What is the City doing to help the unhoused individuals living on our streets?

The City is establishing a sanctioned camping site along the northern portion of the Mahon Creek Path (between Francisco Blvd. W and Lincoln). In addition, the City has closely partnered with the County of Marin and local non-profit service providers to coordinate outreach services to individuals residing in encampments, particularly in the Mahon Creek Area encampment through regular service fairs.  

Like all California communities of its size, San Rafael must apply its limited resources and leverage intergovernmental and community partnerships to create housing that supports our residents with the fewest options.  The City simultaneously addresses today’s challenge of homelessness on our streets, while supporting the County of Marin’s system of care in developing medium- and long-term support to end homelessness.  

Some of the City’s current initiatives of support include:  

SAFE team:  The City has contracted with Petaluma People Services Center to provide an mobile crisis response pilot called “SAFE” (Specialized Assistance For Everyone). The SAFE Team consists of an Emergency Medical Technician and a Crisis Intervention Specialist. Services provided by SAFE include responding to people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, in need of treatment for mental illness, or who need shelter by providing counseling and transportation to the appropriately staffed location.  SAFE serves all San Rafael residents in crisis, and approximately 65% of its calls are for direct support of individuals experiencing homelessness.  

Housing-Based Case Management: In late fall of 2022, the City of San Rafael received a California State grant called the Encampment Resolution Fund. The city used this grant to contract with St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin for one housing case manager to provide service to 17 San Rafael residents formerly staying at the City’s Service Support Area program in 2021-22. As of March 2024, 12 of the 17 individuals have moved into permanent housing, and the other individuals are on a pathway to housing.  

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