San Mateo Forward

On May 27th, the San Mateo City Council declined to reappoint Planning Commissioner Seema Patel, who has served as Chair since 2024 and worked on the City’s most complex land use policies including the General Plan and Housing Element. Patel has been one of the city’s strongest pro-housing voices, championing higher height and density limits, more permissive ADU regulations and owner consent for historic resources. James Horsman takes her seat.

The timing is telling. Patel is challenging Councilmember Rob Newsom for the District 3 seat this November. Newsom has been conservative on housing and tenant rights. He voted to reduce height and density limits in the city’s General Plan, voted to let a landlord off the hook for relocation expenses after their property was red-tagged, and recently voted to grant the City Council power to designate some properties historic without owner consent. Newsom also voted against reappointing Patel. He didn't recuse, didn't disclose the conflict, and didn't have to — the council let him vote on his own challenger, in the open, and no one objected.

And it happened just as the commission's workload is about to peak. Staff told commissioners their most consequential task ahead is the comprehensive zoning update and the next phase of housing reform. Mayor Adam Loraine, who voted to keep Patel, noted the commission is facing "more planning developments and items for planning commission than the city has ever seen." The council removed its most experienced member on exactly that work, at the moment that experience matters most.

This is what a council seat lets you do — and what happens when the wrong person holds it. Seema Patel fought for housing, for tenants, and for the kind of city San Mateo is still trying to become. Now she's fighting for a seat that would let her finish that work. If you believe planning decisions should be made on merit, not political convenience, support Seema for District 3.