Body of News Release
11/18 UPDATE: The Board approved the agreements with the City of San Rafael and the expenditure for the property purchase.
Marin County, CA – The County of Marin and the City of San Rafael are proposing a new partnership to create an interim shelter site and, in the long term, a new affordable housing community at 350 Merrydale Road, adjacent to Highway 101 in the San Rafael Meadows area of Terra Linda.
At its meeting on Tuesday, November 18, the Marin County Board of Supervisors will consider approving agreements that would provide $7 million from the County’s Affordable Housing Trust to support the City’s purchase and preparation of the site, and an additional $1 million in site set-up costs for the interim shelter.
If approved, the City would use the site’s parking lot first for an interim shelter program featuring 65 individual temporary shelter cabins for people who are unhoused in San Rafael. Each cabin would include heating, electricity, and personal storage, and the site will have shared facilities for bathrooms, showers and meals. On-site case management and health services, coordinated though Marin County Health and Human Services (HHS), would help residents transition into a permanent housing destination.
Under the proposed agreements, the interim shelter would operate through June 30, 2027, with the possibility of up to two additional one-year extensions if the City secures additional operating funds. The interim shelter would close by June 30, 2029. During this time, the City would permit the property for at least 80 units of deed-restricted affordable housing, preparing it to be redeveloped. The housing at the site will be affordable for families, workers, and individuals in Marin making up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) in Marin County.
The San Rafael City Council is scheduled to review the agreements on Monday, November 17, and the Supervisors will follow the next day with their consideration.
If the Board of Supervisors adopts the resolution on November 18, community engagement on this project will continue, and County staff will work with the City of San Rafael and the Community through meetings to develop concrete plans for the interim shelter site, including finalizing the site plan, program design, site security and the Good Neighbor Policy.
The policy, developed in coordination with Marin HHS, is a set of guidelines and practices that outline how the site will operate, communicate, and ensure positive relationships between the interim shelter and the surrounding residents and businesses. The City and County are committed to ongoing two-way communication with the community, and incorporating residents’ feedback.
The City and County hosted two community meetings – in late October and in early November – to share information, answer questions, and hear feedback from nearby residents and businesses. Additional engagement opportunities will continue over the coming months.
The interim shelter proposed for 350 Merrydale will serve 65 known individuals currently residing along the sanctioned encampment next to Mahon Creek Path, and up to five additional individuals identified by the City in coordination with the County. Once the Merrydale site opens, the Mahon Creek recreational pathway will reopen for public use.
The 350 Merrydale project advances Marin County’s long-standing homelessness and housing priorities: helping residents transition from encampments into stable housing and creating long-term affordable homes that strengthen the community. The proposed project embodies compassion in action, providing safe shelter and essential support while meeting people where they are through a trauma-informed approach. Since 2017, Marin’s Housing First strategy has helped more than 900 chronically unhoused residents find and maintain permanent housing.
It also advances the County and City’s shared affordable housing goals, since the site will eventually be redeveloped into at least 80 homes.
The proposed interim shelter will be professionally managed with 24/7 support staff and security. City teams, including San Rafael Police Department and City Specialized Assistance for Everyone (SAFE) team, will regularly coordinate with site staff. The site will be cleaned daily, with regular trash collection and upkeep by the City’s contractor.
The Board’s November 18 meeting will be livestreamed on the County website and be aired on Comcast Channel 27 by the Community Media Center of Marin. The County provides instructions on meeting participation both in-person and online. The Board chamber is in Suite 330 of the Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael.
For more information about the project, visit the City of San Rafael’s project webpage.
(Photo provided by DignityMoves)