____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
Agenda Item No: 2.i
Meeting Date: July 20, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Community & Economic Development
Prepared by: Micah Hinkle, Director
Greg Minor, Assistant Director
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: ESTABLISHMENT OF 350 MERRYDALE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT SUBCOMMITTEE AND APPOINT CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: ESTABLISH CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE FOR CITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT 350 MERRYDALE ROAD AND UPDATE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATION FOR 2026 RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Establish City Council Subcommittee for City Affordable Housing Development Project at 350 Merrydale Road, and
2. Update City Council Appointments to Committees and Representation for 2026 BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
In November 2025, the City Council authorized the purchase of 350 Merrydale Road to serve as an interim shelter for up to 65 unhoused individuals for the next two to three years followed by a permanent affordable housing development consisting of at least 80 units entitled by June 30, 2028. This acquisition and arrangement was made possible through a grant agreement with the County of Marin which stipulated these terms.
The property at 350 Merrydale Road consists of approximately 2.5 acres of land located just west of the US Highway 101 transportation corridor in northern San Rafael, roughly two miles north of downtown.
The property has two physical addresses: 350 Merrydale Road and 3833 Redwood Highway, San Rafael. The property is recorded by the Marin County Assessor as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APN) 179-041-27 and 179-041-28. The property is designated as a Planned Development (PD) District under the City’s zoning ordinance and currently consists of three single-story buildings, most recently occupied by an adult school. The buildings are separated by small courtyards and surrounded by an asphaltsurfaced parking lot. In terms of surrounding land uses, commercial businesses adjoin the property to the north and south; a residential apartment building also adjoins to the south, along Merrydale Road. A residential subdivision is to the west across Merrydale Road and the US Highway 101 corridor neighbors the site to the east. The property is approximately a half mile from the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Marin Civic Center Station.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
In terms of the site’s development potential, based on the net acreage and the maximum net density (21.8-43.6 units/net acre), the site is anticipated to accommodate approximately 76 units.
However, State Density Bonus Law authorizes a density bonus of 80 percent for a 100 percent affordable housing project; therefore, the 350 Merrydale site could support a maximum of 137 units.
To advance the permanent affordable housing development at 350 Merrydale, staff published a Request for Proposals (RFP) in February of this year to identify a developer that could design, construct, and support an affordable housing development. The RFP informed developers about both the property itself and the City’s goals for the project. Furthermore, the RFP requested that developers provide a project proposal, a description of the developer team’s qualifications, their financing plan for the project, and proof of financial capacity to complete the project.
Staff formed an initial RFP screening panel to review the responses that consisted of City and County staff as well as a representative of the Chamber of Commerce. Panel members individually reviewed and scored the responses based on the project proposal, the developer team, and the respective financial information of each proposal.
In order to inform a recommendation of the affordable housing development partner, staff is recommending the establishment of a City Council subcommittee to (1) provide input on the selection criteria for the next phase of the RFP process, (2) assist in the evaluation of the top qualified firms responding to the RFP, and (3) preview other future policy considerations as the project proceeds. This would be a Brown Act committee whose meetings would be publicly noticed such that interested parties could provide input as part of public comment.
Next Steps:
If Council establishes a Subcommittee for the affordable housing development project at 350 Merrydale Road, a meeting would be scheduled with the subcommittee later this summer for review and input of the top staff scored affordable housing development firms and provide staff with input to support the final recommendation of the development partner for the project. Staff would incorporate the subcommittee feedback and develop a recommendation of the affordable housing development partner. The recommendation would be agendized on a future City Council meeting for Council consideration and to authorize the City Manager to enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with the selected affordable housing developer. During the ENA period the City and the affordable housing developer will negotiate the terms of a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) that will define the land disposition and overall project requirements. Once staff and the developer reach consensus on a proposed DDA, staff will return to the City Council for review and approval.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Updated City Council Appointments to Committees for 2026 (redlined) City Council Appointments & Representation for 2026
Updated: December 15, 2025 July 20, 2026
Position 2026
Vice Mayor, City Council Rachel Kertz
Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG) San Rafael Representative Maribeth Bushey BayWAVE Kate Colin
Maika Llorens Gulati
Central Marin Sanitation Agency
(informational only- appointed by SRSD)
Maribeth Bushey
Climate Change Action Plan Quarterly Update Forum Maika Llorens Gulati County Priority-Setting Committee
(re Community Development Block Grant Funds)
Rachel Kertz
League of California Cities, North Bay Division Voting Delegate Maika Llorens Gulati Library Foundation Board Maribeth Bushey
Marin Clean Energy (MCE) Maika Llorens Gulati
Eli Hill (Alt)
San Rafael Sanitation District Kate Colin (C)
Maribeth Bushey
Sonoma/Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART)
(informational only- appointed by TAM)
Kate Colin
Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) Board of Commissioners Kate Colin Maribeth Bushey (Alt)
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Rachel Kertz
Kate Colin (Alt)
City Council Standing Committees
(Noticed public meetings)
City/School Liaison Committee (Noticed Joint City Council /Schools meeting)
(To rotate appointments every even-numbered years)
Rachel Kertz
Maika Llorens Gulati
Housing & Economic Development Subcommittee Kate Colin
Eli Hill
Finance Subcommittee Kate Colin
Eli Hill
Homelessness Subcommittee Kate Colin
Rachel Kertz
Sea Level Rise Subcommittee Kate Colin
Maika Llorens Gulati
Measure P Subcommittee Maribeth Bushey
Eli Hill
Updated: December 15, 2025 July 20, 2026
2 350 Merrydale Affordable Housing Development Project Subcommittee Kate Colin Maribeth Bushey
Council Liaisons to Boards, Commissions and Committees
(Open, noticed meetings)
All Boards, Commissions, Committees Kate Colin
Joint Powers Agreement (JPA)
Marin County Hazardous and Solid Waste Joint Powers Authority Board and Executive Committee
Angela Robinson Piñon
Cory Bytof (Alt)
Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA) Governing Board Roy Leon David Spiller (Alt)
Robert Sinnott (Alt)
Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA) Executive Board Abraham Roman Marin General Services Authority Paul Navazio
John Stefanski (Alt)
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority, Operations Committee Abraham Roman Angela Robinson Piñon (Alt)
Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Executive Committee
(MCCMC appointment; non-City appointment)
Eli Hill
Legislative Committee Rachel Kertz
Marin Transit District
(MCCMC appointment; non-City appointment)
Maribeth Bushey
Maika Llorens Gulati (Alt)
Homelessness Policy Maker Group Rachel Kertz
Homeless Policy Steering Committee Rachel Kertz
CalCities Policy Committees
(Non-City appointments – to update upon notification without Council approval) Community Services Policy Committee Rachel Kertz
Environmental Policy Committee Maika Llorens Gulati