Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Feb. 25, 2026
Day spent with Jesse Jackson was powerful, unforgettable
Fresh out of college in 1975, I joined The Rev. Jesse Jackson on a march to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offices in Philadelphia. We marched to protest HUD’s corrupt and incompetent administration of a housing relief bill.
News of the civil rights leader’s death on Feb. 17 brought back vivid memories of that day. In the lobby, a Black elevator operator confronted Jackson to tell him he could not take him up to an upper floor where Jackson had an appointment with the local director. In the confusion of the moment, my poverty lawyer boss and I, as his aide, had no idea how to deal with this practical obstacle to our demonstration effort.
Jackson seized the moment and called upon his powerful personal charisma. Clearly furious over the denial of arrangements, he declared, “Stand with us, or step aside.” The operator yielded and we crowded into the elevator. None of us knew how to operate the antique brass wheel with its lever that manually controlled the ascent. We knew enough to close the folding mesh safety gate and stood there packed in.
Anger seemingly radiating off him, Jackson pushed his way through the press of bodies and yanked on the control lever. We lurched upward. At our floor, he jerked us to a halt, then worked the lever up and down to bring us level enough that we could step up and out.
We streamed out into the hall where the director himself met us and ushered us into a conference room that quickly filled up. People walked up the stairs and packed the hallway outside.
In an even voice that I seemed to be filled with controlled rage, Jackson’s first words demanded an apology. “I have an appointment.” His command of the room, the hallway and even the building, were unassailable.
In the lobby afterward, the elevator operator approached him and explained he denied access earlier because he felt he would lose his job otherwise. Jackson said some words of both reconciliation and empowerment: “We must do what we must, brother.” They shook hands.
We must all take a small stand, especially when most of us have little to lose personally, but face a great loss nationally.
— Jonathan H. Erb, Mill Valley
Ross Valley teachers deserve support from the community
My grandson is a second grader at Wade Thomas Elementary School in San Anselmo. My son and daughter-in-law reside there and, together, we are a committed family in service to Wade Thomas and, by extension, Ross Valley School District.
My daughter-in-law has raised thousands of dollars on behalf of our school, my son is on the School Site Council and I have volunteered two days weekly for the past three years in math instruction for fourth and fifth graders.
RVSD is in the bottom 4% of school district funding statewide; it is facing a serious deficit that will result in negative consequences. The district will likely lose valuable expertise in the classrooms, given the current salaries of the teachers (with no salary or benefits increase on the horizon).
This is unacceptable and the community must take a stand now to retain this talent. Every teacher demonstrates excellence in content curriculum and the social/emotional growth of each student.
District teachers work tirelessly on behalf of their students, planning lessons daily, collaborating in grade-level teams, studying benchmark assessments to ensure that their students are grasping and retaining the content and reteaching concepts as necessary. Their holidays and summers are opportunities to revamp curriculum and instructional strategies. RVSD teachers and administrators are serious about their work as professionals.
As a former teacher, district administrator and administrator in a county education office — as well as a property taxpayer for decades — I urge the RVSD community to vote in favor of the parcel tax in the June 2 election. Our children and grandchildren deserve the very best education. They absolutely cannot lose another teacher to a different district.
— Adele Berg, Novato
Assembly candidate details progress on homelessness
As a candidate for the Assembly District 12 seat this year, I am writing in response to the recently published Marin Voice commentary by Andy Podshadley, who is one of my opponents in the race (“County needs new ‘tiny home’ village to address homelessness,” Feb. 16).
I appreciate anyone willing to spend time at an encampment and engage directly with unhoused residents. I have done the same on Binford Road near Novato and in the Hamilton neighborhood, delivering water and speaking with people living there. What those conversations make clear is that proposals alone are not enough: Implementation matters.
In 2022, while mayor of Rohnert Park, city leaders faced a large, unregulated encampment at the Roberts Lake park-and-ride lot. Rather than relocate the problem, we partnered with HomeFirst, homeless advocates and other providers, along with community support, to create a managed safe sleeping program with clear goals: stop the growth of the encampment, increase safety and transition people into stable housing.
Between October 2022 and January 2024, 122 individuals were served and 72% moved into interim or permanent housing. The encampment closed after the final resident transitioned out.
While serving as mayor, the city also completed Labath Landing, a 60-unit interim supportive housing community funded through a $14.6 million Project Homekey grant. It was constructed in under four months and reached full occupancy within eight months of receiving state funding. Each resident has a private room with a locking door and access to case management, health care support and housing placement services. Before Labath Landing, Rohnert Park had no interim housing option.
These efforts gave our city a structured, accountable way to reduce and, when possible, eliminate encampments while providing dignity and stability to people with no other options. Our successes (with measurable outcomes) were accomplished through partnerships between the city, nonprofit operators, the county, the state and the community.
If Marin County is serious about reducing unsheltered homelessness, it might look to approaches that have already demonstrated results.
— Vice Mayor Jackie Elward, Rohnert Park
Apartment building in San Rafael is much too large
San Rafael planning officials have approved the construction of a 17-story apartment building at the off-ramp of Highway 101 and Second Street, where the now-vacant property owned by BioMarin now sits.
A group known as Urban Pacific appears to be proceeding through the planning and approval process. Some supporters are trying to convince the community that this site, which has looked abandoned for years, can only be a 17-story apartment building with 200 units. That’s far too large.
I don’t think the project at 700 Irwin St. fits any definition of “urban planning.” Urban design should blend seamlessly into and accentuate the community. Some supporters have said it will “knit” the community together. One look at the renderings and I had to laugh.
Despite state laws to promote dense housing near transit centers, I think city leaders should have stood their ground and rejected it. Our elected officials should have a sense of responsibility to the residents of San Rafael.
It has been pointed out that, over the years, few projects have been approved by San Rafael planners and even fewer have actually been built. In my opinion, that simply points to a lack of vision and leadership.
I agree that housing is a good option for 700 Irwin St. But 17 stories is about 350% too big and creates about 350% too much traffic. I worry it will be a catastrophic abomination of urban planning and an embarrassment to the city, the council and the planning commission for decades to come.
Now is the time to create a vision and a plan for San Rafael and turn it into reality, not make one catastrophic decision after another. Two-hundred units doesn’t make sense. Get it down to between 50 and 70 units so we can feel good about moving forward.
— Scott Gerber, San Rafael