About
Oak Hill Apartments will provide 230 new affordable rental housing units. A portion of units will be dedicated as workforce housing for Marin County Office of Education and County of Marin staff.
This project is being developed on surplus land owned by the State of California. The property is located in the San Quentin area of unincorporated Larkspur. The County of Marin and Marin County Office of Education are partners in this project, and some of the units will be designated as employee housing.
Board of Directors
Current members as of 9/12/2024.
| Name | Appointed | Term expiration | Appointed by | Designation | Status | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Rodoni | 06/06/2023 | 06/30/2027 | BOS | At-Large | Active | 2 Years |
| Edgardo Vazquez | 10/10/2023 | 10/10/2025 | BOS | At-Large | Active | 2 Years |
| Ken Lippi | 06/20/2023 | 06/30/2027 | Other | Office of Education | Active | 2 Years |
| Other | ||||||
| Paul Jensen | 10/10/2023 | 10/10/2025 | BOS | At-Large | Active | 2 Years |
Executive Director
- Matthew Hymel
Meetings
- August 18 - Time: 3:00PM
- July 10 - Cancelled - Time: 3:00PM
- June 5 - Time: 1:30PM
- May 1 - Time: 3:00PM
- April 3 - Time: 3:00PM
- March 6 - Time: 3:00PM
- February 6 - Time: 3:00PM
- January 16 - Time: 1:00PM
- December 5 - Time: 3:00PM
- November 7 - Time: 3:30PM
- October 10 - Time: 12:30PM
- September 26 - Time: 12:30PM
- August 22 - Time: 12:30PM
- June 21 - Time: 11:00AM
- May 13 - Time: 10:00AM
- January 24 - Time: 2:00PM
- August 25 - Time: 1:00PM
Oak Hill Workforce Housing Project – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Oak Hill Apartments is a 100% affordable housing development located on an 8-acre, state-owned site in Marin County. Developed by Education Housing Partners (EHP) and Eden Housing, Inc., the project will deliver 250 new apartments across two buildings.
- Workforce Housing by EHP: 135 rental units for income-qualified teachers, school staff, and County of Marin employees (affordable to households earning 50%–80% of Area Median Income or AMI).
- Family Housing by Eden Housing: 115 rental units for extremely low- to low-income families (30%–60% of AMI).
The State of California provided the land under a ground lease at $1 per year, making this a rare opportunity for long-term affordable housing investment in Marin.
To fund this effort, the Marin County Public Financing Authority (MCPFA), a joint powers authority formed by the County of Marin and the Marin County Office of Education—will issue long-term bonds (up to 40 years).
Additional financing includes:
- State and local grants.
- Low-interest Marin Community Foundation loan.
This partnership ensures long-term affordability for educators and essential public workers.
The Affordable Housing Guarantor Financing Program (the “Program”) has the County and School Districts serve as the guarantors for their portion of the estimated rental revenue based on the percentage of units dedicated to the agency. This financing model is designed to reduce bond interest rates. It will:
- Reduce borrowing costs by approximately $10 million.
- Lower monthly rents by up to $400.
- Maintain project affordability.
Marin County Office of Education, Marin County, Novato Unified School District, San Rafael City Schools and the College of Marin have taken the first step to consider joining this program.
The program offers multiple benefits:
- Lower housing costs support staff recruitment and retention.
- Shorter commutes improve employee wellness and school engagement.
- Reduced HR and training costs by limiting turnover.
- Reduced financial risk to school districts compared to self-managed developments.
Districts can offer affordable, turnkey housing without bearing the costs of building or managing it.
Built-in risk-reduction strategies include:
- Units priced at approximately 30% below market rates reduce vacancy risks.
- Waiting lists and flexibility to allocate unfilled units to other public agency employees.
- Professional property management to reduce administrative burden.
- Districts can choose how many units to reserve for their employees.
Oak Hill leverages lessons learned from previous efforts:
- Deeply affordable rents (50%–80% AMI) ensure strong leasing interest.
- Centrally located site near transit, shopping, and schools.
- Purpose-built design with high-quality, shared amenities.
In contrast, the less successful workforce housing projects have charged near-market rents and experienced higher vacancies.
Eligibility and selection will be managed by EHP in partnership with participating agencies:
- Units reserved for teachers and staff in Marin County school districts and the College of Marin.
- Units reserved for County of Marin employees.
- Residents must meet income eligibility requirements.
The MCPFA will initiate a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process to hire a qualified professional property management firm.
- Permitting phase: Complete by mid- 2025.
- Construction start: late 2025.
- Construction duration: ~27 months.
- Estimated occupancy: late 2027.
Oak Hill integrates environmentally responsible design:
- Energy: Rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient lighting/appliances, dual-glazed low-E windows.
- Water: Low-flow fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping, high-efficiency irrigation.
- Mobility: Bicycle storage, EV charging stations.
- Stormwater: Bio-retention and filtration systems.
Yes. Oak Hill offers excellent public transit access:
- Larkspur Landing Ferry Terminal – ~1 mile.
- Larkspur SMART Station – ~1 mile.
- Bus stops nearby along East Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Its central location is ideal for commutes throughout Marin County.