November Update from Supervisor Sackett

NOVEMBER 2023

E-BIKE SAFETY ACTION REUSABLE FOODWARE ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES VETERANS' MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM REPAVING PROJECT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING: CAST YOUR VOTE! ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN MARIN COUNTY HAVE YOU HEARD? WHAT I'M READING

 

Dear Neighbors,

On November 11, we celebrated Veterans' Day at the Marin Center Veterans' Memorial. Veteran's Day recognizes the bravery, resilience, and strength of our Veterans in the line of duty and in transitioning back to civilian life. To you and your families who share in that sacrifice, thank you for your service. You continue to inspire us.

The Marin County Veterans Services Office is available to assist the 12,000 military vets living in Marin. They help veterans access benefits, health care and submit pension claims. Whether it is helping veterans access resources as they get older or new veterans assimilate back to civilian life, the Marin County Veterans Services Office is ready to help. 

You can reach the Marin County Veteran Services Office at (415) 473-6193 or by emailing HHSVetServices@MarinCounty.org

 

E-BIKE SAFETY ACTION

 

E-bikes are a great way to get people out of cars and to help our kids build a sense of independence. They make it easier to go over hills and ride longer distances. When you add a pedal-assist or a throttle increasing speed, you are increasing the consequences of serious injury. 

I am working closely with Marin County Public Health, the Marin County Sheriff's Office, Marin Safe Routes to Schools, trauma surgeons, transportation leaders, and community partners to help keep our kids and community safe.

Our message is simple: wear a helmet, no tandem riding, and if buying an e-bike buy a Class 1 e-bike.

Public Health published a press release that details the creation of a Marin County Bicycle Accident Surveillance data dashboard to track e-bike related accidents. This data will help guide our local policy.

Here is what we are doing to address the increase in injuries in 10 - 19 year olds related to e-bikes: 

• Marin County Sheriff Scardina, Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Willis, and I presented to the School Law Enforcement Partnership - a working group of all superintendents/principals and law enforcement in the county - about our efforts to bolster education and enforcement.
  
  
• From September to November, the Sheriff’s Office has conducted over 85 e-bike enforcement operations. Deputies focused their efforts on areas where a large confluence of age groups could be reached.
  
  
• I am working with our state delegation seeking legislative change, focusing on establishing a minimum age requirement for Class 2 e-bikes.

Traditional bikes and e-bikes are great transportation modes if safety measures are practiced. I have put over 1,000 miles on my Class 1 e-bike this year, mainly between the Civic Center and meetings throughout District 1. Both e-bike riders and drivers are responsible for ensuring safe roads for drivers, bikers and walkers.

 

REUSABLE FOODWARE ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT

 

The Marin County Reusable Foodware Ordinance was adopted on May 10, 2022, with the goal of reducing the amount of single-use plastics entering our landfills and the environment. Enforcement began on November 10, 2023. By choosing reusables, we can decrease the amount of waste we generate. Reducing the amount of disposable items we consume is better for the environment and reduces the amount of litter in our waterways. It also lowers the amount of greenhouse gas inputs used to produce disposable products in the first place. We follow the idea that reusables are best, compostable fiber foodware is compliant, and single-use plastics are not acceptable. 

Here are a few tips:

• Reusable mugs, utensils, containers, and bags from customers are safe and allowed by health code

• Acceptable containers must be:

  • Empty

  • Pre-cleaned and dry

  • Big enough to contain all of your food

  • Safe and suitable for the food you order

• Ask for a reusable coffee cup or bring your own to avoid a 25-cent cup charge
  

IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

 

Dimitri Tretiakoff (right) recognized as a dedicated IHSS caregiver since 2001.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Workers are a key part of supporting our aging population and helping people with disabilities live independently at home. I am continuing to push for wage increases.

On October 24, the Board of Supervisors approved increasing local provider wages from $16.95 per hour to $17.45, effective January 1, 2024. Starting in February 2024, IHSS workers will see their wage increase from $17.45 to $18.00 per hour as the County increases the Living Wage Ordinance to $18.00 per hour. 

Finding caregivers and keeping caregivers is a challenge at these rates. I am working with the Public Authority Board members to look for other ways to support caregivers.

 

VETERANS' MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM PROJECT

 

While the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium (VMA) is closed for the seismic retrofit we are working on the VMA parking lot. A portion of the work is being grant-funded to provide a stormwater pollution mitigation system. Pervious concrete will allow water to pass below the surface while leaving larger particles and trash on the concrete. The goal is to keep trash from flowing into our stormwater and the bay. As part of the project, we will be adding new lighting and drought-friendly irrigation and landscaping to support water reclamation. 

We are laying the groundwork for future improvements. A portion of the project includes installing electrical wiring and fiber optics conduits below the parking lot for future installation of electrical vehicle charging stations. The lot will be reconfigured for better traffic flow and include accessibility improvements.

The VMA is a significant community resource and national landmark. The improvements will help support events at the Exhibit Hall, the Showcase Theater, and the County Fairgrounds that provide a broad range of services to the community, from the weekly Farmers Market and the French Antique Market to a vital resource during emergencies. 

You can learn more about this project in this Marin Center Campus Project News Release.

 

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING: CAST YOUR VOTE!

 

The Marin County Office of Equity has worked with community members to identify 24 projects to receive up to $2.5 million. Now it's your turn to vote!

Anyone 14 or older who lives, works, owns a business, or attends school in Marin County is eligible to participate. Immigration status is not required to participate.

You're invited to vote on your top seven choices. Vote now!

 

ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN MARIN COUNTY

 

Click image for more information.

The solution to homelessness is a home.

The County and the City of San Rafael work daily to identify housing and support homeless individuals. The encampment on Mahon Creek Path is the largest in San Rafael. Five individuals have been housed. An additional 17 people are on a housing pathway. You can stay updated on the County and City's progress online at Marin's Housing First Data Dashboard.

At a high level, the County currently spends approximately $25 million annually on homelessness prevention and response programs, including over $8.6 million in discretionary General Fund support that is used to leverage more than $16 million in state and federal dollars.

Given the severe lack of affordable housing in Marin and the limited availability of Section 8 vouchers to support individuals, finding a housing unit can take a frustratingly long time. Most people experiencing homelessness in Marin are Marin residents. The Marin County 2022 Point-In-Time Count Report showed that 78% of people experiencing homelessness in Marin were last housed here before becoming homeless.

Our “Housing First” approach began in October 2017. Together, we have housed 653 people in Permanent Supportive Housing, and 94% remain housed. There are approximately 876 people prioritized for Permanent Supportive Housing out of the 1,675 individuals experiencing homelessness in Marin.

We are creating 157 affordable housing units throughout Marin County. The affordability of housing plays a major role, both in preventing homelessness and in creating new housing for people experiencing homelessness.

Name	Location	Beds	Status
La Casa Buena	Corte Madera	18	Opened 2022
Jonathan's Place	San Rafael	32	Opened 2022
1251 S Eliseo	Larkspur	43	Opened 2023
Homeward Bound (Veterans Housing)	Novato	24	Opening 2024
3301 Kerner Blvd	San Rafael	40	Opening 2025

 

HAVE YOU HEARD?

 

WHAT I'M READING

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich The main character ‘Tookie’ landed a job in a small independent bookstore after ten years of incarceration that she survived by reading. Tookie is Native American, and the bookstore has a ghost, which Tookie tells us is “a stalker – of all things Indigenous.” I appreciated the description of Minneapolis post George Floyd, during the pandemic and at a time when books were deemed essential.

The Marin County Cultural Services Department has partnered with local non-profits to map public art exhibits throughout Marin County. Residents and visitors can discover the range of murals, sculptures, painted utility boxes, mosaics, fountains, and free art installations countywide. If you are interested in public art, you can go online to the Marin County Public Art & Non-Profit Arts Map to check out over 150 listings. 

 

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I hope you enjoy your time with friends and family on Thanksgiving and find ways to give back to the community. I am grateful to everyone who makes Marin a fantastic place to live. Thank you!

If you are interested in local government, want to talk about the issues, or touch base on some of the work you or your organization are doing, I encourage you to reach out. I want to hear from you. 

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Please stay in touch,