SMC Sends Final Budget Plan To Board Of Supervisors

REDWOOD CITY, CA — The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will vote later this month on a revised $4.4 billion budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, reflecting an added $365 million in spending from the earlier proposal released in June.

The additional spending will bolster the county's stated priorities, including efforts to end homelessness, expand mental health services, and support financially vulnerable residents, particularly as COVID-era state and federal safety nets come to an end. The added funds will also help pay for new fire engines, more body-worn cameras and mobile probation centers.

"We know that more resources are needed to provide not just shelters but to provide affordable housing and also the supports vulnerable residents need to prevent homelessness in the first place," said County Executive Mike Callagy. "This revised budget continues to further the county's commitment to ending homelessness — that is providing the services needed for every individual experiencing homelessness who wants services."

Here are the key changes in the revised budget plan:

Housing and Homelessness
• Increases in general assistance to qualified low-income residents.
• Funds designated for farm labor housing, affordable housing.
• Shelter operations.

Emergency Preparedness
• Expanding fire mitigation measures (fuel reduction, other projects).
• Addition of two emergency managers focusing on earthquake preparedness.

Health and Mental Health
• Increasing funding for crisis response teams, Mental Health Services Act.
• Implementation of project to transfer paper patient records to electronic health records.

Public Safety
• Expanding use of body-worn cameras throughout the Sheriff’s Office.
• Funding for fire engine replacement.
• Creating “Mobile Probation Service Centers” to serve as additional sites where clients can report in and receive services.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public vote on the final budget plan on Sept. 26.