for housing, transit, community and the environment

Those who study the issue more thoughtfully will see that it is the lack of smart, long tern, land use, which requires political leadership and civic education and involvement, that accounts for gridlock and the lack of affordable, workforce housing.

Marin has had many projects that could have given Marin many more homes at much more affordable prices while simultaneously reducing 101's increasing gridlock. More parents would spend more time with their Marin families;  more workers and civil servants would pollute less and provide better more economical services.  Since Marin lacked political leadership that inspired citizens to become civically educated and consequently involved on  housing and transit issues, Marin has increasingly become a weakly diversified enclave of the rich and old. 

This page will give some summaries of projects that could have provided affordable housing and transit solutions.  To paraphrase a wise saying:  If you don't learn from history, you suffer through repeating it.

Some of the developments that will be summarized and linked to further information will include:

Berg-Revoir Hamilton Project.  Could this Hamilton project: have put $130 million into an affordable housing trust fund?  Had its rail oriented village design not only provide ridership to the train but lay a chunk of rail start-up money on the tracks?

Posada del Sol Retirement Community.  Could this life estate solar powered retirement communtiy kept Marin's old money in town, freed up stately valued equity rich homes for sons, daughters and buyers and reduced traffic?  Was a p9olitically connected three family street the main reason it didn't happen?

Vintage Oaks Shopping Center. Should this shopping center have had  apartments on its second floor along with a rail stop from the nearby Marin train tracks?

Bahia. How much lower can the mudded initial homeowners go as signs proliferate "Because of heavy siltation this lagoon is subject to quick sand and unhealthy mud which may endanger human life.  If you become stuck in the mud and high tide comes in, you may drown…."

St. Vincent's Silveira.  Marin last big site on which to significantly address workforce housing, rail transit, air pollution and energy conservation issues.

Bel Marin Keys in the 90's.  Lose a $100 million for affordable housing here, lose $100 mill there... pretty soon it starts feeling like real money.  But who cares, housing's not that important for families.

The two 1990's Marin-Sonoma Rail Bond Issues.  How does one call oneself an "environmentalist" and oppose the environmentally friendly train? 

SRCanal Spoils

Beneficial Reuse

SRCanal

Site Flooding

Mouse-SMHM

Mixed Use

Kerner Blvd

Workplace Housing

Affordable ownership housing

School

Athletics

Play fields

ShorelinePark

Traffic

Pond

Levee

Environmental enhancement