Marin is seeking input on how to divide $2.5 million in public funds among a handful of programs aimed at underserved communities in West Marin, Novato, San Rafael’s Canal District and Marin City. The participatory budgeting process targets those areas for their longstanding racial disparities, distributing money from the American Rescue Plan. Of the programs that were selected for the final slate of 24 candidates, just three came from West Marin.
Anyone age 14 and up who lives, works or attends school in Marin, regardless of immigration status, may select up to seven programs to fund. But some West Marin program managers are concerned about how the region’s sparse population could sway the outcome away from coastal projects, continuing a trend of underserving coastal communities.
“People assume because there are a lot of wealthy people in West Marin that we don’t need help, but that’s not true,” said Sarah Hobson, the executive director of the West Marin Fund. “There are a lot of low-income households here as well. West Marin has long been underserved by public monies.”
Of the nearly 250 ideas submitted to the budgeting process, just three from West Marin were selected for a vote. Dozens of others were rejected, including popular submissions like putting bike lanes across West Marin roads, cutting a grove of ailing eucalyptus trees in Bolinas and several projects to increase affordable housing and enhance West Marin’s transportation system.
The West Marin Fund is seeking $74,000 to provide at least 50 high-quality car seats for low-income families, along with free installation and training. Car crashes are the second leading cause of death for children in the U.S., and according to the fund, many local families with limited resources request assistance with car seat safety.
West Marin Community Services is seeking $180,000 to purchase an electric van in collaboration with its youth center and the Dance Palace. The nonprofit said the van would allow residents across the coast to access Latino training and community events and to attend Dance Palace events and after-school programs that currently rely on inconsistent carpooling.
“The youth center does fishing trips to the Nicasio Reservoir and Stafford Lake and we’ve been working with a mish-mash of volunteers and staff using personal vehicles,” said Elizabeth Max, executive administrator for W.M.C.S. “If we are able to get an e-van, I see it getting used a few times a week at the minimum.”
Ms. Max said senior residents in Tomales and Bolinas are often unable to attend Dance Palace events, and many others are unable to take part in disaster training programs. “Latino families usually have one or fewer cars, even though they are typically large families and multi-generational homes,” she said.
The Natura Institute for Ecology and Medicine at Commonweal Garden—a program within the nonprofit Commonweal—is seeking $250,000 to provide free retreats for underserved communities.
“Most people can’t afford to go to these sorts of retreats,” said Anna O’Malley, the institute’s founder. “Our goal with this project is to further develop this garden—preferably with people who have not traditionally had access to it. We are partnering with the Spanish-speaking community and building on some of the successes we’ve had over the years.”
The institute has held retreats in collaboration with Abriendo Caminos, a program within W.M.C.S. The program it’s hoping to fund—called Restorative Retreat for Community Service Workers within the Latino Community—would provide a space for exploring relaxation practices, how stress affects the body, the use of heritage food as medicine, Latin culture in America and more.
Dr. O’Malley is concerned about the lack of balances in the way the county will decide to disperse the funds.
“There’s no weighted consideration and we have a very sparse population compared to East Marin,” she said. “We really want to mobilize the West Marin vote and underscore the reality that the only way these funds will be directed to our programs is if people vote for them.”
There are roughly 11,000 people living in West Marin. The Canal District, among the most segregated neighborhoods in the Bay Area, has a population of roughly 15,000, and 12 of the 24 programs are focused there.
Supervisor Dennis Rodoni said he is hopeful that West Marin will do well in the budgeting process.
“While West Marin seems limited, it may not be at the end, given that West Marin votes in large numbers and benefits from less competition with only a couple projects,” he wrote in an email.
To vote, go to www.pb.marincounty.org/.