Marin County Board of Supervisors as M. Housing Authority on Marin Community Founda. Grant

Housing authority to vote on $86,556 in funding
Staff Report
Article Launched: 08/03/2007 11:28:29 PM PDT from IJ http://www.marinij.com/marin

The Marin County Board of Supervisors http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/BS/main/index.cfm(Found not for the 1st time - no agenda), acting as the Housing Authority Board

Marin Housing Authority - Home page
The Housing Authority Commission currently consists of seven members - the five members of the Board of Supervisors, and two public housing tenants. Marin ...
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Has scheduled a vote this week on whether to approve an $86,556 grant for the public housing Family Self-Sufficiency program.

The grant agreement is with the Marin Community Foundation http://www.marincf.org/.

The vote will take place during a hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Room 330 of the Civic Center in San Rafael.

For more information, call 499-7331.

MCF Launches Initiative to Increase Affordable Housing

May 7, 2007

contact: Fred Silverman (415.464.2527)

from http://www.marincf.org/

Novato, CA—To help overcome key impediments to the development of affordable housing in Marin County, the Marin Community Foundation (MCF) is spearheading the creation of a new initiative that will analyze the need for such housing and advocate for its development.



Called the Marin Community Housing Action Initiative, it will bring together housing developers, advocacy groups, and others, stated MCF President Thomas Peters, "to encourage a more focused and effective public dialogue, as well as to develop a determined plan of action for whatever steps are deemed necessary.



"The ultimate measure of our success will be the number of new affordable homes that are available," Peters added, "but in order to get there, we need to focus first on how to get more projects through the daunting gauntlet of regulations and reactions.



"Given the urgency of the need for housing, the critical timing of governmental planning, and the pockets of persistent sentiment that undermine affordable housing proposals in Marin, we feel it is imperative to take this step now."



Peters also referenced that the initiative will be among the first efforts supported through the Foundation's newly established Initiating Grants, designed to address key community issues through specially focused grants.



"We view this initiative as the Foundation's next wave of support for affordable housing," he said. "The Foundation has already provided over $35 million for planning efforts, the building and rehabilitation of housing stock, and the operating expenses of organizations that develop and manage affordable housing. Given the current frustrations around including more affordable housing in city, town, and County plans, we see the need for this new initiative as more imperative than ever."



Peters also said that a goal of the initiative is to "shift the conversation from 'environment versus housing' to one that talks about how to achieve stronger and more environmentally sustainable communities throughout Marin—resulting in a larger economic benefit and a smaller environmental footprint."



In addition, he explained, the initiative will analyze regulatory and planning documents of local jurisdictions, work with these jurisdictions to ensure more affordable housing, document the need for additional housing for Marin's workforce and others, and develop strategies for more community dialogue.



Agencies active in the area of affordable housing are being invited by the Foundation to apply for grants that will support their involvement in the initiative. The first of these grants will likely be announced later next month.

"Affordable housing is a defining issue in the County," said Peters. "It is the linchpin of family stability and of cultural and economic diversity. By providing new accessible homes we are saying Marin is an inclusive and vital community, not just now but for future generations."

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