NEWS: 350 Merrydale Homeless Shelter Project

(updated January 11, 2026)

BULLETIN 

The SF Chronicle is interviewing local residents about the Homeless Shelter project,

and will come out to the 350 Merrydale site
 TODAY (Tuesday morning 1/13) at 11:30 am

for photos with concerned neighbors. 

JOIN US if you can - the larger the show of community engagement the better!

The article will come out on Wednesday, in conjunction with the Community Engagement Session.

DECEMBER 2025 UPDATES

NOVEMBER UPDATES

NOVEMBER 24

The lawsuit filed by our community group Citizens for Solutions Not Secrecy, spearheaded by local resident Ken Dickinson and pressed forward by our expert lawyer, was dismissed by the judge. Later that week, the purchase was finalized.

The Interim Shelter Project will proceed. Now it is time to shift gears, and make sure our concerns are heard and responded to, in the form of the actual plans and procedures. To be continued!!

NOVEMBER 17

The City Council meeting room was packed, dozens of community members spoke, asking for a delay in the project to allow community input.

The City Council listened, then unanimously voted to go ahead without delay with the purchase of the property, and the project itself.

It was a frustrating demonstration of how democracy is messy, and those who have power (delegated to them via the electoral process) make decisions based on their own agendas.

NOVEMBER 15

We have learned that the City of San Rafael decided to purchase 350 Merrydale months ago in private — and is now rushing to finalize the deal before the public can see the documents needed to understand what happened.

On November 13, a Public Records Act release revealed a critical document: an October 7 email from a City official inviting the Governor’s Office to a press event to announce the acquisition on October 15. This had been clearly planned weeks before the public found out which was on Channel 2 that evening and in the IJ the next day.

Meanwhile, residents who asked for the selection criteria, internal communications, and other key documents have been told “they are coming,” but the City has not produced them.

This is not how transparent government is supposed to work.
We’re not opposing housing — we’re opposing secrecy.

November 11 Update: 
Letters to the Editor - Marin Independent Journal

Speak Up for Our Neighborhood — Write to the Marin IJ Today

Our community is being left out of critical decisions about the future of our neighborhood. The proposed “tiny homes” project at 350 Merrydale Road was announced without real input from the people who live here — and now it’s up to us to make sure our voices are heard.

The Marin Independent Journal has already published several letters from neighbors who are calling for transparency, safety, and accountability. You can read them on this page >>

Let’s keep the momentum going. Write your own Letter to the Editor and share how this lack of inclusion by the City of San Rafael and County of Marin affects you, your family and the neighborhood.

Send your letter to opinion@marinij.com — together, we can make sure our community’s perspective can’t be ignored.

Tip: Keep your letter under 250 words, focus on one or two key points, and include your full name and city and phone number so it meets the IJ’s submission guidelines.

November 6th Meeting Report: 
JCC San Rafael City Council Listening Session

Click HERE to read the Marin IJ story >>

The City Is Pushing Ahead Fast Toward the November 17 Vote

This is now a political fight, and we need to respond with political action. We have seven days from tomorrow to do two critical things:

1. Pack the City Council meeting on November 17 with as many residents as possible demanding transparency and accountability. We need to insist that the City share all facts behind its plan to purchase property for temporary and permanent homeless shelter/housing.
    
2. Meet with our district council members and urge them to VOTE NO when the resolutions come up. We are working on setting up these meetings immediately. Stay tuned for more details.

Time is short. The City is trying to limit opportunities for public opposition, and we must make our voices heard before it’s too late. We are continuing to gather information and coordinate legal and community efforts to strengthen our position.

Saturday’s 350 Merrydale Walkabout

On Saturday, about eight neighbors conducted a walkabout around the 350 Merrydale property, focusing on the “grey areas” surrounding the site — areas that will inevitably draw individuals associated with or supportive of the population expected to be housed in the cabins.

During the walk, we spent time with SRPD sharing frank insights about what we can expect once the cabins are established — insights that were, frankly, chilling. Of greatest concern is the grey area immediately behind 350 Merrydale, accessible from the path leading to the Civic Center SMART Train station. That land is controlled by Caltrans, meaning neither the City nor the County has jurisdiction. It is already a well-traveled refuge for unhoused individuals. The SRPD confirmed that managing that space will be extremely difficult.

Call to Action:
Join Us at the City Council Meeting November 17 at 6 pm!

Now is the time to act. Please mobilize your friends, family, and neighbors to attend the Monday, November 17 City Council meeting.

We need to fill that room and demand that the City respect the community’s right to transparency, due process, and genuine participation in this decision.

This is our opportunity to stand together for the future of our neighborhoods and for a City process that values openness, accountability, and respect for its residents.

• November 17, 2025 at 6pm — San Rafael City Council Meeting where The City Council is expected to consider a purchase agreement for the property and accept County funding to advance the project. 
• City Council meetings are held in the City Hall Chambers, 1400 Fifth Ave. San Rafael, CA 94901.