Social equity advocates rallied at the Marin Civic Center on Tuesday, declaring that a rising tide of angry rhetoric in Marin threatens to drown diverse voices and shut down public participation in local affairs amid bullies who boo and hiss.
John Young, head of Marin Grassroots, a nonprofit leadership group that aims to aid low-income residents and minorities, said people of color are “very afraid about participating” in public meetings dominated by belligerent whites and added he intends to ask Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a local “state of emergency.”
He said his formal request for state aid in maintaining rational discourse is more than a political stunt, noting that the state stepped in to monitor Black Panther Party members during meetings in Oakland four decades ago.
“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” Young said of the governor. “We hope this gets on his radar screen.”
But Richard Hall of San Rafael, a foe of plopping high-density housing into suburban neighborhoods, issued a statement retorting that the only emergency in Marin is that “big-development, five-story high-density affordable housing near freeways and transit has now become enacted via Plan Bay Area as the new norm for building.”
Young’s organization convened a group of about 35 social activists at the Civic Center cafeteria to outline concerns about the tone of conversation about housing proposals that accommodate low- and moderate-income residents.
A press release issued by Young was headlined, “Groups say civil rights state of emergency threatens to engulf Marin County; ‘Lynch mob’ opposed to fair housing paralyzes civil participation.” The statement cites “ongoing disruptions and implicit racial threats of a growing mob of angry homeowners.”
The statement claimed that “the majority of Marin residents are increasingly in fear of participating in local government decisions that affect them because of the hostile climate set by a minority of Marin residents” who “have put an explicitly racial lens on their concerns.”
The statement indicated some residents believe they have been “singled out” by housing foes, and quoted one San Rafael man saying it was like a “civil war.”
Among those in a cluster of press conference onlookers was Stephen Nestel, founder of savemarinwood.org, who called the event “a party I’m not invited to,” and explained, “I’m here to listen and learn, not defend myself.” Housing advocate Dave Coury promptly replied, “It’s a party of people you intimidate and bully.”
Nestel earlier indicated that “in fact, we support inclusive communities that fit within the scale and density of the existing community, not big box complexes wedged against the freeway on a toxic waste site.” And he added: “Race has never been a factor for the community. We support diversity but want integrated solutions that will not isolate populations.”
As Nestel filmed the proceedings with a smartphone, speakers at the Grassroots press conference stepped forward to express alarm.
“It’s so sad to see, really, that in the past year” public dialogue has become so threatening, said Gail Theller, head of Community Action Marin, an advocacy group for low-income residents. “There’s a democracy we’re trying to preserve here.”
Kiki La Porta, head of the nonprofit environmental group Sustainable Marin, said she stood at a public meeting to speak recently and “felt assaulted verbally and energetically” by those who disagreed with her views.
“I have never seen anything like it,” said San Rafael City Council candidate Greg Brockbank, echoing a statement by Supervisor Susan Adams about public meeting behavior on a weekend television news program. “It approaches mob mentality,” Brockbank said.
Marin County Planning Commissioner Ericka Erickson said she was so upset by catcalls and related audience behavior at a recent housing meeting held by Adams in Marinwood that she left in disgust. Erickson, who serves as associate director of Marin Grassroots, said she felt intimidated by some interactions with housing foes, and said “diversity of opinion” is the ticket to a better community.
Hall, who was not at the press conference, asserted the Grassroots group has “common ground” with high-density housing foes. “I am pro affordable housing and ensuring this is achieved reasonably and sensitively for both new and existing residents,” he said, adding he has reached out to Grassroots’ CEO Young to schedule a meeting.
“We’re actively seeking constructive dialogue to improve understanding on all sides,” Hall said.
Contact Nels Johnson via email at ij.civiccenter@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/nelsjohnsonnews
