[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 42 (Tuesday, April 12, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARTIN MACKEY

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to share with my colleagues 
the memory of a very special man, Martin Mackey of Marin County, CA, 
who died on March 25, 2005. He was 87 years old. Martin Mackey was born 
in San Francisco. He earned his engineering degree from Stanford and 
entered the Navy Midshipman Reserve Training Program. He served in the 
Navy during World War II and was trained in antisubmarine warfare.
  Martin met his wife Mary while on leave in Seattle during World War 
II. They were engaged 5 days later. Martin and Mary just celebrated 
their 61st wedding anniversary last December.
  After the war and after 22 years of steel and concrete sales with a 
multinational company, Martin retired with a desire to change the 
world. The year was 1968, and he was deeply disturbed by social 
injustice and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert 
Kennedy. He went on a weekend retreat with his wife Mary to figure out 
what he should contribute to make our world a better place.
  Martin played a key role in bringing affordable housing to Marin 
County. President Lyndon Johnson had just signed the Housing Act into 
law. Martin's good friend, Larry Livingston, who was a city and 
regional planner, told Martin that Marin County badly needed low and 
moderate-income housing. Martin was convinced. As chairman of the 
Social Concerns Committee at Marin County Unitarian Church, he called 
upon ministers throughout the county to form a social action group to 
respond to the community's housing needs. They met in a rent-free 
office in the attic of a convent. Then he called upon other leaders and 
friends in the community to join their efforts. This social action 
group of faith and community leaders began to raise money and became 
the Ecumenical Association for Housing, EAH, still in existence today.
  EAH began with 24 organizations, each pledging $200. Martin 
selflessly accepted a salary of $1 to serve as executive director. EAH 
quickly took off and began lending money to architects and regional 
groups to build affordable housing projects throughout Marin. Their 
first project was Pilgrim Park, a 61 unit, low-income housing 
development in San Rafael.
  For more than 22 years, Martin devoted himself to EAH and affordable 
housing. Martin worked to persuade citizens and elected officials to 
accept low and moderate-income housing in their wealthy communities. To 
develop his knowledge and save EAH outside consultant fees, Martin went 
to Catholic University in Washington, DC, to take a 2-month course in 
how to be a housing consultant. He eventually expanded his services and 
consulted for affordable housing projects in other parts of the Bay 
Area as well as Arizona.
  From its origins as the fledgling group Martin founded in 1968 to a 
325-person staff and $6 million budget, EAH has completed 62 projects 
and 4,556 housing units in the Bay area and beyond.
  Martin was a dynamic figure in Marin County. My staff and I always 
knew we could call on him for invaluable information and sound advice. 
He was a passionate and effective advocate for affordable housing. He 
led EAH with a sense of humor and a deep appreciation for the dedicated 
individuals who worked with him. His accomplishments in creating 
affordable housing for Marin residents is legendary. He was also a 
respected member of the Marin community and a wonderful, inspiring man 
who will be deeply missed. We take comfort in knowing that countless 
future generations will benefit from his courage, his vision and his 
leadership.

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