Workshop Summary
Over the coming year, San Mateo County will pursue an education and listening program with the cities of San Mateo County to develop a measure that will promote affordable homes pursuant to Article 34, to be placed on the ballot during a later election cycle. First passed in 1950, Article 34 “appealed to racist fears about integrating neighborhoods” with the intent of keeping affordable housing and communities of color from entering certain areas. Article 34 requires all publicly subsidized low-income housing to undergo a ballot referendum.
This workshop will help teach participants about a new preservation program being developed by HEART of SMC, the ways in which Article 34 limits HEART’s ability to preserve affordable homes and otherwise hamstrings the County, and the County’s plans to educate about Article 34 and potentially bring a new ballot measure forward.
Speakers
Moderator: James Coleman
South San Francisco, Mayor
James Coleman is a lifelong resident of South San Francisco, attending Ponderosa Elementary, Alta Loma Middle School, and South San Francisco High School. After graduating, James went on to Harvard University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology with a minor in Government. James has interned at Bayer Berkeley and worked at a neuroscience lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has also been an organizer involved with the Alliance for Climate Education, the Harvard Undergraduates for Environmental Justice, and Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard.
James was elected in 2020, becoming the city’s youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ member of the City Council. He is passionate about improving early childhood education, addressing climate change, and making South City a safe, affordable, and enjoyable place to live.
Armando Sanchez
HEART of San Mateo County, Executive Director
Armando joined HEART in 2016. He is a recognized housing professional with a broad range of experience in real estate development, finance, management and marketing. His background includes extensive consulting for government and non-profit agencies in the housing field. He holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the University of Washington in Seattle.
Mike Callagy
San Mateo County, County Executive Officer
Mike joined the County in 2013 and in November 2018, assumed the role of County Executive Officer after being appointed by the Board of Supervisors. In this role, Mike has made ending homelessness a key priority. Mike has more than 37 years of public sector service experience, including 29 years with the San Mateo Police Department as the deputy police chief until his retirement. He is a licensed attorney in the state of California and, in addition to his law degree from Santa Clara University, holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master’s in public administration from the College of Notre Dame and a Master’s in homeland defense and security from the Naval Postgraduate School.
A San Mateo County native, he lives in Foster City with his family.
Craig Castellanet
Public Interest Law Project, Staff Attorney
Craig joined PILP in 2003 to enforce housing laws in local land use and redevelopment practices around the state. Since 1994, he has worked on affordable housing matters in California, Hawai`i, and at the national level, on issues ranging from state housing element law, public housing residents’ right to organize and secure decent and safe housing, eviction defense, criminalization of homelessness, preservation of affordable housing at risk of conversion to market rate, surplus lands and redevelopment laws.