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Marin County 2024 Ballot Measures: A Guide to Key Local Propositions

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How to Use This Guide

The UWBA Voter Guide provides a summary of the measures on the November 2024 ballot that affect our mission and the communities we serve. This guide evaluates local and state measures that address both immediate needs and the systemic inequities contributing to poverty in the Bay Area.

Key Areas of Focus

  • Basic Needs: Access to food, shelter, healthcare, and other essential services.
  • Employment and Career Opportunities: Building pathways for youth and adults to achieve career goals and earn a living wage.
  • Financial Stability: Empowering individuals and families to reach financial goals, navigate crises, and improve their quality of life.
  • Housing Justice: Working with communities to improve access to stable, affordable housing and prevent homelessness.

Evaluation Criteria

Each ballot measure was evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Fit: Does it align with UWBA’s Public Policy Agenda and our programs?
  • Impact: How does it affect the populations we serve, and does it help dismantle systemic poverty?
  • Benefits vs. Risks: Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Measure Recommendations

Each measure receives one of the following recommendations:

  • Support: Fully aligns with UWBA’s agenda and helps meet community needs.
  • Neutral: Related to UWBA’s agenda, but we remain neutral, often in collaboration with statewide networks.
  • Oppose: Detrimental to UWBA’s mission and programs.

For more information on our public policy efforts, visit our policy page

Marin County Ballot Measures – Quick Navigation

Marin Measure I |

Repeal of Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and Tenant Protection Ordinance

This measure repeals the existing Just Cause eviction and Rent Stabilization ordinance and replaces it with weaker protections offered under the statewide Tenant Protection Act of 2019.

Rationale

We strongly oppose weakening existing tenant protections in the Town of Fairfax. State law under the Tenant Protection Act (TPA) provides a minimum standard of protection for renters, and jurisdictions have the option to write stronger ordinances to provide additional protections for their residents. We applaud the Town of Fairfax for enacting a Just Cause and Rent Stabilization ordinance and urge the Town to keep it in place.

Marin Measure N |

Rent Stabilization Ordinance Referendum

This measure establishes a prohibition on residential real estate property annual rent increases (applied only to triplexes and larger) that exceed 60% of the Consumer Price Index or 5%, whichever is lower. It also defines a base rent as the rent in effect on June 21, 2023.

Rationale

We support this measure to maintain affordable housing and prevent tenant displacement in San Anselmo. This ordinance is essential for protecting the health and welfare of residents as it would regulate rental rates and conditions for certain units, and limit how much landlords can increase rents. While it restricts large rent hikes, landlords can still petition for increases if they have already set a base rent.

Marin Measure K |

Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance

This measure prohibits rent increases for some rental units that exceed 60% of the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index or 3%, whichever is lower. Additionally, it defines a base rent for affected units as the rent in effect on August 3, 2022, establishes a process for consideration of additional rent increases, limits the grounds for evicting tenants of some rental units, and enacts additional housing regulations.

Rationale

We support this measure as it would cap yearly rent increases, set fair rent adjustment guidelines, and regulate evictions. It would also require landlords to provide relocation payments for no-fault evictions. More than half of Larkspur residents are renters. The negative impacts of rent increases and lack of tenant protections disproportionately fall on older adults and marginalized communities. Stabilizing rents and regulating evictions will help protect affordable housing and promote neighborhood stability by allowing residents to remain in their communities.

Marin Measure O |

Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection Ordinance

This measure requires landlords who own three or more units (ADUs exempted) to provide longer notice periods and pay relocation benefits if the tenant is required to move due to a no-fault eviction, as well as the right to return to the unit upon similar terms if landlord re-rents within five years. It also requires payment for temporary tenant displacements.

Rationale

We support this measure to prevent vulnerable tenants from eviction and displacement. Expanding tenant protections for tenants who are displaced due to a no-fault eviction ensures a fair process, more manageable timelines for tenants who need to relocate, and adequate relocation assistance to cover the costs associated with establishing a new lease or temporary accommodations. Without these measures, tenants are at greater risk of experiencing homelessness or prolonged housing instability.

Marin Measure P |

Special Parcel Tax

This measure would levy an annual special parcel tax in the City of San Rafael to fund the construction of a new main library and community center at Albert Park, at the rate of $0.145 per square foot of improved building area and $75.00 per vacant parcel. The parcel tax is estimated to generate $6,370,000 annually and continue for 30 years or until construction bonds are satisfied.

Rationale

We endorse this parcel tax because we recognize the vital role libraries play in the community. Libraries are not just repositories of books; they are hubs of community connection, providing essential resources such as access to computers, study spaces, and lifelong learning opportunities. Moreover, libraries offer crucial services like literacy programs, job search assistance, and educational workshops that empower residents and foster social equity.

UWBA Broadly Supports Investments in Education

View statewide and county-specific measures and propositions that impact education. Explore Education Measures

Explore Other County or California Propositions and Measures

Access the 2024 Greater Bay Area Voter Guide and Make Your Voice Count

  • PDF Download: Receive a downloadable PDF of the entire voter guide, covering all Bay Area counties for complete access.
  • Full Access to Key Ballot Measures: Gain detailed insights on both state and local measures shaping Santa Clara County’s future, including affordable housing and public safety.
  • Comprehensive Explanations: Understand how these measures impact financial stability, social equity, and align with United Way Bay Area’s mission to combat poverty.
  • Clear Recommendations: Get clear positions on crucial issues affecting housing, financial security, and essential community resources.

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