Marin’s housing costs have become increasingly prohibitive for the community, and the opportunity to locate available housing, especially affordable housing, has become increasingly difficult. The 2020 Marin County Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) illustrates that to afford the average apartment in Marin*, a household should earn an annual income of about $130,000. In unincorporated Marin, about 60% of renter households are considered low-income and earn below 80% the area median income, which is currently $146,350 for a household of four (2017 HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy and 2021 HCD Income Limits). Additionally, Marin’s vacancy rates are amongst the lowest in the Bay Area:
|
Rental Vacancy Rate |
Homeowner Vacancy Rate |
Alameda County |
2.9% |
0.6%; |
Contra Costa County |
3.1% |
0.8% |
Marin County |
2.7% |
0.5% |
Napa County |
4.2% |
1.0% |
San Francisco County |
2.9% |
0.8% |
San Mateo County |
3.9% |
0.6% |
Santa Clara County |
3.9% |
0.4% |
Solano County |
3.4% |
0.8% |
Sonoma County |
2.9% |
0.8% |
Source: 2019 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates
The barriers to housing in Marin are compounded even further for people of color. In 2019, Marin County was determined to be the number one most racially disparate county in the entire State of California according to the Advancement Project, across seven metrics: crime and justice, democracy, economic opportunity, health access, healthy built environment, housing and education. The 2020 AI also determined a lack of opportunity for home ownership by people of color and on-going concerns of gentrification as a barrier to fair housing choice.
*Following industry standards of housing costs not exceeding 30% of one’s income.