Background:
The San Mateo County Sheriff's Department is proposing to construct a new
county jail to alleviate overcrowding, house county inmates currently housed
elsewhere in the county, and to handle future increases in the county inmate
population.
On June 14, 2010, the Sheriff expressed his intent to ask the San Mateo County
Board of Supervisors to approve a pre-architectural report for a new county
jail and a new jail site. The site identified is in Redwood City's downtown,
on Winslow St. between Marshall St. and Brewster Ave. This could result in as
many as 1,424 county inmates being housed in downtown Redwood City.
This site is inside Redwood City's Redevelopment Area, and within two blocks
of the historic courthouse plaza — essentially, the heart of Redwood City's
downtown “destination spot.” This is a place where families feel
safe to stroll and enjoy the live music, summer movies and community events
regularly hosted there, as well as patronize downtown restaurants and retail
businesses.
At the June 29, 2010, Board of Supervisors' meeting, we were pleased to
learn that the Sheriff's office is currently working with the City of
Redwood City in an effort to secure a different site for the new jail –
a site that isn't inside Redwood City's Redevelopment Area. We
hope these discussions are successful. Should these discussions fail, we
anticipate that the Sheriff will ask the San Mateo Board of Supervisors to
approve the downtown site identified above within the next 30 to 60 days.
We will maintain this website to collect signatures from citizens who OPPOSE
construction of a new county jail inside Redwood City's Redevelopment Area
until such time as the Sheriff's office or the City of Redwood City
announce that a new jail will NOT be built inside Redwood City's
Redevelopment Area.
We understand that a new jail may need to be built somewhere in San Mateo
County, but we oppose it being built in a downtown redevelopment area.
Statement:
I oppose the construction of another jail, or any increase in housing for
the county inmate population in downtown Redwood City's Redevelopment Area.
