In addition to the high hurdle of public opposition, a significant barrier to creating new affordable housing, especially in Marin, is the high cost of land. In our January newsletter, we discussed California’s Surplus Lands Act, which makes affordable housing one of the top priorities for the sale of surplus public land. This month, we…
While cities and towns are required to plan for a certain number of affordable units—getting those units built has been a struggle. With the demise of redevelopment agencies (and funding) in 2012, jurisdictions have been forced to rely upon private for-profit and non-profit developers to create that housing. Along with public opposition, the high cost…
For decades, many property owners in Marin — and statewide — have vociferously opposed affordable housing in order to “preserve local character.” For a suburban county like Marin where 85% of the land area is closed to development, this means, in effect, “don’t build anything anywhere.” Justifications? No more traffic. Save our open space. Keep class sizes…
Like climate change, a pandemic disproportionately impacts low-income communities, even in Marin. Insufficient affordable housing and consequent crowding, unhealthy environmental conditions like poor air quality and flooding, low wages and inadequate access to healthcare and nutritious food all contribute to making low-income Marin residents particularly vulnerable in a crisis. It’s even worse in immigrant communities…
Pat’s affordable housing journey started in the summer of 2013. She was getting older, her small Sacramento business was no longer thriving, and she needed to get back to the Bay Area to be closer to friends and family. She realized she would never be able to afford Bay Area rents, so she started researching…
AFTER THE FIRES, HOUSING GOALS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER Are we doing enough? The North Bay fires have affected a large number of our northern neighbors, including many who work here in Marin. The scope of the devastation and destruction is enormous: well over 5,000 homes have been destroyed and many more damaged. It…
Marin homeowners benefit from laws, policies, and financial support New California laws took effect on January 1st that affect second units, now called “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs). Last month we discussed how this legislation makes it easier and cheaper to build an ADU. This month, we discuss a related new law which became effective last September. It gives…
Part 1: New State Laws make ADUs easier and cheaper New California laws took effect on January 1st that affect second units, now called “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs). This month we focus on how this legislation makes it easier to get approval to build an ADU and radically cut costs to create it. Next month we will look…
Rent vs Income: The Affordability Gap WIDENS Incomes are not keeping up with the cost of living here Low Income in Marin is $105,350 per year Bay Area media recently reported that a Marin family of four making $105,350 a year now qualifies as “low income.” But the more important news is that Marin’s “affordability…
There is a housing crisis in Marin. Is it a simple supply and demand problem? In large part it is undeniably driven by the clash, on the demand side, of robust job growth, against, on the supply side, Marin’s anemic housing development. MEHC has spoken often about how Marin’s land use policies have contributed to this problem,…