County Library System, Siena Youth Center, La Quinta Pizza and Joel Bartlett Photographer. And thank you to the project sponsors, our San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture, Collectivo Cultural de North Fair Oaks, North Fair Oaks Community Council, and the North Fair Oaks Community Alliance.

For additional information, visit the mural website.

A New Director of Emergency Management: At our September 12 Board meeting, the Board unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Shruti Dhapodkar as the new director of the Department of Emergency Management. Dr. Dhapodkar will lead this department that is tasked with coordinating countywide emergency planning, response and recovery.

Dr. Dhapodkar most recently served as an emergency manager at San Mateo County Health since 2017. In that role, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was a liaison with the Association of Bay Area Health Officials. She also helped to launch and coordinate mass testing and mass vaccination sites with a focus on reaching communities most at risk.

As Chair of the Emergency Services Council, I look forward to working closely with Dr. Dhapodkar as we prepare for the challenges from earthquakes, wildfires, floods and other threats to our County.

A hearty thank you to Don Mattei who served as Interim Director of Emergency Management through some trying times, particularly this past winter. We wish him well on his retirement!

You can read more about our new Director of Emergency Management here. 

Did you know that September is Library Card Sign Up Month? There is nothing more empowering than getting your own library card. It gives you access to technology, resources, and services to pursue your passion and dreams. Click here to sign up for a San Mateo County Library System card.

The Port of Redwood City is holding Rock the Dock concert series at 475 Seaport Court in Redwood City every Saturday through November! All entertainment is free and starts from 4:30-7:00 p.m. With live music, fresh air and local food vendors, it’s a great way to spend a day on the bay.

The North Fair Oaks Community Council is recruiting for three members: a full voting member, a Youth member and one alternate Youth member. It’s a great way to become more involved in your community – consider applying here by October 6^th!

And if you do not live or work in North Fair Oaks, there are other County Boards and Commissions that have vacancies and could use your experience and expertise to help in County initiatives and efforts. For more information or to apply – click here.

The San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division is seeking seasonal Vote Center Trainers to assist in the upcoming March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary. Training is expected to begin January 3, 2024 and those hired can expect to work for about 9 weeks. Apply here.