The Half Moon Bay City Council met on March 4, 2026, for a regular meeting. Key topics included the mid-year budget review, community services financial assistance, homeless services and an encampment ordinance, and updates to the Brown Act. The council approved the consent calendar (minus item 8D), adopted a resolution amending the FY2025-26 budget, and directed staff to restore $63,000 in funding to partially supported nonprofits. Public comment addressed rent stabilization, a second pool, concerns about automated license plate readers, and other community issues.
Finance staff presented the mid-year review. Key points:
Council members praised staff for fiscal progress. The resolution to amend the FY2025-26 budget was adopted unanimously (5-0).
Staff reported on the nine nonprofits funded under the program. Challenges included federal funding cuts and immigration stress. Successes included collaboration among nonprofits and the establishment of the Alcove mental health program for youth. The council discussed restoring $63,000 to partially funded organizations (those not at 100% of their original allocation) to bring them to full funding for the remainder of the fiscal year. Council directed staff to bring a resolution to the March 17 meeting for this restoration. The council also discussed the program’s future, including continuing the two-year cycle and the subcommittee process, and advocated for the county to adequately fund mental health services locally.
Staff provided an update on homeless services, including partnerships, encampment cleanups (8 in 2025, removing 10,000+ pounds of trash), and the operation of Coast House shelter (54 adults, 10 children). The council reviewed the county’s Hopeful Horizons ordinance, which establishes a 72-hour process for clearing encampments when shelter is available. Public feedback from a preliminary survey emphasized housing affordability, more training for outreach teams, and exploration of a safe parking program. Council members expressed support for an ordinance but noted the need to address local conditions (e.g., sensitive habitats, private property). The item was for discussion only; further direction will be considered at the March 14 priority-setting session. Council also noted the importance of fencing along Pillar Citos Creek and a potential regional approach.
Staff presented changes to the Brown Act effective July 1, 2026, including requirements for remote public participation (two-way audio/video or telephonic), real-time captioning, translation of agendas into Spanish, enhanced meeting webpages, and a disruption policy. Officials participating remotely under just cause circumstances must appear on video. The council was informed of upcoming staffing and technology needs. No action was taken; staff will continue implementation.
Recording progress with it. Good evening, and welcome to the Hackman Bay City Council meeting for March third, twenty twenty-six. As a reminder, if you are joining this meeting via Zoom, you can still make public comment. During any public comment portions, attendees may use the Raise Your Hand feature and will be called upon and unmuted when it is their turn to speak. Busque lo que es el menu de tres puntos, seleccion interpretación, luego selecciona el idioma in spanioly por ultimo click and done or listo. Muchas gracias. Thank you. Gracias, Victor. Um, can I please have a roll call? Councilmember Brownstone. Here. Councilmember Johnson. Councilmember Nagengast. Here. Vice Mayor Penrose. Here. Mayor Radic. Here. We have a quorum. All please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. One day. Welcome and good evening again. Could I have a motion to approve tonight's agenda? So move. Second. Um all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Um proclamations and presentations. It looks like we do not have any this evening. Um mayor's announcements of community activities and community service. I have one item. I'd like to remind people that um tomorrow evening uh there will be a community workshop on battery backup for power outages. Uh that's going to take place 5:30 to 7:30, March 4th, which is tomorrow evening at the uh Senior Co-siders. Uh PCE, that's Peninsula Clean Energy, wants to hear from you about what sort of solutions might work for you in terms of battery backup. And they want to help you navigate the landscape of um backing up your electrical power and helping you do that. So I'm going to be attending tomorrow night. I know uh councilmember Johnson will be there. He sits on the Peninsula Clean Energy Board. So we we highly recommend that um that you attend. I expect that it's going to be very helpful. Um, and then we're going to have item five, a report out from recent closed session meetings. Thank you, Madam Mayor. This evening the council met in closed session on two items. Councilmember Nagengast did recuse himself on item number two on the the um the closed session agenda. There's no reportable action this evening on both items. Thank you very much. Um item six, city manager updates to council. Madam Mayor, I don't have any uh special updates tonight.