Property Description

Marin County received a Project Homekey award from the State of California to purchase the office building at 3301 Kerner Boulevard in San Rafael. Project Homekey is a State program using Federal CARES Act funding to purchase existing properties – intended in large part to target hotels, but also allows for creative re-use of other property types, including office buildings as proposed for 3301 Kerner.

Marin County closed escrow on the building in December 2020 and is working with Homeward Bound to run a temporary homeless shelter at the site. The property, as currently constructed, is a three-story office building totaling 24,018 square feet and includes a structured parking garage and surface parking lot. Eden Housing, Inc. and Marin County have partnered to convert the office building into 100% permanent supportive housing.

Population

This is an adaptive reuse project that is focused on providing permanent supportive housing and services for homeless or formerly homeless households with mental illness.  The following populations are expected to be served:

• Homeless / Marin County Contract with Homeward Bound / Carmel Center Clients (26 units) – Homeward Bound currently operates a homeless shelter in Downtown San Rafael called Voyager Carmel Center at 830 B Street. A portion of this facility provides 26 permanent housing units to adults with mental illness (“Carmel Center Clients”). Marin County would like to move all clients at this location to the newly completed units at the Kerner Building. 
• Homeless No Place Like Home (NPLH) units / Coordinated Entry System (14 units) – Under the NPLH program, we will serve persons who are in need of mental health services and are experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness, or who are at risk of chronic homelessness.  We will also pull tenants from the Coordinated Entry System.

Design

The redesign within the current building includes 34 studios and 6 one-bedroom units, plus a two-bedroom manager’s unit, storage spaces, a courtyard, community room, conference room, and offices for case managers and property manager.  The residential floors include a laundry facility on the second floor and trash chutes on every floor.

The redesign also includes utility upgrades and site improvements including accessible parking, paths of travel, localized grading, and drainage as deemed necessary. The patio courtyard will be redeveloped and a portion of the landscape will be replaced or new planting designed and coordinated with existing irrigation. A portion of the top level parking garage will be designed as an outdoor open space and gardening area.

Property Details

Development Details