State of California Publishes the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Oak Hill Apartments – Affordable Housing for Teachers and Low-Income Households
February 23, 2023
–Release of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is a major milestone in the review process to bring affordable housing to vacant, state-owned land–
MARIN COUNTY, Calif. – On February 22, 2023, the State of California released the DEIR that analyzes the Oak Hill Apartments as outlined in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Located on 8.3 acres of state-owned property, the entirely affordable development will be comprised of two residential communities —135 apartments to be built by Education Housing Partners (EHP) for low- to moderate-income teachers and staff of local school districts and employees of the County of Marin, and 115 apartments developed by Eden Housing available to extremely-low to low-income families. Future residents of this centrally-located site will share common infrastructure including a common entry drive, a vibrant mix of amenity areas, and a subterranean parking structure that offers a convenient internal connection to the residential units.
“Now that the DEIR has been published, we are one step closer to new, affordable housing for our teachers and local workforce,” said Bruce Dorfman, Principal of EHP. “Our component of Oak Hill was conceived in response to the persistent staffing challenges facing our local school districts and the County due to Marin’s high cost of living. At the same time, the entire project was designed to respect the surrounding environment by terracing buildings to preserve views and 1.6 acres of open space. The state’s environmental analysis clearly demonstrates that this new housing can be thoughtfully integrated into the site and area.”
On November 8, 2022, both the Marin County Board of Supervisors and Marin County Board of Education unanimously supported the framework for cooperation to build these new homes for public school employees and members of the county workforce. Upon project completion, Oak Hill will provide Marin school districts with a new tool to recruit and retain teachers and staff in a county that has one of the highest housing costs in the state. Additionally, the development will generate a new supply of low-income housing that will be attainable for those who are regularly commuting into Marin for their occupations.
“We have a unique opportunity to transform an underutilized piece of state-owned land into one of our most pressing needs – affordable housing,” offered Teddy Newmyer of Eden Housing. “By creating affordable housing that is closer to where people work, we can have a positive impact on the local environment by reducing the length of commutes. We can also build more diverse and inclusive communities, which is our core mission at Eden Housing.”
Situated along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the site is close to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, bus stops, bike trails, SMART Train, and a commercial shopping area. Award-winning firms SVA Architects, Inc. and Mill Valley-based RHAA Landscape + Planners are project’s architect and landscape, respectively, for both developments in the new community.
The release of the DEIR starts a 45-day comment period that lasts until April 10, 2023. The public can access the CEQA document and provide comments at https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/Project/2022030718. Additionally, a public meeting regarding the DEIR will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 6:00pm in the Student Commons Room at San Rafael High School, 150 3rd Street, San Rafael CA 94901.
For more information, please visit OakHillMarin.com.