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Here you will find housing resources and education, answers to FAQ, and MEHC “Perspective” monthly newsletters.

Perspective – Deep dives on housing

Each month, MEHC does a deep dive into a particular housing issue, which we publish as our “Perspective” newsletter. If you want the Perspective in your inbox, sign up here.

Housing and Driving
Featured | Learn | Perspective | Policy | Traffic

Housing and Driving

HOUSING AND DRIVING: Growth restrictions have displaced workers by Warren Wells We’ve all heard that California, and Marin in particular, are facing a severe housing crisis. Home values and apartment rents keep rising, leading owners to cash out and renters to be pushed out. We’ve heard from politicians that we need to build more to keep…

A Review of Marin Housing Projects
Featured | Learn | Perspective | Projects

A Review of Marin Housing Projects

What’s happening in Marin? A review of active, inactive, and completed housing projects. Every day, it seems there is another headline about a housing project. It might feel like we are experiencing a building boom here. But while we are considering some of the largest projects to be built in decades, such as the Northgate Town Center project…

What the BAHFA?
BAHFA | Featured | Learn | Perspective | Policy | State Legislation

What the BAHFA?

A short primer on affordable housing, BAHFA and BAHA, and potentially game-changing funding! Marinites overwhelmingly want more affordable housing.According to the Marin County 2023 Community Survey, it is the #1 issue that Marinites would like our local governments to address. But how can we build more affordable housing? And what does this have to do with the…

California State capitol
BAHFA | Featured | Learn | Perspective | Policy | State Legislation | Tenant Protections

California legislative wins: a review  

Happy New Year, fellow housing nerds and policy wonks!There is a lot to catch up on! The 2023 California legislative season ended in October with record-setting housing activity, November was for equal parts pats-on-the-back and wound-licking, and December was the time to rest and get ready to start the maddening but addictingly fun process all over…

Perspective: 2023 – A Turning Point In Marin Housing
Featured | front page | Learn | Perspective

Perspective: 2023 – A Turning Point In Marin Housing

Housing is #1 priority for Marin residents2023 was a very busy year for housing, and so for MEHC. The housing crisis in California continues to worsen; we have responded. We strengthened programs and introduced new strategies. We are working hard to build relationships throughout the County. Importantly, more and more Marin residents are understanding the need to act. A recent Marin…

Featured | front page | Housing Element | Policy

Housing Element Update – Dec 2023

Another important date in the housing element process is just around the corner. Jurisdictions that did not have their housing elements certified by May 31, 2023 must have all housing element rezonings completed by January 31st, 2024.  Only Sausalito was certified by May 31, 2023, so they will have until January 2026 to complete their…

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FAQ

Your neighbors. Over 27,000 lower-income Marin households spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, the standard limit for determining housing affordability. If you are lower income and have to overpay for shelter, you have to cut back on other necessities like clothing, the kids’ school supplies, and food.
Almost 50,000 Marin residents are 65 or older. More than 25% have a disability, and almost 7% live below the poverty line. Many seniors own their own homes, but are house-rich and cash-poor; they can’t afford the upkeep. Our aging population needs options including —
Smaller units to downsize into, both market rate and affordable
Age-restricted subsidized housing
Assisted living facilities, including congregate care, licensed facilities, and skilled nursing homes
The people you rely on. Service workers – home health aides, retail clerks, starting teachers – can’t afford to live here. Over half the people whose jobs are in Marin make less than $40,000 per year.

Over 68,000 people who work in Marin commute from other counties. Most of these people have grueling, stressful commutes because they make less than $40,000 per year and can’t afford to live here.
As a result, Marin has some of the worst freeway commute congestion in the Bay Area, and it’s getting worse.
The impacts on in-commuters are unsustainable in terms of their physical and mental health, transportation costs and maintenance, time lost from their families and communities.
Traffic delays cause employees to be late or miss work and strand employers.
Worker retention is a problem for employers, and it’s difficult to hire and keep good people.

The single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions is transportation. Our lack of affordable housing is a major factor contributing to commute traffic. 68,000 people commute from other counties to work in Marin. Most of them commute because they can’t afford to live here.
We must build in environmentally appropriate locations, like our downtowns and on vacant commercial properties near transit. Reusing existing buildings protects our green spaces and avoids sprawl.
More dwelling units in a smaller footprint are affordable by size, are more resource-efficient, and leave more undeveloped open space for community benefit.
Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel vehicles threaten our environment and way of life. Compact neighborhoods encourage more transportation options and reduce the number of car trips per day.
Environmentally sound building materials and construction reduce upstream waste and GHGs. Green buildings conserve energy and water, produce less waste, and provide healthier indoor environments.
Zero-net energy (ZNE) buildings produce as much energy as they use, minimizing environmental impacts. In California, building codes are mandating ZNE commercial and residential buildings on an aggressive schedule.

We can’t afford not to.
68,000 people make their money here; they spend it in other counties where they live. The financial outflow that goes with our out-of-county workforce costs our economy at least $1.4 billion.
In-commuters invest their money and volunteer time where they live too
The impacts of doing nothing – essentially the “Marin plan” – are unsustainable from a moral, environmental, and health perspective.

Over the past 40 years, local government in Marin has restricted the growth of housing supply while increasing the demand with policies that grew thousands of low wage retail and service jobs.
Local government policies that limit smaller, less expensive housing exclude minority folks and younger, less affluent people. Marin is the least diverse county in the Bay area and we have the oldest population.

Our sense of justice should say that we must provide housing opportunity when and where we can. This is why MEHC stands for environmentally friendly affordable housing.

MEHC Recommended Books

These are books that will deepen understanding on a broad array of affordable housing related topics. If you would like to suggest any additional books, you can contact info@marinmehc.org.

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