XPost: alt.society.homeless, alt.society.liberalism, alt.california
XPost: sac.politics
Residents in the liberal Bay Area town of Millbrae are trying to block a proposal to transform a hotel located near a school into housing for the homeless.
The tiny liberal town 15 miles south of San Francisco — where the average
home price is $1.9 million — is slated to approve the Project Homekey plan
to turn a La Quinta hotel into a 99-unit apartment complex for unhoused
people.
But hundreds of angry residents opposed to the project packed a community
room on Friday to voice their concerns.
“It’s very close to children,” Millbrae resident Ho Yeung told NBC Bay
Area. “It’s a block from three schools. So we don’t want to see that.”
Like many towns in California, homelessness has become an increasing
problem in San Mateo County, where Millbrae is located.
During the latest “point in time” count conducted in February, there was a total of 1,092 homeless people in the county. That was a 20% increase
compared to 2019, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Patricia Lam attended the meeting holding a sign that said, “Keep our
children and seniors safe.”
“We’re concerned about this project,” she told NBC Bay Area. “The reason
why is because it’s right in the heart of Millbrae.”
The meeting quickly deteriorated into a shouting match, with angry
residents booing and shouting down county officials.
San Mateo County Executive Mike Callagy asked residents to give the
project a chance.
“They’re worried about crime, they’re worried about assaults, they’re
worried about drugs and mental health impacting the neighborhoods,”
Callagy said. “That has just not been our experience.”
The $33 million project will be operated by the nonprofit organization Episcopal Community Services if it is approved.
Beth Stokes, a spokesperson with the nonprofit, said there will be staff
on hand 24/7 to provide the hotel residents with case management support.
San Mateo County used state funds to purchase five hotels with a combined
315 beds, many of which have already been filled, according to the San
Mateo Daily Journal.
The city also launched another program that connected 119 homeless people
who were squatting at Millbrae’s BART station. About 95% of Millbrae’s
homeless population congregated at the city’s BART station, which is the
main mode of transportation for many residents who work and shop in San Francisco.
However, only 31 of the homeless agreed to receive case management
services within the first six months and one person was placed in
permanent housing, city officials said.
Frustrated Millbrae residents said they are already disproportionately
paying for the Bay Area’s homeless problems compared to wealthier
neighboring cities.
Paul Larson, who owns the funeral home located across from the La Quinta
hotel, told CBS News Bay Area that losing the La Quinta as a functioning
hotel would hurt Millbrae even further.
Visitors who stay at the hotel pay an occupancy tax that contributes about $600,000 per year to the city’s coffers, he said.
“Having a way for the homeless or the people who need help to get out of
that situation is good, but at the same time, you have to look at the surrounding community. What are their needs,” Larson said. “Losing a hotel
in Millbrae is like cutting off a finger.”
Rgr175
21 August, 2023
This is a heavily Democratic town in San Mateo County which is also
heavily Democratic. Both the county and the city have voted and raised a tremendous amount of money for Democrats for as long as I can remember.
It’s about time they realize Democrats don’t care what the voters want.
With an average home price of 1.9 million dollars, this is one of the
cheaper cities in the county so there was never a question of where the homeless would end up. And no, the Democrats don’t care about the children
or the elderly. I think they’ve made that abundantly clear by now.
https://nypost.com/2023/08/21/residents-of-liberal-bay-area-town-millbrae- protest-hotel-for-homeless/
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)