The Marin County Board of Supervisors will consider a $2.25 million contract renewal for a crisis mental health program, hear a winter storm preparedness briefing and take up $760,000 in housing planning grants when it meets Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the county Civic Center in San Rafael.
The county's published agenda carries several items with direct implications for San Rafael residents and taxpayers.
$2.25 million for Casa Rene crisis residential
The board will vote on a fiscal year 2026-27 contract with Buckelew Programs for its Casa Rene Crisis Residential program, a 10-bed facility that serves as a voluntary alternative to psychiatric hospitalization for adults in acute mental health crisis. The $2.25 million price tag is a $305,246 increase over the FY 2024-25 contract of $1,944,754, according to county staff reports.
In FY 2023-24, Casa Rene maintained 88% average occupancy and discharged 90% of clients to a lower level of care. The program is funded by the Mental Health Services Act and Medi-Cal revenue, with no increase to the county General Fund.
El Niño winter preparedness update
The Marin County Fire Department will brief supervisors on coordinated planning for the anticipated El Niño weather pattern and forecasted king tide events this coming winter.
The stakes are high.
In January 2026, king tides and atmospheric rivers combined to produce Marin's worst flooding in more than 30 years, inundating San Rafael's Canal neighborhood and breaching a levee in Santa Venetia. The county declared a local emergency Jan. 20. NOAA upgraded El Niño to Advisory status June 11, putting the probability of El Niño conditions persisting through winter 2026-27 at 96% to 98%, with roughly 63% chance of a "Super" El Niño peaking between November and January, according to an analysis of NOAA forecast data.
"Meaningful flood protection in the Canal neighborhood and across San Rafael will require substantial upgrades to pump stations and other critical infrastructure, with costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars," San Rafael Assistant City Manager John Stefanski said Jan. 10, after the flooding, as reported by the Marin Independent Journal.
$760,000 in housing planning grants
On the consent agenda, supervisors will consider a $400,000 Transit Oriented Communities grant through the Association of Bay Area Governments, plus a $360,000 contract with Strategic Economics for a countywide housing working group project. The TOC grant is tied to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's policy requiring jurisdictions near SMART rail and other transit stations to plan for higher-density housing and anti-displacement measures in exchange for regional transportation funding.
Fire department to take over hazmat oversight
The board will hold a first reading of an ordinance shifting administrative authority for the county's Certified Unified Program Agency from the Department of Public Works to the Marin County Fire Department. CUPA handles permits, inspections and enforcement of hazardous waste and materials programs and is currently based at 1600 Los Gamos Drive in San Rafael. If the first reading passes, the ordinance goes to the Tuesday, Sept. 8 consent calendar for adoption.
Other business
The board will also consider appointing Edward Randle as interim chief probation officer and will open the meeting with a ceremonial resolution honoring Chief Marlon Washington.
The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in Room 330 of the Marin County Civic Center. Residents can watch on Comcast Channel 27 or AT&T Channel 99, or participate via Zoom with Spanish translation available. Public comments must be emailed to [email protected] by noon Monday, Aug. 17.
