Small Business Gratitude

As social distancing continues to keep us at home, millions of small businesses are feeling the effects of empty storefronts, tables, and offices, and they’re rightly worried about the future. But there’s still hope. Many businesses are getting creative and taking their offerings online, and we can step up to help! By celebrating small businesses, ordering out, and buying local instead of from Amazon, we can make it through these challenging times together. If you want to help Silicon Valley small businesses, please visit siliconvalleystrong.org.

Number Talk: Sales surge during shutdown

New single-family home sales surged 13.8% to a seasonally adjusted rate of 776,000 in June, surpassing analyst expectations and notching the strongest rate since 2007, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sales were up from 682,000 in May and 726,000 in 2019, 6.9% above the numbers from last year!

Essential Worker Gratitude

We are eternally grateful to the first and second and third responders who are sacrificing their own safety and wellbeing to keep our world open during this health crisis. Please know that your efforts are appreciated. We thank you each and every day in our prayers. Stay strong and thank you! - Pearl & Kevin

Introducing: Foster City

Foster City literally rose out of the marshes of the San Francisco Bay, on the eastern edge of San Mateo. The city was named after T. Jack Foster, a real estate tycoon who owned much of the land that was forged into the eventual city, and who played a key role in its design. His family firm, Foster Enterprises, is still active in Bay Area real estate today.

Despite being built on engineered landfill, Foster City maintains an extensive 218-acre lagoon that functions as a drainage system and keeps the city from flooding, even during the infamous El Niño rainstorms in the late 1990s. Meanwhile, surrounding cities experienced major drainage problems. (Keep reading for more on Foster City’s innovative flood protections.)

In 2009, Forbes ranked Foster City 10th on their list of America's Top 25 Towns to Live Well. Money magazine has also recognized Foster City as one of the Best Places to Live. Like most of Silicon Valley, it boasts a mild Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers, and cool, wet winters.

Learn more in the Neighborhoods section of our website.