Meet Carl: an Anchor Out Community Member safely sails into a permanent home

Our Outreach Case Manager, Laurel, met Carl last fall while performing outreach along the Marin waterfront. Carl belonged to the unique housing insecure population of Richardson Bay called the Anchor Out Community. While this term originally referred to boat dwellers, the term has grown to include the growing number of unhoused people camping along the waterfront, as many boaters move landward when their boats get impounded by authorities or when their boats become unseaworthy.

Carl is a Navy veteran, and like many members of the Anchor Out Community, he is fiercely independent. He adheres to a “do it myself” mentality, which made it difficult to accept help from others. But, in January, Carl’s 12-year-old dog Dusty took a turn for the worse and it was the push Carl needed to finally accept help. Laurel stepped in and helped get Dusty into see the veterinarian, Dusty was too far gone to be saved.

Laurel committed herself to being a source of strength for Carl as he navigated such a difficult loss. Carl’s physical and mental health rapidly declined and he was checked into the San Francisco VA Hospital for a serious heart condition– stemming from “heartbreak,” Carl said.

Laurel knew there was no way Carl could safely return to his boat in the Anchor Out Community. Since Carl is a Navy vet, Laurel was able to connect him to the Marin County Veteran’s Affairs and helped him secure housing case management. By coordinating with the VA and Swords to Plowshares, DST made sure Carl was placed in a hotel until we were able to find him an apartment. It took several hard months but we finally found a place that suited all his needs and wants!

In June 2022, Carl moved into his brand new place —a home of his own! He is looking forward to setting up a wood-working station on his patio and starting tomato plants this summer.

Carl says that DST has saved his life many times. And Laurel says she’s “grateful to have had the experience of working with Carl and to see him happy, healthy, and only moving up from here!”

The boat Carl lived on before DST.

Carl in his new home!