Council signals support for three-year Samaritan House agreement to operate Worker Resource Center

The San Mateo City Council indicated unanimous support to direct staff to draft a three-year operations agreement with Samaritan House for the Worker Resource Center (WRC) and to pursue renewal of a three-year lease for the center at 171 North Amphlett Boulevard. Council did not take a formal roll-call vote; staff recorded a unanimous verbal direction and will return with agreement and lease documents for formal approval.

Why it matters: The Worker Resource Center provides day-labor matching, meals, referrals and wraparound services to predominantly North Central neighborhood residents. Renewal secures an operating contract and facility for an organization that has provided continuous services for more than two decades.

What staff and Samaritan House told the council: - Reyna Sandoval, Director of Food and Community Programs at Samaritan House, described the center's operations: open six days a week, phone coverage for after-hours requests and an on-site raffle system for day labor assignments. Reyna said the center provides meals (her presentation tracked 14,816 meals year-to-date), clothing and supplies, volunteer-led ESL classes, legal immigration assistance, and employer evaluation systems to protect workers' rights and employer expectations. - Reyna described job types provided through the center: landscaping, moving, painting, carpentry, event staffing and other skilled and unskilled work. She emphasized partnerships with local groups including Silicon Valley Bike Coalition (bike donations and helmets), Koshland Foundation, neighborhood faith groups and local businesses that hire WRC workers. - City staff (Housing and Neighborhood Services) framed the request as both an operations contract and a lease matter: the current lease for 171 North Amphlett will expire in August, and staff asked for direction on pursuing a three-year contract at $195,000 annually and negotiating a lease renewal. Staff said they would return with draft contract and lease documents for Council approval.

Council discussion and direction: - Council members praised the center's work and encouraged continued outreach to workers who remain on sidewalks rather than coming into the center. One council member asked staff to consider signage and improved outreach to redirect people to the center. Several members expressed explicit support for the three-year term and the proposed $195,000 annual operations budget; Reyna said, "I would like to stay where we're currently at." (quote from meeting.) - Council asked staff to continue exploring alternatives but indicated a preference to retain the center in its existing location if possible, given the center's bike and storage needs and routine foot traffic patterns.

Next steps: Staff will draft a three-year operating agreement and a three-year lease renewal negotiation and return to Council for formal approval. Staff also noted opportunities for future partnerships (for example, downtown cleanups) and asked for continued coordination on outreach to reduce sidewalk congregation and related neighborhood concerns.

Speakers (attributed to meeting record): Reyna Sandoval (Samaritan House), Rachel Horst and Van Diggins (City Housing staff), Council members (Mayor Robert Newsom Jr., Council members Fernandez, Verkogodicki, Diaz Nash and Deputy Mayor Lorraine).

Topics: ["social services","day labor","nonprofit partnerships","facility lease"]