Affordable Housing Month May 2024

In the spirit of inclusion and community empowerment, HLC and our dedicated partners are excited to kick off Affordable Housing Month this May! Join us for a month-long celebration where we unite housing supporters across San Mateo County to explore the theme: “Building Inclusion.” Attend informative workshops, witness groundbreaking ceremonies, participate in engaging housing policy panels, embark on eye-opening affordable housing tours, and more. This is a unique opportunity to come together, celebrate diversity, and recognize the collective efforts and impact of our local partners and communities. Let’s build a more inclusive future where affordable housing is accessible to everyone, creating vibrant and equitable communities for all.


Affordable Housing Month Events Line Up

Stay Tuned…


Building Inclusion – Affordable Housing Bus Tour

We are so excited to announce HLC’s Annual Bus Tour, Building Inclusion edition, which will take place on May 24, 2024! Join us for an educational journey through some of San Mateo County’s finest Housing Developments, featuring affordable and market-rate housing. In partnership with SamTrans, we will embark on a comprehensive exploration of key housing developments, including Alta Housing, Fair Oaks Commons, Greystar Highwater Apartments, Eden Housing, Nugent Square Apartments, and culminating in the grand opening and lunch at MidPen Housing’s “Gateway Rising.” Limited bus seating is available, so mark your calendars for April 8 when registration opens. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights into the future of affordable housing in our community.


Become a pivotal community partner for housing – Sponsor Affordable Housing Month 2024

Empower our mission for affordable housing by sponsoring Affordable Housing Month 2024. Your support propels impactful events and community celebrations. Collaborate with us, fueling our work towards a more inclusive and affordable future! Click the button below to explore the sponsorship benefits and become a sponsor today!


Affordable Housing Month 2023 Recap

Every year, HLC and our partners dedicate the month of May to affordable housing. Through multiple events scattered throughout the month, we engage hundreds of housing supporters around San Mateo County to collectively learn, mobilize, and understand the positive and extensive impact affordable housing brings. We do this by offering the opportunity of attending informative workshops, groundbreakings, housing policy panels, affordable housing tours, and more. Most of all, we come together to recognize the ongoing efforts and power of our local partners and communities.


Event Recaps

From Scarcity to Abundance
In partnership with NPH 

On Tuesday, May 2, advocates kicked off Affordable Housing Month in a conversation with some of today’s most prominent housing advocates. Together, we discussed the importance of centering racial equity, lived expertise, and community in our narrative strategies and advocacy for housing justice, all while imagining together what an abundant housing future will look, feel, smell, and sound like. Event resources are below. 

Watch the event recording: https://tinyurl.com/ahmrecording

Graphic notes and Dream Lab art 

HIP Housing’s Annual Luncheon
In partnership with HIP Housing

On Friday, May 5, advocates got together to celebrate HIP Housing’s work and to hear from Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s former Surgeon General, who spoke to the connections between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and affordable housing.

Affordable Housing Infrastructure Ride
In partnership with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition and Peninsula for Everyone.

On Saturday, May 6, bicycle, public transit, and housing advocates gathered with community members, city staff, and leaders to celebrate these movements and their recent accomplishments and participate in a seven-mile affordable housing bike tour. 

With the support of South San Francisco, the Grand Avenue Library hosted event-goers on its scenic outdoor patio, where folks mingled while munching on donuts and sipping on coffee. We were also honored to receive a warm welcome from several partners from South San Francisco, including Mayor Flor Nicolas, Vice Mayor Mark Nagales, Council Member James Coleman, City Manager Sheron Ranals, and some city staffers. 

Read more about the event and the route we took to learn about affordable homes in North San Mateo County here!

Data and Tools to Influence Housing Policy
In partnership with Exygy and United Way Bay Area

On Monday, May 8, housing advocates came together to learn about The Housing Readiness Report (a tool for information and advocacy across the bay) and Bloom Housing ( a one-stop shop for affordable housing). Juan Salinas, United Way Bay Area Ambassador, told us about his personal experience navigating homelessness, the search for affordable housing, and more. Then, we learned about new tools that will make the process of looking for affordable homes simpler, faster, and more accessible. Event resources are below. 

Watch the event recording: https://youtu.be/mzrLvBOx0SY?t=6 

Housing Readiness Report

Bloom Housing

Ending Homelessness: Faith Leaders Summit
In partnership with Home For All and Peninsula Solidarity Cohort 

On Thursday, May 11, 75 people from faith communities, service agencies, and the county came together to support affordable housing. Mike Callagy, the county manager,  gave an impactful presentation and lifted the work the county has been doing. A resident gave a moving personal story about his own experience of homelessness. The panelists were wonderful, each speaking from their own experience and challenging faith communities to continue to step up and participate in every way possible. 

HLC’s Policy Breakfast and Bus Tour
In partnership with SamTrans 

On Friday, May 12, over 150 advocates came together to hear from elected officials, learn about the latest housing policies, and celebrate recent victories with those working tirelessly to make housing more affordable and accessible for all. Then, we went on an amazing bus tour of affordable homes throughout the county. Event photos and resources are below. 

Photo album 

Bus Tour fact sheet coming soon!

Tenants Belong
In partnership with Menlo Together, YUCA, and Fain in Action

On Saturday, May 13, housing advocates attended Tenants Belong, a bi-lingual event centered around Bay Area tenants’ stories. We heard first-person stories and discussed tangible solutions. We explored the policies shaping the rental experience and examined tenant outcomes. Event resources are below. 

Event infographic

Delivering Interim Transitional Housing
In partnership with Swinerton Builders, Gensler, and Dignity Moves,

On Monday, May 15, housing advocates came together to learn more about the innovative approach to ending homelessness that Swinerton Builders, Gensler, and Dignity Moves are taking. Dignity Moves’ model of rapid, cost-effective, scalable solutions to unsheltered homelessness is spreading quickly across California, with communities open or underway in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Rohnert Park, Alameda, Thousand Oaks, and many others. Event resources are below. 

Watch the event recording: https://youtu.be/E0C97zdP8sk 

Firehouse Square Grand Opening
In partnership with MidPen Housing 

On Tuesday, May 16, MidPen Housing hosted the grand opening of Firehouse Square! Publicly owned land is one of the best tools we have at our disposal to build affordable homes for the community members who need it most. Providing 66 quality affordable homes in the City of Belmont, Firehouse Square is a great example of how the city can partner with an affordable housing developer (MidPen Housing, in this case) to create homes at the deepest affordability levels on city-owned land.

Click here to read the San Mateo Daily Journal’s coverage of the opening.

Public Land for Public Good
In partnership with REACH Coalition

On Thursday, May 18, Assemblymember Alex, Trustee Kalimah Salahuddin, Councilmember James Coleman, and Reverend Penny Nixon got together with housing advocates to learn more about how public land can be used for the public good, how your jurisdiction can lead in building workforce and social housing, and how the state legislature can support these initiatives throughout the state of California.

Housing Elements and You: Next Steps for Affordable Housing
In partnership with Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Thrive Alliance

On Tuesday, May 23, advocates from across San Mateo County came together for an innovative conversation about the Housing Element process in San Mateo County. During this program, we heard from a range of experts discussing the importance of this process and learned how to get involved with your local jurisdiction. This event is a follow-up to the informative session, “Non-Profits and Housing: What to Know and What to Do“.

Watch the event recording: https://youtu.be/qVMrEMDTl0A

Equitable Housing Decarbonization: Visualizing Intersections
In partnership with Build it Green and SV@Home

On Wednesday, May 24, advocates joined us for our last event of Affordable Housing Month 2023. The webinar aimed to discuss the intersections that are an essential part of lowering the carbon impact of our homes in an equitable and meaningful way. We explored the ways in which sectors like sustainability, health, the workforce, education, policy, and finance are interrelated and bridged connections and raise awareness to understand what is missing in the equitable housing decarbonization conversation.

Watch the event recording: https://youtu.be/wthC9SCGxfg 

See presentation slides 

⚡ Introduction

⚡ Dani Makous

⚡ Alyssa Cheung

⚡ Chiara Arellano

Engage with Mural, a visual communication tool


Sponsors


See the recap of Affordable Housing Month 2021 and 2022

Questions or feedback? Email estivers@hlcsmc.org