For over 40 years, Canal Alliance has supported low-income immigrant families in Marin County, listening to their stories, celebrating their successes, and standing with them through every challenge. And today, one challenge can often eclipse all the rest: securing a stable, affordable place to call home.
More than 12,000 Latino immigrants call the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael home. Parents work two and three jobs to make ends meet. Many families earn less than $40,000 annually, and upwards of half spend the lion’s share of their income just keeping a roof overhead. When rents spike suddenly, when buildings fall into disrepair, or investors buy properties and displace residents to renovate, raising rents in so doing, immigrant families living here are pressed further and further, feeling the stresses of these realities every day.
To address these challenges, Canal Alliance supports tenants to understand their rights and connects them with legal support when needed. We encourage Canal residents to become leaders in their buildings and throughout the neighborhood, strengthening their ability to advocate for themselves and their neighbors. Together with these tenant leaders, we push for stronger anti-displacement policies, fair rents, and better living conditions.
With the support of committed partners and granters like U.S. Bank, we are building a different future for Latinos in Marin. Their support is helping us protect long-time residents, preserve affordable homes, and ensure that the families who have invested so much in this community can remain here, safely and with dignity.