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Opinion: Cut Red Tape, Build Homes — A San Mateo County Imperative
Essential workers, young families, and longtime residents are being priced out as high-paying tech jobs flood the region.
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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In a guest opinion piece, Jim Lawrence, the board chair at Fixin' San Mateo County, argues that San Mateo County's housing crisis is reaching a breaking point. He calls for reducing taxes and development fees, streamlining approvals, and allowing office-to-housing conversions to make housing more financially viable for developers and accelerate construction, while still giving cities the tools to plan responsibly.
Why it matters
San Mateo County is facing a severe housing shortage, with essential workers, young families, and even longtime residents being priced out of the region as high-paying tech jobs flood the area. This crisis is impacting the community, with teachers, nurses, and first responders having to commute hours daily because there aren't enough homes nearby.
The details
Much of the problem comes from high costs and slow approvals. Fees, long permitting timelines, and restrictive zoning make construction prohibitively expensive, ensuring that most new units remain out of reach for moderate-income families. Lawrence argues that San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan's approach, which includes reducing taxes and development fees, streamlining approvals, and allowing office-to-housing conversions, offers a clear path forward. These changes can make housing financially viable for developers and accelerate construction, while still giving cities the tools to plan responsibly.
- San Mateo County is required to build nearly 47,000 new units by 2031 under state mandates.
The players
Jim Lawrence
The board chair at Fixin' San Mateo County, former mayor of Foster City, and former chairman of the San Mateo County District Lines Advisory Committee.
Matt Mahan
The mayor of San Jose, whose approach to housing development is cited as a potential model for San Mateo County.
What they’re saying
“We cannot wait any longer. Cutting costs and speeding construction isn't just good policy—it's essential for our community. The question is no longer whether we need more homes—it's whether we are willing to build them.”
— Jim Lawrence, Board Chair, Fixin' San Mateo County (rwcpulse.com)
What’s next
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will consider proposals to reduce development fees and streamline approvals in the coming months.
The takeaway
San Mateo County's housing crisis requires bold action to increase the supply of affordable homes. Reducing bureaucratic barriers and making development more financially viable for builders can help the region meet its housing needs and ensure essential workers, families, and longtime residents can afford to live in the communities they serve.
