TO ADDRESS ITS HOUSING SHORTAGE, California implemented a Housing Element process over 50 years ago. The process requires each local city and county to adopt a Housing Element that must be updated and certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) every 8 years (an 8-year “Housing Cycle”). So far, this program has failed…
MEHC stands for affordable housing. In Marin, conversations around affordable housing often center on the great need for workforce housing, including teacher housing. We desperately need this housing, but the conversation leaves out another group in great need of affordable housing: older residents. Marin County is experiencing a demographic transformation. While our population is stable, our…
Never mind the record-shattering atmospheric river that hit the Bay Area this October, Marin (like most of the western US) is still in a state of extreme drought. Despite the fact that local reservoirs are now up to 57% of capacity from a paltry 32% in early October, this is still well below the annual…
Marin Updates:Some important Marin housing issues have emerged in the last several months. These include the start of a new Housing Element update cycle for 2023-2031, MMWD’s proposed ban on new water hookups, the Mill Valley Housing Advisory Committee’s proposal to explore city-owned land for a proactive affordable housing initiative, and the rising visibility of…
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…