Novato’s City Council has shut down an appeal by the owner of the Romar Court Apartments, keeping the 14-unit building at 6 Romar Court red-tagged and vacant while ordered repairs move ahead. City inspectors reported widespread problems, including mold, dry rot and unfinished structural work, which they said created an immediate threat to residents’ health and safety. With a unanimous vote, the council left displaced families in temporary housing and put the burden squarely on the owner to fix the property or face city enforcement.
At its meeting on Tuesday, the council voted unanimously to uphold an appeals-board order requiring the owner to vacate and repair the building, according to the Marin Independent Journal. The owner, listed as Romar Court Apartments LLC, had appealed after the appeals board affirmed the city’s orders earlier this year.
The building was first red-tagged by Novato’s Code Enforcement Division in April after an inspection found unsafe conditions, and tenants were told to vacate within days, the City of Novato said in an April notice. Local television coverage highlighted black mold, expired permits and unfinished carport work that compromised the structure’s safety and set the stage for the city’s emergency action, as reported by KGO/ABC7.
Nonprofit partners stepped in to help displaced households with temporary hotel stays, case management and relocation services while the city works on longer-term options. North Marin Community Services took the lead on immediate shelter and casework, and local groups have been fundraising to cover transitional costs, per Community Action Marin.
Council Rationale
City staff and residents told the council that the owner had multiple chances to correct the problems but did not complete the required work, a pattern the panel ultimately found convincing. “There have always been opportunities for the owner to correct these conditions and they’ve failed,” Novato’s deputy community development director said at the hearing, according to the Marin Independent Journal.
What Comes Next
The appeals-board order gives the owner a set period of time to finish repairs. If the work is not completed, the city may demolish or repair parts of the structure itself and then recover costs from the owner, the City of Novato said. Until a city official certifies the building as safe to occupy, it will remain empty, and city staff say they will continue coordinating housing support for the displaced tenants.
Broader Context
The Romar Court case has reignited calls from local nonprofits for stronger renter protections and clearer relocation rules when government action forces people out of their homes. A coalition that includes Legal Aid of Marin, Community Action Marin and other groups has urged the city to look at measures such as a right-to-return policy or expanded just-cause protections to reduce permanent displacement after enforcement actions, according to Community Action Marin.
