New Novato homeless shelter vandalized

NOVATO, Calif. (KTVU) - A heartless theft has hit a North Bay agency that serves the homeless, and helps them transition into stable housing.

Oma Village, a $6 million project of Homeward Bound, was burglarized while still under construction.

The 14 unit apartment complex, on Hamilton Parkway in Novato, was targeted last Sunday or early Monday.

"The refrigerator, the stove, the microwave, even the brand new garbage disposal," described Executive Director Mary Kay Sweeney, showing KTVU the gaping holes in the complex's community room where the appliances were removed.

"They had to have had a truck to haul off all the stuff they took," added Sweeney.

In addition to the kitchen equipment, two new toilets and more than thirty light fixtures, still boxed, were also taken.

The loss totals more than $12,000.

"Everybody was like, 'are you kidding? Why would anybody do something like that?'", Sweeney exclaimed.

"They don't care. They're out for themselves, they're out to make money, quick, off someone else. It happens."

Novato Police say it's happening all over. 

"Agencies in the South Bay, the East Bay and the North Bay have reported thefts from construction sites," Sgt. Alan Bates told KTVU.

"It's high value items like tools and equipment. We can't say it's a ring, but with the number of thefts since the first of the year, it would be hard to say these are isolated."

Fortunately, the apartment units themselves were undamaged.

There are fourteen units, most two-bedroom, and they are for families working their way out of homelessness.

Grand opening for the complex is scheduled for Oct 19, which the organization intends to stick to. 

"A lot of homeless people have bumps in their road and this is a bump in our road, we'll get over it and we'll come back," declared Sweeney.

Mom and daughter Delaina and Brandi Nowlin are examples of that resilience.

Moving from Texas to the Bay Area two years ago, their housing arrangement fell through, and they ended up homeless, bouncing between shelters and even living in their car.

"I remember it was very cold and I had to wear a couple of socks to bed," ten year old Brandi told KTVU, "and I was laying in the back of the car, with the seats folded down, so there was a lot of room, but it was cold."

More than a year ago, Nowlin secured one of the studio apartments offered by Homeward Bound, for herself and her daughter.

Delaina, 36, graduated from the program's culinary academy, and has a job selling Wagster Treats, dog treats made by shelter residents.

Sales fund even more job training to lift people out of homelessness.

Wednesday, Delaina had a booth set up at the Farmer's Market in Corte Madera, where she explained to customers why Wagster Treats are billed as "life changing."

"They've helped me tremendously, just having this job," she told one man who bought a bag. "I was homeless with my daughter, so it's been an amazing hourney for me."

The Nowlins are grateful for the path they're on, and hope it leads next to Oma Village, where Brandi would be able to have her own bedroom.     

"If it happens, it would be pretty amazing for us. Because it will be a forever home. And we've never had that," said Delaina. 

Donations have come in, since the burglary was made public.

The apartment project was still about $180,000 short in fund-raising, so the loss will be tacked on to that.