The Oma Village family housing site has a green light from the Novato City Council after a unanimous vote last night. The council approved the proposal, which would create 14 small rental homes at 5394 Nave Drive.
The council’s 4-0 vote, with Councilmember Jeanne MacLeamy absent, approved the plan for Homeward Bound of Marin and Blu Homes to build one- and two-bedroom homes for families exiting homelessness.
Set to open in 2014, Oma Village will replace dilapidated buildings formerly used for a 30-bed residential treatment program for men in drug or alcohol recovery. The new program will include a community center, homework club and shared gardens.
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More than $3.5 million of the estimated $5.5 million budget has been raised to date. Donors can support Oma Village via an innovative nonprofit IPO launched with help from legendary investor Warren Buffett or by sending a check to Homeward Bound/Oma Village, 1385 N. Hamilton Parkway, Novato, CA 94949.
A new matching grant announced in June by the Peter E. Haas Family Fund allows donors to double the impact of their contributions up to $100,000.
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City Council members heard from numerous speakers in favor of Oma Village, including Marla Fields of Stand Up for Neighborly Novato, who described her attitude as “YIMBY – Yes in my backyard!” Find out more by viewing the full video of the meeting online.
Joe Hegedus of the Marin Partnership to End Homelessness, a consortium of local agencies and community groups, said Oma Village meets a dire need for low-wage workers to find a permanent place to live. In addition, Judith Bloomberg of the Marin Organizing Committee urged support for Oma Village as a model way to help solve housing insecurity in Marin.
To learn more about supporting Oma Village, see the nonprofit IPO video. We also invite you to see our Oma Village video to learn more details and hear one family’s story about homelessness.
Investors can follow Warren Buffett’s lead by purchasing shares online at Razoo.com or by calling (415) 382-3363. To help spread the word, please forward and share our video.
