From August to November 2024, we heard from communities across Marin about their experiences and concerns with housing and displacement through a countywide community survey, community workshop, and several focus groups.
Flyers were posted online, through social media, newsletters, and email lists, and in public postings throughout the county.
Respondent demographics (race/ethnicity, income, housing tenure, location) roughly reflected the overall Marin population.
The community survey revealed strong overall interest in the anti-displacement measures it covered.
70%+ of respondents are interested in the production of new affordable housing
60%+ are interested in preservation/stabilization/ownership policies, rent control/rent stabilization policies, tenant protections, and financial assistance.
38% are interested in prioritizing the production of new market-rate housing.
Highest Interest Among Renters
Highest Interest Among Landlords
Survey respondents expressed concerns about the high cost of housing, and how it has impacted them, their families, their businesses, and their communities.
Many longtime Marin residents are struggling to stay in their homes and communities, including seniors, young families, working-age adults, and people experiencing homelessness.
There is a strong interest in increasing the supply of housing, both market-rate and affordable.
Rising costs and property taxes create challenges for property owners, making it difficult to provide housing.
Community opinions on government intervention vary, with some concerned about more government intervention and others calling for more action.
To better understand housing challenges and displacement in Marin, the project team held focus groups with landlords, renters, realtors, businesses, and renter subgroups most impacted by rising housing costs, including people experiencing homelessness.
All focus group discussions included both an anti-displacement education and needs assessment component.
The project team collaborated with several community-based organizations, including the Canal Alliance, Community Action Marin, Ritter Center, and St. Vincent de Paul, to conduct outreach and facilitate focus groups.
Renters and Housing Seekers
Landlords and Businesses
Shared Concerns
The Rooted in Marin project team convened an advisory committee to help identify shared community needs and shape anti-displacement education and outreach tools.
Made up of sixteen members, including renters, landlords, service providers, developers, realtors, and business owners across all areas of Marin, the Committee played a critical role in shaping the outreach plan and materials.
Meeting #1: The first Advisory Committee meeting focused on introductory material, orienting members to the work plan, responsibilities, and each other. The Committee reviewed and identified areas of interest among potential anti-displacement measures and brainstormed community partners to collaborate with on outreach. The meeting concluded with discussions on successful outreach examples and potential questions community members would have about anti-displacement.
Meeting #2: The second Advisory Committee meeting focused on examining existing data on housing and displacement in Marin and discussing policies and tools for addressing displacement. The Committee discussed the essential information that community members should understand and identified additional data points necessary for community discussions on displacement.
Meeting #3: The Advisory Committee reviewed a proposed community engagement strategy and draft materials, including the community survey and focus group questions. The Committee discussed what they think their community’s top concerns about displacement are. Finally, they discussed the types of data that influence people to make up their minds about displacement, as well as examples of successful anti-displacement measures from other places that the project team could learn from to inform best practices research.
Meeting #4: Several key topics were discussed during the fourth Advisory Committee meeting, including updates on the community survey and focus groups, next steps for developing data and educational tools, and goals for an upcoming Rooted in Marin community workshop. Additionally, the Committee workshopped definitions of residential displacement and anti-displacement.
Meeting #5: The fifth Advisory Committee meeting focused on creating a set of guiding principles for the final report and reviewing its draft outline. The Committee identified key values and ideas that should shape the guiding principles, providing a framework for the final report. In the second half of the meeting, the Advisory Committee reviewed and provided comments on a draft final report outline.
Meeting #6: The sixth Advisory Committee meeting focused on progress updates on the final report and data tools. The Committee first discussed Marin election results and potential anti-displacement policies that could be effective and viable in the near term. Next, the Committee provided input on draft goals, acknowledgments, and guiding principles for the final report, reflecting material workshopped during the previous Advisory Committee meeting. Last, Tim Thomas, the team’s displacement data advisor, presented initial data plots on rents and homelessness in Marin.
Meeting #7: The seventh Advisory Committee meeting focused on reviewing and providing feedback on the draft final report. Tim Thomas presented data plots included in the report on the problem of displacement in Marin. The committee then discussed their overall comments on the report as a group.
Meeting #8: At the final Advisory Committee meeting, the project team presented a revised report for the committee’s approval.
