Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – The County of Marin is changing its plans for community engagement after the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) removed a $20 billion bond measure for affordable housing from the November general election ballot.
The measure, aimed at easing the housing affordability crisis in the Bay Area, would have impacted all nine counties in the region. If voters had approved the measure, Marin County would have received roughly $699 million in funding.
The Marin County Board of Supervisors has committed $25 million over the next five years to help with housing affordability. There are several ongoing housing projects that will not be affected by BAHFA’s decision.
“While we are disappointed that this important funding will not be available now, we remain committed to finding solutions that can provide more affordable, stable housing for all our residents,” said District 2 Supervisor Katie Rice, who also serves on the Affordable and Workforce Housing Subcommittee for the Board of Supervisors. “We know this is an important issue and hope to see new strategies in the near future.”
Marin County was conducting a survey and hosting a series of listening sessions to engage community stakeholders in planning for the expenditure of these funds. The County has canceled the rest of the planned listening sessions given BAHFA’s decision but remains committed to engaging with the community on housing issues and will provide updates on future opportunities for public involvement.
“We are grateful for the time and input that we received to date,” said Leelee Thomas, Deputy Director for the County’s Housing and Federal Grants program. “We hope to use this information to inform future affordable housing efforts.”