County employee housing costs

Roland Katz, Executive Director of MAPE, makes an important point in his November 3 Marin Voice: the on-going debate concerning the salaries paid to some of the higher level county government staff ignores the impact of Marin’s housing crisis on most of our public employees and many others in Marin. The Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative agrees that workers in Marin, both public and private sector, are severely impacted by housing costs.

Housing supply is so limited that recently a single bedroom (a room, not an apartment) was advertised for rent in San Rafael for $1,500 per month. It would take an annual salary of $54,000 to afford that room. Should a starting teacher (starting salary is $42,000 in the San Rafael district) really have to share a single room in someone else’s home to live near where he or she works for us?

The lack of affordable housing for our workforce increases traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, takes away time for home and family and keeps those who work here from becoming invested in our community. Even our own children can’t afford to live here when they leave the nest.

Mr. Katz is right: the story of Marin County workers’ salaries is more than juicy tidbits about management’s pay. There is an underlying problem with housing costs that is out of control and we need to turn our attention to this serious problem; otherwise, it willonly get worse.

Signed,

Joe Walsh, MEHC Board of Directors