On May 4, Marin Economic Forum (MEF) hosted a briefing on “Marin’s Housing Shortage – Costs and Potential Solutions,” where our economists presented extensive research and analysis on the impact of our chronic lack of housing supply.
Some impacts are explicit, like having some of the worst traffic in the North Bay.
Other impacts are less explicit for most of us, such as Marin’s ranking for the highest minority income disparity in the state of California.
Our analysis calculated the costs for Marin County businesses, small and large, from lost consumer spending to challenges employers face in hiring and retaining the workforce needed to run their businesses. Marin employers report a lack of housing is causing serious workforce problems with over 60 percent of workers and over 70,000 cars commuting to Marin each day.
We are pleased to report that James Morante of Engage Strategies has been retained on contract to fulfill MEF’s new program – Employer-Education Partnership, a new model for Marin companies to improve the supply of workers for Marin’s target industries. The initiative was launched after MEF was awarded a $50,000 grant in February from the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay and $50,000 in matching funds from College of Marin to examine current and future employment needs in Marin County for two industries – tourism/hospitality and business/technology.
Marin Economic Forum held its first significant event on Housing and Inequality at the Embassy Suites in San Rafael May 4. The turnout was excellent with 170 attendees, including press representatives from the Marin Independent Journal, North Bay Business Journal, Marin Magazine and The Registry. After opening remarks from MEF CEO Robin Sternberg, Forum’s Chief Economist Rob Eyler presented an economic overview of Marin County trends related to employment, housing and commuting, which was followed by the research findings of Jesús Guzmán, a temporary Economic Policy Consultant on loan to MEF from the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, where he is completing graduate work for a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree.
A 10-foot bike alley on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, as depicted in a project illustration, would cost $13.5 million or more. (Bay Area Toll Authority image)
By Mark Prado
A plan to put a bike lane on the westbound top deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is being questioned by a Marin supervisor who says using the space for vehicles makes more sense.
Commuters should see some traffic relief when a third lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge opens on the bottom, eastbound deck, a move set for April that could happen as soon as next month, transportation officials said. That project is coming in at $27 million.
San Rafael, CA (February 23, 2018) – Marin Economic Forum Chief Executive Officer Robin Sternberg announced today a slate of new directors for the economic advocacy organization’s non-executive board.
New Board Directors are:
Karah Parschauer, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Ultragenyx
Steve Fox, Chief Financial Officer of EO Products
Kevin Kearney, Real Estate Consultant, Vanguard Properties
Sherie Hickman, Administrator at Novato Community Hospital
Christian Thwaites, Chief Strategist at Brouwer & Janachowski
Transportation planners need more funds to complete the Novato Narrows widening project on Highway 101 between northern Marin and Petaluma. (IJ photo/Alan Dep)
By Mark Prado
Marin business leaders say completing the Novato Narrows widening is crucial for the economy of the North Bay and they hope new funding sources can see the project through.
Sources of cash from a state gas tax increase and possible bridge toll increase made getting $250 million to finish the work a possibility.
And Marin transportation officials are speeding up the design of Novato Narrows widening to make sure they are ready to go to construction if money becomes available.
A local expert on economic development and job growth strategies has been selected to lead the Marin Economic Forum as its fourth chief executive officer since 2011.
Robin Sternberg, a 54-year-old Kentfield resident, has been named CEO of the San Rafael nonprofit, a public-private partnership created in 2010 to foster economic growth in the county while also enhancing social equity and protecting the environment.
Sternberg replaces Michael Kadel, who has served as interim CEO since May after Jim Cordeiro, the forum’s third chief executive, resigned in January after serving less than a year in the position. Sternberg will earn $125,000 annually.
Picked from four candidates, Sternberg stood out because “she had such a terrific background in government, politics and fundraising,” said Haden Ongaro, chairman of the 36-member board governing the forum.
Her resume includes a stint as executive director of the Governor’s Job Creation Initiative for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and another as a member of the finance committee for the Obama campaign in 2007-08. She was also elected as a state delegate for the Democratic National Convention in 2008 in Denver.
Robin Sternberg, a 54-year-old Kentfield resident, has been named CEO of the San Rafael nonprofit, a public-private partnership created in 2010 to foster economic growth in the county while also enhancing social equity and protecting the environment.
