July 5, 2023
For Immediate Release

Board of Supervisors to Study Tenant Protections in the Unincorporated Areas
Redwood City — The Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting July 10 to learn about tenant issues in the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County and potential new protections to help prevent homelessness, sanction harassment of tenants and aid those with criminal records in finding housing.

County staff, including from the County Attorney’s Office, will inform the Board about potential rental protections. These may include prohibitions on landlords forcing tenants to vacate through bad-faith actions such as failing to make repairs, performing unnecessary renovations and violating privacy; evicting educators and parents of school-age children during the school year; and, considering prior and specific criminal convictions or accusations that occurred in the prior seven years.

The Board will not vote on any proposal at the July 10 meeting but may provide staff with direction, including to bring back an ordinance for consideration at a later date.

WHAT: Special San Mateo County Board of Supervisors meeting

WHEN: Monday, July 10, 2023, 9 a.m. to noon

WHERE: The meeting will be held in person in Board Chambers, 400 County Government Center, Redwood City and virtually. The agenda and Zoom link will be available here.

BACKGROUND: A Legal Aid Society of San Mateo report found that 50 percent of households that defended evictions in court experienced at least one bout of homelessness thereafter with female and Latino/Hispanic renters most at risk. Criminal records are another barrier, with 36 percent of homeless individuals reporting that having one has made it difficult to obtain housing, according to a 2023 statewide survey by the University of California at San Francisco.