Along the rural coastal, inland agricultural villages and communities along 101 of District 4, the lack of affordable and workforce housing is a serious concern that negatively impacts our small businesses, schools, and community services.
The lack of housing results from many interrelated factors that have reduced the overall number of available residential housing for families to purchase or rent. District 4 supports responsible and sustainable housing development that aligns with our rural community plans to create new housing and accessory dwelling units, renovations to create additional units, regulating commercial industries that remove convert residential housing into short-term rentals, supporting community land trusts to create affordable housing, and advocating to reduce regulatory red tape to create pathways to support robust residential communities now and into the future.
Workforce and Affordable Housing
I support creative solutions to increase residential housing that is safe, secure, and meets public health standards. Part of this work is accomplished through public and private partnerships to support Community Land Trusts, creating policies to support appropriate infill construction for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), preserving existing affordable housing, expediting permitting process, and other innovative programming.
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Community Land Trusts
Non-profit organizations dedicated to creating, preserving, and sustaining long-term affordable housing in west Marin.
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Accessory Dwelling Units
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) an in-law unit, second unit, or cottage, is an additional residential dwelling unit on a single-family or multi-family residentially zoned property.
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Housing Element
The County of Marin updated the Housing Element of the Countywide Plan in 2022 to support and not unduly constrain the development of 3,569 housing units in unincorporated Marin County. Since housing availability is a critical issue with statewide implications, and most housing decisions occur at the local level, State law requires housing elements to be updated regularly every eight years. The latest Housing Element update applies to planning periods 2022-2030.
Visitation impacts on West Marin Housing
To address one of the factors of the loss of residential housing, I have pushed for the regulation of Short-Term Rentals (guest accommodations within a residential home for 30 days or less) to regulate commercial uses of residential housing stock to preserve housing for the residential community.
The county first adopted STR regulations in 2018, requiring a business license and a transient occupancy tax certificate and establishing “good neighbor” policies. This was followed by a 2022 moratorium on any new licenses for STRs as the county grappled with understanding the potential impacts of STRs on housing supply, community workforce, and public safety.
Housing First
Health and Human Services (HHS) has implemented a Whole Person Care and Housing First initiative. These programs support residents and families experiencing homelessness to be established into residential housing services. We’re working to expand and improve services throughout the county, especially in underserved rural communities in coastal areas of west Marin. We are actively looking for locations for a Homekey 3 project in West Marin.