Novato vigil, march held for homeless residents

Around 40 people gathered in Novato on Saturday to honor homeless residents who died this year.

The event — part of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day — included activists from the Novato Compassion Coalition and the Marin County Homeless Union. The group marched to City Hall to hold a candlelight vigil.

“It’s sad how many people who have lost their lives simply because they don’t have somewhere safe to sleep, and it’s even more sad that there’s so many people out there,” said Sara McEvoy, who used to be homeless.

A similar event was held on Dec. 16 in the sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael on Fifth Avenue.

Marin had 1,090 homeless people in 2024, the county has estimated. Forty-seven unhoused people died in the county this year, according to official reports.

Jason Sarris, the chair of the Novato Housing and Homelessness Committee, said it is important to take the time to memorialize those who have died.

“It’s substantial and it’s really tough to see,” Sarris said.

The march was staged to protest a new ordinance in Novato that bans camping and the use of camping paraphernalia on public property at night. City leaders could not be reached for comment.

The ordinance prompted a lawsuit by an advocate for homeless people, who sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the city from enforcing the rule. A Marin County judge has denied the restraining order, but the lawsuit continues.

Homeless residents have a life expectancy average of 50 years, compared to the national average of about 77, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Sarris said that even in warmer months, limited access to medical care or basic tools can also cause deaths — such as not having a refrigerator to store medication like insulin.

The group read off the names of those who have died and shared stories with each other. Sarris, who was homeless for 12 years, said he knew three of the people who died this year.

“It takes a toll,” he said. “Not only on your body, but on your mind and your soul.”

McEvoy said: “When you hear or read about something, the impact is not as meaningful as when you can see something yourself. When you see those 47 candles for people who have died living on the street, it has more of an impact. When you hear those 47 names, it hits home harder.”