Dear District 4 Community,  

As we continue to navigate the rapidly evolving local and national landscape, my dedication to the people and values of Marin County remains strong. I am working to provide community-focused solutions to the challenges and pressing needs of our communities.  

In addition to the need to respond to the local issues facing District Four, the federal administration priority changes have created an additional layer of uncertainty for residents, businesses, and local, state, and federal agencies and organizations. The sudden federal shifts create a significant challenge to financial forecasting and planning for the County budget cycle. About 30 percent of the County’s budget is provided by federal funds, most of which provides essential social services and programs to many residents in the County. Despite these challenges in forecasting, the County budget team is preparing a balanced budget with a goal to sustain current programs and to include new and emerging needs.  

Despite all of this uncertainty, you can count on me to fight for the needs of District 4.

This includes addressing the most pressing challenge in West Marin, housing and the potential displacement community members from the Point Reyes National Seashore ranches. While the County does not build housing, we have a critical role to remove barriers through policy updates, provide funding, and streamline permitting. This includes supporting CLAM’s Coast Guard Housing project and coordinating the County Department staff to support the development of interim and long-term housing options for community members facing displacement in February 2026. 

In addition, I am focused on supporting local businesses through economic vitality and placemaking; supporting our local farmers and ranchers who create our sustainable food systems; investing in our roads and critical community infrastructure; developing partnerships to enhance resilience to sea-level rise; and ensuring essential services are available for our most vulnerable residents. 

But we cannot do this work alone, we need the community to partner and engage to help shape policies and projects taking place in our community. Do not hesitate to reach out to my office and department staff, we are here to receive your feedback and answer questions. Click here to view ways to connect with the District 4 team.  

Thank you for being an engaged community member, I know that together, we are building a more inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking Marin. 

The Marin County Board of Supervisors declared a “shelter crisis” at the March 11 meeting, a move that, partnered with changes to the building code, enables the addition of emergency shelter such as for removable cabins or recreational vehicles. The crisis designation will be in place for three years and allows a wider range of solutions for temporary shelter. Projects on County property could bypass local zoning requirements and environmental review. 

The additional tools provided by the designation will reduce the barriers to developing temporary emergency shelter. During the declared shelter crisis, an emergency shelter established on property owned or leased by the County would not be required to comply with local permitting procedures or with state housing, planning and zoning, or safety standards. 

The designation of a shelter crisis could benefit, among others, the Point Reyes National Seashore ranch and dairy tenants being displaced by a recent settlement to end most ranching operations. Marin County has created a cross-departmental team to address the housing and economic crisis created by the Point Reyes National Seashore legal agreement. 

Learn More

On March 11, the Marin County Board of Supervisors voted to extend fee waivers through December 31, 2026, for second units designed to create more living spaces in housing-challenged Marin and generate steady income for the property owners. The Board passed a resolution that waived or reduced building permit fees associated with the construction of such living units.  

For applicants, this could mean up to $10,000 in savings if a new unit falls under affordable housing parameters. Those not qualifying could still yield savings of up to $2,500 for ADUs and $1,500 for slightly smaller additions known as junior ADUs (JADUs). 

The high cost of housing in Marin, considered a crisis by the Board, is regularly displacing people who have been priced out and preventing people who have jobs in Marin from living close to their workplaces. The COVID-19 pandemic only increased those challenges. ADUs and JADUs are considered options to alleviate the crisis and provide more homes for people without greatly expanding existing building footprints. 

Prospective applicants are encouraged to reach out to ADUMarin, a countywide resource that provides support to homeowners in the ADU design and build process. That resource offers a range of services including a free one-hour, one-on-one feasibility consultation, technical assistance, recommended vendors, pre-approved ADU plans and information on loan options. 

Learn More and contact ADUMarin 

On March 25, the Board of Supervisors approved a loan of $9,483,635 to the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin (CLAM) and Eden Housing Inc. for the development of 54 affordable housing units at 100 Commodore Webster Drive in Point Reyes Station.  

The funding for the project is from two sources, $4.9 million from Measure W and almost $4.5 million from the housing trust, in addition to the $900,000 previously allocated. In addition, the property parcels in use for affordable housing will be sold to the CLAM for $1.00, subject to the provisions of the Surplus Land Act. The County’s funding commitment to this project is timely as additional funding sources with a combination of low-income housing tax credits, bonds, grants, and other affordable housing funding programs are needed to reach the total estimated project cost of about $54 million. 

The project will provide housing for extremely low-income to low-income families earning between 30 percent and 60 percent Area Median Income, which for a household of four is approximately $58,740 to $117,000 per year in income.  

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With immigrant rights at the forefront of conversations nationwide, the Marin County Board of Supervisors have unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the County Executive to invest $500,000 toward safeguarding immigrant communities.  

The funding allocation from the Board’s March 4 meeting will bolster legal rights education and assistance, child and family support services, and other coordinated support services for immigrant communities across Marin. The emerging needs for increased legal rights education, child and family support, and other services is exceeding the current capacity of local service providers. This one-time allocation will augment and expand services provided by local organizations to support communities at risk of detention and deportation. 

Building on community input, the County is determining the best way to allocate funds as quickly as possible and will soon release a request for proposals (RFP) for community organizations and service providers. The funding approach for this investment will prioritize collaboration among community-based organizations (CBOs) to ensure consistency of information, accomplish collective impact, and avoid duplicative efforts. The Board’s critical and timely allocation represents a pivotal strategy to address the unprecedented challenges facing the County’s immigrant communities. 

Learn More

Our office is pleased to welcome two Deputy County Executives, Linn Walsh and Danielle O’Leary to the Office of the County Executive (OCE) as of March 31. Both are longtime residents of Marin County who bring with them extensive experience in local government, knowledge of Marin County communities and strong commitments to providing equitable community service. 

Walsh is an 18-year veteran of the City of Mill Valley and will help direct efforts in communications, digital services, legislative affairs and grants, the new Office of the Inspector General, facilities planning & development, and the Clerk of the Board. She will also facilitate cross-department collaboration to ensure efficient, equitable, and innovative service delivery. 

O’Leary’s career includes 26 years of working in administrative positions for city governments, including San Rafael and Santa Rosa. She will focus on leading efforts to strengthen relationships, coordinate municipal issues, and enhance services in Marin’s unincorporated communities including West Marin and Marin City. She will provide oversight of initiatives on climate change, sustainability, and community & economic vitality. 

Learn More