Marin City health hub hung up on lease terms
A county-run hub to add health and social services in Marin City is on hold after a last-minute request by the landlord to alter the lease agreement.
The Marin County Department of Health and Human Services has been negotiating with the Marin City Community Services District to lease a 2,713 square-foot, district-owned building at 630 Drake Ave. The location formerly housed the Marin City Health and Wellness Center, which has been relocated to Phillips Drive.
An arrangement has been in discussion for years, but district directors stopped short of signing off on the plan on Wednesday, saying they wanted to amend the lease to add an early termination clause should financing become available for building improvements.
The hub would provide assistance enrolling in Calfresh and MediCal, and offer adult, aging, veteran, women and family care services. Behavioral health and recovery, COVID-19 testing, Narcan distribution, lead testing and suicide prevention resources also would be available.
The county would pay utilities and operation costs, estimated to be between $1,000 and $1,300 per month, said David Speer, a county facilities planning manager. Rent would be set at $5,926 per month, with an annual increase of 3.5%. The lease would run for five years, with an option to extend for three, two-year periods.
The county also would cover the cost to renovate to meet Americans with Disability Act standards and other needs. A new kitchen area, interior offices, bathrooms, a lobby area, flooring and new doors and walls are expected to cost roughly $550,000.
Kari Beuerman, Health and Human Services director of social services, said the space is ideal to fulfill the county’s vision to close the gap in HHS services in southern Marin.
“Transportation to central San Rafael often poses a challenge, particularly for seniors, individuals with disabilities, those without access to reliable transportation, and people with child care or employment constraints,” Beuerman said. “By establishing the southern Marin hub, HHS aims to remove these barriers and strengthen the collaborative relationship between Marin County and the local community.”
Marin City CSD director Henry Mims said the district’s priority is to rebuild its facilities, which include its recreation center, senior center and the leased-out clinic building at 630 Drake Ave. He said the board wants assurance that if the district receives the funds to upgrade, it could break the lease with the county without having to pay back construction costs.
“If we get that opportunity, it’s really important that we understand our liability to the county,” Mims said.
Speer said the project would be financed for through one-time project costs that would come out of the county’s general fund and the Health and Human Services operating fund. He said county staff would want to perform an analysis on the time spent in the building and compare that to the money spent renovating it.
“I’m not sure how probable this is,” said Speer, referring to the termination clause request.
Speer added that if the district were to find funding, it could take years — two to five, he said — before ground could be broken.
Mims said the district board is making renovation of its facilities its a top priority. “That’s just the most vital thing for our community right now,” Mims said.
County staff said they will discuss the district’s request internally and will return to the district at its next meeting.