Homeless Shelter Update 3

 November 5, 2025 - Eric Bobrow

350 Merrydale Road Interim Shelter Project

AN OPEN LETTER:
Standing for Transparency and Inclusion in Our Community Decisions

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

We wanted to share an important letter that the lawyer for our ad hoc community group, Marin Citizens for Solutions not Secrecy, sent to the San Rafael City Council and County of Marin.

The letter speaks for itself, and sums up why we are unhappy with the City and County's decision to place temporary homeless shelters on the site that is being called "the Merrydale Property."

The City and the local press supporting the City will try to characterize us as heartless people who have no compassion for the homeless. But that is not true. We all care deeply about finding humane, effective solutions for the growing housing crisis.

We are not against spending public money to build temporary shelter for the homeless. But we are protesting the City's plan to violate everyone's free speech and right to petition government by making all decisions in secret.

We demand to be part of the decision making process - as the law requires. We want our voices to be heard. We want the opportunity to be notified of decisions the City is going to make before those decisions are made, with sufficient time to review the facts so we can provide the City with our informed, reasonable opinions on how best to spend tax dollars to address a county-wide problem.

You can read the full letter here >>

If you share these values of openness, participation, and respect for the public’s right to know, we hope you’ll take a look and get involved in the discussion.

Please sign up for our e-mail list.  We will send you updates on our progress to persuade the City to start over and provide the transparency that the law requires and all of us demand.

Please help us fight to protect our constitutional free speech and petition rights. Because if the City can get away with doing this to us - making important decisions in secret without public involvement or input - then they can do it to anyone.

Sincerely,
Marin Citizens for Solutions not Secrecy
marincitizensforsolutions@gmail.com

Upcoming Meetings We Encourage You to Attend

  • November 6th, 5pm to 7pm —  Joint City of San Rafael and County of Marin community information session about the 350 Merrydale Interim Shelter Project at the Hoytt Theater inside the Osher Marin JCC, 200 N San Pedro Rd., San Rafael.
  • 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.
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