Marin needs tenant protections

The high cost of housing is creating unprecedented levels of displacement across our community. People who have spent their lives in Marin are increasingly being forced out – whether they be seniors living on a fixed income, workers whose income is not keeping pace with high rent increases, or families who are being displaced for building improvements.  

We know that when people lose housing in Marin, the tight market makes it very unlikely that they will be able to find other housing that is affordable. Many end up facing homelessness or being displaced from the community. Displacement is rapidly changing who lives in Marin. 

Housing justice requires that we actively address the causes of housing instability and displacement in our community. 

Read our Open Letter to our Marin Community expressing our commitment  

• Tenant Protections and Relocation Assistance in San Rafael’s Opportunity Zone
  In partnership with Canal Alliance, Legal Aid of Marin, local tenants, and other housing justice leaders, we were successful in advocating for enhanced protections and relocation assistance for residents of the Canal neighborhood within San Rafael’s Opportunity Zone.
• Rooted in Marin
  Led by the Cities and Towns and County of Marin, Rooted in Marin is a community engagement and education project. It aims to understand displacement and then craft tools and resources that will support local communities affected by displacement. In partnership with the effort, Community Action Marin hosted a focus group of Marin renters who experience a high rent burden – meaning that they contribute over 50% of their income toward housing costs. We also contributed to the county-wide community survey and a partner focus group.
• Marin Rent Control
  Marin rents have skyrocketed to some of the highest in the nation, far outpacing wages. With few local protections in place, more than a third of all Marin residents—our friends, families, and neighbors—are one rent hike away from being forced out of their homes and out of our communities. The Marin Rent Control Campaign is a community-driven effort aimed at ensuring fair housing policies, protecting tenants, and creating more equitable housing opportunities in Marin County.  
  
• Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
  Community Action Marin operated the Emergency Rental Assistance Program from November 2022 through March 2024. ERAP provided critical support to tenants during challenging times resulting from the pandemic. For insights into the program’s impact, read our final report.