Boulder City mine shaft dweller ordered to vacate underground den

A man who has been living in an abandoned mine shaft for seven years in an undeveloped area of Boulder City has been given 30 days to vacate his tricked-out subterranean lair.

The city learned late last year that Richard Roman, 68, was living at the site near U.S. Highway 93 and Railroad Pass Casino Road. He recently shared his story with the Review-Journal.

Boulder City Police Sgt. Craig Tomao and officer Guy Leidkie went to the mine shaft on Dec. 19 and gave official notice to Roman that he needed to leave within 30 days, according to an email sent to the mayor and City Council members by City Manager Al Noyola.

The move came after city officials determined Roman was violating four city codes and two state laws and raising numerous health and safety concerns by living there.

Members of Help for Southern Nevada were also part of that visit and spent 90 minutes with Roman.

“HELP conferred with Mr. Roman and took him to several apartments where he qualifies for housing assistance,” Noyola wrote in the email. “Mr. Roman understood the health and safety concerns, and confirmed that he will be leaving the site within 30 days. I appreciate the expediency and empathy shown by the officers and HELP of Southern Nevada to help address this issue.”

‘Ready to move forward’

Contacted by text on Thursday, Roman said he was “ready to move forward and make this a good year.” He indicated he was looking to find housing in Las Vegas.

Once Roman vacates the site, which he is supposed to do by Jan. 18, the city will work with a state contractor to permanently close the mine shaft.

When last interviewed, Roman said he was making preparations in case he would need to leave. He said his plan was an 8-foot-wide tepee he created out of plywood at an undisclosed location.

When officials found out about Roman’s presence, a local police officer and a Nevada Department of Minerals official investigated the living situation, said Boulder City Communications Manager Lisa LaPlante. Roman refused help.

LaPlante said that despite the need to enforce the law and keep the mine shaft from being used again, the city’s goal is “to be as understanding, supportive and caring as possible” in helping him safely relocate.

The mine shaft extends horizontally about 20 feet into a rocky ridge, where it reaches an approximately 160-square-foot cavern living area. Roman installed two swinging doors at the entrance and has a customized mattress that fits into an elevated corner and an old fan salvaged from a scrapped vehicle that maintains the temperature at 85 degrees in the summer.

Additionally, he has a $2,000 solar panel that powers several LED lights and batteries. The floor of the cavern is covered with a carpet that had been thrown out by a casino.

Code, law violations

Roman’s Boulder City code violations include installing permanent camping facilities in a public park and disposing of trash in places other than trash receptacles and human waste in places other than toilets, LaPlante said. The state laws Roman was found to be violating involve trespassing.

In late 2019, Noyola put together a task force to help those experiencing homelessness, led by Parks and Recreation manager Julie Calloway.

According to a task force update, 10 homeless camps at three locations were cleaned up between Nov. 25 and Dec. 18. There was no information on what became of the people living at those sites.

Celia Shortt Goodyear is a reporter at the Boulder City Review. Contact her at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear. Review-Journal staff writer Briana Erickson contributed to this report.