Month: August 2023

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Binford Bulletin from Mr. Lucan – Aug 30

Posted on the County Site here.

Binford Bulletin

In my last Binford Bulletin I shared that the Board of Supervisors would receive an update from County staff regarding the Binford Road Encampment at our August 22 Board Meeting. The staff report and video recording (item 7) of the meeting are posted on the County website.  

The County of Marin recently secured $1.6 million in state grant funding over three years to resolve the Binford Road encampment through enhanced outreach, housing-based case management, and other direct support to homeless individuals.   

With support from the new state funding, three main strategies have been identified as next steps to address the encampment. 

  • Supportive Services: The goal is to house half of the approximately 90 individuals along Binford Road within two years, and all within three years. Some of these individuals will need permanent supportive housing, while others may need assistance to stabilize into affordable housing units, including security deposits, first and last month’s rent, or other housing-related costs.  
  • Enforcement and Regulation: The goal is to improve public and environmental safety by reducing the number of abandoned vehicles and belongings in the public right-of-way. Abandoned or excess vehicles will be removed after providing registered owners with a 30-day pre-notice period, followed by a 15-day action notice. Personal property stored in the public right-of-way will be removed after the notice period. The Sheriff’s office is distributing notices this week to begin this enforcement effort. 
  • Environmental Protection: The goal is to protect and preserve the sensitive environmental habitat on and along the Rush Creek Preserve and slough. The County will increase efforts to support appropriate and healthy disposal of trash and waste prior to the wet weather season, when control of such discharges is more difficult. 

In addition, the reconstruction of Binford Road has been on Public Works’ capital improvement project list for several years. These needed improvements are planned to commence in 2025, including requirements along the east side of Binford Road to install sediment control to filter road runoff for protection of the sensitive habitat of the Rush Creek Preserve and slough. This will have the effect of eliminating much, if not all, parking along the east side of Binford Road along the water. We will monitor progress of these efforts and plan for any needed contingencies.     

I have asked our County staff to come back to the Board of Supervisors by the end of the calendar year to provide a status update on these efforts. Monthly progress will be tracked on the County’s Data Dashboard.  

I know that no plan is perfect, but I support the strategy in place. We have a lot of work to do, and I’m pleased we have a detailed, thoughtful, collaborative effort in place to execute. Our end goal is to move people into housing.  

I will continue to visit Binford Road on a weekly basis and communicate with you when we have updates to share. I appreciate the interest and concern from the community. 

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IJ Article: Marin County unveils plan to clear Novato road camp

CALL TO ACTION : We can all call in at 9am on Tuesdays to the BOS meetings, speak at public comment about Binford via zoom (although they do not show our faces—just a black background) say what we have to say and hang up. That way people don’t have to leave work and drive down there and speak —and its easier than having to stand up and speak.

We didn’t get what we wanted, but there is movement.  Without all of us getting involved, nothing would have happened.

Marin County unveils plan to clear Novato road camp
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Effort to Reduce Coastal Pollution

While allowing the encampment on Binford Rd to spew toxic waste into the wetlands which leads directly to the Bay and Pacific Ocean –

A three-year campaign, known as the “Cleaner California Coast” initiative, seeks to expand the “leave-no-trace” message often used at national and state parks to all coastal areas of Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

Marin launches tri-county effort to reduce coastal pollution
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Binford Bulletin from Mr. Lucan – Aug 1

Posted on the County Site here.

Binford Bulletin

I have received many inquiries about the vehicle encampment on Binford Road in Novato.

Since taking office in January, I have been to Binford Road weekly. I have spent the past several months meeting with unhoused residents, community members, adjacent businesses, airport users, and county staff to explore opportunities to address community and environmental concerns, while working to connect unhoused residents with services and permanent housing.

It is clear to me from these meetings that we need more communication on this issue. I am committed to sharing information as it becomes available and will include a “Binford Bulletin” in upcoming newsletters as we have updates to share.

Actions we have taken:

  • Installed physical barriers in the vacant spaces on Binford, limiting the capacity of total vehicles. As individuals are housed or move on, additional barriers are installed to further reduce and limit the number of vehicles. As numbers decrease, we will begin additional efforts to limit parking near the water.
  • The Sheriff assigned a full-time Homeless Liaison focused primarily on Binford Road. Several abandoned vehicles have been removed, and this effort is ongoing.
  • Expanded outreach presence on Binford. Outreach workers visit Binford weekly with the goal of connecting people with services including employment, social services, mental health and/or substance abuse and are working to get residents on a pathway to permanent housing. Additionally, we added a monthly service fair on Binford to offer these connections and additional services.
  • Approved hiring a full time, senior social service worker who will coordinate staff, programs, and essential services for unhoused individuals, primarily focused on the Binford encampment. The hiring process is underway.
  • Added Binford Road to the County’s Data Dashboard that tracks homelessness statistics including the number of individuals and vehicles on Binford, as well as the number of people that have been housed.


In June, the County was awarded $1.6 million in Encampment Resolution Funding from the State for the Binford encampment. Several County departments have been working to create a coordinated action plan to use these funds to connect residents to permanent supportive housing while also reducing the encampment’s environmental impacts. The plan is scheduled to be presented to the Board of Supervisors on August 22. The meeting is open to the public, and I encourage your participation and comments. Please double check the meeting agenda as we get closer to the date to ensure this item has not been moved to a different date (agendas are posted the Thursday afternoon before our Tuesday meetings).

This funding and corresponding plan mark a critical next step in getting our unhoused residents on a path towards housing with additional outreach workers, case management, housing vouchers, and rapid rehousing options (such as first-month’s rent, move-in costs, or a security deposit to quickly house someone) – as well as help to address many of the community concerns that have been raised.

This is a complex and complicated issue, and we still have a lot of work to do. As we move forward, my approach will continue to focus on treating people with dignity and respect. Our end-goal is to move people into permanent supportive housing. I understand there are differing views and opinions, and I want to continue to hear from you and work with you. I welcome your suggestions, concerns, and willingness to be part of the solution.