This article looks at how San Rafael’s handling of the proposed homeless shelter at 350 Merrydale Road has shaken community trust. It’s not just San Rafael—people in Terra Linda, Fairfax, Mill Valley, and Novato are talking about it, too.
The project’s rollout happened mostly behind closed doors. When officials finally announced it, the shelter felt like a done deal, not a discussion starter.
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San Rafael’s Merrydale Shelter: A Decision That Felt Pre-Decided
The plan calls for a 65-cabin interim shelter in North San Rafael, just a few minutes from Terra Linda and close to downtown and the Civic Center. On paper, it’s a big investment in tackling homelessness in Marin County.
But for a lot of San Rafael residents, the city presented the project as a conclusion, not a proposal. Folks from neighborhoods stretching from Santa Venetia to Gerstle Park say the process seemed more like an announcement than a conversation.
By the time the public heard about the plan, the big decisions—like buying the property and deciding the shelter’s scope—were already locked in. There wasn’t much left to weigh in on.
Closed-Door Negotiations and Limited Notice
City officials handled the purchase of 350 Merrydale Road in closed session. That’s legal, but it’s a touchy move, especially for something as big as a new homeless services site.
The public in San Rafael—and even nearby places like Larkspur and Corte Madera—only found out about the 65-cabin shelter at a press conference on October 15. Many residents didn’t even know the press conference was happening.
Those who heard about it later described it as a finished rollout, not the start of a collaborative process. The chance for genuine dialogue just wasn’t there.
City Council Moves Fast: Five Actions, 500 Pages, 72 Hours
On November 17, the San Rafael City Council tackled the Merrydale project in a packed agenda. They considered five interconnected actions, including declaring a shelter crisis and accepting an $8 million Marin County grant for the project.
People from San Anselmo, Ross, and Kentfield who follow housing policy noticed how fast the council moved. This was a big decision with countywide impact and a lot of money on the line.
Public Input Under Severe Time Pressure
The staff report and supporting documents ran to more than 500 pages. The city posted these just 72 hours before the meeting.
That’s barely enough time for most residents juggling work, family, and commutes to places like Mill Valley or Novato to read through everything. Even with all that material, the council approved all five actions in a single evening.
Residents could comment, but many felt their voices couldn’t really change anything by then.
- 500+ pages of council materials
- 72 hours available for public review
- 5 major actions adopted in a single meeting
Mayor’s Apology, But the Project Marches On
After the meeting, Mayor Kate Colin admitted that many in San Rafael—from Peacock Gap to Canal—felt blindsided by the rushed timeline and poor communication. She apologized for not reaching out sooner and acknowledged that residents wanted to be involved earlier.
Still, the project kept moving. Escrow on the Merrydale property closed, planning continued, and the city and county worked toward a spring opening for the interim shelter.
Community Input Arrives Late in the Process
Only after officials made the core decisions did the city ask residents to participate in discussions about site details and volunteer opportunities. Neighbors in Terra Linda, Santa Venetia, and central San Rafael now get to weigh in on operations and design—but not on whether this was the right site or size to begin with.
For many longtime Marin residents, this feels backward. They’ve watched major projects in places like Tiburon, Sausalito, and Belvedere go through long public processes, and they expected the same here.
A Turning Point for Public Trust in Marin County?
The Merrydale experience has become a rallying point for neighborhood groups across Marin County. In coffee shops from Fairfax to Mill Valley and PTA meetings from San Rafael to Novato, people ask: When do we get to be part of the conversation? and What does meaningful public engagement even look like?
Local residents are organizing more actively. They’re forming neighborhood networks, tracking agendas, and swapping notes with other communities from Greenbrae to Strawberry.
Their message to city and county leaders? Major decisions—especially around homelessness, housing, and land use—need real public input from the start, not just after everything’s set in stone.
Rebuilding Trust Going Forward
San Rafael is moving ahead with the Merrydale shelter. The city now has a chance to reset its approach.
- Earlier disclosure of potential sites and concepts
- Accessible information well ahead of key votes
- Community workshops in neighborhoods from Terra Linda to Canal
- Ongoing transparency about results, challenges, and changes
Most Marin County residents get that homelessness is a regional challenge. It affects San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley, and honestly, just about everyone nearby.
The Merrydale Road controversy really showed that how decisions happen matters just as much as what gets decided. For San Rafael and its neighbors, trust won’t rebuild itself—so why not start now?
Here is the source article for this story: Marin Voice: San Rafael’s rapid decision-making undermines public trust
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