of Residents Under 18 Years Old
13%
of Residents Under 18 Years Old

Homeward Bound of Marin operates the only emergency shelter for homeless families in Marin County, which is the entry point for our Family Services Program.  Homeward Bound of Marin also operates eight supportive housing programs for families, including the Oma Village program opened in Novato in 2017.

Being homeless is an experience of trauma for both adults and children. Our Family Services Program creates an environment to neutralize trauma and provide support as families stabilize and set goals for the future.

Services include counseling, parenting workshops, homework help, children’s activities, and help with finding child care, accessing health care, pursuing educational goals or job training, and securing long-term housing.

An integrated system for assessing and serving homeless families countywide began in November 2017, with our staff acting as the first point of contact for families who need help. The contact number is 415-457-2115. We adhere to privacy protection guidelines issued by the Marin County Continuum of Care – please read the Privacy Notice for details.

Family Center – Emergency Shelter

Mom and childThe Family Center provides shelter for 9 families at a shared home in San Rafael. Due to high demand for services, we maintain a waiting list of families needing help who can be referred to rooms in Family Center as they become available.

Family Center operates as a “housing-focused shelter,” with all residents expected to engage in developing plans for stable housing. Our services include counseling, support for employment and housing search, food assistance, tutoring and help with credit repair or other financial goals. Families with children under 5 years old have access to child care with Head Start.

Family Center
430 Mission Ave.
San Rafael, CA 94901
To request services, please call 415-457-2115. 

Supportive Housing for Families

three children at Homeward Bound of Marin

With limited affordable housing options in Marin County, Homeward Bound of Marin has developed a variety of supportive housing programs. Families in these programs may continue to receive services like counseling, job training, job retention support, and credit repair or money management classes.

Homeward Bound is committed to equal opportunity and equal consideration without regard to race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, color creed, gender, age, disability or any other protected class.

Our programs include:

San Clemente Family Village

Four homes at this Corte Madera site developed by EAH Housing.

Fireside Apartments

Ten homes at this site operated by Eden Housing.

Oma Village

Fourteen apartments at this site in Novato.


Monica A. Puts Life in Balance at Oma Village

Mom with two daughters

After two years of living outside, Monica A. says just having a clean bathroom and shower filled her with gratitude.

Now she has a home for her family at Oma Village, a supportive housing program operated by Homeward Bound in Novato.

It’s a complete turnaround from 2015, when the Novato native came to our family emergency shelter while expecting her second child. Her bout of homelessness had begun with a relapse into drug use after 10 years of sobriety.

“I lost everything quick,” says Monica, who rededicated herself to sobriety after becoming pregnant. “I wasn’t a hustler, I wasn’t a stealer, so for two years, I was just broke and hungry.”

She now works full-time in pool care at Indian Valley College and made a home that includes her older daughter, who had been living with relatives.

“Things have fallen into place beautifully since I came to Oma Village,” she says.