San Leandro Marina Inn Faces Lease Crisis as Voters Weigh Transit Tax

Waterfront lease negotiations in San Leandro and regional public transit funding across the East Bay reached critical turning points on Monday as early mail-in ballot returns climbed across Alameda County.

San Leandro Marina Inn Owner Seeks 9-Year Lease Extension After Harbor Closure

According to East Bay Insiders reporter Steven Tavares, San Leandro Marina Inn owner Dennis Miller warned the San Leandro City Council last week that stalled negotiations over a 9-year lease extension could force the waterfront hotel at 68 Monarch Bay Drive to close after nearly 40 years of family operation:

• Revenue Drop After 2023 Marina Closure: Miller stated he has sought a 9-year extension since 2017 to finance property renovations, but negotiations stalled over the past 2 years under City Manager Janelle Cameron and Community Development Director Tom Liao, culminating in a May 2026 notice of default after the hotel fell behind on rent. Following the city's January 2023 closure of the adjacent 455-berth boat harbor and demolitions for the shoreline redevelopment project with Cal Coast Development, the hotel's gross revenue fell from $4.5 million in 2022 to $3.8 million, while the city's combined transient occupancy tax and rent revenue from the site declined from $1.1 million in 2019 to $700,000 per year (including $100,000 in annual base rent).
• Alameda County Early Ballot Returns: Across Alameda County, election officials reported Monday morning that 232,920 of 983,103 registered voters (23.7%) had returned mail ballots ahead of Tuesday's deadline—compared with 51.5% final turnout in the 2022 gubernatorial midterm—including 81,973 of 426,494 voters (19.2%) in California's 14th Congressional District.

Bay Area Commuters Weigh Nov. 3 Regional Transit Measure and SF Proposition H

As voters return their ballots, public transit funding remains one of the region's most closely watched fiscal choices, according to KALW 91.7:

• Post-Pandemic Ridership & Fare Adjustments: With regional transit ridership nearing pre-pandemic benchmarks after the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) implemented its "Fares for Our Future" fare changes in May 2026, voters are deciding Tuesday on the Nov. 3 Regional Transit Measure to prevent steep service cuts across BART, AC Transit, Muni, and Caltrain, alongside San Francisco Proposition H.
• East Bay and Regional Voter Perspectives: In interviews across the region, Alameda commuter Alfred Uzokwe, 68-year-old Alameda attorney Roger Raphael, 22-year-old Lafayette product designer Waylon Wilsey, and San Francisco Cow Hollow resident Esther Chien weighed the balance between sales tax and parcel tax contributions, bridge tolls, and maintaining reliable cross-bay bus and rail frequency.