Marin Allots $7M For Affordable Housing

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Marin has allocated more than $7 million to fund multiple affordable housing projects, county officials said Thursday.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $6.25 million loan to the nonprofit BRIDGE Housing to fund the acquisition of existing units at Terra Linda Manor and Northview Apartments, both just behind the Northgate One shopping center.

The Board approved $800,000 in grants to the nonprofit Habitat For Humanity Greater San Francisco for the acquisition of four prefabricated homes in Bolinas – two on Overlook Drive and two on Aspen Road.

“The allotments are consistent with the County’s efforts to address a shortage of homes units for lower-income households,” county officials said in a news release.

“They were prompted by recommendations from the Marin County Community Development Agency’s Housing and Federal Grants Division, which works closely with community land trusts, nonprofits, and other groups to maximize resources in the Affordable Housing Fund.”

The Affordable Housing Fund prioritizes multifamily projects in unincorporated areas that house those earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income, or about $109,000 for a household of four.

With the Bolinas properties for low-income buyers, half of the allotted grants ($400,000) is from the County’s Measure W Community Housing Fund.

West Marin voters passed Measure W in November 2018 to establish the West Marin Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) area and provide revenue to mitigate the impacts of tourism to the area.

Long-term local workforce housing is one priority for the Measure W tax revenue spending. An ad-hoc TOT oversight committee works with CDA staff to recommend housing opportunities to the Board of Supervisors.