San Mateo County’s local housing voucher program is an innovative way to use local funds to support housing for people with extremely low incomes. With funding from Project Homekey, the County has purchased five former hotels for conversion into temporary and permanent supportive housing. Residents will have access to individualized services including case management, healthcare education and services, housing stability support, life skills, and other programming. Homekey funds covered the costs of acquiring and converting the properties, but the comprehensive services offered by these projects require subsidies to cover the long-term operating costs.
To fill those gaps San Mateo County created a local housing voucher program, inspired in part by the federal Section 8 rental assistance. The vouchers provide a flat, project-based subsidy over a 15-year commitment, with continued funding will come largely from Measure K sales tax proceeds.
- Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo
- San Mateo County