City Council - July 20, 2026

The City of Foster City held a City Council meeting on July 20, 2026, which included extensive discussions on real estate economic market analysis and a significant procurement-related matter involving San Mateo County's intent to purchase the property at 1065 East Hillsdale Boulevard for $29 million. The county plans to relocate its Human Services Agency operations to this site, aiming to consolidate services and improve operational efficiency. The county representatives detailed potential uses of the building, including client services, employment services, veteran services, and emergency response coordination, emphasizing that no warehouse would be built despite earlier community concerns. The purchase is projected to save the county approximately $3.8 million annually in rental expenses with a breakeven in about 7.8 years. The meeting featured robust public commentary expressing concerns about transparency, community impact, traffic, loss of property tax revenue, and the appropriateness of the site for such services. The council acknowledged these concerns and emphasized the need for further collaboration and transparency with the county. Additionally, the council received updates on the city's housing element progress, commercial site evaluations, and capital improvement projects including landscaping and community center rebuilds. No votes were taken on the county property purchase during this meeting, but the county board of supervisors was scheduled to consider the purchase shortly thereafter.