If someone asked you the one thing you wanted for San Mateo County, what would you answer? That question was posed to the attendees at this weekend’s San Mateo County Chamber’s Progress Seminar, a 54-year-old event where San Mateo County leaders leave San Mateo County to talk about San Mateo County.
But I have to be honest. I was stumped by the question. One thing that I want for San Mateo County? There are so many local challenges!
How to focus on key issues so that we can prioritize and effectively drive change was one of the lessons of the weekend. The breakout sessions reflected some of the top issues and focus areas of our county right now, organized by people, place, and planet:
Real People. Real Jobs. Real Challenges
Housing – How Can We Truly Make an Impact?
2035 Is Coming – How is SMC Getting Ready for a Zero Carbon Emission Future?
The expert panelists came from businesses, labor, and nonprofits, providing a 360° view of the issues. As per usual in San Mateo County, there was an emphasis on collaboration and shared goals, business cards were exchanged, and conversations began that will continue beyond the weekend.
At Thrive, we have been busy helping build those cross-sector relationships, with events like the Thrive Community Forum: Summit on Partnerships in Educationhosted bythe Children & Education TAG and Stanford Haas Center for Public Service, San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), and East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring (EPATT). Over breakfast, community-based organizations and school district leaders spent quality time discussing leveraging and improving existing relationships and collaborating to serve the County's youth better. The highlight was the speed networking portion, where CBOs and school districts got to know each other- fast!
I would like to challenge you, as we're enjoying the sunshine and fresh energy of spring, to ask yourself: what one thing do you want to accomplish in San Mateo County and what do you need to get it done?
Please join us as we dig into these and other topic areas at our TAG meetings and other events!
This Wednesday, Thrive RISE’s topic is childcare during disasters, and on Thursday, the Environment & Sustainability TAG will address the resiliency of the electrical grid. In May, the focus will be on housing!
In partnership,
Petra Silton, Senior Director of Programs
Thrive team members Petra Silton, Senior Director of Programs (left), and Georgia Farooq, Executive Director (right), attended San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce’s 54th Progress Seminar in Santa Rosa this past weekend.
Thrive team members Petra Silton (left), and Yajaira Ortega, Policy and Advocacy Associate (right), visited the San Mateo County's Navigation Center.
Pictured left to right: Petra Silton; Nancy Magee, San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools; Davina Hurt, Belmont City Council; and Georgia Farooq at Progress Seminar.
Panelists discuss achieving a carbon-neutral future at Progress Seminar. Pictured left to right: Assemblymember Marc Berman; Rick Bonilla, Former Mayor of the City of San Mateo; and Nancy Magee.
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For Thrive and Community events, visit Thrive's Event page.
State Policy Updates
In Progress: CalNonprofits Improved Government-nonprofit Contracting Bills
AB 590 (Hart), which provides advance payments for all, and AB 860 (Valencia), which streamlines small grant programs, passed the Assembly Accountability & Administrative Review Committee unanimously and are now pending in Assembly Appropriations.
AB 619 (Fong, V), securing flexibility during emergencies, has passed the Assembly Emergency Management Committee unanimously and is currently pending in Assembly Appropriations.
AB 696 (Lowenthal), which modernizes processes, and AB 885 (Rivas, L), bringing fairness in contracting, will be heard on April 19 by the Assembly Accountability & Administrative Review Committee.
SB 336 (Umberg), which standardizes indirect cost coverage, and SB 557 (Limon), requiring equity in prompt payments, passed the Senate Governmental Organization Committee unanimously and are now pending in Senate Appropriations Committee.
Thrive is pleased to support Assembly Bill 764, which would amend California's local redistricting law, the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions Act, based on lessons learned from the 2020 redistricting cycle to strengthen the FMA's redistricting criteria, administrative requirements, public engagement requirements, and transparency measures. The bill would also extend critical standards, such as the redistricting criteria, to additional local jurisdiction types.
Thrive Alliance is committed to supporting our partners to advance community-based procedural changes to make local redistricting more accessible and community-driven. If your organization wants to join, use this sample support letter to write to your state representative. Find your representative here. Learn more about the bill here.
County Policy Updates
County Will Not Collude With ICE: Action Needed Today!
At the next Board of Supervisors meeting, TOMORROW, Tuesday, April 25, 9 am, Supervisor Mueller will introduce amendments. You can view agenda items #11 and #12 here. Join Thrive Alliance and 50 + organizations who have opposed any amendments to this ordinance. This ordinance, developed in collaboration with local organizations and community members, has been in the works for more than three years. Find more information below on how to get involved!
>> Read the letter led by Puente and Asian Law Caucus and sign on your organization to urge Supervisor Ray Mueller to halt any attempts to bring us backward by adding his amendments. The deadline is TODAY, April 24, at 5:00 pm.
>> RSVP to the Board of Supervisors' meeting TOMORROW, April 25, at 9:00 am to share a public comment in person or online.
$16.50 Minimum Wage for Unincorporated Areas
The Board of Supervisors passed "the first local minimum wage for areas that range from commercial corridors to coastal farmland." Read more here.
Housing Update: Navigation Center & Affordable Housing
County's First Navigation Center Opens
Thrive Alliance was excited to be invited by the County and LiveMoves to tour San Mateo County's Navigation Center. During our visit, we learned about all the services, amenities, and funding to help run this center successfully.
The League of Women Voters North & Central Chapter hosted Affordable Housing in San Mateo County: Behind the Numbers. Watch the replay here.
Save the Date
Thrive Alliance, Housing Leadership Council, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will host the next Housing Element event for May's Affordable Housing Month: Housing Elements & You: Next Steps for Affordable Housing, Tuesday, May 23, 4 - 6 pm.
Update: Independent Civilian Oversight of Sheriff
The Board of Supervisors passed oversight of the Sheriff's Office and directed staff and the ad hoc committee to return to the full Board with a proposal that involves both an Inspector General and a civilian board.
There has been no progress since then. Fixin' San Mateo is calling all supporters to remind the Board of Supervisors of the crucial need for this oversight. Call into the next couple of board meetings. Find the meeting calendar here.
Thrive News
Thrive RISE
The storms we experienced this winter highlighted the need for more vital collaboration and communication across nonprofits and government that facilitates quick and community-informed action during emergencies. Thrive RISE – a network of nonprofits, community- and faith-based organizations, and government partners, builds cross-sector relationships and a medium for communication before, during, and after emergencies. Every organization has a role to play in community emergencies, including yours.
VEOAC - Voter Education and Outreach Advisory Committee
During the Voter Education and Outreach Advisory Committee (VEOAC) meeting hosted by Dr. Mindy Romero,Founder and Director ofThe Center for Inclusive Democracy, we shared data on the turnout for the 2022 elections in our county with breakdowns by specific demographics so we can better target our voter education and outreach for the next round of elections, which are coming up sooner than you think!
CID's voter turnout for San Mateo County by precinct here
At Thrive'sEnvironment & Sustainability TAGentitledHow Do We Get There? Affordable and Accessible Public Transportation for All, we discussed the challenges faced by Rise South City's community members, who shared experiences of frequent bus delays, inadequate routes, and limited access. Supervisor David Canepa stressed the importance of equity and promised to investigate specific bus lines. Gina Papan, Council Member and MTC Commissioner acknowledged the issues and pledged to work towards improving reliability and efficiency. Guest experts from SPUR and Seamless Bay Area discussed the Transit Fiscal Cliff and ways to advocate for better public transportation, such as long-term funding and community input. Let's keep working towards providing accessible, affordable, and reliable public transportation to all residents in the County.
This Thursday, Thrive will discuss policies and practices that build the resilience of electricity delivery systems to prevent future outages and avoid adverse impacts on our communities altogether. Join Thrive and State Senator Josh Becker for Keeping the Power On: Energy Resilience in San Mateo County. Details and registration are below.
The Arts & Culture TAG celebrated April as Arts & Culture Advocacy Month with a special meeting at the beautiful AZ Gallery at Tanforan. The focus was on how the sector can get involved in local arts advocacy with a focus on affordable studio space for artists with examples of what has worked well in the past and some current efforts. If you missed the session, you could view the presentation slides here.
Keesha Weekes, Executive Director of EPATT at the Children & Education Partnerships in Education Summit.
Upcoming Thrive Events
Thrive RISE
Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, April 26, 10:00 - 11:30 am, Virtual
Join the countywide coalition of Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD), Thrive RISE, for our Monthly Meeting. We'll review some lessons learned from the storms and develop goals for how the COAD can support community risk reduction moving forward. All organizations are welcome, regardless of sector or experience in responding to community emergencies.
Special Session: Coordinating Childcare in Disasters
The disasters our communities have experienced this winter have reminded us again how vulnerable the childcare sector is to shock events like flooding, power outages, and acts of violence. When childcare facilities shut down, parents, including first responders, cannot work, and children miss significant peer social and learning time. Coordinating alternative childcare spaces in disasters is crucial to meeting families' economic and socio-emotional needs during emergencies. In partnership with Project Camp, Thrive RISE is laying the groundwork to launch temporary childcare spaces during emergencies. Still, this work requires the engagement and participation of education, childcare, and other community stakeholders.
Join us at the next Thrive RISE meeting, April 26, 10:00 - 11:30 am, for this particular session on coordinating childcare in disasters. Participants will also have the opportunity to share other organizational updates. All are welcome!
Nonprofit Functionality & Continuity of Operations After Disasters Training
Thursday, May 11, 10:00 - 12:00 pm, Virtual
Disasters and emergencies impact staff availability, communications, available funding and resources, and access to facilities, inhibiting an organization's functionality and ability from providing critical services to communities. This 2-hour course will cover the planning steps nonprofits should take to support the continuity of operations, including developing backup communications, contingency plans for staff availability, and more.
Keeping the Power On Energy Resilience in San Mateo County
Thursday, April 27, 2:30 - 4:00 pm, Hybrid
Extreme weather events this winter have repeatedly caused long-lasting blackouts in many San Mateo County communities, leading to health risks for medically energy-dependent residents, interruptions to daily life, prolonged lack of heating, and spoiled food. The susceptibility of our electricity delivery infrastructure to natural hazards is evident, yet public conversations on power outages have so far tended to focus only on the impacts of the blackouts rather than the root cause. Promoting policies and practices that build the resilience of electricity delivery systems is key to preventing future outages and avoiding adverse impacts on our communities altogether.
With the help of speakers from the academic and public sectors, we will explore why our electricity infrastructure is susceptible to failure and why it is challenging to develop concrete policy solutions to reduce the likelihood of future outages. Most importantly, we will map out potential strategies that will reduce the incidence of outages as well as the impacts on residents when they do occur.
Our guest experts will include:
Irma Rodriguez Mitton, South Coast Sustainable, Executive Director and Pescadero resident
State Senator Josh Becker
Cristina Crespo Montañés, UC Berkeley: Energy and Resources Group,Research Affiliate
Liang Min, Stanford: Bits & Watts Initiative, Managing Director
Note: The event will be in Redwood City. This event is free to attend, but registration is required. Spanish translations via Zoom. Light refreshments will be provided during the group discussion.
Why San Mateo County Needs Unarmed Responses to Mental Health Crises
Wednesday, April 26, 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Please join the ACLU-North Peninsula Chapter for Safety and Support: Why San Mateo County Needs Unarmed Responses to Mental Health Crises, a virtual event on Wednesday, April 26th, at 7:00 pm.
Featured speakers are community members Gloria Brown and Jennifer Ruiz, Half Moon Bay Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez, El Centro de Libertad Executive Director Jeff Essex, and San Mateo County Behavioral Health Commission Chair Chris Rasmussen.
California’s New Motor Voter Law: What has been the reform’s impact on the make-up of the state’s registered electorate?
Thursday, April 27, 12:00 - 1:00 pm
The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and the Center for Inclusive Democracy at USC present: A legislative briefing series examining voter access in California elections and its impact on the changing make-up of the state’s electorate. Register here.
Speakers:
Eric McGhee, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)
Mindy Romero, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)
Nonprofit Equity Initiative: Seven Bills for Historic Change
Wednesday, May 3, 11:00 - 12:00 pm
Join CalNonprofits to hear from those on the frontlines of theSeven Bills for Historic Change'seffort. Get a quick recap of the bills, the backstory, and how you can help push for these critical changes. Now is the time for all of us to speak up loudly -- and let our elected officials know how important these bills are to our work, communities, and future! Register here.
Building Progress: Affordable Housing Policy Breakfast and Tour
Friday, May 12, 9:00 - 1:30 pm
Join Housing Leadership Council's upcoming Affordable Housing Policy Breakfast and Tour for a chance to gather with elected officials and advocates, all committed to making affordable housing a priority. You'll have the opportunity to hear from these officials, ask 1:1 questions, learn about the latest housing policies, and celebrate recent victories with those working tirelessly to make housing more affordable and accessible for all. Register here.
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