SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A new proposal in Marin County would give residents of a new housing complex an unusual neighbor – San Quentin State Prison.
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A piece of land wedged between upscale homes and the prison is being eyed as the potential site for the county's largest affordable housing development in 70 years.
The plan is to build 250 apartments for low-income families as well as teachers working in the community.
The site runs along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and used to be a gun range, according to reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle.
It is one of 17 parcels identified by state officials as opportunities to build affordable housing.
One of the goals for this particular site is to help attract teachers to the area who might otherwise not be able to afford to live there.
"This is a tremendous get from the state to Marin County to help recruit and retain teachers," said State Assemblymember Marc Levine, representing the 10th district of the Bay Area, told KCBS Radio in an interview.
A little more than half of the units would be set aside for teachers, the paper reported, the rents of which would be around 30% below market rate, about $2,100. For the low-income residents, selections will be made through a lottery system for the units.
"This is underutilized land," said Levine. "It's been state property and it can be used to build housing for people who need it."
Since the property is owned by the state, it can be built relatively quickly, without a need to consult with the county, despite potential local criticism that the plan might be too large.
"The Marin County Office of Education has been running this project along with the developers and it’s very engaged with the community," said Levine.
If approved, the project could be completed by 2025.
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