Marin Beats Key Housing Benchmark

MARIN COUNTY, CA — When Mark Shotwell arrived in Marin, the Bay Area housing advocate took notice of the community’s collaborative spirit.

That sense of community has helped Marin beat a key housing benchmark.

The county and its community partners topped a milestone of housing over 500 formerly homeless people in permanent supportive housing since launching the Coordinated Entry system in October 2017, officials said in a news release Wednesday.

The count as of Wednesday stands at 518 housed.

“When I came to Marin from Alameda County four years ago, the most striking thing to me was how well everyone worked together, from the County to the Housing Authority to the service providers,” said Shotwell, who serves as the Ritter Center’s executive director.

“Everyone was unified in the goal of ending homelessness, not just for their clients but for everyone in Marin.”

People who are chronically homeless have been homeless for more than a year and have a disability that would make it difficult or impossible for them to live independently.

“We know that the solution to homelessness is a home,” said Gary Naja-Riese, Director of Marin County Health and Human Services’ Division of Homelessness and Whole Person Care. “We’re working hard every day until we have a home for everyone.”

While the 500 people housed represent a great milestone for Marin’s system of care and a lifechanging intervention, many who need assistance are still waiting for resources to become available.

“While our collective efforts have been successful in housing very vulnerable individuals and families in our community, we are reminded daily that housing is out of reach for many of our neighbors,” said Homeward Bound of Marin’s Mary Kay Sweeney.

“Projects like Casa Buena in Corte Madera and Jonathan’s Place (formerly Mill Street) soon to open in San Rafael will end homelessness for many people. More projects like these are needed here and everywhere in the U.S. to finally level the housing playing field. We’re on our way!”

Marin officials said the county continues to invest in proven housing-focused solutions to homelessness, including over 100 new beds of housing through Project Homekey and housing-based case management paired with vouchers to create new supportive housing.

“The County is grateful to all its community partners, especially front-line case managers, for the incredible work they’ve done getting clients into housing including increasing the pace of housing by 56% since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Benita McLarin, Director of Marin County Health and Human Services.