Augusta Lewis

Cate Nash
Where and Why Homeless People Cluster
Due to the lack of affordable housing, education, and low income, homelessness is more
prevalent in some societies rather than others. There are many factors including these that can contribute
to the clustering of homeless people in certain areas, such as San Rafael in Marin County. Marin has one
of the biggest wealth gaps in the nation, and access to affordable housing is very limited, making it
impossible for many to afford a house. During the last 20 years, housing prices in Marin have tripled,
costing an average of $1.3 million. However, minimum wage has only gone up about $4 an hour, now
about $7.25. This makes it impossible to rent a apartment or house working at minimum wage. In San
Rafael, there are 117 homeless shelters, and services to help the homeless, attracting those who need them
to this area. Marin County has a large population of people who dont have homes, but also many
programs and services to help them get back on their feet.
The main cause of homelessness in Marin County isnt drug and alcohol abuse, but not being able
to pay the bills. Renting a 2 bedroom apartment in Marin costs $1,900, one of the highest costs in the
nation. People who have jobs arent able to afford even the cheapest housing available. The January 2009
survey found that more than 90% of homeless families and 80% of single adults suffer from nothing
more than poverty and lack of low-income housing. Nearly 40% said that job loss was the reason for
their homelessness. In Marin, 1,770 people are homeless and 3,000 are on the verge of becoming
homeless. Most of these people live in San Rafael, Novato and Sausalito because of the access to services
and shelters. 85% of land in Marin is open, causing there to be a lot of space to hide. More than half of
the homeless people in Marin are white, three quarters are single, 60% are male and 334 are children. The
main reason that these people are homeless is the lack of affordable housing.
In San Rafael, there are 117 homeless shelters and in other areas such as Ross there are no
homeless shelters or services. This is one of the reasons that homeless people are more attracted to areas
such as San Rafael. Another reason homeless people tend to go to San Rafael is because the people are
willing to help, and have a much better attitude towards the homeless then people in communities without
shelters. Many people rely on homeless shelters for food and shelter, many of which are in San Rafael.
Many of the homeless people have an income, either from a job or a social service payment, but still
cant afford Marins high rents, says Lisa Sepahi, a homelessness analyst for the county. A homeless
shelter in San Rafael, called Saint Vincent de Paul is responsible for feeding the majority of Marins

homeless people. They serve about 350 meals everyday. Homeward bound, Marins primary program that
provides housing in also locates in San Rafael. It houses around 500 people for various amounts of time.
48% of the homeless people interviewed in the Biennial Homeless Census said they had spent the night in
San Rafael because of the shelters and the many services that are available to them. 18% said that they
came to this county just for the services offered. The attraction to San Rafael that the homeless feel are
the abundant amount of programs to help them.
Because of the lack of affordable housing in Marin, there are more homeless people. They
generally move to places that have the most services that help the homeless because those are the only
resources they have access to. There are many ways that the community is reaching out to help the
homeless in San Rafael such as the Downtown Streets Team. This program reaches out to the homeless to
give them part time jobs such as picking up litter. Also there are homeless shelters such as Homeward
Bound that give shelter and offer programs that help the homeless by providing them with a stable
environment and resources to help them get on there feet. There are also pushes for affordable housing
units. George Lucas has decided to build 224 affordable housing units on Grady Ranch. He is going to
pay for the whole development himself. The plan for the development for 52 acres will include
workforce, seniors, community center, pool, and orchard. Residences could make less than 80% of the
areas median income and still be able to afford a unit. This is very beneficial to the homeless and
community because it provides low income housing that is affordable for people making the minimum
wage. Many people are working to solve the problem of homelessness in our society.
Works Cited:
"Bay Area Census -- Marin County." Bay Area Census -- Marin County. Web. 1 June 2015.
"County of Marin - Home." County of Marin - Home. 2015. Web. 1 June 2015.
Freedman, Wayne. "Groups Tracks Homeless in Marin County for Census." ABC7 San
Francisco. Web. 1 June 2015.
Hansen, Megan. "Biennial Homeless Census Counts 933 Homeless People in Marin County."
Marin IJ. 4 Oct. 2013. Web. 1 June 2015.
Jones, Carolyn. "San Rafael's Allure for Homeless Creates Some Tension." SFGate. 29 Nov.

2013. Web. 1 June 2015.

Schwartz, Carly. "Marin County Inequality: Study Shows Poverty Exists Alongside Wealth."
The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Feb. 2012. Web. 1 June 2015.
Swenerton, Jeff. "Homeless, in Marin." - Marin Magazine. 1 Mar. 2010. Web. 1 June 2015.