Marin County officials say hundreds of homes are moving through the development pipeline as the county hustles to meet state affordable housing requirements.
An update presented last week by county planners to the Marin County Board of Supervisors found that more than 700 homes in unincorporated areas are currently in the development review process. The presentation said most programs remain on schedule under the county’s 2023-2031 Housing Element, a key planning document that outlines how the region will address housing demand and affordability.
A shortfall in housing for the county’s low-income residents could potentially expose the county to streamlining approvals for affordable housing. Under Senate Bill 35, which was extended to 2036 by Senate Bill 423, if a city or county falls behind on its progress to hit Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) targets, certain projects would need to be streamlined through the county approval process, with no local hearing or environmental review.
The county, however, is out of danger of the “builder’s remedy” under the Housing Accountability Act, where developers might propose projects even if they conflict with local zoning. That penalty is triggered when a county’s Housing Element falls out of compliance. Marin’s element is in compliance.
The progress report highlighted several major housing proposals, including redevelopment of a former theological seminary site in Strawberry; the Oak Hill Apartments project along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard near the Larkspur city limit; a proposed development near the Marinwood shopping center; and two projects in unincorporated San Rafael — Auburn Grove on Woodland Avenue and a housing complex on Albion Street near the Cal Park Tunnel.
A look at the numbers
In the current Housing Element cycle, the county must plan for 3,569 housing units in unincorporated areas by 2031. Of those, 1,100 units must be designated for very low-income households, defined in Marin County as families of four earning up to about $96,700 per year. Another 634 units are designated for low-income households earning up to about $154,700 annually.
During the first three years of the eight-year cycle, the county issued 343 housing permits across all income categories. In 2025 alone, officials issued 117 permits. Eighty-three of them were accessory dwelling units, up from an average of 35 ADU permits per year in 2019. Homeowners are increasingly adding smaller housing units to existing properties, the report said.
Still, the county faces a gap in meeting its long-term target. Only 64 permits issued so far fall into the very-low-income category, while 83 are classified as low-income units.
Overall, the county must still approve more than 3,200 additional housing units to meet its total state-mandated allocation of adding 3,569 units by 2031.
County planners say they are exploring development opportunities on county-owned land, addressing farmworker housing needs in West Marin, increasing outreach to developers and dedicating funds to keep residents in their existing homes, especially when they are in an affordable unit.