2025 April e-newsletter  
500 County Center wins another sustainability award
Dear friends,
I
am proud to announce, as the San Mateo County President, that our
County Office Building 3 in Redwood City has won the 2025 Green
Building Award!
Cosponsored by Sustainable San Mateo
County and the American Institute of Architects San Mateo County
Chapter, 500 County Center is the first civic building in the United
States to combine mass timber construction with a net-zero-energy
design, achieving an 85% reduction in structural embodied carbon.
The 5-story building also wont the “Best of the Best” Award for Sustainability from Engineering News-Record this year.
With
features such as solar panels, automated systems, biotreatment areas,
and a focus on employee well-being, this project sets a new benchmark
for sustainable public buildings. Here’s to a healthier, more
sustainable future!
Save the date for the official
ribbon cutting of 500 County Center as San Mateo County partners with
the San Mateo County History Museum to celebrate the 169th birthday of
the County of San Mateo on May 15th at 5 p.m. in downtown Redwood City.
Stay tuned for more details.  
MTC grants county $8.6M for infrastructure projects
Electric
vehicle charging will ramp up significantly in San Mateo County and a
new transformational regional mobility hub is coming to Daly City BART
as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission approved $8.6 million in
funding for transportation infrastructure projects throughout the
county.
Grants for 5 EV charging infrastructure, electric
bikeshare deployment and fleet electrification were approved for the
cities of East Palo Alto, San Carlos, Portola Valley, Half Moon Bay and
Menlo Park.
Colma and South San Francisco were also
awarded grants for the design and technical assistance for two segments
of the El Camino Real and Bicycle and Pedestrian Project.
And
the biggest grant was awarded for the $3.8 million Daly City BART
Mobility Hub that will transform the station into a community anchor
that will enable travelers of all backgrounds and abilities to access
multiple transportation options.
These options include
shared scooters, bicycles, cars and public transit as well as
wayfinding, improved lighting and other amenities that will enliven
this incredibly important transit corridor linking San Mateo and San
Francisco counties. 
Students learn about loneliness and connection during read-a-thon
Last
month, I had the pleasure of hosting a read-along at Susan B. Anthony
Elementary School in Daly City for a fifth-grade class as part of the
weeklong read-a-thon!
I read “The Invisible String”
by Patrice Karst, a beautiful story about loneliness and connection.
It’s so important to talk about mental health with young students and
remind them of the power of community. I am grateful for this
experience!
The book was first published by in 2000. The inside flap of the dust jacket reads:
“Specifically
written to calm a child’s fear of being apart from the ones they love,
‘The Invisible String’ … delivers a compelling message in today’s
uncertain times. Grownups and children everywhere who are looking for
reassurance and reaffirmation of the transcendent power of love to
bind, connect, and comfort will discover how easily they can ‘tug’ on
each other’s heart with The Invisible String!”
I was thankful for the experience and grateful for the children’s response after reading this very uplifting book. 
Dispatchers honored for answering the call
I
am proud to sponsor a proclamation declaring April 13-19 as Public
Safety Dispatcher Week in honor of the incredible men and women who
serve as the first point of contact in emergencies.
When someone
dials 911, they’re often facing one of the worst moments of their life
— a fire, medical emergency, crime in progress, or unfolding crisis.
Before first responders arrive, it’s our dispatchers who answer the
call, providing critical guidance, calming panicked voices, and
ensuring help gets where it’s needed most.
In San Mateo
County, our dispatchers handle hundreds of calls daily, making
split-second, life-or-death decisions while staying composed under
immense pressure. In 2024 alone 496,383 calls were answered; 364,459
incidents were handled; the busiest day had 2,559 calls; 30 languages
were spoken; and 8,000 training hours were completed.
A
special congratulations to Shanel Campana, Fire Specialist/Controller,
for being named 2024 Dispatcher of the Year! Your dedication and
excellence set the standard for public safety in our county.
And
thanks to Director at County of San Mateo Office of Public Safety
Communications Natasha Claire-Espino for her outstanding service and
commitment to keeping our community safe. Your hard work does not go
unnoticed!
To all our dispatchers: We see you, we
appreciate you, and we thank you. Your resilience and commitment keep
our community safe every single day.
 From homeless to housed, Daly City mother shares family’s odyssey
Imagine
having to choose between staying in a hotel or buying food for your
children. For over a year, Daly City native Angelica Rodriguez and her
children’s father lived in their van, doing everything they could to
keep their boys safe, in school, and fed.
They parked near
free Wi-Fi so homework could get done, used ice to keep Angelica’s
insulin cold, and made every sacrifice to hold their family together.
Today,
thanks to Angelica’s determination and the unwavering support of San
Mateo County’s incredible staff and nonprofit partners, she and her
children finally have a place to call home. Our County Housing
Authority, Daly City Health Center, YMCA, LifeMoves, and Abode Services
worked tirelessly to ensure this family found the stability they
deserve.
The dedication of our county employees and
nonprofit teams makes a life-changing difference every day, and I
couldn’t be prouder of their commitment to lifting up our most
vulnerable residents.
Their two-bedroom apartment, made
possible through a federal voucher program, offers stability after
years of uncertainty. This is more than just a story about housing—it’s
about resilience, love, and a community that stepped up when it
mattered most.
Let’s continue working together to ensure that no family in San Mateo County has to endure this journey alone.
Thank you to the San Mateo County Communications and Public Information team for highlighting this family’s uplifting story!
County takes stand against bullying
No
one should ever feel unsafe, unheard, or unwelcome in their own
community, especially our youth. Bullying can leave lasting scars, and
it’s on all of us to create a culture of kindness, respect and
inclusion.
On the Board of Supervisors, we have a duty not only to
uphold the well-being of all residents of San Mateo County but also to
create a community where every individual, particularly our youth, can
thrive.
Last month the Board passed a resolution I sponsored
that reaffirms the County’s unwavering commitment to standing up
against youth bullying in all its forms and to promote a safe,
respectful community where every young person can flourish.
The
resolution calls on every department and every employee to actively
engage in efforts to prevent bullying, to provide education, and to
intervene when necessary.
This resolution also calls on us to
listen to the voices of those who have been affected — our youth,
families, and community members. By evaluating and improving our youth
bullying prevention efforts regularly, we can ensure that we are always
responsive to the evolving needs of our community.
Interns wanted to join our team
We
are looking to add to our great group of interns we are currently
working with. If you or someone you know may be interested in applying
to my Internship Program, submitting this form is the first step: https://forms.gle/hiKqtn7Rird5vXwB9. You can also reach out to Mike Richardson on my staff directly with any questions at mrichardson@smcgov.org. In friendship,
DAVID J. CANEPA
President, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors | 
Riechel
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