The Future of Housing in Marin
According to state law, local governments must plan for the existing and future housing needs of all economic segments of the community in their general plans. This portion of each community’s general plan is called its housing element.
Housing elements must be updated every 5 years and are reviewed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). If local governments do not comply, they become ineligible for certain sources of grant funding and may be sued. These updates are occurring right now, throughout the county.
Each of the twelve jurisdictions in Marin has been allocated housing requirements for various income levels within their communities by HCD and the regional land-use planning agency, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). It is now up to each community to plan how to achieve those goals. (See the specific numbers for your community in the “Housing Element Overview” document in the Marin Countywide Housing Element Workbook.)
The League of Women Voters has developed positions on housing at the local, state, and national levels. These positions guide our advocacy. Our Marin County position calls for, in part, “support of local programs to increase supply of decent housing affordable to families and individuals at or below median income.” In keeping with this position, LWVMC has participated in efforts to increase the amount and viability of the affordable housing to be included in the Marin County housing element. See the “League Action” sidebar at right for documents the League has either authored or coauthored toward accomplishing those ends.
Transportation Land Use and Housing Committee October 2011 Report
The new Community Development Director for San Rafael, Paul Jensen, spoke to us about his long background in Marin and, specifically, San Rafael planning efforts.
He outlined specific areas he planned to focus on; streamlining policies and procedures for businesses, such as the permit process; outreach to neighborhoods and the environmental community; reviewing sites for new housing; focusing on re-use projects and current General Plan and zoning allowances for affordable housing; continuing the inclusionary housing policy; and CEQA exemptions involving infill and greenhouse gases.
He also sees as issues the SMART station-area plans; traffic in East San Rafael; downtown retail vacancies; and projections relating to the Sustainable Communities Strategy created by SB 375 to correlate community housing planning and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2013.
Paul had worked with a number of committee members in past years and said he was looking forward to working with the committee in the future. We were impressed.
On October 11 the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to promote “fair housing” for the poor across Marin, rather than concentrating it in minority communities. In addition, under an “impediments to fair housing” plan prompted by a dispute with the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, the poor, minorities, disabled and women will get a bigger voice in how federal housing money is spent.
The plan calls for streamlining or even “ministerial” review of affordable multifamily housing projects, allowing increased density, rezoning sites for high density housing by 2013, and adopting a housing chapter of the general plan in accord with the program.
Affordable housing advocates had worked hard to achieve this result, and the League submitted a letter supporting it that was read by Elizabeth Moody at the meeting.
Transportation Land Use and Housing Committee September 2011 Report
SMART: We’ve been closely following the SMART discussion all summer. In June LWV Sonoma County president DeeDee Bridges and members Will and Nancy Richards joined us in a SMART discussion, and we’re keeping in touch via our expert, John Eells. John has been encouraged by the work of Farhad Mansourian, the interim General Manager, who presented his plan for project timing and savings at the SMART board meeting on August 17. The board approved the plan, which called for delaying the start of service for up to two years. We consider this vote a major step in assuring SMART’s future.
BAY AREA LEAGUE DAY: During the summer we’ve been working with LWV Bay Area President Marion Taylor and members of other local Leagues on the topics and speakers for Bay Area League Day on February 4, 2012. We have a tentative agenda, with helpful suggestions by Betty Pagett,that we discussed in a conference call on August 16. Then we’ll be deciding on guest speakers and panelists. Details will follow in future Voters.
HOUSING: In June we heard from Keith Bloom of Thompson/Dorfman Partners LLC about its proposed 67-unit rental development behind the San Rafael Elks Club. It will include 10% of the units as affordable based on a formula determined by the city of San Rafael. We’ll be following its progress during the fall.
We prepared a letter to the San Rafael City Council, approved by the board, regarding changes we wanted in its Housing Element. Since they weren’t adopted by the board, we forwarded the letter to the Calif. Dept. of Housing & Community Development as it reviews that plan.The county’s Housing Element has been submitted to the state, but, again, the sites aren’t satisfactory.
HOMELESS: Oma Village, which Betty Pagett recently founded in cooperation with Homeward Bound of Marin to bring more support for homeless families with children, has found a site to rehabilitate eight units that will offer long-term supportive housing for formerly homeless families. They are now living in the emergency shelter in San Rafael. Anyone interested in supporting this grassroots program can contact Betty at bettypagett@juno.com or www.hbofm.org. They seek (1)pledges to support families in the shelter and increase services to sustain them in the face of budget cuts and (2) visionary gifts for the acquisition of housing.