February 06, 2022
Driving Housing Policies: The San Rafael Chamber began a process of reviewing the city’s housing policies in 2019 and determined new housing production is not meeting expectations. This was affecting both the overall price for rental and for-sale units and the general availability of market rate and inclusionary housing. From this, the Chamber collaborated with San Rafael to identify the specific obstacles to the housing production and was able to provide feedback from local and national developers. The city identified a series of new policies that the Chamber strongly supported in public meetings and with numerous letters of support. In February of 2021 the City Council adopted these recommendations which was the #1 advocacy goal for the Chamber for the last 2 years. Evaluating the Needs of Our for Local Businesses: The San Rafael Chamber and a collaboration of business and economic development organizations (Keep Marin Working), drafted and distributed a Countywide survey to measure the financial impacts of COVID-19 on our local businesses. The results painted a picture of major financial struggle for businesses across the County during this time. With this data, the County and City were able to gain perspective on the needs and trends of the business community. Supported Workforce Housing at Los Gamos: The San Rafael Chamber endorsed the proposed Los Gamos housing development in Northern San Rafael and spoke in support at the public hearings. The development includes 192 multifamily residential units, a local market, and a neighborhood community center. For the last 2 years the Chamber has made housing a priority for our workforce and this project will provide housing in a uniquely sensitive way because of its ideal location. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the development in December of 2021. It will now be heard by the City Council in February. Supported Northgate Project: The San Rafael Chamber spoke in support of the Northgate housing development at joint Planning Commission and Design Review Board Workshop. The Northgate Mall is one of the best housing sites in Marin County and is located in close proximity to mass transit, which includes a plan that is underway to improve the connection to SMART Civic Center Station. The site is also close to major employers, such as Kaiser, BioMarin, and the County, which would make these units particularly appealing to the local workforce. At nearly 45 acres, Northgate is a rare opportunity site for the City of San Rafael to add a meaningful amount of much-needed housing in an ideal location. This proposal will be a substantial contributor to the City as it seeks to deliver approximately 3,000 housing units in the next RHNA cycle. Studying our Regional Transportation Needs: In partnership with SMART, the Chamber of Commerce completed a Marin County survey to gather feedback around transportation and our local businesses’ needs. This survey is helping both entities understand the usage patterns, needs, and information gaps that may being occurring in the county. The Chamber is using this information to help SMART in distributing and gathering information in the future. Weighing in on Local Transit Projects: The Government Affairs Committee continues to monitor the transportation issues of the North Bay. They hosted a presentation from the City of San Rafael in regard to Third Street improvements, participated in the San Rafael Transit Center draft EIR public presentation and are closely following the 101/580 corridor options that have been presented by the Transportation Authority of Marin. Opposed Ban on New Water Hook-ups: The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce was closely involved in water conservation requirements that were in place by Marin Municipal Water District. While the Chamber opposes hook-up moratorium on new developments it is committed to helping business conserve. Supported Service Support Area: The Chamber of Commerce worked with the City to provide feedback and communications around the homelessness issue under the freeway. The Chamber is encouraged by the coalition the City has put together to help provide services to these individuals who are experiencing homelessness. The addition of the Service Support Centers has been beneficial to the business community Focused on Our Local Businesses: In partnership with the City of San Rafael, the Chamber continues its "Going the Extra Mile" (GEM) program to get specific feedback from the business community. Workshops and surveys were created with various lines of business to extract specific information intended to help with enhancing the economic vitality of the City. This information has been helpful in educating the City and the Chamber to the immediate needs of our local businesses. The Government Affairs Committee continued to monitor the 3 areas identified for economic and housing opportunities. These 3 areas are the Downtown District, The Canal, and Northgate shopping area. These areas received heavy focus this year and we will continue to work with the City to create new opportunities Contact:
Joanne Webster, President and CEO
