As the county makes final decisions for the 2023-24 budget and given a priority focus on increasing affordable housing and addressing homelessness, as well as its critical support of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), Community Action Marin has been advocating to include additional one-time funding in the 2023-24 budget for ERAP to help meet urgent housing needs through the end of this calendar year.

Community Action Marin is dedicated to advancing racial and economic justice. We are the largest non-profit human services provider in Marin County. Our county-wide efforts help individuals and families to meet their basic needs and forge a path to self-sufficiency and thriving. We serve over 7,000 households each year with a focus on addressing the causes and consequences of poverty.

We took over the ERAP program beginning mid-November 2022 and to date have dispensed more than $4.1 million to 582 renter households via landlords. More recently, our contract with the county was extended through December 2023 and an additional $2.7 million was allocated to meet community need.

To date, approximately $2 million of ERAP funding remains to be disbursed. Our most recent data shows that the pace of ERAP disbursement has been faster than anticipated. The monthly disbursement averages between $600,000 to $800,000 based on need and we are ahead of that rate already. Given applications pending and our projections based on the current rate of approval, the waiting list closed August 1.

ERAP is a timely and important step that the County of Marin can take to prevent the displacement of tenants of low-income (disproportionately people of color) and others who are vital members of our community.

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