they were dealing with deficits. “It surprised me to see how strongly they came out against this,” Silva says. Oak Hill does have considerable support, however, including a $7.5 million state grant that state Sen. Mike McGuire acquired and a loan of up to $7.4 million at 3% interest from the Marin Community Foundation. Silva reports that Marin has had one of the lowest rates of housing development in California for decades, and 5,000 households are in danger of losing their housing within the next five years, as Marin becomes even less affordable. She recalls meeting three women in their 70s at Call Home Marin’s table at the San Rafael farmers market. They were educated, articulate and well-dressed, and “You wouldn’t think they’d be vulnerable,” she says. Yet their rent was outpacing their income, and they were at risk of having to either leave Marin or go homeless. “They really felt betrayed by our community. More people are housing insecure than we realize,” she says. Resisting change is human nature, but acceptance might well be the wiser path if we’re to create healthy, welcoming communities, say those advocating for YIMBYism. The state’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation requires every city and county to build a mandated amount of housing by 2032 or lose local control over project approvals. “It would be much better to be proactive in planning. Change is happening. Do you want change for positive good or negative good?” asks Lewis. It’s an important question, and the way we shape our communities for the future depends on the answer. g
SB 79 and SMART California YIMBY and chapters throughout the state successfully advocated for the passage of state Senate Bill 79, which makes the construction of high-density housing within half a mile of major public transit stops easier. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the legislation into law on Oct. 10, 2025, but it will have little impact on the North Bay counties, because they lack high- volume rapid transit. Adrian Covert, a leader of Santa Rosa YIMBY, would like to lobby for an exemption that would allow SB 79 to apply to proposed housing near SMART stations. He lives in downtown Santa Rosa and, for him, proximity to the train is one of the area’s benefits. — Judith M. Wilson
Please email comments to jwalsh@NorthBaybiz.com
Santa Rosa YIMBY supports an exemption that would allow SB 79 to apply to proposed housing near SMART stations. Shown here, the Petaluma North station.
December 2025
NorthBaybiz 33
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