Marin IJ Editorial: Time for Ritter Center’s planned changes
Ritter Center’s plan to relocate its main hub for homeless services out of downtown San Rafael answers a constant criticism it has garnered from the City Council.
The council has not been shy about complaining about Ritter’s operations and for being a magnet that has attracted homeless to hang out downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
The plan has already been welcomed by Mayor Gary Phillips, who said, “Everyone will benefit.”
The county’s leadership role, as a major source of governmental funding for Ritter, has remained unclear as the agency has worked to be responsive to City Hall’s criticism.
Ritter’s new CEO, Linda Tavaszi, has a reputation for getting things done. She also understands the importance of Ritter’s humanitarian mission.
Ritter’s leadership has developed a new model, one that will include moving its offices to the Canal area and providing more mobile services to better meet the needs of the poor and homeless.
Ritter set up shop in an old downtown Victorian decades ago. At first it was a food pantry and a hub for services for Marin’s needy. It has long outgrown that site as it has added services onto the property to better meet the needs of the homeless.
Moving Ritter’s main operations to another site makes sense for the efficient delivery of its services. It is closer to homeless shelters and other services.
Its three buildings that share the Ritter Street site with the Victorian — the health care and case management services — will continue there for the near future. Ritter’s free showers program will soon be replaced by a mobile service operated by San Rafael’s Downtown Streets Team.
Tavaszi’s years of experience in medical care and, most recently, heading Marin Community Clinics, provides knowledgeable leadership in how to get good things done. She knows local politics, she knows Marin’s network of nonprofit agencies and she knows the problems facing our homeless population.
Getting entangled in frequent skirmishes with City Hall over limits on services and costly security measures eventually becomes a distraction from Ritter’s long-standing goal of helping people who need help.
The start of Ritter’s transition out of downtown should help keep that important mission in focus.
