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San Mateo County Health
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Housing Program

Overview

Housing

Rent Relief: 

California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program
California COVID-19 Rent Relief Program status for San Mateo County residents

Property Owners and Managers – Prevent Housing Violations

PRESENTATION: PREVENTING THE MOST COMMON HOUSING VIOLATIONS

On March 29, 2023, the San Mateo County Environmental Health Services’ Housing Inspection Program gave a presentation on Preventing the Most Common Housing Violations, in support of safe and healthy properties ready for housing inspection. The webinar highlighted the County’s five most common rental housing violations and best practices to prevent them. The presentation is accessible here.

Address common housing violations before your next inspection.

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For additional information on the Housing Inspection Program please review the Housing Inspection Program Packet.

Sign up to receive important housing program email and/or text notifications

Housing Application

Housing Inspection FYI Flyer

Home Sewage Spill Cleanup

Tenant Resources

To file a complaint about:

  • Leaking roofs
  • Faulty plumbing
  • Inadequate heating
  • Substandard electrical problems
  • Pests (including rodents and cockroaches)
  • Mold
  • Lead

In these places:

Call (650) 599-1112 or use the Online Complaint Form. Environmental Health Services can only respond to complaints made about the above places. 

If you reside within the City of San Mateo or the City of San Carlos, contact your local Code Enforcement Department directly for more information on registering a complaint.

  • City of San Mateo Code Enforcement: (650) 522-7150
  • City of San Carlos Code Enforcement: (650) 802-4100

Complaints concerning Housing Authority, HUD, or Section 8 should be directed to the San Mateo County Department of Housing at 650-802-3300.

If you’d like to file a complaint about a townhome or condominium, contact the owner, HOA, or obtain legal advice.

Healthy Home Resources

Pests need water, food, and shelter to live, just like you. Explore what you can do to get rid of them and prevent them from invading your home. 

Reducing moisture prevents and reduces mold growth. Your first action is to address the source of the moisture, which causes mold. 

Read more >>

General information
Call the Anonyous Smoke-Free Hotline @ (650) 573-3777 to report drifting smoke.

Smoke-Free Housing

Drifting smoke in multi-unit housing (such as apartments and condos) is a danger to children and families. While the number of current smokers in our community continues to decrease, many residents are still exposed to secondhand smoke every day. This is why the San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition (TEC) educates tenants about what steps they can take if smoke is drifting into their unit. At the same time, TEC works with landlords to educate them about the benefits of developing smoke-free policies for the apartment or condo buildings they own.