Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial District 2
RECOMMENDATION:
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Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $50,000, to the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County for eviction defense services and tenant education, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
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BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
The Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and approved funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 budget cycle, divided evenly among the five supervisorial districts, for one-time district-discretionary needs and projects. District 2 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 2 (Supervisor Noelia Corzo) - Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: Eviction defense services and tenant education in District 2 |
$50,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018. District 2 indicates that this organization is either a public agency operating within the County or a nonprofit organization registered and in good standing with the California Attorney General. District 2 indicates that the sponsoring Board member, member’s family, and member’s supervisorial staff do not serve as an officer, director, or play a policy role for the grantee organization.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $50,000, to provide for eviction defense services and tenant education. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
District-discretionary Measure K funding for this organization has previously been provided as listed below:
• On May 23, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved $35,000 in district-discretionary Measure K funds to support additional staffing for Legal Aid’s Peninsula Family Advocacy Program, which assists low-income families with children with disabilities to access essential resources.
The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County (Legal Aid SMC)'s Housing Team provides comprehensive legal aid and education to tenants in San Mateo County, focusing on preventing displacement and ensuring that tenants know their rights. Housing Intake Line staff respond to calls each month from tenants facing eviction or other challenging circumstances, screening callers for legal issues, providing education on tenant rights, and scheduling appointments with attorneys when necessary.
Housing attorneys at Legal Aid SMC work to keep tenants in their homes by negotiating with landlords, representing tenant clients in court, and providing legal advice on eviction prevention. By offering education and direct legal services, Legal Aid SMC plays a crucial role in stabilizing housing for vulnerable tenants in District 2 who are at risk of eviction. Legal Aid SMC’s housing program is staffed by four attorneys and four bilingual, Spanish-speaking non-attorney staff members. For individuals who speak a language other than English or Spanish, Legal Aid uses a phone interpretation service for calls to its Housing Intake Line and appointments with attorneys.
However, Legal Aid SMC’s housing team is consistently at capacity and has to turn away eligible clients because they do not have the ability to take on additional cases. Because of the significant risk of eviction and displacement District 2 tenants face due to rising rents, and because of the significant language barriers to accessing accurate legal information, this grant meets an urgent unmet need for tenant legal services.
District 2 has informed the grantee organization that this grant is one-time only, and that the grantee organization will need to find other resources of funding going forward.
The grantee organization will use the Measure K grant as follows:
Budget:
|
Item |
Amount |
|
Personnel |
|
0.13 FTE Staff Attorney |
$12,989 |
|
0.10 FTE Staff Attorney |
$10,334 |
|
0.14 FTE Project Coordinator |
$8,793 |
|
Benefits @ 25% |
$8,029 |
|
Subtotal Personnel |
$40,145 |
|
Direct Costs |
|
Occupancy |
$1,288 |
|
Printing/Copying/Copier Lease |
$147 |
|
Supplies/Postage/Shipping |
$147 |
|
Telephone/Internet |
$231 |
|
Technology |
$734 |
|
Travel/Training |
$524 |
|
Books/Publications |
$157 |
|
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program |
$105 |
|
Subtotal Direct Costs |
$3,333 |
|
Indirect Costs @ 15% |
$6,522 |
|
TOTAL |
$50,000 |
The project or services funded by this district-discretionary grant will be implemented or provided between January 2025 and June 2025 and is estimated to be completed June 30, 2025.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $50,000
Other funders of Legal Aid SMC’s housing program include San Mateo County Department of Housing, the Sand Hill Foundation, the San Bruno Foundation, the City of Daly City, the City of San Mateo, the City of South San Francisco, the City of Redwood City, the City of Half Moon Bay, and the State Bar of California.
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
330 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 123
Redwood City, CA 94065
Allison Marseille
amarseille@legalaidsmc.org
650-517-8917
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Provide legal advice, referrals, assistance with Answers to Unlawful Detainers (eviction lawsuits) and other paperwork, and representation, when appropriate, to 17 District 2 households facing eviction or at risk of eviction. |
Complete |
|
Provide tenant education to 25 Housing Intake Line callers from District 2. |
Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
EQUITY IMPACT:
Low-income residents, residents of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals living with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by housing insecurity. Additionally, tenants who do not speak English as their primary language often have less access to information and resources about their rights as tenants. By offering education and direct representation to clients, Legal Aid SMC will help prevent evictions and maintain access to stable housing. This work is crucial for ensuring equitable access to housing, particularly for marginalized populations who face disproportionate risks of displacement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2024-25 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget.