What is a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan?
Local Hazard Mitigation planning is a process in which a jurisdiction identifies potential hazards, assesses the risks they pose, and develops actions to reduce those risks. The process is collaborative and involves a range of stakeholders, including members of the public, who work together toward the shared goal of reducing disaster-related risk.
A Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) is the result of this planning process. The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires communities to have an approved LHMP in place to be eligible to apply for and receive hazard mitigation funding from FEMA. Once adopted, FEMA requires that the LHMP be updated every five years to maintain eligibility for funding.
In San Mateo County, the Department of Emergency Management is leading the update of the county’s 2021 Multijurisdictional LHMP, which incorporates hazard assessments and mitigation actions submitted by all cities and special districts within the county, including OneShoreline. The 2026 LHMP update evaluates several key natural hazards that could affect communities, including:
- Dam Failure
- Drought
- Earthquake
- Flood
- Landslide
- Sea Level Rise
- Severe Weather
- Tsunami
- Wildfire
What are the goals of the 2026 LHMP update?
The 2026 LHMP aims to:
- Protect life, property, the environment, and the health and safety of communities.
- Engage San Mateo County’s diverse communities to increase understanding and awareness of hazards and build resilience.
- Minimize vulnerabilities to climate change impacts.
- Develop and implement mitigation strategies that support equitable outcomes.
- Promote hazard mitigation as an integrated public policy and standard practice.
What types of public feedback is OneShoreline looking for?
Here are some questions that we invite community members to respond to:
- Which natural hazards have you experienced in your community?
- Which natural hazards do you believe pose the greatest risks to your community? How concerned are you about these hazards affecting your home and business?
- What mitigation ideas do you believe should be a top priority for your community? (Examples: drainage and flood control; wildfire reductions; road and bridge updates; seismic retrofitting)
- What mitigation ideas can the community action better support vulnerable populations?
How can I provide feedback on the 2026 LHMP?
We are collecting feedback until July 2026. The best way to provide feedback is to complete these online forms:
If you have trouble completing these forms, you can also send an email with responses to the questions above to info@OneShoreline.org.
Thank you for taking the time to support efforts to make San Mateo County a safer place for everyone who lives and works here.