Rotary Club of Novato
Novato is forever indebted to the vision and unique leadership of Novato Rotarian Reuben Kaehler in creating Nova-Ro as a community service project in the early 1970’s along with a dedicated group of Novato Rotarians committed to providing affordable housing for needy Novato senior citizens.
BACKGROUND
Nova-Ro is a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation created solely for this affordable senior housing purpose. The corporation is governed by an all-volunteer nine-member Board of Directors, composed of Novato Rotary Club members, serving 3 year staggered terms. The Board’s primary focus is on broad policy matters to ensure the long-term provision of affordable senior housing meeting the needs of the Novato community. Nova-Ro offers qualifying senior citizens independent living apartments at affordable rents targeted up to 70% of market rents for comparable units in Novato. It contracts for professional property management services for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of its apartment complexes including applicant in-take, documentation and processing, while the Board’s Rental Committee actively participates in applicant interviews and final resident selection. Annually, the Board hosts its Christmas Holiday party and summer Bar-B-Q for Nova-Ro residents which nurtures a sense of community within each complex. The combined complexes offer 126 attractive and conveniently located apartment units for affordable, independent living within walking distance of Downtown Novato.
NOVA-RO I (1973-1975)
Opened in 1975, the 30-unit Nova-Ro I apartment complex valued at $500,000 was conceived, designed and built by Novato Rotary Club members as a community service project. Using $6000 in seed money from the Novato Rotary Club and donated Rotarian labor and materials valued at $200,000, it was built with a $300,000 conventional bank loan that included the purchase of the land. The mortgage has since been paid in full. Amenities include interior courtyard, a single story commons building with a meeting room, kitchen, manager’s office, and a laundry room, and 13 on site parking spaces. The apartments are arranged in a two story building with elevator and composed of 24 studios ranging from 418-496 square feet and 6 one bedroom units of 674 square feet
NOVA-RO II (1981-1985)
Opened in 1985, the 56-unit Nova-Ro II apartment complex following upon the success of Nova-Ro I was also designed and built as a community service project by Novato Rotary Club members. Of the $2.5 million project value, $600,000 was the value of donated land (2.7 acre parcel), materials and labor and $500,000 was a grant from the Marin Community Foundation. The $1.4 million mortgage was retired in spring of 2005. Amenities include a central landscaped courtyard, a single story commons building with meeting room, kitchen, manager’s office, storage and a laundry room and 30 on site parking spaces. Of the 56 apartments, 53 are 630 square feet one bedroom units and three are 688 square feet units, fully handicapped accessible, and are arranged in three, two story buildings. ).
RECOGNITIONS
In 1976 Novato Rotary was presented a National Volunteer Activist Award (1 of 6 nationwide) by President Gerald Ford in a White House ceremony recognizing the Nova-Ro I project as a national model of humanitarian community service. In 1986 the Nova-Ro II project was presented a Private Sector Initiative, “We Care” (C flag) Program Award for outstanding volunteer achievement (1 of 1000 nationwide) by President Ronald Reagan in a White House ceremony.
NOVA-RO III (1998- 2003)
The goal of creating Nova-Ro III, a 40-unit apartment complex comparable to NR I and NR II became a reality in 2003. Construction of NR III started in September 2002 on a 1.2 acre parcel within the larger Atherton Ranch mixed use project along Redwood Boulevard near Downtown and immediately adjacent to NR I. The land was donated to Nova-Ro by the developer of the Atherton Ranch project to fulfill the developer’s obligation to comply with the City’s affordable housing ordinance requirement for the Atherton Ranch mixed-use project. That affordable housing obligation is formalized in an affordable housing agreement between the City of Novato and Nova-Ro Corporation that was executed and recorded prior to building permit issuance. NR III’s cost of $4.2 million is being financed from a combination of funding sources including $250,000 in CBDG and HOME public grants, private foundation grant of $513,000 from Marin Community Foundation, equity from Nova-Ro reserves of approximately $250,000 and $3.5 million tax exempt bond proceeds at below market rate interest over 30 years. Amenities include a two story commons building with elevator, meeting rooms, kitchen, outside patio areas, laundry facilities and 22 on site parking spaces. The 40 apartments are 550 square feet one bedroom units arranged in 2 two story buildings. Grand opening and occupancy occurred in October 2003.
With the completion and occupancy of NR III, Nova-Ro owns and manages a total of 126 apartments for needy Novato senior citizens who are 62 years of age or older, who must be able to care for themselves, who must meet both an income test and an asset test, and who have a sponsor designated to assume responsibility for them should they no longer be able to live independently. Rents are targeted at up to 70% of market rents for comparable units and prospective tenant’s income cannot exceed four times the established rent. For existing tenants, rents are adjusted annually by the percentage change in social security income. For NR III, since tax exempt bonds are being utilized to finance the project, 20% of the units must be set-aside for tenants whose incomes do not exceed 50% of the HUD published median household income for Marin County, and the corresponding rents must not exceed 30% of the 50% median household income figure. In reality, Nova-Ro easily complies with these requirements. In fact, under the current income/rent structure, current tenants’ incomes and rents are already below these thresholds. For a single member household 50% of area median income is $39,6000 or $2,900 per month and the corresponding rent of 30% of the 50% of area median income is $990 per month. Nova-Ro’s current (2005) highest rent is $725 per month for NR III units. In planning for its future, the Nova-Ro Board has completed a strategic planning process by which it assessed its current policies and practices, investigated trends and needs with respect to future affordable senior housing and evaluated/prioritized options for inclusion in its long term Strategic Plan. This Plan is intended to guide Nova-Ro’s future endeavors by honoring the vision of its founders in its continuing mission of providing affordable senior housing in the Novato community. NOVEMBER 2005
Contact: Sonia Seeman, Nova-Ro Board Member (415) 892-9066 or Sonia0615@webperception.com
