Millbrae Voters Recall Council Members Who Didn’t Oppose Affordable Housing

Millbrae voters appear to have recalled two City Council members who did not oppose a controversial supportive housing project, according to preliminary election results.

More than 70% of voters approved removing Angelina Cahalan and Maurice Goodman from office. Only about 40% of registered Millbrae voters participated in the special election; ballots were due Tuesday.

The recall effort began after Cahalan and Goodman did not sign a letter opposing the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors’ decision to purchase the La Quinta Inn and Suites in Millbrae and convert it into housing for formerly unhoused people. Cahalan abstained from the City Council vote on the letter, and Goodman voted against it, but other council members sent the letter (PDF) without their signatures, citing concerns about revenue and job losses from the hotel conversion.

Kalimah Salahuddin, a former volunteer for Goodman’s campaign, said the recall results were “heartbreaking.” As someone who has previously experienced homelessness, she said the backlash against the supportive housing project from recall organizers was hurtful.

“The hardest part about being homeless is the stigma,” she said. “How people think about you and what people say — and so to hear the rhetoric that was used in this campaign against homeless people was hard.”

Residents who opposed the project said the development could cause an uptick in 911 calls and pose a danger to the nearby parks and Lomita Park Elementary School, which sits across the street from the hotel.

Albert Yam, the leader of the recall campaign, said he was exhausted but ultimately happy that the results showed many other residents shared his concerns.

“Ultimately, the campaign was about accountability,” he said. “They did not sign that letter, but that was just one action. For the months leading to the signing of the letter, we had pleaded repeatedly to both council members about the concerns we had.”

Now, both council seats will remain vacant until the remaining City Council members appoint someone to fill them for the remaining term, which expires at the end of this year.

As for the La Quinta Inn, a lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors’ decision was dismissed in June by a San Mateo County Superior Court judge who said it was “unripe” for a decision because the county hadn’t specified whether the funding would come from the state’s Project Homekey or other affordable housing subsidy programs.

City leaders say they are still considering options to respond.