April 29, 2025 • Novato, CA –Residents of Romar Court were forced to vacate their homes Sunday due to unsafe living conditions. This action follows a year-long process that culminated in the City of Novato’s Code Enforcement Division officially red-tagging the 14-unit apartment building. Despite numerous warnings from the City, the property management company repeatedly refused to address critical safety issues. As a result, tenants were given just five days’ notice to leave their homes, leaving many families facing sudden displacement and uncertainty.
In response to this housing emergency, community partners — including North Marin Community Services, Legal Aid of Marin, Community Action Marin, Novato Unified School District, and the City of Novato — have mobilized to support the displaced residents.
North Marin Community Services is providing temporary hotel stays for affected families. In addition, NMCS case managers are working one-on-one with residents to help locate new housing and offer potential financial assistance with moving costs, rental deposits, and other urgent needs. The organization has identified 42 people, including five children, as displaced residents.
“When families face displacement, staying close to their schools, jobs, and support systems can make all the difference,” said Cheryl Paddack, CEO of NMCS. “We’re committed to helping families remain connected, supported, and hopeful during uncertain times. Everyone deserves safe, stable housing and a clear path toward a more secure future.” Donors who have stepped forward so far include Marin Community Foundation and Pini Hardware.
Legal Aid of Marin is working to ensure tenants understand their rights under state law. “What’s hopeful is that community organizations are stepping up in a time of great need. What’s tragic is that it takes moments of extreme negligence and mass displacement to demonstrate the need for common-sense tenant protections for our community’s most marginalized residents,” said Laura McMahon, Executive Director of Legal Aid of Marin. “We will use what we learn from this painful lesson to take action for housing justice in Marin.”
Under current California law, landlords are required to provide two months of fair market rent and utility service deposits for displaced tenants in situations like this. However, this minimal support does not begin to address the true costs of immediate displacement: moving expenses, storage, food, and the daunting process of urgently finding new housing.
The City of Novato will be sending payments to eligible residents through their Tenant Relocation Benefits Policy, available this week. “In times of need, it is our community partners and nonprofit organizations that make the greatest difference. The City extends its sincere appreciation to our local partners for their proactive and compassionate efforts in supporting the families displaced from their homes,” said Clare Hartman, City of Novato Community Development Director. “It’s this spirit of care and collaboration that defines who we are as a community.”
Reflecting that spirit of collaboration, Community Action Marin has also stepped in to provide critical support. “We are proud to join in collective action with partner organizations to assist Marin County households facing displacement,” states CEO Chandra Alexandre.
Some Novato Unified School District students and families were among those affected. “We are grateful for the communication and collaboration with the City of Novato and North Marin Community Services,” said Dr. Tracy Smith, Superintendent of NUSD. “Together we were able to approach this unfortunate displacement situation with care and support.”
Community members who would like to support displaced families can click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to North Marin Community Services to help cover the cost of temporary hotel stays.
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