Voices
Step Up Marin! 2025 – Recap Video
Community Action Marin’s 4th annual Step Up Marin! was more than a celebration—it was a moment of deep connection, bold vision, and collective commitment. Together, we marked a milestone with the ribbon-cutting of our new permanent headquarters—planting deeper roots in Marin and reaffirming our enduring commitment to justice and belonging for all. Throughout the evening, we heard stories that moved hearts, sparked ideas, and reminded us of what’s possible when we come together in service of equity and justice.
Housing For All Marin: Jude Vasconcellas
Once known for its artist enclaves, home prices in unincorporated Marin have risen 98% in the past decade, making housing unaffordable for all but the very wealthy. We spoke to Jude Vasconcellas, who has lived in West Marin much of her life. She says the growing gap between the haves and have-nots is changing the fabric of her community and has taken a personal toll.
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Housing For All Marin: Diana Kennedy
Less affordable housing in Marin means more commuters on the road. It takes a toll on workers, the environment, and our local businesses as well. Diana Kennedy, General Manager of Volvo Marin and Polestar Marin, explains how the rising costs of commuting are fueling a cycle of employee turnover. Even large companies like hers are feeling the impacts of Marin’s high cost of housing.
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Community Voices: Kyle Amsler & Curt Ries
A rent control ordinance for San Anselmo approved earlier this year is on the November ballot and at risk of being rolled back. We spoke with Kyle Amsler, a mother deeply rooted in the community. She doesn’t mind renting—what she seeks is stability and peace of mind. If local tenant protections are defeated, that stability may disappear, resulting in families like hers vulnerable to losing their housing and forced to leave the community.
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Housing for All Marin: Armida Scopazzi
Small businesses in Marin are fighting to stay afloat, and the pressure is mounting. We spoke with Armida Scopazzi, owner of a beloved historic bakery in San Rafael. The high cost of housing in Marin is driving high turnover at her bakery, and it is taking a toll on her business.
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Housing For All Marin: Abby Shewmaker
Marin has long been known as a great place to raise a family, but the high cost of housing is changing that reputation. Marin is now more commonly known for the size of its growing older adult population. The California Department of Finance reports that 38 percent of Marin County is over the age of 60. 6.8% live in poverty.
We spoke with Abby Shewmaker, a college student who grew up in Marin, who says it’s unlikely she’ll be able to move back to her hometown and many young people feel the same way.
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Housing For All Marin: Mitzi Mazariegos
A little more than 50% of residents of the Canal neighborhood in San Rafael work within ten miles of their home. To maintain housing affordability and live close to their jobs, many families are living in overcrowded conditions.
We spoke to Mitzi Mazariegos, a young mother in San Rafael who worries that the high cost of housing is placing severe limits on the dreams she has for her and her son’s futures.
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Housing for All Marin: Melinda Smith
Melinda Smith, a third-generation Marinite, is a math teacher at Terra Linda High School. She and her husband, also a teacher with deep roots in Marin, find themselves commuting from Cotati. Melinda had always imagined being the kind of teacher who goes the extra mile—attending her students’ evening games, performances, and events. But with such a long drive, that dream is slipping away, along with the sense of connection she has within her community.
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Community Voices: Alvaro Camara
Rents in Marin are among the highest in the country and many tenants are one rent hike away from being forced out of their homes. We spoke with Alvaro Camara, a husband and father of two.
Alvaro got his GED to help secure his family’s future. He was optimistic…until two recent rent hikes threatened the security he’s worked so hard to attain.
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Housing for All Marin: Dr. Andrea Martin
Marin ranks third in the country for the highest income needed to buy a home. With the median single-family home price in Marin at $1.6 million today, recruiting talent is a challenge across industries in Marin because many people can’t afford to live here.
We interviewed Andrea Martin, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, who can’t believe how out of reach homeownership has become, even for professionals like herself.
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Housing for All Marin: Nicole Cruz
After nearly 20 years working in Kentfield, Nicole Cruz considers Marin County her home. But the lack of affordable housing here means she must commute every day from her house in the East Bay. Time on the road is time she isn’t spending connecting with her community and her family. But the long-time county employee has found a way to make her commute count.
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Housing For All Marin: Dr. Tracy Smith
Attracting and retaining teachers is a challenge in Marin County…one of the biggest hurdles to hiring? The high cost of housing. We sat down with Tracy Smith, superintendent of the Novato Unified School District, where nearly half of the teachers who responded to a recent poll said the high cost of housing made them consider leaving the district. Learn more.
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