San Rafael plans city-sanctioned camping area

San Rafael is seeking a $6 million grant to create a new homeless encampment to get people into housing.

The city has filed a joint application with the county of Marin to help establish a city-sanctioned site for about 40 people for about two years. The camping area would be equipped with mobile showers, bathrooms and support staff, including nonprofit management, security and case managers, city officials said at a City Council meeting on Monday.

Staff is considering several public and privately-owned sites, officials said. They declined to identify specific properties.

Staff is working to get a project proposal together while the grant application is pending, assistant city manager John Stefanski said. The city has about $750,000 in grants earmarked to get going on the project.

“This crisis not only threatens the safety and health of those currently experiencing homelessness, but it also strains our resources, impacts our ability for all to access our public spaces and hampers economic development in our city,” City Manager Cristine Alilovich said.

“Our team is committed to continue to work hand in hand with nonprofit service providers, advocates, community leaders, so that  we can co-create solutions that uplift and support those in need,” Alilovich said. “The bottom line is that we need more funding and it needs to be coming directly to San Rafael.”

An update is expected to be brought to the council in the coming months.

Over the past few years, the homeless crisis has continued with encampments moving around the city. Officials have explored opportunities for shelter communities, similar to tiny homes, and other solutions to no avail.

That hasn’t stopped city and county staffers from getting people into housing, said Chris Hess, assistant director of community development.

Since 2017, county and city staffers have housed 729 individuals who were chronically homeless. That included 110 veterans, he said.

“We continue housing about 10 people per month and we are extremely successful with making sure they never return to homelessness,” Hess said. About 94% remain housed.

In July 2021, the city had set up the “service support area,” or SSA, in a commuter lot between Fifth and Mission avenues of downtown San Rafael. It was intended as a temporary solution to a swell of homeless camps amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The camp, which received mixed reviews from occupants, was shut down in September 2022.

In the Mahon Creek path area — where there is the largest congregation with 65 to 70 people living — staffers surveyed residents to help discover needs and design support plans to assist them. Staff has installed portable bathrooms and nonprofit partners continue to provide support services, Hess said.

About 75% of encampment residents are now enrolled in a coordinated entry program, a path toward housing, Hess said.

The results of the survey helped officials craft their grant proposal to the state for a full-service encampment area, Hess said. Officials expect to get a response this month.

Officials announced the plan Monday as the City Council voted unanimously to endorse new rules governing where homeless camps are allowed and how much space they can occupy. The amendment will require a second vote, which is scheduled for next month. If passed, the rules will take effect in June.

Although the amended camping ordinance applies across the city, the impetus of the proposal stemmed from activity at the Mahon Creek path.

Camping was already banned in open spaces, city parking garages, public rights of way, such as sidewalks, and at Boyd Park and Albert Park.

The council adopted an ordinance in July that restricted where homeless people could camp after seeing the large congregation form at Mahon Creek. Officials said the ordinance was designed to space out camps after seeing a trend of violence, crime and general public safety concerns connected to bigger groups.

Occupants of the camp area have sued the city and won a temporary preliminary injunction that made it challenging for city officials to enforce its ordinance. The amendment aims to comply with a federal court order.

The city’s ordinance prohibits camping within 100 feet of playgrounds and within 10 feet of public utility infrastructure.

The amendment adds a prohibition on camping within 250 feet of schools. It erases the original requirement to space camping areas 200 feet apart, and instead enforce only a 10-foot buffer around each site. The 10-foot requirement also applies to private property, such as businesses.

That space is needed for fire safety and mobility around camps, said Genevieve Coyle, assistant city attorney.

Campsites can be up to 200 square feet for a single person and up to 400 square feet for up to four people living together, which doubles what was allowed under the previous ordinance.

Coyle said many people requested accommodations that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, leading to the proposal to relax the spacing.

The ordinance also addresses enforcement. No person may be charged with a crime for violation of the ordinance unless their conduct is knowing or willful, the ordinance says. Violators will be given a warning and notice prior to enforcement that describes actions needed to comply, guidelines, a deadline and explanation of potential penalties for failure to correct the wrong.

Anker Aardalen, a plaintiff in the case and resident of the Mahon Creek area, said after reading the ordinance he was not disappointed.

“We all know what the bigger picture is: to get people housed,” Aardalen said.

Jay Ress, general manager of East Bay Tire Co., said there is a tent outside his office window, and occupants from the camp have thrown objects, including glass, metal and knives at the building. He said his business moved in only two years ago and invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into renovations and have yet to turn a profit.

“If the situation doesn’t change soon, we’re going to have to close the business,” he said. “We moved to San Rafael because the reputation the city has had in supporting the business community, but with the current situation, that reputation is being completely ruined and I think the city is doomed to more people leaving.”

City staffers explained that under the current court order, there is little they can do by way of enforcement, and that’s why they proposed the new rules.

Mayor Kate Colin said San Rafael has demonstrated that it’s attacking the homelessness crisis from multiple angles, including employing a mental health crisis team and staffing a mental health liaison in the city police department, among other actions.

“I think we can all agree that encampments aren’t good for the occupants; they’re not good for the surrounding community,” Colin said. “We have a shared goal of permanent supportive housing. This is not the end. This is a part of a very long conversation.”