The Marin Housing Authority is proceeding with plans to rehabilitate the Golden Gate Village public housing complex in Marin City, despite concerns over proposed budget cuts to rental assistance programs initiated by President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a recent board meeting, the Marin Housing Authority unanimously approved a master development agreement with Burbank Housing Development Corp. to oversee the significant renovation project.
Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, a board member, expressed optimism about the project’s potential. “We’ve never been closer to having this project happen,” he stated.
However, the outlook is overshadowed by a report from Kimberly Carroll, executive director of the Marin Housing Authority, informing the board of a proposed “historic 44% cut — nearly $26.7 billion” to rental assistance programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
These funding cuts could have serious implications, particularly for housing choice vouchers that support over 4.4 million households nationally, including approximately 3,200 in Marin. Carroll emphasized that the proposed budget also seeks to eliminate dedicated federal funds for capital and operational costs related to public housing.
“This would mean no new federal support to maintain or repair public housing stock,” Carroll wrote, “putting at risk operational funds for our six properties, including five serving older adults and those with disabilities, as well as Golden Gate Village, which serves families, children, and seniors.”
Despite these challenges, Mike Andrews, a federal housing expert hired by HUD to advise the Marin Housing Authority, offered some encouragement. He indicated that the administration seems to favor two key programs essential for the Golden Gate Village renovation’s funding.
One of these is the low-income housing tax credit program, established in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan. This program allows for tax credits that can be used to finance the acquisition, rehabilitation, or construction of rental housing for lower-income households.
The projected budget for the renovation of the Marin City project anticipates that more than $100 million of the total $266 million in expenses will be sourced from revenue generated through these tax credits.
Moreover, the project relies on the issuance of “tenant protection vouchers.” Andrews noted a notable increase in this funding account, despite the overall proposed cuts.
The Marin Housing Authority submitted its application for low-income housing tax credits in April, which scored favorably, suggesting a strong likelihood of success. The California Tax Credit Allocation Committee is expected to announce its decision by August 20. A positive outcome would enable the project to begin construction within 180 days, targeting a start date of February 16, 2026.
Andrews underscored the urgency of finalizing the master development agreement with Burbank Housing. “There is a lot of work to be done to get to a point where the project would be ready to start construction,” he said.
Concerns have been raised by members of the Golden Gate Village resident council regarding the use of the term “demolition” as specified in the tax credit application. Resident Beverly Freeman expressed her worries, stating, “The report says demolished to the slab and the frame. That means the historical integrity of the building will be destroyed.”
Freeman further remarked, “I’m kind of left with a feeling that the powers-that-be’s knee is on the neck of Golden Gate Village.”
Similarly, Royce McLemore voiced his discontent, saying, “I refuse this report in the mighty name of Jesus.”
In response, Andrews clarified that the term “demolition” was a technical description referring to the extensive interior renovations planned. He explained, “A lot of the old windows, doors, cabinets, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, and the electrical systems will all be pulled out of the building and disposed of, and new will be installed.”
Additionally, due to the complex’s status on the National Register of Historic Places, a preservation architect will be hired to ensure that the renovation maintains its historical integrity.
Golden Gate Village has been without a resident council since December, following the disbandment of the previous council amid internal conflicts. A new council was formed on Monday, with four members filling five available seats without an election due to the limited number of applicants.
Carroll remarked that the Marin Housing Authority would be working closely with this new resident council to draft a memorandum of understanding to guide their cooperation moving forward.
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