Red tags affixed by city inspectors stand at an apartment building on Romar Court in Novato, Calif., on Friday, April 25, 2025. Dozens of residents were forced to leave over safety problems alleged by the city. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)
By Krissy Waite | kwaite@marinij.com
PUBLISHED:
A coalition of Marin nonprofits is urging Novato to beef up work to assist low-income tenants vulnerable to homelessness.
In a letter to the city dated May 20, representatives of Legal Aid of Marin, Community Action Marin, North Marin Community Services and Canal Alliance applauded the city’s efforts to assist displaced tenants at a 14-apartment building on Romar Court that recently was red-tagged for safety. But they said more could be done.
“We urge the city to include clear noticing that distinguishes between temporary and permanent relocation, responsibility for the owner to notice tenants when the unit can be reoccupied, an opportunity for owners to offer comparable units, and an appeal process to reduce the city’s risk of legal liability,” the letter said.
The nonprofits urged the city to go beyond state requirements. State law allows landlords to evict tenants if renovations will take more than 30 days, but the law can be used to displace long-term tenants who pay lower rent. The nonprofits called for a “right to return” ordinance.
“By allowing a displaced tenant the opportunity to return to their unit at the same rent and lease terms, landlords will be less likely to pursue displacement in order to increase profit,” the letter states.
The letter, submitted in support of a city report on tenant protection goals, comes as the city looks to strengthen housing policies to reduce displacement.
The City Council reviewed the report at its meeting on May 20. Council members largely support the staff’s plan, which focuses on implementing a code-enforcement program for multifamily buildings, a local “just-cause-for-eviction” policy and protecting existing housing.
“We’re looking at production, preservation, and we’re looking at protection,” Community Development Director Clare Hartman said.
So far, the city has completed work to preserve mobile home parks and amended its condominium conversion ordinance. A policy to help renters find pet-friendly housing is expected to be completed next month.
Novato’s housing element includes policies to preserve apartment buildings and affordable housing. Hartman said there’s an opportunity to create a housing land trust to help save housing stock that is at risk. The concept will be presented at the City Council meeting on June 10.
Another goal is enforcing building codes — a power recently exercised when the city red-tagged residences at the Romar Court Apartments complex in downtown Novato. Forty-two people were relocated from the property, which the city deemed unsafe.
The city paid out $7,236 per apartment to tenants who were displaced, said Sherin Olivero, a city spokesperson. The amount equaled two months of fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment, including utilities.
The program was created after the landlord, San Francisco-based Landmark Realty, declined to pay required relocation benefits within the legal timeframe, Olivero said. Attempts to reach the company were unsuccessful.
Three tenants have found housing in Novato, and staff are connecting others with housing opportunities.
“The city has directed that the building be brought up to code and expects the property owner to comply,” Olivero said.
Hartman noted there are a number of buildings in Novato that could have the same “egregious” worst-case scenario because of deferred maintenance.
Councilmember Pat Eklund suggested hiring someone strictly for the enforcement program. She also said there should be clear language in relocation policies.
Other policies include ongoing work to support rental assistance programs and expanding “just cause” protections to all tenants by June 2026. Eklund emphasized prioritizing tenant protections, specifically through a local just-cause-for-eviction policy.
“I don’t want to waste time because some people are living in conditions they should not be living in and it’s the responsibility of the landlord,” Eklund said. “These people are being impacted and yet they are paying to live there, at a high amount too.”
Councilmember Kevin Jacobs agreed, saying renters avoid bringing up living condition concerns for fear of being evicted.
“We need to have something in effect so we can stand up for them and we can do what we can and we can protect them,” Jacobs said.
Mayor Tim O’Connor said a proposed policy should come back to the council as soon as possible.
The nonprofits’ letter suggested creating a rental registry to track data like housing stock, ownership, evictions and rental costs. They also called for a temporary ban on evictions caused by government intervention — like health and safety hazards — so tenants can return when the building is safe.
The letter also seeks an education campaign to raise awareness about fair housing requirements and lower stigmas associated with low-income housing. The letter also calls for enforcement of fair housing laws, requiring non-discrimination clauses in affordable housing agreements, and responding to fair housing complaints.
O’Connor and Eklund asked about rent stabilization. Hartman said the city has a rent stabilization policy for mobile home parks, but it could be expanded. O’Connor also said he is interested in learning more about implementing a rental registry.
“The experiences of tenants at Romar Court should serve as a wakeup call to our community that there are landlords who take advantage of few tenant protections and cause harm in our community,” the letter states. “Our organizations strongly urge both immediate actions to protect Romar Court tenants and similarly situated renters, and look forward to continuing a dialog towards passing sorely-needed long-term tenant protections.”