Housing Resources for Renters and Homeowners

For First Time Homebuyers

CalHFA Steps to Buying a Home | CA Housing Finance Agency
HUD Counseling - Home (force.com)
CalPLUS First Time Home Loans | CalPLUS FHA Program
First-time homebuyer loan program: HEART First Time Homebuyer Loans - HEART of SMC
First-time homebuyer downpayment loan assistance program from Cal HFA: California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan
Homeownership program: Habitat For Humanity Apply for a Habitat house
Consumer Credit Counseling Service
Project Sentinel: an 8-hour, HUD-approved first-time home buyer online course

For Exisiting Homeowners

1. Rebuilding Together Peninsula

Rebuilding Together provides home repairs for those who can’t afford to make them. Learn more at Rebuilding Together Peninsula Home Repairs

2. Installing electric vehicle charging stations

If you are interested in purchasing an electric vehicle and installing a charging station for your home residence, learn more here:

Used EV Rebate Program Overview - Peninsula Clean Energy
EV Charging Station | Foster City California

For Homeowners Who Want to Share Their Home

If you are a Foster City homeowner interested in sharing your home, please contact HIP Housing to learn about their home-sharing services for homeowners. HIP Housing also provides a listing of home-sharing opportunities for those seeking housing. Please contact: Home Sharing Program - HIP Housing

For Homeowners in HOAs

1. Learn about the Davis Stirling Act of 2014, California Civil Code, Sections 4000-6150, that govern HOA activities and requirements.

2. Learn about HOA laws through the State of California Department of Justice.

3. File a complaint: scroll to the bottom of the Dept. of Justice page or go directly to the complaint form.

4. Click here for the State Department of Real Estate's brochure: Living in a California Common Interest Development.

Coming Soon! Grants and Rebates of up to $5,000 and Loans to Low-Income Homeowners for Rehabilitation and Home Repairs

If you are a very low or low-income homeowner and need to make repairs in your home, complete rehabilitation projects, or complete minor upgrades to your home such as installing grab bars and other safety equipment in a bathroom, the City is starting a Low Income Homeowner Rehabilitation Fund to provide grants, rebates, and loans to assist you. Stay tuned for information on how to apply to this program.

Housing Readiness Program

To learn more about affordable housing options and programs, or to get help finding resources or completing applications for housing in San Mateo County, HIP Housing offers a Housing Readiness Program. You can learn more about this program here.

For Renters and Those Looking for Rental Housing

1. County of San Mateo Housing Authority

The County of San Mateo’s Housing Authority provides numerous resources for those in need of housing. Use this link to learn more about their programs and apply for the Moving to Work Voucher Program (HUD Section 8): Department of Housing | County of San Mateo, CA (smcgov.org)

2. What is Inclusionary Housing?

Inclusionary housing, also called Below Market Rate Housing, is the City’s program that requires developers of market rate housing to include affordable units for very low income, low income, and moderate-income households in their development proposals. To learn more about inclusionary housing, click here: Inclusionary Housing Explained

3. Are their developers who only produce below market rate housing?

Yes. There are several non-profit housing developers in San Mateo County. Each has their own website and manages their own properties and waitlists.

Nonprofit housing developers have portfolios of affordable housing in the very low- and low-income range. Some also have moderate income units. You can find each developer’s portfolio on their website.

Alta Housing - Alta Housing - Silicon Valley Affordable Housing

BRIDGE Housing - https://bridgehousing.com/our-properties/find-housing/

Charities Housing - https://charitieshousing.org/find-a-home/

EAH Housing - https://www.eahhousing.org/find-housing/

Eden Housing - https://edenhousing.org/find-an-apartment/find-a-home/

First Community Housing --https://www.firstcommunityhousing.org/propertyportfolio

HIP Housing - https://hiphousing.org/programs/properties/find-housing/

John Stewart Company - https://jsco.net/region/sf/

Mercy Housing - https://www.mercyhousing.org/find-housing/

Midpen Housing - https://www.midpen-housing.org/find-housing/

Satellite Affordable Housing Associates – https://www.sahahomes.org/apply

4. Affordable Rental Housing Listings

San Mateo County – Affordable Housing Listings

My Housing Search - Home - MyHousingSearch

Haven Connect - listings Affordable Housing Software by Haven Connect

Housekeys – manages BMR programs for some Bay Area cities HouseKeys

Workforce Housing Resources for San Mateo County Educators

5. Know Your Rights as a Renter

The State of California issues a guide for tenants. See: California Tenants - A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities, Rev 2022

To request information to be emailed to you, complete this form.

For the 2024 Edition of the California Tenants, A Guide for Landlords and Tenants, click here.

For Those at Risk of Homelessness:

If you are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness, the following links are available to support you: Samaritan House Core Services Agency - Samaritan House - San Mateo - Fighting poverty. Lifting lives.
Housing Industry Foundation – HIF Signature Programs – Housing Industry Foundation
Life Moves – shelters and transitional housing - Home - LifeMoves
Rental assistance San Mateo County | Help with rent in Daly and Redwood City
Second Harvest Food Bank: Home | Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Food Farmacy: samaritanhousesanmateo.org/service/food
To request information to be emailed to you, complete this form.

For Seniors

The City of Foster City has two below market rate senior properties owned and managed by affordable housing developers.

Alma Point
Metro Center Senior Apartments

See our Affordable Housing Page for more information on our senior housing properties and to find out if the waitlists are open.

If you need help at home
Contact San Mateo County Health Department: Help at Home Directory - San Mateo County Health
To Sign up for the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program through
The San Mateo County Housing Authority
https://www.smcgov.org/housing
264 Harbor Blvd, Belmont
Tel. 650-802-3300 or 650-802-5050
Download the City of Foster City’s Senior Resource Guide.
Contact ElderLink, a free senior referral service. www.elderlink.org or tel. 800-613-5772.
To request information to be emailed to you, complete this form.

Medical Services

Redwood City and San Mateo Free Clinics are open on a limited basis for essential medical services. Please contact 650-578-0400. Non-essential medical or dental services are not open at this time.

Food Services and Food Banks

A number of organizations have modified their services during the Shelter in Place Order. We have learned about the following resources for you.

Boys and Girls Clubs - both the Redwood City and East Palo Alto clubhouses provide up to 800 meals to needy families during the day. Programs — Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula (bgcp.org)

Samaritan House Mobile Meals – provides meals to homebound seniors and folks with disabilities. The program will continue during the Shelter in Place Order as long as Samaritan House has drivers. They do not make contact with clients. Call (650) 294-4312 if you are in East Palo Alto or Menlo Park. Call (650) 347-3648 if you are in San Mateo. https://samaritanhousesanmateo.org

Ecumenical Hunger Program – EHP has suspended Wednesday and Friday hot lunch programs until further notice. The Wednesday night hot meal program at St. Francis of Assisi Church in East Palo Alto will continue operating for take-out meals only during the Shelter in Place Order. The address is 1426 Bay Road, East Palo Alto. Tel. (650) 322-2152.

Saint Francis Center Grocery Program – located at 151 Buckingham Avenue, Redwood City, Tel. (650) 365-7829. Pick up 3 bags of pre-packaged groceries.

Hours: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (but they are opening at noon due to high demand), Monday through Friday.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley - located at 1051 Bing Street, San Carlos. Tel. (650) 610-0808. Hours 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Pre-packaged groceries are available.

Meals on Wheels – this program provides hot meals for those who are 60 years or older and live in San Mateo County. Additional eligibility factors include being homebound or needing help leaving your home, being unable to prepare meals or shop for yourself, a recent hospital stay or ongoing health problems, or primarily living alone. Please call (650) 323-2022 for more information or to arrange for services.