More About Me
- Single occupant; no pets; non-smoker
- Credit score: 809
- Stable income, including permanent Social Security Disability benefits and a Housing Choice Voucher through Marin Housing Authority
- Long history of caring for my homes and leaving them in excellent condition
- Responsible, quiet tenant with strong references available upon request
- I enjoy gardening and would be happy to care for existing plants or help with light landscaping
- Seeking a long term rental. Minimum of 4 years. Preferably 8 years.
Rental History
Current residence — West End San Rafael, California
Dates: 9/2025 – Present
Monthly rent: $2,995
Reason for moving: The owner’s daughter plans to move into the home. My timing is flexible.
Previous residence — Corte Madera, California
Dates: 12/2021 – 9/2025
Monthly rent: $3,100
Reason for moving: I’m seeking a home with more suitable maintenance and management. References from former neighbors or tenants are available to provide context.
Previous residence — Chico (Paradise), California
Dates: 12/2018–12/2021
Monthly rent: $1,850
Reason for moving: I moved close to Paradise, California to assist with recovery and develop a property to demonstrate a resilient-rebuilding concept after the Camp Fire. The project plans changed during COVID. (I also lived part time in San Ramon in 2021.)
Previous residence — Middletown, California
Dates: 12/2015–12/2018
Monthly rent: $750
Reason for moving: Following my own home loss while severely handicapped a few years earlier, I chose to live in the Valley Fire burn scar and volunteer in fire-recovery efforts to provide emergency supplies, relocate pets and match RVs to people displaced. I then moved to Chico after the Camp Fire which destroyed the entire town of Paradise.
Income and Voucher
I applied for a Housing Choice Voucher after being displaced by a home fire while severely disabled. At the time, I was recovering from head and back injuries caused by a drunk driver, and I couldn’t walk, drive, or prepare my own food. It was an overwhelming combination of losses and challenges.
- Income: Permanent Social Security Disability benefits
- Housing Choice Voucher: Marin Housing Authority —For a 2 bedroom I am covered up to $3650 including utilities. (Due to disability a 2 bedroom duplex, SFR or ADU is required.) I pay 1/3 of my income.
- Here’s information for landlords about the Housing Choice Voucher program and its process:
Community Involvement
Some people say adversity builds character. If that’s true, I have lots of character. After losing my home in a fire while severely disabled, I found a way to channel some of the pain of that experience into helping others facing displacement.
I first volunteered in the Valley Fire recovery effort, helping provide emergency supplies, locate lost pets, and connect displaced people with RVs. After the Valley Fire, I moved near Paradise to support the Camp Fire recovery efforts and explore a resilient-rebuilding concept on a parcel we wanted to develop. These experiences grew into more than a decade of community service focused on helping people affected by fires and other disasters.
I’m retired after an international career in technology, but still active in my community. My experience with technology and disaster recovery now informs my volunteer work on MarinPower.org, a project that I was inspired to start because my current rental home flooded in 2020 during a storm-related power outage.
The project is exploring how electric vehicles could power portable sump pumps during outages to help prevent flood damage and displacement. I’m developing it as a pilot over the next two to three years, with the hope that a proven approach could eventually be handed off to the County of Marin and adapted by other communities.
You can learn more about my experience and the project here:
MarinPower.org/spark-2-story/
References
Emergency contacts, references from landlords, property managers, neighbors, and former tenants are available with a formal application.