Town Of Corte Madera: The Casa Buena - October 21, 2021 Update

Press release from the Town of Corte Madera:

October 21, 2021

On Tuesday, October 19, 2021, the Marin County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to authorize the President of the Board to execute a lease agreement with Homeward Bound of Marin, to operate “The Casa Buena” located at 1591 Casa Buena Drive in Corte Madera.  Additionally, the Board of Supervisors authorized the President of the Board to execute a Funding Agreement up to $1,862,822, with Homeward Bound of Marin for the renovation of “The Casa Buena.” The funding will create 18 new units of permanent supportive housing for vulnerable people in our community.

The County’s Department of Health & Human Services, Homeward Bound of Marin, and the County Administrator’s Office worked with a design team and construction consultants to confirm the feasibility of renovating the facility. This work includes kitchenettes in each unit, accessibility and EV charging station upgrades, and exterior enhancements. The estimated timing for the building construction is approximately five months from the time the lease and funding agreements are executed. 

During the design process, the County worked with the Town of Corte Madera Building and Planning Department, Central Marin Fire Department, and the County’s Community Development Agency (lead permitting agency). The design team also worked with the Town of Corte Madera community-working group and adjacent neighbors to obtain design input.  It is anticipated that the County will receive a building permit from the Community Development Agency by November 1, 2021 and begin construction shortly thereafter. 

By the end of October, all existing temporary residents of “The Casa Buena” will be relocated to an alternative housing location to allow construction to begin. The end of October also marks the end of the contracted professional services agreement between the County of Marin and Catholic Charities to operate their interim housing services for “The Casa Buena.”  Once construction is complete, the County will work with Homeward Bound of Marin to identify and place new residents into the newly renovated permanent supportive housing facility.  In the upcoming months, the Town of Corte Madera and the community-working group intends to co-host a community meeting with Homeward Bound, so they can introduce themselves and share their policies, procedures and vision for The Casa Buena.  More information on a community meeting will follow in the months to come. 

To visit the webpage on the Casa Buena where you can find more information on this project including details on how it started and how it's managed, please click on the following link: https://www.townofcortemadera.org/975/Homekey. If you have any questions or comments, please email homekey@tcmmail.org.

Visit the Casa Buena Webpage For More Information

This press release was produced by the Town of Corte Madera. The views expressed here are the author’s own.