MARIN COUNTY WILL FUNNEL about $2.3 million in federal funds, and additional state and local funds, to affordable housing developments, facility improvements and services for low-income residents, the board of supervisors decided Tuesday.
Part of the funds come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants, which are given to states and local governments to meet housing and service needs of people with low- and moderate-incomes. The county received $1.6 million in block grant funding. It also received $676,000 in HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which are used for activities like building, buying and rehabilitating housing and tenant-based rental assistance.
Eden Housing Inc. received $531,000 in block funds for a planned 230-unit affordable rental housing project on an unincorporated vacant property between San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and the Larkspur Landing waterfront area. It will include over 130 units dedicated to educators and other school employees, including low and very-low-income households.
Teddy Newmyer, associate director of real estate development with Eden Housing, told the board that they are “very, very close to starting construction on it.”
Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco requested $296,000 but received $70,000 for its Marin County Rehabilitation Program, which provides home repairs and accessibility improvements for low and extremely low-income homeowners across the county. At the meeting, Holden Weisman, director of policy for Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, requested additional funds from the county because the award was significantly below their initial request.
Nonprofits, shelters also receive funding
About $132,000 in block grant capital funding will go to various repairs, including restrooms and showers, at Homeward Bound of Marin, the county’s largest emergency shelter for unhoused adults. Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center’s Building Brighter Futures project will get $84,000 to support facility improvements at a childcare and early education facility serving low- and moderate-income families.
Community Action Marin will get $88,000 in block funds to renovate its classrooms and playground at the Children’s Center. The city of San Rafael will use $143,000 to improve the outdoor learning environment at the Pickleweed Preschool in the Canal neighborhood. The school serves approximately 68 children annually through a free, state-funded early childhood education program.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program grants went to Eden Housing, which got $360,000 for a proposed affordable rental development in Mill Valley, and Homeward Bound of Marin, which received $317,000 for a project to create permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless seniors in San Rafael.
Smaller block awards for services went to several nonprofits, including Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California and Legal Aid of Marin, both dedicated to eliminating housing discrimination; as well as Novato’s human services nonprofit North Marin Community Services and Marin City’s afterschool summer enrichment program, Performing Stars of Marin.
In California, the Permanent Local Housing Allocation is a state program that provides ongoing money to address affordable housing and homelessness-related projects. About $477,000 from this fund is available to be matched with the Marin County Housing Trust Fund for various projects. The trust typically provides gap financing to develop and preserve affordable housing.
