City of Foster City
The City of Foster City is a California charter municipality in San Mateo County serving ~30,567 residents through police, fire, parks and recreation, public works, permitting, utilities, and community programs. Its services are delivered via City Hall, an online permit portal, the VIBE Teen Center, the Community Center, 24 parks, and FCTV government television.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersFoster City, United States
- Headcount10,001+
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What City of Foster City does
The City of Foster City is a California charter municipal government entity serving approximately 30,567 residents (2010 census) in San Mateo County, 25 miles south of San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula. It operates as a full-service municipality governed by an elected five-member City Council, with departments covering Police, Fire (delivered via San Mateo County Fire), Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Community Development, Financial Services, and Administrative Services. The city's service portfolio spans public safety, parks and recreation, permitting and planning, public works infrastructure, water and wastewater utilities, recycling and garbage collection, business licensing, and civic engagement.
Its core physical and digital infrastructure includes 24 parks, eight miles of levee pedway, a five-mile lagoon system, the Community Center, the VIBE Teen Center, the Recreation Center (currently undergoing a major replacement project), and Foster City Television (FCTV), a government access channel operating since 1986 on Comcast 27 and AT&T 99. The digital service layer is built on the CivicPlus civic engagement platform (fostercity.org) and includes an Online Permit Center (permit.fostercity.org) and the Foster City Access mobile app for resident issue reporting. Key revenue-generating or revenue-supporting activities include utility services, permitting fees, recreation program fees (e.g., $35 one-time VIBE Teen Center membership), facility rentals, donor recognition programs ($2,500-$10,000+ tiers for the Community Center), and intergovernmental partnerships.
The city's commercial relationships are predominantly civic partnerships rather than vendor procurement: a strategic partnership with TurnOnGreen, Inc. (February 2026) deployed EVP1100 Level 2 EV charging stations at The Pilgrim workforce housing community, anchored to the city's Climate Action Plan targeting a 50% community-wide emissions reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. Housing assistance is delivered through nonprofit partners including Rebuilding Together Peninsula, Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, HEART of San Mateo County, and HIP Housing. In March 2026, the city experienced a significant cybersecurity incident that disrupted non-emergency operations, prompted declaration of a local state of emergency, and was fully remediated by April 17, 2026.
City of Foster City firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- City of Foster City
- Legal name
- City of Foster City
- Website
- https://fostercity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 10,001+ employees
- Short description
- The City of Foster City is a California charter municipality in San Mateo County serving ~30,567 residents through police, fire, parks and recreation, public works, permitting, utilities, and community programs. Its services are delivered via City Hall, an online permit portal, the VIBE Teen Center, the Community Center, 24 parks, and FCTV government television.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
City of Foster City industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Municipal Government Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Water Supply (4941)
- akta.pro industry
- Parks, Recreation & Cultural ServicesBusiness & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government AdministrationPublic Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities)Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government AdministrationHousing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs)Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration
Keywords
Where City of Foster City is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Foster City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
City of Foster City business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vibe Teen Center one-time membership fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Community Center Donor Wall recognition tiers |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Seasonal camp refund policy |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
City of Foster City product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The City of Foster City is a full-service municipal government providing public safety (police, fire, 911 dispatch), parks and recreation programs, public works infrastructure, water and wastewater services, solid waste and recycling collection, building and planning permits, business licensing, community development, housing assistance, and community events. It serves approximately 30,567 residents within a planned community featuring a five-mile lagoon system, 24 parks, and 8 miles of levee pedway on the San Francisco Peninsula.
Product overview
The City of Foster City's offerings consist of government services, public facilities, and community programs rather than a traditional commercial product portfolio. The city's digital presence is built on the CivicPlus civic engagement platform, which hosts the official website at fostercity.org. Key services include an Online Permit Center for building and planning permits, recreation facilities and programs (Community Center, VIBE Teen Center, camps, sports leagues), Foster City Television (FCTV) government media channel, EV charging infrastructure in partnership with TurnOnGreen, and housing assistance programs. The city operates 24 parks, maintains public works infrastructure, and provides public safety through the Police Department.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Foster City TV (FCTV): Foster City Television is the city's government access cable television channel providing local information, broadcasting City Council and Planning Commission meetings, and community news.
- Foster City Access
Products and services
- Online Permit Center
- Seasonal Camps Program
- The VIBE Teen Center
- Foster City Community Center
- Foster City Television (FCTV)
- Housing Programs
- Recreation Center Replacement Project
- EV Charging Infrastructure
Companies that use City of Foster City
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
City of Foster City technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
City of Foster City partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TurnOnGreen, Inc.coreTurnOnGreen partnered with the City of Foster City to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure by installing multiple EVP1100 Level 2 charging stations delivering up to 11 kW of power at The Pilgrim workforce housing community. The initiative aims to reduce barriers to EV ownership and decrease transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions as part of the City's Climate Action Plan targeting a 50% reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. The networked stations are managed through cloud-based software for energy monitoring and data-driven sustainability planning.
- TurnOnGreen, Inc.coreTurnOnGreen completed an EV charging infrastructure project for Foster City in San Mateo County, California, installing multiple EVP1100 48-amp/11 kW Level 2 charging stations at The Pilgrim workforce housing community. The chargers are managed remotely through TurnOnGreen's cloud-based software and are exclusively available to residents of the housing community. The project supports Foster City's Climate Action Plan emission reduction targets.
- The Kite SchoolminorThe Kite School offers beginning windsurfing lessons and rents windsurf boards, pedal boats, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards at the Leo Ryan Park boathouse.
- Wind Over WaterminorWind Over Water offers kiteboard lessons, equipment rental, and demonstrations at Baywinds Park.
- Edgewater MarineminorEdgewater Marine offers rental, authorized sales (new and pre-owned), and maintenance service for Duffy Electric Boats.
- Rebuilding Together PeninsulaminorAdministers the Minor Home Repair program for homeowners as part of Foster City's housing resources fair.
- Habitat for Humanity Greater San FranciscominorAdministers Home Rehabilitation Loans and Construction Services as part of Foster City's housing programs.
- HEART of San Mateo CountyminorAdministers Affordable ADU Loans as part of Foster City's housing assistance programs.
- HIP HousingminorAdministers Home Sharing program as part of Foster City's housing resources.
- Second Harvest Food BankminorDistributes pre-boxed groceries for seniors in the Recreation Center parking lot on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month, starting at 8:30 am.
- Foster City Rotary ClubminorPartners with Foster City Senior programs to provide hot lunch meals for seniors on the first Tuesday of each month.
- San Mateo County Library Joint Powers AuthoritycoreFoster City Library is managed by the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority (JPA), providing library services as an integral part of Foster City's community.
- San Mateo Foster City School DistrictcoreCity works with the San Mateo Foster City School District for school enrollment information and educational facilities coordination.
- San Mateo CountycoreFoster City is part of San Mateo County, with shared services including animal control, health services, and regional programs.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
City of Foster City competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- City of San Mateo: Adjacent San Mateo County city and direct operational peer; provides a comparable full-service municipal bundle (public safety, parks & recreation, utilities, housing, permitting) at slightly larger scale (~100K population) under similar state-level governance.
- City of San Carlos: Neighboring San Mateo County city with very similar population (~30K) and full-service municipal profile; comparable recreation programs, public works, and community development offerings.
- City of Redwood City: Nearby mid-size Bay Area city (~85K) operating parks, recreation, utilities, housing, and sustainability programs at larger scale but with the same municipal service mix as Foster City.
- City of Belmont: Immediately adjacent small Bay Area city (~27K population) offering an essentially identical service portfolio to Foster City, including parks, recreation, community development, and public works — the closest size and structure match.
- City of Newark, California: Similar-size Bay Area city (~48K) with comparable parks, recreation, community development, and sustainability initiatives; useful size-matched peer for benchmarking service delivery and capex cycles.
Broad incumbents
- City of Palo Alto: Larger, well-resourced Bay Area Peninsula city (~65K) running a comprehensive set of municipal utilities (including its own electric utility), recreation, and sustainability programs — a broader incumbent whose structure overlaps heavily with Foster City's full-service model.
- City of Mountain View: Larger Silicon Valley-adjacent city (~82K) with deep parks, recreation, housing, and sustainability programs serving a similar tech-economy demographic; broader incumbent in the same Bay Area municipal category.
- City of Sunnyvale: Larger Silicon Valley city (~155K) operating full municipal services including utilities, recreation, and sustainability programs at scale; broader incumbent offering structural parallels to Foster City's service mix.
- City of Daly City: Larger San Mateo County city (~105K) operating parks, recreation, housing, and community development programs comparable to Foster City's, serving a different but adjacent demographic.
Regional players
- City of Brisbane: Small Bay Area city (~4.7K) directly adjacent to Foster City that operates a similar small-scale municipal service bundle; relevant regional peer for understanding how smaller jurisdictions structure parks, recreation, and community services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
City of Foster City social profiles
Digital presenceCity of Foster City financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
City of Foster City leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
City of Foster City funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
City of Foster City M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about City of Foster City
What does City of Foster City do?
The City of Foster City is a full-service municipal government providing public safety (police, fire, 911 dispatch), parks and recreation programs, public works infrastructure, water and wastewater services, solid waste and recycling collection, building and planning permits, business licensing, community development, housing assistance, and community events. It serves approximately 30,567 residents within a planned community featuring a five-mile lagoon system, 24 parks, and 8 miles of levee pedway on the San Francisco Peninsula.
Is City of Foster City a public or private company?
City of Foster City is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was City of Foster City founded?
City of Foster City was founded in 1960. It employs 10,001+ people.
Where is City of Foster City based?
City of Foster City is headquartered in Foster City, United States, in the North America region.
Who are City of Foster City's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are City of San Mateo, City of San Carlos, City of Redwood City, City of Belmont and City of Newark, California. Broad incumbents are City of Palo Alto, City of Mountain View, City of Sunnyvale and City of Daly City. City of Brisbane is listed as a regional player.
Does City of Foster City have an API?
No public API is recorded for City of Foster City.
What industry is City of Foster City in?
City of Foster City's product category is Municipal Government Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAI, Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services, with a secondary code of BPAIACAF, Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities). Its NAICS code is 9251 and its SIC code is 8300.