'TALKING POINTS/County Meeting/Supervisors/ Chamber RENTALS

THIS IS A CRUCIAL public hearing on affordable housing. The topic is two-fold:

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Be prepared by reading these details from Kim Thompson, CLAM E.D..

Note: Each person who stands in line to speak to the supervisors, be aware that you have 2 minutes to say your piece.

First, the County will explore measures to protect renters from increasing rents and displacement. This includes rent stabilization and a just cause eviction. A just cause eviction means that landlords will be required to give a reason to renters about why they are giving an eviction notice if/when they issue one. Rent stabilization would put a cap on how much a landlord could raise rent in a year’s time. While both these are very important measures, rent stabilization would have limited impact in West Marin, due to a state law that restricts its application to multifamily units only (and those built before 1995).

Second, the Board of Supervisors may identify specific priority strategies to create & preserve housing, and to protect renters. This information will then fold into the County’s budget process and will be up for vote with the budget in March of 2016. Staff will focus energy on those strategies accordingly.

In a time of immense housing insecurity, West Marin voices are needed to help our Supervisors strongly hear the need for affordable housing to be and remain a priority for their constant consideration and bold decision-making.

Next year, Supervisor Kinsey will retire from his position. Supervisors Kate Sears and Katie Rice (also supporters of affordable housing like Kinsey) are also up for re-election. A strong voice that supports affordable housing and articulates its urgency sends a clear message to the BOS as a whole – and to any potential candidate – that this is a priority for West Marin and the County. It also helps our current BOS make strong decisions for the FY 2016-2017 budget.

Please consider joining us at this hearing. You can carpool by showing up Tuesday at West Marin School at 3:50 for a 4pm departure for the Civic Center. Please also consider emailing the BOS directly. Just two or three sentences in your own words is enough!   bos@marincounty.org.

Here are some TALKING POINTS to consider for testimony or an email

Speak as a West Marin resident about the urgency of this issue and your experience

Ask for additional public hearing (Feb 2016) to see proposed strategy priorities before they are finalized in budget process in March 2016

Support rent stabilization for the impact it will have across the County’s unincorporated area, express urgency for measures that will help West Marin

Ask the County to research the current impact that online vacation rentals have on the rental market

Request citizen/volunteer work group to gather with staff on proposed strategies

Request the County to host a West Marin specific conversation

Request a 5 Year County-Wide Focus on Affordable Homes, with an annual public hearing to evaluate the need and the effectiveness of chosen strategies.

Thanks everyone! Please call or email me with any questions! And please spread the message widely.

This will be the 3rd hearing this fall as the County creates a new strategy to preserve affordable rental homes in a housing market where they have all but disappeared, with profound effects for the County’s cities, communities, economy and residents. Due to both the level of impact in West Marin – as well as the unique regulatory environment of being located in the Coastal Zone, it is crucially important for West Marin voices to be heard, and solutions that are relevant to West Marin to be considered. At the past two hearings in October and November, West Marin voices have been strong. As this hearing is specifically to discuss measures to protect renters – it’s something that many can relate & speak to.

Please see post on Commons for a conversation on December 8th at 5:00pm at the Point Reyes Library as we discuss the issues and prepare to go to the hearing the following week.

Thanks for spreading the word!

For more information and/or to contact the County directly on the issue, 

Alisa Stevenson, Planner, County of Marin astevenson@marincounty.org

LeeLee Thomas, Principal Planner, County of Marin lthomas@marincounty.org

FAQs: http://www.marincounty.org/depts/bs/faqs?p=1

Feel free to contact me as well for questions –

Thanks, all!

Kim Thompson, E.D. (415) 663-1005 kim@clam-ptreyes.org