Body of News Release
San Rafael, CA – The County of Marin plans to submit proposed amendments to its housing plan to the State of California for review after a seven-day comment period and is planning public workshops about the changes by the end of August.
Earlier this year, the Marin County Superior Court ordered the County to remove specific sections of the Countywide Plan and Housing Element that provide guidance regarding how the Housing Element interacts with community plans for neighborhoods in unincorporated Marin. The new draft amendments proposed by the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) comply with the court ruling.
Marin County Counsel Brian Washington recently worked with CDA planners on the proposed alterations in preparation of sending them to the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for review.
”The court asked for minor modifications to the Housing Element, and the submittal to HCD reflects those changes,” CDA Director Sarah Jones said. “With these changes, the County can move forward to continue to implement the Housing Element.”
The draft updates are a follow-up move to the Supervisors’ January 2023 adoption of Countywide Plan amendments including the Housing Element. The Countywide Plan updates are required by state law every eight years; for 2023-2032, the County was instructed to plan for at least 3,569 new housing units in unincorporated areas.
CDA has posted the changes to the website for a seven-day response period. After the comment period, CDA will submit the amendments to HCD. CDA expects a response from the state over the next few weeks. After the August public workshop, CDA will prepare for a Planning Commission presentation about the updates tentatively set for September and subsequently bring the topic to the Board of Supervisors for potential adoption in the fall.
The purpose of the Housing Element is to achieve an adequate supply of decent, safe and affordable housing for Marin’s workforce, residents and special-needs populations in unincorporated areas. It assesses housing needs for a variety of income groups and presents a program to meet those needs. It’s not a development plan – developments must be instigated by a property owner – but it identifies local housing needs, addresses barriers to housing for certain populations, and identifies opportunity sites where housing could be developed.
The County is proposing changes specifically in response to the court’s direction. No changes to other portions of the Housing Element, including the sites that could accommodate additional housing, are contemplated.