February 2023 Newsletter

Dear Generation,

On Tuesday, February 28, Governor Newsom’s Covid-19 State of Emergency will expire. The Covid-19 pandemic brought immense human tragedy and personal and community-wide economic devastation.  And consistent with all disasters, the pandemic discriminated. Our low wage workers and our Communities of Color, our most vulnerable individuals – unhoused, people with disabilities, seniors, and our youngest suffered the most acutely. It will take many years to recover.  

That is why it’s imperative that we keep the good things that the pandemic brought – especially when they serve the people who were most impacted by the pandemic. This includes expanded access to community governance through the ability to attend public meetings virtually — not just as a viewer, but as a participant through virtually delivered public comment.

Research during the pandemic showed that attendance at both virtual public meetings and private conferences was as much as 120% higher, and that virtual meetings drew a more diverse crowd in all respects; greater income diversity, greater race and ethnic diversity, more women, more people of color, and more queer people.  

Hybrid meetings that allow virtual participation provide better access to government for people with disabilities; students; night shift hospitality workers, first responders, and hospital staff; parents of young children, low wage earners who must work long hours or multiple jobs to make ends meet, and people who are uncomfortable with our governmental institutions. Virtual meetings also better accommodate live interpretation.

The governing bodies of each of our county’s ten jurisdictions have stated their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Committing to multiple mechanisms for the public to engage with their elected and appointed officials is a necessary step in walking that talk.

Generation Housing polled each of the county’s jurisdictions as to their plans to continue hybrid meetings that allow a virtual public comment option. The City of Rohnert Park is the only jurisdiction to have already ceased virtual attendance, but all others expressed that they plan to continue their hybrid meetings. None, however, have stated their intention to commit to virtual access.   

While, we are pleased that nine of ten are maintaining hybrid meeting formats, but ask for more — we ask that each of our jurisdictions commits to greater inclusivity in the public meetings through which they do the people’s business by adopting ordinances requiring hybrid meeting formats for all Brown Act governed meetings.  

Please join us in this call by signing our petition here and stay tuned as we report the responses to this call for greater access and transparency.

In partnership,

Jen Klose, Executive Director

Generation Housing invites you to:

2023 Sonoma County Housing Solutions Summit

Inspiration | Education | Action

This two-part Summit will bring together newly released data and research, policy experts, and leaders from the private and public sectors to reflect on what we have accomplished and how to move forward with bold and innovative solutions to our housing challenges.

Sonoma County Housing Element Digest

Since our final policy update of 2022, two City Council’s, Sebastopol and Rohnert Park, have by resolution formally adopted their respective Housing Elements. The adopted Housing Elements will be remitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for certification. Once secured, the Housing Element update process would officially end for those communities. As a refresher, all jurisdiction’s must have a substantially compliant and adopted Housing Element by January 31, 2023 or they will be subject to the “Builder’s Remedy” – a tool that allows developers to bypass the local zoning code and general plan of cities with a non-compliant Housing Element so long as 20 percent of the units in a proposed project are deed-restricted affordable. 

For your information: If you live in a jurisdiction that has already submitted their draft Housing Element to Housing and Community Development for the 90-day review, you can still submit public comment to the jurisdiction, just be certain to carbon copy (“cc”) housingelements@hcd.ca.gov. We would also love to see your comments too, so feel free to add calum@generationhousing.org to your cc line.

Check out our Housing Element tracker, posted on our website here!

• Cloverdale: The final day for HCD to share initial comments during the 90-day review period is March 9, 2023. We will know more after that letter is shared with the City.
• Click here to track Housing Element updates on their website
• You can submit public comment to the City of Cloverdale by emailing CloverdaleHousingElement@4leafinc.com or mail/deliver to Cloverdale City Hall (124 N. Cloverdale Blvd)
• Click here to get Cloverdale specific action alerts!
• Cotati: The City received a comment letter from HCD on February 16, 2023. Adoption hearings are anticipated for March/April.
• Click here to track Housing Element updates on their website
• You can still submit public comment by emailing Cotati@TheCivicEdge.com.  
• Click here to get Cotati specific action alerts!
• Healdsburg: The City received a comment letter from HCD on February 13, 2023. Adoption hearings are anticipated for March/April
• Click here to read the draft Housing Element
• You can still submit public comment by emailing HousingElement@Healdsburg.gov 
• Click here to get Healdsburg specific action alerts!
• Petaluma: The City has received formal comments from HCD regarding their draft Housing Element. On February 27, 2023, the City Council will review the comments from HCD in line with the comments from the Planning Commission meeting on February 14, 2023. No official decision will be made at the City Council meeting. We encourage the public to show up and share their comments and concerns before it’s too late!
• Click here to track Housing Element updates on their website
• You can still submit public comment by emailing planpetaluma@cityofpetaluma.org. 
• Click here to get Petaluma specific action alerts!
• Windsor: The Town received formal comments from HCD on January 31, 2023. They are currently working on amending their draft Housing Element. Adoption hearings are anticipated for March/April.
• Click here to track Housing Element updates on their website
• You can still submit public comment on the draft by emailing pstreeter@townofwindsor.com. 
• Click here to get Windsor specific action alerts!
• County of Sonoma: The draft Housing Element was officially submitted to HCD on December 30, 2022 for the 90-day review period.
• Click here to track Housing Element updates on their website
• Comment on the draft Housing Element can be submitted via email to PermitSonoma-Housing@sonoma-county.org or by regular mail to Permit Sonoma, Attn: Eric Gage, 2550 Ventura Ave., Santa Rosa, California 95403.
• Click here to get Unincorporated County of Sonoma specific action alerts!
• Sebastopol: Adopted on January 3, 2023. 
• Click here to view the adopted Housing Element on their website
• Sonoma: Adopted on January 31, 2023.
• Click here to view the adopted Housing Element on their website
• Rohnert Park: Adopted on January 25, 2023. 
• Click here to view the adopted Housing Element on their website
• Santa Rosa: Adopted on February 14, 2023. 
• Click here to view the adopted Housing Element on their website

State Legislative Download

Can you bill-lieve the 2023 Legislative Session is in full swing? We can’t!

On February 17, 2023, the window for introducing new bills closed. This means we are actively engaged once more with the process of reviewing legislation for endorsement consideration. We will also be monitoring bills as they begin moving through their respective policy committees. 

To date, we have endorsed the following bills:

• SB 4 (Weiner) “Faith Lands Act”: This bill removes local zoning restrictions to make it easier for faith-based institutions and nonprofit colleges to develop housing on excess land they own.
• AB 309 (Lee, Wendy Carrillo, Kalra) “The Social Housing Act”: This bill is returning to the Legislature. In 2022, AB 2053 made it to the Senate and died in committee. It should be noted, this was the farthest a bill proposal of this subject matter has made it in the Legislature. AB 309 will aim to do better and largely remains the same at this moment. The bill establishes the intent to create the California Housing Authority, an independent state agency with the ability to construct housing and lease it to a mix of household income ranges through both an ownership and rental model. The Authority would ensure rent and mortgage payments are affordable to residents at no more than 30% of their monthly income. We will post more information to our website soon. 
• SB 423 (Weiner): This bill permanently extends the provisions of SB 35, and expands them to cover mixed-income housing developments. SB 35, which is scheduled to sunset in 2026, was signed into law in 2017.

We plan to release our legislative endorsement tracker on our website by mid-March and will share an update via our social media channels.

The Prohousing Designation is growing, with the first Bay Area jurisdictions to be added to the list of cities awarded for accelerating the approval and construction of housing. The designation, which gives cities & counties prioritization for competitive state housing and infrastructure grants, has been awarded to 9 additional cities and counties since the new year. These include the Southern California cities of San Diego and Fontana as well as the Northern California Cities of Oakland and El Cerrito. Designations are awarded for innovative changes to policy including eliminating planning and design commission public hearings to all projects of 150+ dwelling units, creating objective infill housing design standards, and reducing development impact fees for new affordable dwelling units. 

Generation Housing is working with jurisdictions in Sonoma County to increase their score on the application through innovative policy reform. Unlike the Housing Element standards, which jurisdictions can meet by adding a specific distribution of houses regardless of changes to zoning or approval processes, earning the Designation requires revision of policies that directly influence input costs and land use allowances. The designations are awarded out of 64 points, but lower scores may become more costly as more jurisdictions win the award and compete for grants.

• Healdsburg, the first city in the County to submit an application, is under review by HCD at present. 
• Rohnert Park is aiming to join the list of designated cities through an application in the coming month, working in conjunction with 4Leaf, Inc. consultants. 
• Santa Rosa’s City Council authorized an application to pursue the designation in January. 

Driving the increase in applications is the addition of new eligible grants including the Prohousing Incentive Pilot (PIP), a new program from HCD to accelerate affordable housing production and preservation exclusively for jurisdictions with the Designation. Higher scores on the Prohousing Designation entitle applicants to bonus funding pools up to $500,000. 

As we learn more about HCD’s priorities, we are advocating for greater specificity and commitment with the policies proposed – working with our partners at 4Leaf to get proposed policies codified under the Housing Element while there is still time. Non-codified policies (or what HCD designates “proposed” policies as opposed to “enacted” policies) may be submitted but only if the applicant provides key milestones and dates associated with the enactment of those policies. This requires commitment and coordination between City Councils and Planning Departments. Likewise, enacted policies must be demonstrated by providing the passed ordinance as well as evidence of implementation or repeated success. 

Together, each of you, all of us, and all residents of Sonoma County. We Are Gen H, and we all need affordable places to live. 

The “We Are Gen H” prohousing campaign lifts up the experiences of workers, artists, and students in the community and organizes community members to take action and show support for more construction of more types of housing in Sonoma County. 

Do you belong to a service, social, political, faith club or organization that wants to make a difference in our community? 

Housing is an issue that affects everyone in our communities. We need plenty of it, in order to house all of our community members, specially the workers who help power our local economy, and aren't forced to leave the north bay in search of better opportunities elsewhere. We need housing that people can afford, to make sure that their families have a decent quality of life, and the cost of housing does not get paid at the expense of other basic needs.

However, we need public and political will to ensure we meet our housing production goals. That is why, as part of our #WeAreGenH Public Will Building Campaign, we are looking for opportunities to introduce the work of Generation Housing to your club or organization. Because together, building a prohousing voice, we will make a difference. 

Please send any contact information to ramon@generationhousing.org or (707) 934-7124. 

16977 Healdsburg Avenue, "North Village" | Healdsburg

Generation Housing is proud to announce our endorsement of the North Village project, a component of the Master Plan development proposed by southern California-based Comstock Homes. 

The North Village project will be developed by Burbank Housing on a 3-acre mixed use parcel. The units will be restricted to households earning up to 120% of the AMI for Sonoma County and will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from approximately 564 to 905 square feet.

This project is part of a larger project proposed by Comstock Homes on a 32-acre site at the North end of the City of Healdsburg. This mixed-use development on a former lumber mill site, will include 221 senior housing independent living units, 54 memory care and assisted living units, 80 affordable and workforce housing units, a retail promenade, green space, and a 108 room hotel with community amenities.

On February 2, 2023, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, or MTC, approved an Active Transportation Program grant of $11.8 million for the City of Healdsburg. This grant will partially fund construction along a nearly 2-mile stretch of Healdsburg Avenue between Powell Avenue to just south of Passalacqua Road. This will enable residents of this project to take advantage of protected bike lanes as a means of active transportation to and from downtown Healdsburg. 

Thanks to Petaluma People Services Center Senior Cafe for hosting our February House Party!

Housing conversations in action across Sonoma County.

Study: Santa Rosa sees increase in million-dollar homes, still sees lack of inventory | Press Democrat

The number of million-dollar homes is increasing in Santa Rosa, according to a new study

Gentrification By Fire | The Washington Post

The West’s new climate is exacerbating housing inequality in the quintessentially blue state of California

How will Santa Rosa add 4,700 homes? New blueprint outlines 8-year housing strategy | Press Democrat

A new housing blueprint the City Council will consider on Tuesday is meant to sustain the high level of recent building activity, against what may be strong economic headwinds.

Bay Area Housing Finance Authority to simplify search for affordable housing | The Bay Link

The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) is beginning a project to develop and implement the Doorway Housing Portal, an online portal that will enable residents to search for affordable housing anywhere in the nine-county Bay Area and complete an application in less than 10 minutes.

SRJC Names Student Housing the Polly O’Meara Doyle Hall | SRJC News

Sonoma County Junior College District Board of Trustees approved the naming of the Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) student housing project as the Polly O’Meara Doyle Hall.

See how many all-cash buyers snagged houses in your neighborhood | The Washington Post

Nearly a third of home purchases last year were all cash. See where.

YIMBYs are about to sue the daylights out of cities across the Bay Area. Here’s why | SF Chronicle

Housing advocates are about to deliver a message to the Bay Area: Comply with state housing law or face the consequences.

Healdsburg to receive $11.8 million grant for bike lane, pedestrian improvements | Press Democrat

The number of driving lanes on Healdsburg Avenue will be reduced from five to three and include landscaped buffers alongside protected bike lanes.

Sonoma County’s Roseland housing, commercial project faces multimillion-dollar funding gap | Press Democrat

The county Community Development Commission faces an $18.6 million funding gap to pay for infrastructure work on the 7.4-acre site on Sebastopol Road.

Santa Rosa studies annexation of Moorland, other unincorporated areas | Press Democrat

The city is weighing annexing areas south of city limits, including Moorland, or all unincorporated land within the urban growth boundary.

Sonoma County supervisors advance work on new county campus concept | Press Democrat

The board has not committed to a specific building plan or its cost, but rather authorized staff to move forward with design development and analysis including an environmental study and payment plan.

Rohnert Park must build 1,500-plus homes by 2031. That's not the city's biggest housing challenge | Press Democrat

City officials said they expect to surpass a state-mandated goal, but will need to do more to ensure a sufficient supply of homes for renters and lower-income households.

The typical American household is now rent-burdened, a report says | Seattle Times

Moody’s Analytics finds that households in the U.S. now pay 30 percent of the median income for the average rent.

Demystifying Housing Policy:

Five Housing Terms Everyone Should Know

Housing affects all of us, yet the terminology used to discuss housing can be fraught with insider lingo and it can be difficult to fully grasp. So we’ve compiled a brief list of some of the most common terms used in the housing policy world to help everyone better understand and engage in the housing conversation.

ACQUISITION-REHAB PROGRAM

A colloquial term for a program, usually run by a nonprofit group or local government, that purchases abandoned or substandard properties, repairs them and sells them to lower income homebuyers.

INFILL DEVELOPMENT

A strategy for accommodating growth and preventing sprawl through greater density and efficiency in land use development within existing urban boundaries.

MORTGAGE INSURANCE

Insurance provided by a private institution or public agency that insures a lender in whole or in part from losses due to a default on a loan. Lenders typically require mortgage insurance only for loans that are not considered conventional (see “conventional financing”). Borrowers pay the premiums. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA-part of HUD) provides many kinds of mortgage insurance, as does the Veterans Administration (VA) and many private insurers, who provide what is called “private mortgage insurance (PMI).”

SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS

A loosely defined term used to describe various programs that assist the homeless, people on welfare or public housing tenants in getting training, day care and employment. HUD funds or promotes several self-sufficiency programs for public housing tenants and tenants with HUD rent subsidies.

SUBORDINATED LOAN

In single-family mortgage lending, a second or third mortgage loan with a lien that is subordinate to a first or second mortgage loan. In the event of default and foreclosure, subordinated loans are repaid only after other debts with a higher claim have been satisfied. (See “mortgage loan” and “lien.”)