Category: News

You may or may not have received a flyer about a planned Homeless Shelter Project at 350 Merrydale Road.

The planning of this project has been done in secret, and the City of San Rafael has not reached out for any community input. They have sprung this on us at the last minute hoping we would not push back.

If you would like your voice heard, here’s what we can do:

🌿 San Rafael Meadows Meeting 🌿
Sunday, October 19th – 4:30 PM
@ Gaspare’s Pizza 🍕

City Council Meeting – Monday, October 20th at 6 PM
City Hall Council Chambers, 1400 Fifth Ave

Each speaker gets 2 minutes. Demand a public hearing, feasibility study, neighborhood impact study, and data on other sites.

Community Meeting – October 28th, 6 PM–7:30 PM
Zoom - Click HERE to RSVP

Email endhomelessness@cityofsanrafael.org to demand an IN-PERSON meeting.

Contact Local Officials:

Councilmember Maribeth Bushey: maribeth.bushey@cityofsanrafael.org
415-295-6174

Supervisor Mary Sackett: marincounty.gov/departments/board/district-1/mary-sackett
415-473-7331

Mayor Kate Colin:
kate.colin@cityofsanrafael.org
415-485-3005

Director Daniel Cooperman:
Endhomelessness@cityofsanrafael.org
415-256-5565

Let’s make our voices heard and protect our neighborhood’s future! ❤️

Wednesday July 16 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm
Marin Civic Center, Room 410 B
More info: flooddistrict.marincounty.gov
Contact floodinquiry@marincounty.gov

On March 30, 2025, the Marin IJ reported that the City of San Rafael is in private talks with the owner of 350 Merrydale Road.

"The property is south of the Northgate mall, and its eastern border abuts Highway 101. The neighborhood includes a mixture of houses, apartments and commercial properties, with a SMART train station and several bus stops nearby.

"The city has been looking for property to continue its efforts to find housing for homeless people.

"The city jointly applied with Marin County and the Bolinas Community Land Trust for $18 million from the state Encampment Resolution Funding Program. The funds were awarded last March, and San Rafael received nearly $6 million to address the camp along Mahon Creek.

“In addition to taking the steps to implementing the city’s camping regulations and sanctioned camping program, we are working to identify a location for the second phase of the Encampment Resolution Funding Program Grant,” the city’s website says. “This second phase will fund the creation of an interim shelter solution that may take the form of a tiny home village similar to what has been implemented in other jurisdictions.”

"City officials would not confirm whether the property is being considered for such use."

The original IJ article may be viewed online here.

A discussion on NextDoor may be found here.

SRMIA encourages Rafael Meadows residents to send Letters of Support for the construction of a pathway from the dead-end on Merrydale Rd. (south of the train tracks), under 101, ending at Civic Center Drive.

Today, there is an unofficial path one can take along the route, but it is a narrow, dirt path. The City wants to improve that path to an 8-foot wide paved pathway for bicycles and pedestrians. 

This project will provide significant new connectivity between the Rafael Meadows neighborhood and destinations to the north of the train tracks and east of the freeway. Some of these destinations include the SMART station, Northgate, the Marin Civic Center, the Farmer's Market, the Marin County Fair, Marin Center, and Venetia Valley School (where several students in Rafael Meadows attend). 

The City of San Rafael has applied for a federal earmark for $1.5 to advance this project, but they could use additional support from the surrounding community to help secure this federal funding. 

The deadline for submitting letters of support is Tuesday May 9th. 

SRMIA encourages Rafael Meadows residents to write in individually with Letters of Support.

Click HERE to download two sample letters, one from a local transportation advocate organization (WTB-TAM) and the other from the San Rafael Department of Public Works.

Feel free to use as much or as little of these letters' language as you wish. Any letters should be addressed and sent to San Rafael DPW Director April Miller at april.miller@cityofsanrafael.org. 

If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Hartzell, Director of Planning, WTB-TAM at 415.860.6635 or mhartzell@wtb.com.

LITTER PICK-UP VOLUNTEERS - ROUND 3

Sunday, October 11, 9-10 AM
Meet on sidewalk in front of Gaspare's Pizzeria

Each of the past 2 months, neighbors have assembled and picked up litter on streets surrounding Rafael Meadows, including Merrydale, Los Ranchitos and San Pedro Road. We have picked up a total of 20 trashbags full of litter!

Join us for round 3!

Together, we can clean up the neighborhood and the environment!  

Trash bags will be provided, but bring your own face covering, gloves, and helpful tools, such as trash grabbers, pooper scoopers, and 5-gallon buckets.  

Physical distancing will be strictly observed.  

Any questions, call Rafael Meadows neighbor David Santschi at 415-419-5273 (no texts).

LITTER PICK-UP VOLUNTEERS - ROUND 2

Sunday, September 13, 9-10 AM
Meet on sidewalk in front of Gaspare's Pizzeria

Last month about 10 neighbors assembled and went along Los Ranchitos, San Pedro Road and Merrydale and picked up 13 trashbags full of litter.

Join us for round 2!

Together, we can clean up the neighborhood and the environment!  

Trash bags will be provided, but bring your own face covering, gloves, and helpful tools, such as trash grabbers, pooper scoopers, and 5-gallon buckets.  

Physical distancing will be strictly observed.  

Any questions, call Rafael Meadows neighbor David Santschi at 415-419-5273 (no texts).

LITTER PICK-UP VOLUNTEERS

Sunday, August 9, 9-10 AM
Meet near RR crossing at Las Gallinas and Corrillo

Litter is becoming a growing problem in this area as more people spend more time outdoors.  Come help clean up the neighborhood and the environment!  

Trash bags will be provided, but bring your own face covering, gloves, and helpful tools, such as trash grabbers, pooper scoopers, and 5-gallon buckets.  

Physical distancing will be strictly observed.  

Any questions, call Rafael Meadows neighbor David Santschi at 415-419-5273 (no texts).

Due to the Coronavirus, we have decided to postpone our Ice Cream Social to a later date.

Pat Derenzo suggested on Next Door that we might be able to go ahead if we promoted it as a "protest march" LOL.

Anyway, we hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

My wife and I enjoyed our first dinner out at a restaurant tonight - at our local Gaspare's, where they have resurfaced the parking lot and set up outdoor tables. It was yummy and felt like such a treat after 3 months of dinner at home!

 - Eric Bobrow