UNHOUSED PEOPLE who currently occupy 50 tents in a city-sanctioned camping area along the Mahon Creek Path in San Rafael will be offered a temporary private dwelling at a future interim housing site 2 miles away. In the early spring, as soon as they move, the Mahon Creek camping area will close, and the path will reopen for public access.
At a joint press conference Wednesday, city, county and state officials unveiled plans to install 65 private, lockable cabins for up to 70 people in the parking lot of a former school at 350 Merrydale Road in San Rafael.
The property abuts the west side of U.S Highway 101 directly across from the Marin County Fairgrounds. The Mahon Creek population will be first in line for a cabin, followed by a dozen or so people who are camping along Andersen Drive.
The Merrydale cabins will have electricity, heating and personal storage, with shared facilities including a kitchen, laundry, bathrooms and showers. There will be perimeter fencing with 24/7 security, as well as health and social services, case management and help in finding permanent housing. According to San Rafael division director of community services Daniel Cooperman, the total price tag for the interim housing project is about $12.5 million.
The Mahon Creek sanctioned camping area was built in 2024 as part of a $6 million state Encampment Resolution Fund grant, some of which will help fund the new interim housing project. The camp also provides security and social services. It was the city’s solution that followed a long saga involving a ban on camping at various public parks and a legal dispute. According to the city’s website, 82% of the sanctioned encampment residents are now receiving benefits such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh, but 74% are still searching for housing.
“When you are experiencing homelessness, every day that you’re in that mode is a survival mode,” said Alicia Owens at the press event. Owens was a former resident of the sanctioned camping area who has since found independent housing and employment. “Local communities are worried that it’ll bring more drug users or more crime, but at the end of the day, the people who will be living there are not a threat to any community. They are human beings, just like me and just like you, they are our neighbors.”
Like Mahon Creek, the Merrydale site is also temporary.
Under a multi-jurisdictional agreement, Marin County is providing $8 million for the city to purchase the land from the city and set up the program to operate for two years. If additional funds are raised, the interim site could run for another year, but it must close by June 30, 2029.
In exchange, the city has agreed to zone and permit the site for permanent affordable housing with at least 80 units by June 30, 2028.
When you are experiencing homelessness, every day that you’re in that mode is a survival mode. … They are human beings, just like me and just like you, they are our neighbors.
Alicia Owens, former resident of the sanctioned camping area
“The ultimate goal is long-term affordable housing,” said San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin at the press event at the Merrydale site. Colin said it takes time to get affordable housing projects approved and built, so the interim shelter project will provide temporary support while the city works with nonprofit developers on its commitment to establish permanent housing.
“The [permanent] housing project is not specifically intended for the interim shelter residents but ultimately will be an affordable housing option that will benefit the community as well,” she said. “The city also anticipates amending our current camping ordinance to further prohibit camping in the city, including along Andersen Drive.”
The Merrydale site is modeled after temporary tiny home communities in other California cities and was illustrated with conceptual renderings presented at Wednesday’s event. It will be operated by Foege Schumann Global Disaster Solutions, the same company that operates the Mahon Creek sanctioned encampment. Social services will be provided by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin, Ritter Center, Catholic Charities, and other organizations.
“This morning’s cold rain was a reminder of why we’re here,” said Mary Sackett, president of the Marin County Board of Supervisors. “Too many of our neighbors don’t have a safe, dry place to go in wet and cold weather. Homelessness is complex. Each person’s situation is unique, and our response must be collaborative, compassionate, and centered on individual needs. In the absence of enough permanent housing, these cabins provide a critical bridge.”
The city of San Rafael will host a virtual community meeting on Oct. 28. Questions can be submitted to endhomelessness@cityofsanrafael.org. The Merrydale interim housing project is also on the agenda for the San Rafael City Council meeting Nov. 17 and on the agenda for the Marin County Board of Supervisors meeting Nov. 18.