Last spring, dozens of families at Romar Court in Novato were forced out of their homes in a matter of days.
They were given no warning and no time to plan or prepare. They had nowhere to go. Their landlord had so neglected the building where they lived that it was condemned by city officials.
They were not at fault, yet children were uprooted from their homes. Families were left scrambling to find temporary housing; to carry on with work and school; and to somehow find a new permanent home in an incredibly tight housing market. While California has a statewide tenant protection law in place, it was not strong enough to protect these families. The displaced families were left to fend for themselves.
A group of local service providers stepped up to provide assistance. The response efforts led by North Marin Community Services joined forces with teams from Community Action Marin, Legal Aid of Marin, Parent Voices Marin and others to provide critical services to help the families navigate an impossible situation.
As agencies whose missions include providing stability amid hardship, we were able to cushion the blow temporarily. But let’s be clear: The displacement at Romar Court was preventable, and we consistently hear that it is not an isolated case in Marin.
This is a pattern we see repeatedly. When the local policies we choose to put in place fail to address the root causes of poverty and injustice to protect the most vulnerable among us, the burden falls on nonprofits, community organizations, friends and neighbors to fill the gap.
As we are seeing across the country and in our own community, there is incredible power in a community-driven approach. However, we cannot allow it to be a substitute for laws that provide a level of fairness and predictability that each member of our community deserves.
Novato is a wonderful city of families, hardworking neighbors, seniors and long-time residents who get up every morning and contribute to the life of this community. Many of them rent their homes. Right now, those renters are vulnerable to displacement due to no fault of their own.
Marin County has some of the highest rents in California and one of the steepest rates of housing-cost burden in the entire Bay Area. Nearly 2 in 3 Novato renters are already spending more than they can afford on housing. For families living that close to the edge, an unexpected eviction is not a simple setback. It is a catastrophe, one with consequences that ripple into schools, workplaces and throughout the fabric of our community.
That is not the Novato we believe in. What happened to the families displaced from Romar Court should never happen to another family in Novato. Together we can call for change to make it so.
On March 24, the Novato City Council will consider a “just cause” eviction ordinance. There is a lot being said about what this ordinance should be about and who it will impact, often pitting landlords against tenants. The truth is that we need landlords and tenants as part of the housing landscape in a healthy community.
If tenants are displaced due to no fault of their own, they should receive adequate relocation assistance to find a new home and have a right to return if repairs necessitate a temporary move out. All tenants deserve these protections, not just those who live in a certain type or size of housing property. Romar Court tenants deserve these protections. This ordinance will make the crisis that upended so many lives less likely. If something does happen, families have support and a path forward rather than a closed door.
So we ask you, our fellow Novato residents: What does every Novato family deserve? We believe the answer is fairness, dignity and housing stability. We know that together, we can extend basic tenant protections to our neighbors across the community.
To readers across Marin County: Housing stability is a community value that affects us all. Stable homes strengthen schools, support local businesses and help families thrive.
We urge Novato residents to attend the City Council meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in City Hall. Make your voices heard. We urge the council to pass a strong renter-protection ordinance so every family can live with the protection and security they deserve.
Chandra Alexandre is CEO of Community Action Marin. Cheryl Paddack is CEO of North Marin Community Services.