Supervisors Approve Housing Element Update

The Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a Housing Element update Tuesday that outlines a comprehensive plan for housing that is affordable to Marin’s diverse community and local workforce.

The Housing Element update of the Countywide Plan for the years 2007-2014 will be sent to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for a compliance review. “We can make a strong case for meeting our state planning responsibilities for housing while staying within the growth parameters of our existing land-use regulations,” said Community Development Agency Director Brian Crawford.

Tuesday’s meeting was a continuation of the Sept. 17 meeting that lasted more than three hours. The continuation also went more than three hours. About 100 people shared their thoughts on the subject during the hearings.

“It was great to have so many people in our community participate in the County’s Housing Element process -- whether through community meetings held in the district, public hearings before the Board of Supervisors or in written comments sent to our Board,” said Judy Arnold, District 5 Supervisor and Board President. “While our Board is committed to providing housing opportunities for all income levels in Marin, we are also committed to continuing to work with our state representatives to pursue flexibility in how we meet those goals.”

As required by state law, towns, cities and counties must deliver a plan to meet existing and planned housing needs. The County has hosted dozens of public meetings about the Housing Element in the past several years.

Crawford said the Housing Element generated unprecedented public interest. “The Board’s decision culminates a process that prompted a broader debate about local growth control and the extent to which affordable housing has a place in our communities,” Crawford said. “Some of those discussions were difficult but also very important in thinking about the type of community we choose and aspire to be.”