BS BRIEF:
- Sausalito’s newly hired city manager, Elaine Forbes, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of felony burglary after deputies found her aboard a yacht authorities say she did not have permission to enter.
- The arrest came less than three weeks into Forbes’ tenure and just two days after the Sausalito City Council placed her on administrative leave following a closed-session meeting.
- The unexpected arrest of the city’s top administrator has left Sausalito’s leadership in turmoil and raised new questions ahead of this week’s City Council meeting as officials weigh the future of their newest executive.
NEW SAUSALITO CITY MANAGER ARRESTED ON YACHT BURGLARY SUSPICION LESS THAN THREE WEEKS INTO JOB
One of California’s newest city managers is facing felony charges after an unusual early morning encounter aboard a yacht in Sausalito.
Elaine Forbes, who began serving as Sausalito’s city manager on July 1, was arrested shortly before 7 a.m. Saturday after Marin County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a noise complaint at the Sausalito Yacht Harbor. According to investigators, deputies found Forbes aboard a yacht whose owner later told authorities she did not have permission to be there.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office said Forbes initially claimed the vessel belonged to her. After deputies contacted the registered owner, investigators determined she was not authorized to be aboard the yacht and arrested her on suspicion of felony burglary.
Authorities booked Forbes into the Marin County Jail, where bail was set at $50,000. Investigators have not released additional details explaining what led to the burglary allegation or whether additional charges could follow.
Sausalito’s new city manager was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of felony burglary after sheriff’s deputies found her aboard a yacht that’s not hers. https://t.co/qYtMxoebra
— Keith Ainsworth (@AinsworthKeith) July 20, 2026
The arrest capped a tumultuous week for City Hall. On Thursday, the Sausalito City Council voted during a closed session to place Forbes on administrative leave, though officials have not publicly explained the reason for that action.
Following Saturday’s arrest, the city issued a brief statement calling it “a difficult development for our City staff and our community” and said it would not comment further while the criminal investigation remains active.
The City Council is expected to discuss the matter during its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday.
Forbes was hired in May after spending nearly a decade as executive director of the Port of San Francisco, one of the nation’s largest public waterfront agencies. During her tenure there, she oversaw major infrastructure projects, waterfront redevelopment efforts, and planning initiatives focused on sea-level rise along San Francisco’s Embarcadero.
Before leading the Port, Forbes served as its chief financial officer and held senior finance positions with the City and County of San Francisco. She accepted the Sausalito position at an annual salary of approximately $275,000.
A spokesperson representing Forbes urged patience as the situation unfolds.
“Elaine has devoted much of her life to public service and is widely respected by the many people who have worked with her over the years.”
The spokesperson added:
“Elaine is experiencing a mental health crisis. As the facts become clearer and Elaine obtains legal and healthcare counsel in the coming hours and days, we hope people will respond with compassion, patience and respect for her and her family during an extraordinarily difficult time.”
Authorities have not commented publicly on that statement, and no court filings detailing the allegations had been released as of Sunday.
