Sharin Vicaria, senior program director at the Marin Community Foundation, told the Marin County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners that year one of the Golden Gate Village Resident Empowerment Fund distributed $500,000 to nine community-based organizations and that participatory grantmaking by residents guided awards and program priorities.

The fund is a joint commitment: the county allocated $2,000,000 over five years and the Marin Community Foundation contributed $1,000,000 over five years to support services tied to the Golden Gate Village revitalization. Vicaria said the resident grant committee — roughly six to seven Golden Gate Village residents — participated in developing the request for proposals, reviewing applications and selecting grantees.

Board context: the fund was designed to invest in resident needs and economic mobility concurrent with physical revitalization of Golden Gate Village. Vicaria said midterm reports show grantees are providing mostly output-level data at the six-month mark — for example counts of people reached at events or information sessions — and that the committee expects more outcome data at the end of the first grant year.

Commissioners and community members raised concerns about tracking and oversight. Commissioner Lukin asked whether grant agreements limit administrative spending and how much money is reaching direct assistance such as stipends or utility help; Vicaria said those limits vary by grantee and that final financial reconciliations will be required in the grantees’ final reports. Commissioner Hall and other commissioners urged clearer metrics to ensure the grants benefit Golden Gate Village residents and to reduce duplication across providers.

Several grantees reported high demand for emergency assistance (rent, utility payments) in the midterm narratives, Vicaria said, and a number of organizations warned they might exhaust awarded funds before the 12-month period ends. Commissioners and public speakers recommended more coordination among service providers to reduce overlap and better target workforce-development, education and health services identified during initial listening sessions.

Kimberly Carroll, executive director of the Marin County Housing Authority, said staff will continue to work with the resident committee and the foundation; she announced community meetings for Golden Gate Village residents on March 1 (11:00 a.m.) and March 4 (5:00 p.m.) at Saint Andrew’s Church to share revitalization schedules and how residents will be supported through moves.

Public commenters — including Mary Morgan and Royce (public commenters who identified themselves as affiliated with Main Street Moms and Friends of Golden Gate Village) — urged the authority to ensure every resident is brought "into good standing" with rent and lease status before revitalization moves begin, and to improve maintenance and communication about repairs so residents do not lose eligibility to return to their units.

Why it matters: the resident empowerment fund is intended to pair building revitalization with services that reduce displacement and improve economic mobility. Commissioners asked the foundation and staff for clearer financial reporting and stronger outcome measures for year two.

Looking ahead: Vicaria and Housing Authority staff said they will refine application questions, tighten reporting expectations for year two and consider a fresh round of listening sessions to update resident priorities for the program.