City of San Mateo
City Council Meeting
POST PACKET
PUBLIC COMMENT
The Building
&
Construction
Trades Council
of San Mateo
County
1710 S. Amphlett Blvd.,
Suite 306 San Mateo CA,
94402
Affiliates
ㅡ
Heat & Frost Insulators
No. 16
Boilermakers Local 549
Brick Tile & Allied
Craftworkers 3
DC16 Painters & Allied
Trades Local 913, 12, 718
IBEW Local 617
Elevator Constructors No.
8 Ironworkers Local 377
LiUNA Local 261, Local
67 Operating Engineers No. 3
Plasterers & Cement
Masons 300
UA Plumbers & Pipefitters
467
Roofers No. 40
SMART 104
Sign & Display 510
UA Sprinkler Fitters 483
T eamsters No. 853
UA Local 355
16 MAY 2026
To: San Mateo City Council
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo City CA 94403
RE: Agenda Item 16. 445 S. B Street (Bespoke) – New Mixed-Use Development
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council,
On behalf of the Building & Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your commitment to upholding the prevailing wage standard on the Bespoke project. By ensuring that workers receive industry-standard compensation, you are protecting the local labor market and supporting the working families who are vital to our community's success.
Your leadership in maintaining these labor standards ensures that public investments translate into family-sustaining careers and the high-quality infrastructure and housing that is vital to the City's success. We look forward to continuing our partnership to promote a vibrant local economy, invest in our skilled workforce, and to uphold and protect these essential community standards.
Sincerely,
Bart M. P
antoja
Busine
ss Manager | Secretary-Treasurer
1 Erin Fellers
From: Witt Turner
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2026 2:06 PM
To: Lisa Diaz Nash; Rob Newsom; Adam Loraine; Nicole Fernandez; Danielle Cwirko- Godycki; City Council (San Mateo)
Cc: Ali Sapirman
Subject: Bespoke San Mateo | HAC Formal Letter of Support Attachments: Bespoke San Mateo - HAC Endorsement Letter.pdf Dear Mayor Loraine, Deputy Mayor Fernandez, and fellow Members of the San Mateo City Council,
I am writing on behalf of the Housing Action Coalition (HAC) to express our strong support for the Bespoke project at 445 South B Street. As a statewide, member-supported organization, we advocate for homes at all income levels to address the housing crisis facing communities across California, including San Mateo.
The Bespoke project represents exactly the kind of development San Mateo needs. It delivers 71 homes of 100% affordable large family housing for individuals and families earning between 30 and 80 percent of area median income. In a region where working families are increasingly priced out of the communities they serve, this project offers a meaningful path to stability.
We are particularly impressed by the depth of the public-private partnership behind this project. The City contributed land through a long-term ground lease. Harvest Properties has committed $9.4 million in equity and an additional $6.5 million financial backstop for the affordable housing component, a level of commitment from a commercial developer that far exceeds what is typical. Alta Housing brings proven experience delivering affordable family housing, and Prometheus rounds out a strong development team.
Beyond the housing, this full-block reinvestment brings approximately 155,000 square feet of sustainable, Class-A office space built with innovative mass timber construction targeting LEED Gold certification, approximately 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail with widened sidewalks and active street frontage along B Street, and up to $17.4 million in direct financial impact for the City. The project utilizes prevailing wages at a 15% construction cost premium and promotes transit-oriented living steps from Caltrain.
This project has been in development since 2021. The team has been through multiple rounds of community outreach, a neighborhood meeting, a Planning Commission study session, full CEQA environmental review, and a City Council study session on deal terms.
We respectfully urge the City Council to approve the Bespoke project and allow these 71 affordable homes to move forward without further delay. Further postponement risks losing these homes in the current housing cycle and undermining the community benefits this project offers.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
2 Witt Turner
Housing Action Coalition
--
Witt Turner
He/Him/His
Advocacy and Operations Associate | Housing Action Coalition To help p otect you p vacy M c osoft Off ce p evented automat c download of th s pictu e f om the Inte net
555 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
housingactioncoalition.org
May 15, 2026
San Mateo City Council
330 W 20th Ave
San Mateo, CA 94403
Dear Mayor Loraine, Deputy Mayor Fernandez, and fellow Members of the San Mateo City Council,
The Housing Action Coalition (HAC) is pleased to endorse Harvest Properties, Inc. & Prometheus Real Estate Group, Inc.’s Bespoke project. Our committee commends the project for its innovative land use.
The project will replace an outdated single-story retail building with a dynamic mixed-use development, including 71 units of 100% affordable housing, office and retail space. The proposed housing will be a valuable addition to Downtown San Mateo, located in the Central Business District, bringing new life and vitality to this area. The committee is particularly impressed with the collaborative efforts between the project team, the City, and the community to foster a more vibrant, communal, and transit-oriented neighborhood.
Through extensive community feedback and outreach, the project design has evolved to offer a more engaging environment, using cross-laminated timber (CLT) building materials and thoughtful design elements. The project will also enhance the pedestrian experience by widening B Street sidewalks by more than five feet, in line with pedestrian-friendly guidelines that promote walkability and accessibility.
To further support a healthy and thriving downtown, the project includes 162,000 square feet of commercial space for offices and retail. The design encourages open spaces and accessibility, incorporating urban plazas and outdoor areas with massing breaks and retail spill-out zones for restaurant dining. Additionally, we are excited that 3,500 square feet of ground-floor space will be allocated for Self-Help for the Elderly, which will serve as a significant community resource.
We commend the project team for surpassing the density threshold of 50 units through the State Density Bonus Law, achieving 71 units at 61.2 dwelling units per acre. The project's proximity to the San Mateo Caltrain station further promotes public transit utilization. Furthermore, the inclusion of 16 short-term and 56 long-term bike stalls for residents, along with 8 short-term and 84 long-term bike stalls for public use, and preferential carpool parking, demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable transportation options.
Moreover, we recognize the Harvest Development team’s impressive commitment to the success of this project. The revised deal terms include a total equity contribution of $9.4 million, with an additional $6.5 million guarantee in the event of delays or challenges in securing financing for the affordable housing component. This level of financial commitment exceeds typical expectations for commercial developers and underscores the importance of the project to our community.
The project also includes the construction of a subterranean garage shared between residential and commercial spaces, and the payment of a commercial linkage fee to support future affordable housing projects in San Mateo. These actions demonstrate a comprehensive approach to community-building and housing production.