San Mateo County supervisors are slated to weigh a roughly $13 million deal that could turn a Burlingame property into a new behavioral health campus and a permanent base for the county’s Pride Center. The proposal hits the Board of Supervisors’ May 5 agenda as officials scramble for long-term treatment space in the wake of recent provider shakeups.
Board Packet Puts $13 Million Purchase Front And Center
According to the county’s May 5 agenda, San Mateo County staff are asking supervisors to declare their intent to purchase several parcels, including 818–826 Mahler Road in Burlingame, for a total of $13,000,000. The same packet asks the board to consider sponsoring legislation to boost the local transactions-and-use tax by up to 0.5% and to review proposed charter amendments, including whether to call a November election. The meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. next Tuesday at 500 County Center.
Pride Center Still Homeless As Providers Shuffle
Local LGBTQ organizers have been searching for a stable base since fiscal sponsor StarVista began winding down operations and the Pride Center vacated 1021 S. El Camino Real last August, the Bay Area Reporter noted. County officials and advocates have floated the idea that county-owned space could give the Pride Center a long-term home while also expanding treatment capacity.
What County Staff Say The Mahler Road Plan Could Look Like
County materials describe a proposed Palm Recovery Center, to be operated by Horizon Services, that would offer withdrawal-management and detox services along with residential treatment beds, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal. The coverage reports that the Mahler Road site includes multiple buildings across roughly 94,711 square feet of land and notes that County Executive Michael Callagy has said Horizon Services has not formally committed to using that location. Supporters argue that owning a facility outright could cut back on pricey commercial leases and help stabilize services across the county.
Busy Tuesday: E-Scooters, Taxes And Redistricting Also On Deck
The supervisors’ schedule is packed. At 1 p.m., Supervisors Jackie Speier and Ray Mueller are set to lead a study session on a draft ordinance governing electric micromobility devices, with medical professionals, law enforcement and advocacy groups lined up to talk safety and enforcement, the county announced. The agenda also recommends sponsoring state legislation that would clear the way for a local transactions-and-use tax hike of up to 0.5% and presents the Charter Review Committee’s report on potential amendments, including a proposed independent redistricting commission, according to county packet and committee documents. If supervisors direct the County Attorney to draft an ordinance, they could send charter changes to voters this November.
What Happens Next
The board can decide whether to advance the Burlingame purchase agreements, back the sales-tax legislation, or push charter amendments toward the ballot. Any approvals would come with conditions and trigger additional hearings down the line. Residents who want to weigh in can speak during public comment at the meeting or dig into the agenda packet and staff reports through the county’s online agenda system.
