821db9ac-915-redacted-rev — San Rafael City Council, November 17, 2025

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RE: 350 Merrydale – For Immediate Posting and Inclusion on the City Council and Marin County Agenda
Dear Members San Rafael City Council, County Supervisor and County Executive, I am writing to state clearly that no decision should be made regarding the purchase of 350 Merrydale Property for the homeless shelter project until a full, independent fiscal impact study is completed and released to the public. Property taxes are one of the City’s most important general revenue sources, supporting essential services including public safety and education. Converting this parcel from taxable private ownership to taxexempt public use will have immediate and long-term financial consequences that cannot be ignored.

Before any vote or commitment to purchase 350 Merrydale, the City must disclose openly and in detail the following:

1. The projected loss of property tax revenue from the 350 Merrydale parcel, amortized over 20 years.

This revenue will not return once the property becomes publicly owned.

2. Expected impacts on surrounding property values and the secondary loss of property tax revenue resulting from those changes.

3. The corresponding financial losses to public agencies that depend on property tax revenues, including:
o The San Rafael Fire Department
o San Rafael City Schools
o Countywide education and public service funds
o Other local and regional agencies relying on property tax allocations Because of the seriousness of these financial implications, I request that the Council commission an independent, third-party fiscal impact study not an internal analysis.

This study should evaluate both the direct and indirect revenue losses associated with removing 350 Merrydale property from the tax roll and converting it to a public-use homeless shelter facility. The study’s full findings must be made accessible to the public well before any final decision is considered.

Residents deserve complete financial transparency. The City should not proceed with a purchase that may permanently reduce revenue to critical services without first providing the community with objective, verifiable financial data.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I urge the Council to act responsibly and ensure that the public has all relevant fiscal information before any action is taken on the proposed acquisition of the 350 Merrydale Property.

Sincerely,
Betty Shea
Betty Shea
San Rafael Meadows
cc: Marin IJ Editorial Board
Richard Halstead, Marin IJ ([email protected])
Cameron Macdonald, Marin IJ ([email protected])
Steven Rosenfeld, Marin IJ ([email protected])
Kenny Choi, CBS News [email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: donna isralsky
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 4:04 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Merrydale
I am in complete support of the Merrydale housing plan.

From: Ericka O. Erickson
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 8:46 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Support for Shelter Crisis Declaration and 350 Merrydale Road Project Dear Mayor Colin and Members of the San Rafael City Council, I am writing in strong support of the shelter crisis declaration and the 350 Merrydale Road project. I have been a resident of Marin for 24 years and have spent more than two decades working on housing and equity issues across Marin and the Bay Area. I see this project as a crucial step toward building a more compassionate and equitable community.

The dual-phase approach at 350 Merrydale will provide immediate safety for unhoused residents, especially women and caregivers who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and face elevated risks of violence, exploitation, and instability when living unsheltered, while also creating a long-term pathway to permanent affordable housing.

Individual cabins and onsite services offer a trauma-informed, gender-responsive alternative to traditional congregate shelters.

In my regional work, I recently visited the interim supportive housing community at 33 Gough Street in San Francisco, a “tiny home village” that provides 70 private, lockable cabins and comprehensive on-site services. I was impressed by the dignity, stability, and safety the model creates. The combination of privacy, supportive services, and a welldesigned village environment has made 33 Gough an effective bridge to permanent housing, particularly for women and other residents who need a safe, transitional space to begin rebuilding stability. Seeing its success firsthand only strengthened my confidence in the Merrydale approach.

The Merrydale site is exceptionally well-located: within walking distance of the SMART Civic Center station, key bus routes, county health and social services, and nonprofit partners. This accessibility is essential for residents who rely on transit, coordinated care, and supportive programs to navigate employment, caregiving, and healing.

Transforming a site that has sat vacant for years into an interim shelter and future affordable housing aligns squarely with San Rafael’s housing goals and makes responsible use of an underutilized property. It strengthens, rather than stretches, the existing neighborhood fabric.

I urge the Council to approve the shelter crisis declaration and move the 350 Merrydale Road project forward. This is a practical, proven, and equity-centered strategy that will expand safety and opportunity for those who need it most.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration.

Sincerely,
Dr. Ericka Omena Erickson
Ericka Omena Erickson, M.P.A., Ed.D.
•
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RE: 350 Merrydale – For Immediate Posting and Inclusion on the City Council Agenda Dear City Council,
It is outrageous that the 350 Merrydale proposal has progressed this far without a transparent, legitimate, and fully open public process. Your actions represent a fundamental breach of trust.

If you choose to move forward, you will be doing so directly against the will of the people you were elected to serve.

The email below confirms what many of us have suspected all along. Your approach has been to operate behind closed doors for years, conceal discussions within “closed sessions,” quietly negotiate with landowners, commit taxpayer resources to an excessive land purchase, and then spring this plan on the public with a mere 30 days’ notice—an obvious attempt to limit community response.

This behavior is not just unacceptable; it is an affront to the constitutional rights of the taxpayers who fund your salaries and the very institutions you represent. We demand the immediate withdrawal of any secret agreements you have made or entertained. We will not tolerate our city or county tax dollars being wasted on a concealed, poorly conceived scheme.

Even more disturbing is the final line of Ms. Smith’s October 7, 2025, email, which reads:
“Finally, note that this information is embargoed, so we appreciate you keeping this information and invite confidential until after next Wednesday.” This is not the language of transparent governance—it is the language of deliberate concealment.

Shame on every one of you who has participated in this process. The homeless community is not a political instrument for you to manipulate—and neither are the residents of San Rafael.

We will not allow you to sideline us, silence us, or operate in the shadows.

We expect accountability, and we expect it now. Pause this process.

Sincerely,
Edward J. Shea Jr.

San Rafael, CA 94903

30+ year of San Rafael Meadows
cc: Marin IJ Editorial Board ([email protected])
Richard Halstead, Marin IJ ([email protected])
Cameron Macdonald, Marin IJ ([email protected])
Steven Rosenfeld, Marin IJ ([email protected])

From: Hal Russek <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 1:40 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment: Support for 350 Merrydale Rd
Dear City Council members,
I am writing in support of the proposed project at 350 Merrydale, to provide interim shelter for 65 unhoused individuals and subsequently 80 units of affordable housing.

This project brings many benefits to our community.

This dual-phase approach offers immediate assistance to vulnerable individuals, and also contributes long-term affordable housing stock. It quickly brings more interim shelter online. We have too many unsheltered homeless in Marin and this will provide a short-term solution for many of them, and will ultimately contribute to Marin County’s affordable housing stock via a multi-year process to develop affordable housing development while using the land productively in the interim.

This is a great location for affordable housing.

The site is less than a half-mile from the SMART Marin Civic Center Station, providing direct rail access to jobs and services throughout Marin and Sonoma Counties. It’s also served by Marin Transit bus routes along Redwood Highway, giving residents and shelter participants reliable connections without needing a car.

The location is near county offices, health and social services, and nonprofits that already work with unhoused and low-income residents. This makes it easier for program staff to coordinate care, and for residents to access case management, employment programs, and healthcare.

Redwood Highway is already a mixed-use area with multifamily housing, light commercial uses, and community services. Adding this project fits with the existing neighborhood fabric and helps activate an underused property rather than extending development into new areas.

This project makes efficient use of an underutilized site. The site has been vacant for about five years. Using this parcel for affordable housing prevents blight, supports neighborhood vitality, and leverages existing infrastructure rather than expanding outward.

Sincerely,
Hal Russek, Executive Director
Two Valleys Community Land Trust
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeanette Carr
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 2:56 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: 350 Merrydale
I support the project and hope you will as well
Jeanette Carr
Sent from my iPhone
From: Jason Sarris
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 10:34 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment For Public Hearings Agenda Item #6 My name is Jason Sarris, and I want to share my lived experience to highlight why projects like the Merrydale Interim Shelter are so critical. I spent 12 years homeless, and for 10 of those years I struggled with drug addiction. The turning point for me was accessing a sanctioned camp safe-sleeping site. That stability—simply having a predictable place to be—allowed me to overcome my drug addiction while still living outside. From there, I engaged regularly with my case worker, accessed on-site support services, addressed long-neglected health issues, and received mental-health care for both the trauma that led to my homelessness and the trauma of being homeless for so long.

I moved into Permanent Supportive Housing from the sanctioned camp I was living in, and I’m proud to say I have since successfully self graduated from that program. That graduation freed up my former case worker’s capacity so they can now help someone who is in the same situation I was just three years ago.

Sanctioned camps throughout Marin have already helped nearly 200 people move into housing the last couple of years. When people have safety and stability, they can focus on rebuilding their lives.

The Merrydale Interim Shelter Project will build directly on this success. The 65 individual cabins will have a locking door, electricity and heat. Onsite there will be access to running water, real bathrooms, showers, laundry, case management and support services. Merrydale will provide the structure and services people need to stabilize, heal, and transition into permanent housing.

Everyone who will be moving into Merrydale wants to be in a home. No one grows up wanting to be homeless. Every future resident is enrolled in the County’s Coordinated Entry System, which is the pathway to housing in Marin. I am living proof that when you combine safety, stability, and services, people truly can rebuild their lives. The Merrydale Interim Shelter will give others the same opportunity I was given—and it will save lives.

Please vote yes and approve this project!
Thank you,
Jason Sarris - Gerstle Park
From: Kendra Carney Mehr <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 1:00 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Erin Grubisich <[email protected]>
Subject: November 17, 2025 City Council Meeting - Correspondence re Item No. 6 Please provide the attached letter, sent on behalf of Miss Nicky's Preschool, to the City Council and include it in the record as public comment on Item No.6 of the November 17, 2025 City Council agenda relating to the proposed Interim Shelter.

Thank you,
Kendra L. Carney Mehr
Principal
Carney Mehr, a legal corporation
t: (949) 629-4676
e: [email protected]
w: carneymehr.com
Schedule a meeting with me by clicking this link
My working hours are 9:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Thursday, and 9:30 am - 1:00 pm on Fridays.

Outside of working hours: [email protected], and I will respond within 12 business hours —
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE – This e-mail transmission, and any documents, files or previous e-mail messages attached to it may contain information that is confidential or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you must not read this transmission and that any disclosure, copying, printing, distribution or use of any of the information contained in or attached to this transmission is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately return e-mail and delete the original transmission and its attachments without reading or saving in any manner. Thank you.

Kendra L. Carney Mehr
23 Corporate Plaza Drive, Suite 150
Newport Beach, CA
(949) 629-4676
[email protected]
November 14, 2025
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
City of San Rafael
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
Sent via electronic mail and postal mail
Re: Objection to Proposed Interim Shelter Site at 350 Merrydale Road Submitted on behalf of Miss Nicky’s Preschool
Dear Honorable Mayor and Members of the Council:

Our office represents Miss Nicky's Preschool, which operates a licensed earlychildhood education facility located at 159 Merrydale Road in the City of San Rafael (the “City”) and County of Marin (the “County”) which is within 1300 feet of the proposed interim shelter site at 350 Merrydale Road. Miss Nicky's Preschool serves very young children—ages two through five—and is recognized under state law as a highly sensitive receptor requiring enhanced protection from incompatible land uses. The nature, scale, and proximity of the proposed interim shelter present grave and unacceptable risks to child safety and welfare. We are compelled to submit this letter in the strongest possible opposition to the project as currently proposed.

Unacceptable Safety Risks to Young Children from Substance Abuse and Criminal Activity
The proposed interim shelter will house individuals experiencing homelessness, a population that—while deserving of compassion and support—statistically includes individuals struggling with substance abuse disorders, mental health crises, and histories of criminal behavior. Studies and documented outcomes from similar facilities across California demonstrate elevated rates of drug use, drug dealing, theft, trespassing, and public disturbances in the immediate vicinity of emergency shelter operations. 2 Locating such a facility in close proximity to a preschool serving vulnerable children creates an intolerable risk environment. Young children at this developmental stage lack the ability to recognize danger, adequately assess threatening situations, or protect themselves from harm. Our client has serious and well-founded concerns about:
• Exposure to drug paraphernalia, including used needles, pipes, and other dangerous items that may be discarded in areas accessible to children;
• Direct encounters with individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol during outdoor play periods and arrival and departure times; • Witnessing drug transactions, public intoxication, aggressive behavior, or other disturbing and traumatic incidents;
• Increased risk of property crime, trespassing onto the preschool grounds, and potential direct threats to staff and children; • Elevated police presence and emergency response activity, including arrests, medical crises, and disturbances that create an atmosphere of instability and fear.

These are not hypothetical concerns. They represent documented realities at emergency shelters throughout the state. No amount of on-site security, perimeter fencing, or "Good Neighbor Policies" can eliminate these risks when the facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with high resident turnover and minimal screening protocols. The City's assurances of safety measures ring hollow in light of the lived experiences of communities surrounding similar facilities.

Dangerous and Unprotected Corridor Between Transit Station and Interim Shelter The proposed site's proximity to the SMART train station and multiple bus stops creates an additional layer of danger that the City has entirely failed to address. Shelter residents and visitors will inevitably traverse the corridor between the transit facilities and the shelter site—a pathway that runs directly through or adjacent to the neighborhood where Miss Nicky's Preschool operates.

The City has provided no plan whatsoever to protect this corridor or to shield sensitive uses—particularly a preschool serving toddlers and young children—from the foot traffic, loitering, substance use, and criminal activity that will occur along this route.

This corridor will become, in effect, an extension of the shelter's operational impact zone, yet it remains entirely outside the City's proposed security perimeter.

Children arriving at and departing from the preschool, playing outdoors, and participating in supervised walks will be directly exposed to individuals traveling to and from the shelter. Staff members—many of whom are young women—will face increased 3 personal safety risks during early morning and evening hours. Parents dropping off and picking up their children will be forced to navigate an environment that has been fundamentally and permanently altered by the City's decision to site a high-impact social service facility in a residential neighborhood without any protective measures for the surrounding community.

This complete absence of corridor planning and protection is not merely an oversight—it represents a fundamental failure to consider the safety and welfare of the community's most vulnerable population: young children in state-licensed care.

Incompatibility with Licensed Childcare Operations and Regulatory Standards California law recognizes licensed childcare facilities as sensitive receptors requiring heightened protection from incompatible land uses. The preschool is required to maintain strict health and safety standards under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, including provisions ensuring a safe and secure environment free from hazards, dangerous conditions, and exposure to harmful substances or behaviors.

The proposed interim shelter directly undermines the preschool's ability to maintain these standards. The facility will operate 24 hours a day with minimal screening requirements, serving a transient population that includes individuals with active substance abuse issues, untreated mental illness, and criminal histories. This is fundamentally incompatible with the operation of a preschool serving children ages two through five.

Moreover, the presence of such a facility will have immediate and devastating consequences for enrollment. Parents entrust preschools with their most precious responsibility—the safety and well-being of their young children. No reasonable parent will choose to enroll their toddler or preschool-age child in a facility located next to an emergency homeless shelter operating at scale. The preschool will face enrollment declines, financial hardship, and potential closure—not because of any failure on its part, but because the City has chosen to locate an incompatible use in immediate proximity without consideration of the consequences.

Severe and Lasting Impacts on Daily Operations and the Educational Environment Beyond the direct safety threats, the proposed facility will fundamentally disrupt the preschool's daily operations. Early childhood education depends on routine, stability, predictability, and a calm, nurturing environment. The proposed shelter will introduce:
• Continuous vehicle traffic from service providers, delivery trucks, police responses, and emergency services, creating hazardous conditions during drop-off and pick-up periods;
4 • Noise from on-site activities, loud disturbances, arguments, and emergency incidents that disrupt classroom instruction, outdoor learning, and nap times;
• Constant surveillance and security concerns requiring staff to maintain heightened vigilance rather than focusing on educational programming;
• Parking overflow that blocks or restricts access to the preschool, creating safety hazards and operational disruptions;
• Restricted use of outdoor play areas due to safety concerns, depriving children of essential physical activity and outdoor learning opportunities;
• Staff turnover and recruitment difficulties as employees refuse to work in an environment they perceive as unsafe.

These impacts will persist for the entire three-to-four-year duration of the interim shelter operation, followed by years of construction and transition to permanent housing. The preschool and the families it serves will bear these burdens for nearly a decade, with no meaningful mitigation, no protective measures, and no recourse.

Complete Failure to Evaluate Alternative Sites and Protect Sensitive Uses The City claims to have evaluated more than 20 potential sites before selecting 350 Merrydale Road. However, the City has not disclosed the criteria used in this evaluation, the results of any comparative analysis, or any consideration of proximity to sensitive uses such as licensed preschools. This lack of transparency suggests that child safety was not a meaningful factor in the site selection process.

Responsible planning would identify sites that minimize conflicts with schools, childcare facilities, parks, and other child-serving uses. Industrial areas, commercial corridors away from residential neighborhoods, or sites with natural separation from sensitive receptors would present far fewer risks. The City's selection of a site in close proximity to a preschool—without any demonstrated attempt to avoid or mitigate this conflict—raises serious questions about the adequacy and good faith of the site selection process.

Furthermore, the City has provided no analysis of buffering options, setback requirements, or operational restrictions that could reduce impacts on the preschool. No environmental review has been conducted. No traffic study has been completed. No health and safety analysis has been disclosed. The City is proceeding with a project that places young children at risk without having performed the most basic due diligence to evaluate and mitigate those risks.
5 Long-Term Uncertainty Compounds Immediate Dangers
The City anticipates that the interim shelter will operate through June 2029, to be followed immediately by redevelopment into permanent affordable housing with more than 80 units. However, the City has provided virtually no information about this second phase: no building designs, no density calculations, no parking analysis, no circulation plans, and no assessment of long-term compatibility with surrounding uses.

The preschool faces immediate safety threats from the interim shelter and uncertain long-term impacts from the permanent housing development. Parents making enrollment decisions, staff members considering long-term employment, and the preschool operator planning for the future are all left in a state of perpetual uncertainty.

This is untenable and unfair.

Requested Action
For the compelling reasons set forth above, Miss Nicky's Preschool urgently requests that the City immediately reject the proposed project at this location due to its fundamental incompatibility with a licensed preschool serving vulnerable young children.

The preschool recognizes the importance of addressing homelessness in our community. However, solutions must not come at the expense of child safety. The City's proposal places vulnerable children in harm's way without adequate justification, analysis, or protective measures. This is unacceptable.

We remain available to discuss these concerns and to work toward solutions that protect both the homeless population and the children in our care.

Best regards,
Kendra Carney Mehr
Principal Attorney
From: Kendra Carney Mehr <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 1:00 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Erin Grubisich <[email protected]>
Subject: November 17, 2025 City Council Meeting - Correspondence re Item No. 6 Please provide the attached letter, sent on behalf of Marin Child Development, to the City Council and include it in the record as public comment on Item No.6 of the November 17, 2025 City Council agenda relating to the proposed Interim Shelter.

This corridor will become, in effect, an extension of the shelter's operational impact zone, yet it remains entirely outside the City's proposed security perimeter.

This is untenable and unfair.

We remain available to discuss these concerns and to work toward solutions that protect both the homeless population and the children in our care.

Best regards,
Kendra Carney Mehr
Principal Attorney
From: Karen Petterson
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 1:21 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: 350 Merrydale
To the City Council of San Rafael,
We write to support the 350 Merrydale proposed interim shelter. It is an excellent use of the space! It's close to the train stop and having access to that transportation is great for working clients.

I applaud the cooperative work all the organizations pertinent to the project have done to get the citizens experiencing homelessness off the streets and into a safe environment and also provides access to help, the first steps of getting back on their feet. It makes sense to really try to take care of our Marin County neighbors in crisis.

Thank you! Karen Petterson, Marin Organizing Committee
-----Original Message-----
From: Lee FitzGerald
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 5:50 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Merrydale Tiny Homes Project - support
Good day,
I write in support of the tiny homes project.

I also support that a formal apology be given specifically to the nearby residents, as well as to the citizens of the City for rushing the project without citizen input.

Best,
Lee FitzGerald
-----Original Message-----
From: Louise Yost
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2025 8:30 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Homeless housing on 350 Merrydale
To the San Rafael City Council—
I am writing to say that i 100% support your housing for the homeless on 350 Merrydale. This is a golden opportunity to provide actual tiny houses with wrap around services to help solve the homeless crisis in our city and its about time! The property looks to be perfectly suited for housing in a safe neighborhood, with public buses and the Smart train nearby at the Civic Center. There is also a small grocery store near the Civic Center, and the Northgate Mall not far away.

I was upset to read in the paper that the neighbors were objecting to the housing project and were fearful of possible crimes committed by the homeless. This is classic NIMBYism and i certainly hope that the city can clarify the truth of the situation to the neighbors, and can work it out. in summary i say hurrah City Council for this timely and necessary project! You rock and carry on! Sincerely
Louise Yost
San Rafael Resident
From: Mayor Kate <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 11:06 AM
To: Meg
Cc: End Homelessness <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Tiny homes
Hi Megan - Thank you so much for taking the time to write and for sharing your support for the proposed interim shelter project at 350 Merrydale. Hearing from residents who recognize both the urgency and the humanity behind this work truly matters, especially right now.

I’ve cc’d city staff so that your message is part of the public record and the team can also see your note of support.

I appreciate your thoughtful perspective and your understanding that real solutions require compassion, structure, and partnership. Thank you again for reaching out.

Warmly,
Kate
Kate Colin (she/her/hers)
Mayor, City of San Rafael
From: Meg
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 9:08 AM
To: Mayor Kate <[email protected]>
Subject: Tiny homes
Dear Mayor Colin
I am writing to express my support for the “tiny homes” project on at 350 Merrydale Rd (Interim Shelter Site at 350 Merrydale Road - San Rafael Interim Shelter Site at 350 Merrydale Road -
San Rafael
The City of San Rafael and the County of Marin are partnering on two projects at 350 Merrydale Road – providing short term interim housing through a tiny home community, then establishing permanent affordable housing units in the long term. The shor It is a viable solution to a problem faced by many cities and towns nationwide, that of its citizens who have no housing.

I fear the same folks that oppose these homes also protest loudly any project containing affordable housing.

They don’t like homeless encampments either.
“Everybody has to be somewhere” said Margaret Atwood, among others.

I appreciate your efforts in this endeavor.

Megan Brizzolara
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad
From: Marin Diving Center <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 10:21 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]> Subject: 350 Merrydale Project
Dear Mayor and city council,
You have deceived the community. I am asking you to pause all actions on the 350 Merrydale project. Your actions have failed to notify the community. Local business owners,family"s and tax payers should have an opportunity to voice their opinions. If you want the community to trust you. They need to be involved.

I look forward to a solution everyone can be involved in! Jon Edens
Marin Diving Center
415-479-4332
[email protected]
www.marindive.com
From: Marianne Nannestad
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 9:01 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rob Epstein <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment for City Council Meeting November 17, Agenda Item 6

PLEASE INCLUDE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS
November 17 City Council Meeting - Agenda Item 6
Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Nov. 15, 2025
By Letters to the editor
PUBLISHED: November 14, 2025 at 12:58 PM PST
Sa n Ra fa el homelessness pla n pla gued by questions
The IJ editorial published Nov. 10 with the headline “New Marin strategy to address hom elessness raises som e red flags” was right to raise concerns. Those sam e “red flags” are flying over San Rafael’s plan for “tiny hom es” at 350 Merrydale Road.

On Monday, the City Council plans to both introduce and vote on a $6.7 m illion purchase of the Merrydale property to serve as a tem porary hom eless shelter, with Marin County contributing up to $8 m illion and a prom ise of 80 affordable housing units by 2028. From what I can tell, it appears that state grants will fund shelter operations through 2027 — after that, I have questions about a clear funding source.

I am concerned about what happens if San Rafael officials m iss a deadline. I worry taxpayers will have to repay the county’s grant. We need to know m ore about who funds operations after 2027. I am also worried about what happens if the shelter m ust close by 2029 before perm anent housing is ready.

These are not m inor details. In m y view, the answers will determ ine whether this project will succeed or fail. For som ething this com plex, residents deserve a full public explanation and open debate before any vote, not both on the sam e night.

Transparency is not opposition; it’s the foundation of public trust. San Rafael can lead with both com passion and accountability — but only if it lets the public in before the decisions are m ade.
— Marianne Nannestad, San Rafael Meadows
Sa n Ra fa el officia ls need to be open to new infor ma tion Sound decision-m aking includes separating the quality of a decision from its outcom e and focusing on im proving the process rather than just the results. This involves being open to new inform ation.

In the book “Thinking in Bets: Making Sm arter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts,” author Annie Duke states: “We m ight think of ourselves as open-m inded and capable of updating our beliefs based on new inform ation, but the research conclusively shows otherwise. Instead of altering our beliefs to fit new inform ation, we do the opposite, altering our interpretation of that inform ation to fit our beliefs.” In the case of San Rafael’s plan to address the hom elessness issue with “tiny hom es” at 350 Merrydale Road, m any constituents of our City Council have expressed dism ay with the decision process, so I m ust ask: Politicians, are you listening?
History is replete with elected officials who, due to ill-advised decisions, will forever be associated with those negative choices, effectively erasing the positive contributions they have m ade.
— Rick Keefer, San Rafael

PLEASE INCLUDE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS
Marianne Nannestad
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
It is ironic that so many in Marin are consumed about a perceived national threat to our democracy, when if they opened their eyes they would realize its ruination in their own back yard.

Any government where elected representatives rule by decree and fiat, without seeking input from their constituents, is one that has lost its popular mandate. Such is the current state of affairs in the fiefdom of San Rafael where the royal party rules on what is best for its subjects.

Shame on you all,
Phil Downs
From: Roger Powelson
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 1:59 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: it is very important to support the Merrydale project To the san rafael city council
Join me and other Marin homeless/housing advocates to support the proposed Interim Shelter at 350 Merrydale for people currently experiencing homelessness in San Rafael.

We know that providing housing first works and this project will help unhoused community members transition into stable housing. At 350 Merrydale, we have an opportunity to support what we know, works.

This will also quiet as critics who are calling san rafael Grant’s Pass South In reminder, people here of their Christian And Jewishheritage That calls for caring for the stranger In our midst.

Yours in Japan, religious brotherhood
Roger Powelson
Roger Powelson
Novato, CA 94947
From: Shannon Griffin
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 6:49 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: 350 Merrydale
Dear City Council members,
Thank you for the thorough work that has gone
into potentially offering the homeless the
development at 350 Merrydale. I led our church
team efforts when REST (Rotating Emergency
Shelter Teams) was operational. We cooked
healthy and tasty meals for the men and ate with
them. We learned about their lives, misfortunes
and gifts. When treated with dignity and respect,
the homeless have a far greater chance to
transition to housing, recovery if needed and
employment. Thank you again for your work and I
strongly encourage you to vote yes on this
development.

Sincerely,
Shannon Griffin
San Rafael 94903
From: Sara McEvoy
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2025 9:02 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment For Public Hearings Agenda Item 6 Hello Councilmembers,

My name is Sara McEvoy, and I’m a Terra Linda resident, a mother, and someone who was formerly homeless. I want to speak in strong support of the tiny home project at 350 Merrydale Road.

From the time our kids are young, we teach them about sharing, kindness, and empathy.

Schools emphasize anti-bullying, inclusion, and being good to one another. And as parents, we tell our children that it’s our responsibility not only to keep them safe, but to model what it means to be good humans in our community.

That’s why it’s disappointing—and frankly hypocritical—to see so many comments opposing this project in the name of “protecting children.” You cannot teach kindness and reject housing for people who need it. You cannot preach empathy to your children while advocating against the basic dignity of your unhoused neighbors.

This tiny home project will increase safety—both for the people who will live there and for the community as a whole. On-site case management, security, and wraparound services mean stability, accountability, and real pathways out of homelessness. When people have a safe, dignified place to sleep, it reduces crisis behaviors and improves mental health outcomes. This is what a safer San Rafael actually looks like.

I also want to address the concerns about transparency. I understand the frustration—I really do. But I have to ask a simple, honest question: If the city had been more transparent throughout this process, would those who oppose the project suddenly support it? I don’t believe so. And I’d ask another question: Where was this outrage about transparency when the City rushed through the camping ban in our parks? Where was the concern when many of us felt that decision had been predetermined before public comment even began?

Transparency only seems to matter when the outcome doesn’t go your way. That is not principled civic engagement—it is selective outrage.

As a mother, I teach my children to stand up for fairness even when it’s uncomfortable. As a community, we should expect the same from ourselves. The tiny home village at 350 Merrydale Road is a step toward real solutions, real safety, and real humanity.

I urge you to move forward.

Thank you.

Sara McEvoy
-----Original Message-----
From: Sharon Steckline
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 2:15 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Comments on Tiny Homes project
City Council of San Rafael:

I am a long time resident of Rafael Meadows and I’m very discouraged by the City’s process in the development of this homeless rehousing project. Clearly with an upcoming mandate to clear the downtown streets of homeless in tents and putting them in a location nowhere near any of the services that they currently use you are just kicking the can down the road. I have a lack of faith in local governments abilities to rehouse the homeless when you have tents literally located at city hall.

I don’t believe that a project of this type has been done before and definitely not in a suburban neighborhood with families. There is no certainty that this project will be successful.

I attended the information session at the JCC and have more questions.

Here are my concerns:
-the bag check is strictly for potential weapons and only bags will be checked. I was told that these residents are ADULTS and free to use drugs and alcohol and/or have mental health issues. They can come and go as they please. Where are they going? How will they get to downtown services? —Only one meal a day will be provided where will they get additional meals? They can have dogs so they cannot take the bus or train with their pets. Where will they be walking their dogs? In our neighborhood seems the logical answer as a dog run is not sufficient exercise. Will they be trained, leashed, will they clean up after themselves?
-Will this location attract additional homeless to our neighborhood? -The temperature in the summer months gets over 100 degrees and these units seem hotter than a tent and will have not have proper ventilation or AC.
- This location was chosen strictly based on the idea that the current onsite facility will be used by staff and residents. The building will need major upgrades to be habitable. Another site with trailers would be just as functional.
- Why is the BioMarin empty lot between 3rd and 2nd Streets allowed to sit vacant for years? It could be used as parking for the medical clinic and Vivalon for those with mobility issues. The other side could be used for tiny homes with trailers for staff and it is next to the Medical Clinic, Ritter Center and near St.

Vincent’s. But of course it must be more useful as an empty lot… It seems like this project is a done deal and the voting constituents, residents of our neighborhood are being given no input. I fully expect the Council will approve the purchase. We will remember this election time I can assure you. I will also remember that unconditional development of housing is the goal with no concern for quality of life. All of those on the council will no longer be elected officials when these projects are completed and all that will be left is your legacy of ruining San Rafael permanently.

Please delay the vote on the land purchase and homeless plan.

Sharon Steckline
San Rafael
From: Susan Woodhouse
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2025 6:15 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Susan Woodhouse
Subject: 350 Merrydale Project November 17 Public Hearing PLEASE POSTIN THE PUBLIC RECORD November 14, 2025
Dear Mayor Kate Colin,
Members of the San Rafael
City Council and
Supervisor Sackett
l
350 Merrydale Homeless Shelter Project
November 17 Public Hearing Comments
Please Post in the Public Record
My name is Susan Woodhouse and I am a resident of Rafael Meadows. This is not a letter against homelessness, it is a letter voicing our concerns about not having any input or transparency on the part of the City of San Rafael’s placement of a homeless encampment into a family neighborhood. The criticism you are hearing is not about “not in my backyard” but why were we deliberately kept out of the process? Why was there no early outreach, no public workshops, no neighborhood meetings, no opportunity for community-based problem solving before you the City moved forward? Our concerns are lack of transparency with the surrounding community regarding this project. I believe there should be a community input on whether this is the best location for the encampment. The problems we find unacceptable are as follows:

1. Why expose small children to individuals that are suffering from mental illness, and addiction,.

2. We are concerned that there will not be vetting of individuals that may be sex offenders. We want to keep our children safe.

3. Homeless attracts homeless individuals, that is how they build their community. The area called “gray area” by the train tracks may become a place for individuals to congregate. Children use this path to walk to school. Again why subject children to unsafe conditions.

4. Why are you overlooking the community’s concerns for safety. Why are you not involving the surrounding community, businesses, apartments and Rafael Meadows neighborhood.

5. Place the tiny homes in areas that are used for sleeping, as I was quoted by MaryBeth Bushy, “ these individuals will be too busy getting ID, seeking community resources for housing, job opportunities, they will not be wandering your neighborhood. We will be using a van to take these people into downtown to access the services.” Then they should be located near the services!!!!
It was also stated that individuals who do not follow the “Code of Conduct” will be removed from the program, and the city will ensure that those individuals do not reestablish encampments near the site. Where are they going to go????? Since the City of San Rafael is planning on placement of this encampment in a neighborhood, therefore, the City of San Rafael is 100% liable for any theft, fire, trespassing on private property and assault performed by said individuals.

We want transparency. Hold transparent well-publicized public meetings before any further decisions are made. Release a full chronological account of how this site was selected, and who approved each step and when. This is not a workable solution for helping the homeless at this site. It appears to be just a band aid to remove a group in tents to the suburbs with no real plan of how the encampment will work or look or how services will be considered. No one was able to give me a plan at the meeting at the JCC 10/28/25.

Susan Woodhouse, Rafael Meadows

San Rafael City CouncilNovember 17, 2025

San Rafael City Council
November 17, 2025