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photo credit: George AlfaroA San Rafael homeless encampment near San Rafael Creek in Nov. 2025.
No new camping is allowed along Andersen Drive between Lindaro Street and Irwin Street, including all adjacent public properties.
Trees and boulders will replace an open strip of land, and the definition of city property was expanded to include an open space adjacent to the interim housing site in the Terra Linda neighborhood.
Previously, the block along Andersen was the only place where camping was allowed under existing regulations. According to John Stefanski, San Rafael assistant city manager, the new ban will immediately prohibit new campers.
Then, after people are relocated to the interim housing site, camping will be expressly prohibited going forward, he said.
"The special operations unit of the police department will be out along Andersen conducting a survey to get a census of the individuals who are currently camping along that stretch of road," Stefanski said to the council's questions about how it will be enforced. New campers will not be allowed.
"Following that, we'll work with the public works department to identify what design features we need to do to ensure that that area remains free of any camping moving forward," said Stefanski. "We've had success using boulders in the city, we may have some opportunities to do some tree planting and other landscaping features to make sure that we can effectively prohibit camping along that stretch."
For over a year, 53 unhoused residents have lived under 50 blue canopies in a city-sanctioned camp on Mahon Creek Path, where they have 24-hour security, access to case managers and move freely through a guarded fence to walk their dogs, go to work and shop. The site was funded through a $6 million state Encampment Resolution Fund grant, awarded jointly to the city and Marin County.
All of those campers, plus the ones on Andersen Drive, are on a list of 70 identified people who signed up before January 2024 in order to receive interim housing. This fall, they will move into 65 private cabins at 350 Merrydale Road. They will be provided the same security and social services, but they will be indoors at last, with heat and power and a door and key.
Stefanski said the grant will cover the gap in support services that have been offered to the two groups.
The resolution also expands the definition of park to include the grassy area and parking lot around City Hall and other public buildings, as well as the grassy area between Merrydale Road and the SMART rail station.
The total price tag for the Merrydale interim housing project is about $12.5 million, according to San Rafael community services division director Daniel Cooperman. Under a multi-jurisdictional agreement, Marin County provided $8 million from a county Affordable Housing Trust toward the purchase and program.
The cabin site is scheduled to close by June 30, 2029. The city has agreed to permit the redevelopment of the site into an 80-unit permanent affordable housing development by 2028.
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