San Mateo County board approves $29 million purchase of Foster City office to centralize human services

San Mateo County supervisors voted to approve the purchase of 1065 East Hillsdale Boulevard in Foster City for $29,000,000, a step the county said will let the Human Services Agency consolidate client services, employment and veteran supports and emergency-response functions in a single location.

County Executive Caligi, introducing the item, said the county does not intend to build a warehouse at the site and described the plan as a client services center meant to co-locate eligibility, employment and veteran services to improve customer access and operational efficiency. Caligi said the purchase would save about $3,800,000 a year in rental costs and estimated the building would station roughly 300 employees and serve about 150 customers daily. He also told the board the property’s current market value was about $49,000,000 and the county was acquiring it at a discount.

The purchase drew sustained public comment from Foster City residents and council members who described concerns about process, traffic and whether the site is the right fit for the community. Susie Niederhofer, a Foster City councilmember speaking for herself, said the county had not partnered with the city on site selection and warned the property’s prominence would be a loss to the city’s economic-development plans. "I don't believe this has happened," Niederhofer said, pressing the board to work with affected cities when choosing sites.

Several commenters questioned the timing and level of information shared with residents. Ravi Jagtiani, a Foster City resident, urged supervisors to postpone the vote, saying the county's presentation arrived fewer than 15 hours before the meeting and that residents had not received meaningful engagement. "Public trust is built through openness, dialogue, and accountability," Jagtiani said.

Not all public remarks opposed the purchase. Phoebe Shin Van Cat, a Foster City councilmember speaking as a resident, said some community members supported the project but asked the county to permit more listening sessions and correct misinformation in public materials. Diana Reddy, representing members of the local Democratic committees, urged the board to approve related oversight appointments.

Board members debated outreach and process, with President Corso and other supervisors acknowledging frustration in Foster City while arguing that consolidating services could improve access for residents who now travel to other sites. A supervisor who moved approval cited escalating lease costs at the county's current location — Caligi said rents at the Quarry Road site had risen 57 percent since 2024 — and framed buying property as a long-term taxpayer saving.

On a roll-call vote taken after discussion, the board approved the purchase with four votes in favor and one absence.

The resolution authorizes county staff to finalize purchase agreements and related documents; supervisors indicated they would pursue additional community engagement after the approval. The board adjourned to closed session later in the morning; no additional actions on the purchase were reported at the meeting's close.