A city council meeting in an affluent San Francisco neighborhood erupted in chaos as hundreds of “rogue” residents began cheering plans to house the homeless in a nearby hotel.
Crowds of angry Millbrae residents packed their local community hall on Friday to protest “Project Homekey” proposals to house 100 rough sleepers at the La Quinta hotel on El Camino Real, close to downtown.
So many people showed up that hundreds of people had to line up outside the 300-capacity venue to hear the proposals outlined by San Mateo County Executive Mike Callagy.
But Callagy’s speech was quickly “drowned” by audience booing, according to Jordan Grimes, the leader of a grassroots campaign group for affordable housing who attended the rally.
Videos show the crowd protesting loudly in scenes similar to the crowd in a sports stadium. Some residents shouted their defiance, while others waved placards, threw their arms in the air and gestured thumbs down to the speakers.
Crowds of angry Millbrae residents packed their community hall on Friday to protest ‘Project Homekey’ plans to house 100 rough sleepers at the La Quinta hotel on El Camino Real, close to downtown
Crowd poured out of the council meeting where many Millbrae residents rallied against San Mateo County leaders pushing ahead with plans to convert the La Quinta hotel into housing for the homeless in San Francisco
Like many San Mateo County towns, Millbrae has a high median household income of $141,399 – while also being home to a hefty, rough-sleeping population
“The crowd is rowdy and angry, booing the County Exec until he’s completely drowned out. Several times,” Grimes tweeted live from the overflow area outside the hall.
He said the situation escalated when district staff organized a question and answer session – which was quickly overrun by “people having their own conversations” and “yelling.”
Waving homemade signs reading “Don’t Bully Millbrae,” “Protect Us,” and “Safety for Millbrae,” neighbors expressed concerns about public safety and the hotel’s proximity to several schools.
Like many San Mateo County towns, Millbrae has a high median household income of $141,399 while also being home to a hefty, rough-sleeping population.
Millbrae resident Patricia Lam showed up early to secure a seat – outfitted with a large sign that reads “Keep Our Children and Seniors Safe.”
“We are concerned,” she said NBC Bay area. “We are concerned about this project. The reason for this is because it’s right in Millbrae.”
Another resident, Ho Yeung, expressed similar concerns.
“It’s very close to children and it’s a block from three schools, so we don’t want to see that,” he told the broadcaster.
But Callagy said residents should “give the project a chance.”
Neighbors raised concerns about the safety and proximity of the city center hotel (pictured) to several schools
“The crowd is rowdy and angry, booing the County Exec until he’s completely drowned out. Several times,” said a person present at the scene
Homelessness is rife in San Francisco, especially in the downtown area
A homeless woman moves her belongings after being approached by the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team’s Encampment Resolution Team in San Francisco
A homeless camp is seen in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, California
“Look, we have these facilities all over the county,” he said.
“They’re worried about crime, they’re worried about assaults, they’re worried about drugs and mental health affecting the neighborhoods.
“That’s just not our experience.”
Funding for the project has not yet been approved, but if so will be overseen by the local Episcopal Community Services (ECS).
The agency’s Beth Stokes said the homeless would “essentially live in an apartment” with support staff always available to help them.
“In terms of security, ECS will have personnel on site 24/7,” she told NBC Bay Area.
“We will also have case management staff and that is what supportive housing is. They are services.’
Homelessness is a common problem in the San Francisco area, and Millbrae is just 15 miles south of downtown Union Square, where most of the encampments have been set up. Thousands of people live on the streets.
The city is also riddled with sky-high crime levels and many rough sleepers suffer from fentanyl addiction.