Affordable Housing

On February 9, 2016, the Marin County Board of Supervisors directed staff to pursue an 18-month, 3-phase workplan to preserve housing affordability and prevent displacement. Updates on those workplan items are provided below. 

Visit our Housing Element webpage to learn more about other work being done by the Housing and Federal Grants Division.

• Acquisition of multi-family rental properties for preservation as affordable housing.

  This strategy represents an ongoing strategy of CDA. Staff continues to collaborate with community partners to identify and assess the feasibility of properties for acquisition. Recently funded acquisition projects include:

  • King Street Senior Housing
  • Ocean Terrace Apartments
  • Piper Court Apartments
• Development Code amendments for junior second units.

  In March 2017, the Board amended Chapter 22 of the Development Code to formally define Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs).

  To encourage the creation of JADUs, the Board is offering a fee reduction of up to $1500 in Building permit fees and waiver of Roadway Impact Fees in 2019. Visit the ADU Marin webpage to learn more about the process of transforming your spare bedroom into a junior unit.

• Landlord incentives program.

  In 2016, the Board funded two landlord incentives programs to expand affordable rental opportunities for Section 8 voucher holders and in West Marin. The two programs - Marin Housing Authority's Landlord Partnership Program and Community Land Trust of West Marin's Real Community Rentals - were renewed by the Board for a second two-year term in July 2018.

• Voluntary rent guidelines.

  The Board deleted this item from the work plan in August 2017 and replaced with a supplemental policy, the Rental Housing Dispute Resolution program (see below).

• Ordinance to require just cause for evictions.

  In December 2018, the Board adopted an ordinance requiring cause to terminate a residential tenancy. The ordinance generally applies to all properties in the unincorporated County with at least 3 units. It went into effect on January 17, 2019.
  
  To learn more, visit www.marincounty.org/justcause.

• Ordinance to establish source of income protection.

  In November 2016, the Board adopted an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against tenants with third-party rental subsidies. In March 2017, it amended that ordinance to broaden the applicability to all rental housing opportunities. You can read this ordinance online, codified as Chapter 5.53 of the Marin County Code.

• Development Code amendments for second unit regulations.

  In March 2017, the Board amended the Development Code to increase the maximum allowable size of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to 1200 SF and to implement a State law establishing new standards for Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs).
  
  To encourage the creation of ADUs and JADUs, the Board is offering fee reductions of up to $10,000 in Building permit fees in 2021. Visit the ADU Marin webpage to learn more about creating an accessory living unit on your property.

• Short-term rental regulations.

  In August 2018, the Board adopted an ordinance requiring operators of short-term rentals to notice neighbors of that use. To learn more, visit the Planning Division's webpage dedicated to the Board's discussion of short-term rental policies.

• Second Unit Amnesty.

  In light of State legislation that reduced regulatory barriers that had discouraged the creation of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), this program was deleted from the work plan in August 2017.

• Evaluate multi-family land use designations.

  This program is underway. The Board last received a formal staff update on this item in August 2017.

• Re-evaluate the Housing Overlay Designation (HOD) policy.

  This item is underway. The Board received a formal staff update on this item in August 2017 and in June 2019.

• Supplemental policy: Rental Housing Dispute Resolution Ordinance.

  The Rental Housing Dispute Resolution program offers opportunities for landlords and tenants to discuss issues related to rent increases greater than 5% in a 1-year period. It applies to all residential tenancies in the unincorporated areas of Marin County. To learn more, visit www.marincounty.org/mandatorymediation.

• Supplemental policy: Enhancements to the multi-family inspection and code compliance program

  After receiving public testimony regarding the lack of proper or timely maintenance of rental units that may result in substandard conditions, potential adverse health effects for tenants, and violations of state housing law administered by the County, the Board accepted implementation of changes to inspection and enforcement procedures and policies in September 2018 which were implemented in early 2019 and presented to the Board in June 2019.

• Affordable Housing Requirements — What You Need To Know
• Marin County Development Code, Chap 22.22 - Affordable Housing requirements for new development
• Marin County Development Code, Chap 22.24 - Affordable Housing Incentives

Marin County Housing Trust Fund (HTF)

The Marin County In-Lieu Housing Trust Fund (Housing Trust) was created to increase the stock of permanently affordable housing units in the County. The Housing Trust provides a local funding source for financial and technical assistance to help affordable housing developers produce and preserve affordable housing.

• Implementation Guide
• Application
• Governing Documents
  • Resolution 88-53 
  • Ordinance 2572

Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA)

Senate Bill 2 (SB2) was part of a 15-bill housing package adopted in 2017 aimed at addressing the state’s housing shortage and high housing costs. Specifically, it establishes a permanent source of funding intended to increase the affordable housing stock in California, a permanent local housing allocation (PLHA). Marin County is eligible for non-competitive, entitlement funds. The maximum award amount for an entitlement County is approximately $725,000 per year in the non-competitive process.

The five-year plan for these funds allocates funds to match Housing Trust funds for predevelopment, development, acquisition, and preservation of multi-family projects, with an emphasis on projects that house those that are at or under 60 percent Area Median Income (AMI), as stipulated in the PLHA Final Guidelines.

• Board Packet
• Application (same as Housing Trust Fund application above)
• Governing Documents
  • Resolution 2020-89
• PLHA Website - CA Department of Housing and Community Development

Community Development Block Grants and HOME funding

The Federal Grants Division provides Marin communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Federal funds are awarded to non-profits which provide community development activities, anti-poverty programs, and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households throughout Marin County.

New and Upcoming Projects

Coast Guard Property

From the 1970s until the early 2000’s, families and officers lived in the 36 homes and barracks building on the Coast Guard property have been part of the Point Reyes community, with children attending local schools and residents using local businesses.

In 2014, the U.S. Coast Guard designated the Point Reyes Station facility as surplus with the intention of selling it on the open market. After strong community advocacy, in 2016, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that required the Coast Guard to sell the property to the County to be used as permanently affordable homes.

In December 2019, the property was acquired by the County of Marin from the federal government for $4.3 million. The purchase agreement includes language that restricts the property’s use to public benefit. In April 2020, a developer was selected for the project and the first phase funding process was initiated. More information about this project is available here.

Project Status: First Phase Funding Committed through the purchase of the land. Pending Local Housing Trust Fund Application.

Homeward Bound HUD Parcel

Homeward Bound of Marin, in partnership with the City of Novato and the Department of Veterans Affairs, proposes development of the 2.8-acre site on the former Hamilton Army Airfield, now known as the “HUD Parcel.” Two types of housing units are planned for the site, 24 units of permanently supportive housing for homeless veterans and 26 supportive housing units for people exiting homelessness and entering the local workforce.

Project Status: First Phase Funding Committed.

Second Unit Program

During the last four years, the Marin County single family home rehabilitation program expanded to incorporate ADUs and JADUs and has funded the rehabilitation of 20 existing second units and the creation of 10 new second units. All of the units developed as part of the Second Unit Program will be rented to qualifying applicants at 60% or below the Area Median Income.

The Marin Housing Authority (“MHA”), through the Home Ownership Programs Department (“the Department”) will perform the loan servicing on these loans. The Department has extensive experience over 45 years of servicing a deferred loan portfolio of over 215 loans consisting of Residential Rehabilitation Loans, Down Payment Assistance Loans, ADDI loans and CalHome Mortgage Assistance Loans. Marin Housing is working closely with the Marin County Community Development Agency, as well as local jurisdictions as they respond to the new State Laws regarding accessory dwelling units.

Project Status: First Phase Funding Committed pending LHTF Application.

• Marin County Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI) (2020) - The AI identifies barriers to fair housing choice by 1) assessing conditions, both public and private, affecting fair housing choice for all protected classes, 2) reviewing the jurisdiction's laws, regulations, and administrative policies, procedures and practices, 3) assessing how those laws, etc. affecting the location, availability and accessibility of housing, and 4) assessing the availability of affordable, accessible housing. 

  The report identifies four key impediments to fair housing choice in the county: 1) community opposition to affordable housing, 2) the cost of developing affordable housing, 3) lack of affordable housing sites, and 4) lack of opportunities for home ownership by people of color and on-going concerns of gentrification.

• Marin County Affordable Housing Inventory (2008) - Provides a comprehensive picture of income-restricted housing in the 11 cities and towns and the unincorporated area of Marin. The inventory surveyed all affordable housing providers, which together supply 2616 units at nonprofit rental properties, 274 inclusionary rental units, 758 Below Market Rate ownership units, 573 units of public housing and 2269 Section 8 vouchers.

  The study compares the overall Marin housing market with affordable housing, including an overview of Marin's housing stock, household demographics, employment, income, and commute patterns. Data indicate that affordable housing plays a key role in providing homes for low income residents of Marin County.

• Strategic Plan: A Response to Homelessness in Marin County (2019) - Provides 3 solutions: 1) identifying and funding additional needed resources, 2) continuing focus/targeted approach on highest needs clients, and 3) bolstering common resources and improving linkages to services.

• Miles From Home (2011) - The traffic and climate Impacts of Marin's unaffordable housing.

• Driving Home Economic Recovery (2011) - How workforce housing boosts jobs and revenue in Marin.