Public Comment email template for Oak Hill meeting with San Rafael City Schools on 4/21

In the Week of April 21 Coming Up newsletter, a template email was included to support the Oak Hill project and financing plans:

Dear Board of Education members, 

I am writing to you today in support of the Oak Hill project and the proposed Affordable Workforce Housing Guarantee financing plan. I urge you to vote in support today.

The lack of affordable housing is hurting Marin Schools. School districts and other local governments are struggling to hire and retain educators and staff due to our extremely high housing costs. The workforce housing project will provide 135 housing units for educators and county staff. Given the huge demand for housing, the convenient location, and projected rents 30% below market, this project is not likely to face significant vacancies. 

The financing plans include significant risk mitigation for participating agencies, including the ability to sublet these units to another agency or even rent them to the general public if necessary. There are enormous benefits to this project. The Joint Powers Authority (JPA) has put in place a structure that provides significant risk mitigation for those involved. We believe these benefits far outweigh the theoretical risks. 

Delaying this project to seek alternative forms of financing will be costly, and puts the project at risk. There is no other significant project in the pipeline targeted to our teachers and local government workforces. Let’s not miss this opportunity. I urge your support. 

Sincerely, 
[Your Name]