Menlo Park council hopes to partner with nonprofit on tenant fund

Given limited staff availability and a lack of expertise, the Menlo Park City Council agreed on Tuesday (March 12) to explore whether the nonprofit Samaritan House would consider administering the city's planned $100,000 fund for renters in the city who are forced to relocate and are facing homelessness. The San Mateo-based Samaritan House operates throughout the county to support anti-homelessness and broader anti-poverty efforts. The council discussed many of the details about how the fund should be administered and who would be eligible for financial support before ultimately agreeing to contact representatives from the nonprofit. Samaritan House has an East Palo Alto location, on Bay Road, which is one of eight places in San Mateo County where people experiencing or facing homelessness can find shelter and other support, such as health care and food.