Voters in a special recall election in Millbrae appear to be in favor of removing two councilmembers who supported a controversial affordable housing project, preliminary results show.
As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, a majority of voters were in favor of removing councilmembers Maurice Goodman and Angelina Cahalan from office.
Seventy-nine percent of District 4 voters said “yes” to recall Goodman and 71% from District 2 voted to remove Cahalan.
Only residents within the two councilmembers’ corresponding districts were eligible to vote.
The bid to hold a special recall election for Cahalan and Goodman arose after they did not oppose the San Mateo County Board of Supervisor’s proposal to convert a hotel in Millbrae – La Quinta Inn – into permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
“Even after we voiced our objections and pleaded with him to oppose the project, Goodman did the opposite,” the recall campaign said in a statement on its website.
Goodman represents District 4 and is also Millbrae’s vice mayor. Cahalan represents District 2. They were both elected in 2022 to serve four-year terms.
Supporters of the recall said that Cahalan and Goodman ignored the public safety and financial concerns raised by some of their constituents.
In September 2023, the city council sent a letter to the supervisors detailing their disapproval of the handling of the proposed project. While the mayor and the rest of the council signed the letter, Cahalan and Goodman did not. Cahalan abstained while Goodman voted against sending the letter.
The letter portended extensive fiscal consequences of the project, since La Quinta Inn generates a substantial source of revenue for the city.
San Francisco International Airport is in Millbrae and the city relies heavily on its hotel market for tax revenue from travelers.
Critics say that increased costs to public safety services such as the city police and the fire departments will be an issue if the hotel becomes supportive housing, with increased 911 calls, and that Millbrae will experience an annual deficit of $772,000 due to the project, according to the letter.
The people behind the recalls also point out that La Quinta Inn is in close proximity to Lomita Park Elementary School, Capuchino High School and numerous daycare facilities.
In an online statement on their website, the recall campaign said that the project is “inviting unstable and dangerous individuals into a city where residents have worked hard to create a quiet and safe enclave for their families.”
A ‘waste’ of money?
Some Millbrae residents think the recall effort is a waste of time and money.
“This is a vast waste of city funding,” said Millbrae District 2 resident Jordan Miranda in an online statement on the No Millbrae Recall website for Cahalan. “I feel like the majority of this is distracting. There are other real issues on Angelina’s mind and she wants to address them with her role as council member.”
The recall election is costing the city $153,000. Upon certification of the results, the seats will be vacant until filled by election or appointment.
The county clerk still has to add votes from mail-in ballots received after Tuesday and ballots not dropped off to vote centers and drop boxes before Tuesday. Post-election results will be announced by 4:30 p.m. Friday and next Wednesday, July 31.
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