Editorial: ‘Buyback’ plan for Binford vehicle dwellers has strong track record

The success of the Richardson’s Bay Regional Agencies boat “buyback” program in dramatically lowering the number of anchor-outs is going to be used as a template for Novato’s Binford Road.

As the pandemic worsened, so did the number of RVs, cars and trailers parked along Binford, flaunting the county’s parking restrictions. It quickly became a draw for those living in RVs and trailers who said they had no place else to go. They can’t afford Marin’s lofty home prices and rents, and our county lacks enough affordable housing to meet the demand.

Months prior to the growth of the Binford encampment, the county and other municipalities had been forbidding overnight parking in their jurisdictions. Those actions, combined with the economic hardships caused by the pandemic, essentially pushed many to Binford – one the last roads before the Marin-Sonoma border.

With the county being legally unable to force the campers to move, their number grew to more than 130 vehicles.

Some have found other housing and have moved their vehicles. An estimated 19 more individuals are on a path toward moving out.

But dozens remain.

In order to generate more progress in moving the campers into permanent and safe housing, the county has earmarked $100,000 to purchase their vehicles.

That’s a lot of money and it is a controversial strategy. Some may argue it amounts to paying scofflaws to obey parking rules that others willingly follow.

But these are people, including many who are employed, who face the serious dilemma of homelessness. As with many of the anchor-outs, their vehicle is their housing of last resort.

It is one of the societal costs related to the high price of housing in Marin.

The “buyback” strategy has helped whittle the number of illegal anchor-outs in Richardson Bay, where Marin is facing a state order to enforce its long-flouted anchorage restrictions.

The number of illegally anchored vessels is around 40, marked progress from when the number was around 200.

The Binford strategy is to provide campers with a financial incentive to move their vehicles. The county’s six-month pilot program would pay those who can demonstrate they can move into permanent housing, as much as $175 per linear foot of their vehicle.

Once moved, the county will install a barrier to prevent another vehicle from moving into the vacated spot.

Incentives are more productive than enforcement, staff told county supervisors.

The current situation is untenable, both from a standpoint of safe and decent housing for campers, security for nearby businesses and protection of Rush Creek along which the vehicles are parked.

County staffers argue that ultimately this is a less costly, more humane and more expeditious strategy.

For many of the campers, it also helps resolve the cost of having to find some place to park their RV or trailer.

County staff should continue to provide the board with regular progress reports, including detailing expenditure of the grant and county funds. The public deserves to be informed about the success of the county’s efforts to humanely address the difficult societal challenge of homelessness.

Supervisor Eric Lucan, who represents Novato-based District 5, said he will continue to push to accelerate progress in moving campers to safer housing and protecting the Rush Creek environment.

Progress will be evident in a steady reduction of the number of vehicles that now line Binford.