Supporting Those Most Disproportionately Impacted by COVID-19

In November 2020, the San Rafael City Council and the Marin County Board of Supervisors adopted matching resolutions recognizing the disproportionate impacts that COVID-19 is having on our communities of color. In addition, a commitment was made to pursue bold, equity-driven solutions to protect those individuals and businesses that have been most impacted.

City staff have partnered with the County to support the allocation of emergency Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for rental assistance and small business support. City and County leadership worked alongside community leaders to develop a partnership with the Marin Community Foundation that helped to secure additional rental assistance funding. As a result, the County is currently in the process of disbursing $2.8 million in rental assistance to keep people housed under the State’s current eviction moratorium, in addition to the $2.9 million that was disbursed in April and May of 2020. The County was also recently notified that it will be receiving an additional $7.7 million in rental assistance funding through the Federal stimulus package. 

In addition to financial rental assistance, the City and our partners in the Canal Policy Working Group are in the process of researching and implementing potential emergency policy options that consider the needs of tenants, as well as local property owners.  

On January 12, the Marin County Board of Supervisors reinstated the local eviction moratorium, which will be effective starting on February 1, 2021 and will expire on June 30, 2021. The countywide moratorium prohibits evictions based on non-payment of rent due to COVID-related financial impacts and prohibits property owners from charging late fees on rent owed in this period. The County’s previous moratorium had expired on September 30, 2020, when it was preempted by State legislation that implemented a Statewide moratorium through the end of January.  

On January 19th, the City of San Rafael City Council adopted a temporary “rent freeze” ordinance for tenants residing in certain residential units through December 31, 2021. The temporary moratorium solely applies in two designated US Census Tracts, Tract Nos. 1122.01 (Canal Neighborhood) and 1122.02 (Southeast San Rafael and Canal neighborhood), which have been most disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 and have the greatest level of housing instability.  The rent freeze does not apply to single-family homes, properties containing one or two housing units, accessory dwelling units, and residential units for which an initial Certificate of Occupancy was issued on or after February 1, 1995. 

City Staff, in collaboration with the Canal Policy Working Group, have been considering holistic solutions that not only address the rental debt burden of tenants who have been most disproportionally affected by COVID-19, but also the needs of the local landlords and helping to mitigate the impacts they face. Over the past weeks, staff have met with local property owners to discuss the proposed policy options and to solicit their input. 

The City recognizes the burden placed upon local property owners and are advocating to secure additional support for them. The rental assistance provided through the Community Development Block Grant and Marin Community Foundation funding is targeted at supporting tenants in greatest need; it also provides financial relief to landlords as the payments are made directly to the property owner. Additionally, the State is considering adopting AB 16, which would provide funding and a framework for disbursing rental assistance. The City sent a letter of support to both Senator Mike McGuire and Assembly member Mark Levine, urging them to vote yes on AB 16.