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San Rafael residents urge council to act on rising rents, RUBS and parking‑permit outreach during open time
Summary
During open time residents from the Canal and Bret Hart neighborhoods urged the council to address high rents, opaque ratio utility billing (RUBS) charges and lack of timely notice on a proposed parking permit survey; staff said RUBS is being evaluated as part of tenant protections and announced a subcommittee discussion on Feb. 13.
Dozens of San Rafael residents used open public expression on Feb. 3 to press the City Council to intervene on rising housing costs and unequal utility billing practices.
Residents from the Canal neighborhood described high rents and sharp utility charges assessed through ratio utility billing systems (RUBS), saying families face monthly increases of several hundred dollars and some tenants have received eviction notices. Community leader Marina Palma told the council many neighbors are anxious and lack reliable Internet and access to emergency alerts; she asked for short‑term measures to help residents receive critical notifications.
Pilar Sanchez, a community liaison at a local school, and several other speakers urged the council to consider rent relief, rent‑control measures or expanded tenant protections and to investigate opaque RUBS formulas that split utility bills by unit size or occupants. Laura McMahon, executive director of Legal Aid Marin, urged transparency and caps on RUBS to reduce unexpected and inequitable charges.
Separately, Mariah Baird, a Bret/Bridal Hart homeowner, criticized a city survey about a proposed residential parking permit program, calling the form a "forced choice" tool that foreclosed open feedback; the city manager said staff is updating the survey to include open‑ended responses and reiterated that no decisions have been made and the item is not on tonight’s agenda.
City staff response: City Manager Elovich said RUBS issues are being incorporated into a broader tenant‑protections evaluation led by the community and economic development department. Staff announced a housing and homelessness subcommittee meeting on Feb. 13 that will include a deeper briefing on options related to RUBS; staff encouraged residents to attend.
Why it matters: Residents said rising combined costs of rent and utility allocations are pushing households toward eviction and relocation, concentrating hardship in the Canal. Council members and staff acknowledged the concerns and directed staff to continue the ongoing evaluation and community engagement.
Next steps: Staff will present more detailed analysis to the housing and homelessness subcommittee on Feb. 13; the city is updating the parking‑permit outreach survey and exploring short‑term access solutions (hotspot lending, library Wi‑Fi visibility) discussed earlier in the meeting.
