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Election Day is fast approaching! Today’s edition of SoCo Correspondent provides practical information on how to make sure your voice is heard in the Nov. 5 general election. If you are a renter – and a third of us are in Sonoma County – keep reading to learn how you can attend a webinar next week to learn about new County protections against eviction. You will also find stories that provide new insights about homelessness in Sonoma County, new resources to combat a major national health risk, and a fun way to support our local fishing fleet.

 

If you have a friend or family member who lives in the area – or you know of a former Sonoma County resident who might be interested in receiving these updates – urge them to sign up for the SoCo Correspondent so they can receive it directly, normally on the first and third week of each month.

 

¿Está interesado en leer sobre lo que hace el Condado de Sonoma dos veces al mes? Este boletín estará disponible en español. Regístrese aquí para suscribirse a nuestro boletín, el SoCo Correspondent.

Register to vote and cast your ballot in the Nov. 5 General Election

The Nov. 5 General Election is less than four weeks away and ballots are already in the mail. If you want to participate, make sure you are registered to vote by Oct. 21 to receive a mail-in ballot. If you miss the deadline, you can still register to vote – all the way up to and including Election Day – but you will need to complete a conditional registration form and cast a provisional ballot that won’t be counted until your information is verified. Visit voterstatus.sos.ca.gov to see if you are currently registered to vote in California.

 

Vote-by-Mail ballots for the Nov. 5 election have been sent to 306,796 active, registered voters in Sonoma County and began arriving in mailboxes this week. There are three ways to return your ballot:

 

  • Fill it out and return it in the mail. To count, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day and must be received by the Registrar of Voters Office by Nov. 12. Ballots returned to USPS collection boxes must be deposited before the last collection time listed on the box.
  • Drop it in one of 22 Official Ballot Drop Boxes throughout Sonoma County. All drop boxes will be open 24/7 daily until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Find a Ballot Drop Box here.
  • Drop it off at any open Vote Center later this month. Seven Vote Centers will be open daily starting Oct. 26; an additional 24 Vote Centers will be open daily starting Nov. 2. All 31 Vote Centers will be open Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find a Vote Center here.

 

The drive-thru drop-off box in front of the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office is permanently closed. The nearest 24/7 drive-thru drop box is located just two blocks away in front of the County Administration Building at 575 Administration Drive. There is also now a 24/7 walk-up drop box in front of the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office.

 

Voters who do not want to vote by mail can cast their ballots in person at a Vote Center instead, starting Oct. 26.

 

Voters can track their ballot – when it is mailed, received and counted – by signing up for BallotTrax at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.

 

Want to know more about how votes are counted in Sonoma County? Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County's Clerk-Recorder-Assessor and Registrar of Voters, recently appeared on the County’s weekly podcast, SoCo Chat, to explain what goes on inside the polling centers and, most importantly, why voters can trust the security of our voting process. Listen to the podcast here.

Get more information about the Nov. 5 election

Know your rights: Oct. 17 webinar will explain new protections for Sonoma County renters

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has enacted new protections for tenants who rent housing in unincorporated areas of Sonoma County. To learn more about these new rights, join us for an informational webinar in English and Spanish at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Participants will include Legal Aid, a representative from the Sonoma County Counsel’s Office and District 3 Supervisor Chris Coursey.

 

“We want to make sure that tenants understand their rights and responsibilities under this new ordinance,” said Supervisor Coursey, who will oversee the Oct. 17 webinar. “Please join us on Zoom on Oct. 17, and bring your questions. We will have a panel of experts on hand to explain the ordinance and answer your questions.”

 

The ordinance, approved Sept. 17 by the Board of Supervisors, provides new rights to renters who live outside the county’s nine cities. It augments the California Tenant Protection Act, a 2019 state law that limits rent increases and requires landlords to have a “just cause” to evict a tenant who has lived in a property longer than one year. Just-cause evictions are allowed for such things as nonpayment of rent, lease violations or criminal activity.

 

Under the new Sonoma County ordinance, tenants in unincorporated areas are protected by just-cause requirements as soon as they begin renting. Landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants for nonpayment unless more than one month of rent is overdue; tenants can use this protection up to two times per year. Evictions, in most cases, are prohibited during a declared emergency, like a wildfire or flood. When a landlord asks a tenant to vacate a property, they must provide the tenant with information about their rights in English and Spanish.

Register to attend the Oct. 17 Tenant Protection webinar

County to receive $43 million to address opioid crisis

As with many counties, Sonoma County has been hit hard by the opioid crisis. From 2016 to 2021, Sonoma County saw a 384 percent increase in deaths involving opioids. Sadly, we now have one of the highest drug overdose death rates in the state, ranking #10 per capita among the 58 counties in California.

 

Fortunately, the County now has a funding stream to pay for solutions to the crisis. Sonoma County is party to a multibillion-dollar settlement from a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors, which is expected to result in new programs to address this drug epidemic.

 

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 24 signaled its intent to use an expected $43 million in settlement funds on programs that treat addiction and educate the public about the dangers of the drug. After receiving feedback from supervisors, the Department of Health Services is expected to return early next year with specific recommendations for funding.

 

“The opioid crisis is complex, and these drugs have done much harm to our community,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “The settlement funds will allow for a much-needed opportunity for expansion of extensive education, outreach, care and community services.”

 

Sonoma County so far has received $12 million from a $26 billion national settlement with opioid defendants and is expected to collect an additional $31 million over the next 14 years. Settlement funds must be used on activities tied to ending, reducing or lessening the effects of the opioid crisis.

 

Some of the activities that the settlement money is expected to fund include:

 

  • Substance use treatment and recovery services
  • Opioid prevention and community crisis grant program
  • Support the Sheriff’s Office opioid prevention, education, research and abatement team
  • Outreach and marketing for prevention education 
Learn more about the opioid settlement funds

Annual survey paints portrait of homelessness in Sonoma County

It’s a common question: Where do homeless people come from?

 

The answer may surprise you. Four in five people experiencing homelessness in Sonoma County were living here before they lost their housing, according to the County’s 2024 Point-in-Time count, an annual census presented to the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 24. A quarter said they became homeless after losing a job. Nearly half cited the lack of a job or insufficient income as an obstacle to secure permanent housing, while 57 percent cited unaffordable rent.

 

Almost 40 percent became homeless for the first time before age 25, while 14 percent were 50 or older when they first experienced homelessness.

 

Preliminary data from the 2024 PIT count were released in June. The survey, conducted every January on a single day, found 2,522 people experiencing homelessness, an increase of 11 percent from the 2023 PIT count. Most counties in California also experienced increases in homelessness this year following the closure of COVID-era shelters and other supportive housing programs. Despite the increase, homelessness is down 13 percent in Sonoma County since 2022.

Review data from the 2024 Point-in-Time homeless count

Sheriff’s Office places deputies in Regional Parks

Visitors to Sonoma County’s world-class regional parks have started to see sheriff’s deputies patrolling the 59 parks that are part of the Sonoma County Regional Park system. But there is no reason for concern. In fact, the deputies are helping to make these local parks a safer place for outdoor enthusiasts.

 

This month, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is rolling out a new Parks Unit in collaboration with the Regional Parks Department. The unit was created after the Board of Supervisors voted in July to make park rangers “public officers” instead of “peace officers.”

 

The modification is designed to help Regional Parks recruit and retain park rangers while creating a more welcoming environment in County parks. For one thing, a public officer does not need to complete the lengthy background investigation required for peace officers, which has been a major barrier in filling ranger vacancies.

 

To keep our parks safe, the new Sheriff’s Office Parks Unit was created to take over law enforcement duties in the County’s parks. This change does not eliminate park rangers. In fact, rangers will maintain their authority to issue parking and administrative citations for less-serious violations of park rules and regulations. Rangers will also continue to do their primary jobs such as engaging with visitors, operating campgrounds, providing emergency medical care and delivering interpretive programs.

 

Learn more about the switch by listening to a new episode of SoChat with Sheriff Eddie Engram, who discusses the reasons behind the change.

FAQ: Rangers and deputies in our Regional Parks

Help update the County’s plan for the future

Sonoma County is kicking off the first phase of updating its General Plan, which shapes decisions on housing, transportation, jobs, parks, natural resources and more.

 

You can have a voice in those decisions. Visit the County’s new General Plan website, join our mailing list and mark your calendar for Oct. 15, when the Board of Supervisors will receive a briefing on the General Plan update.

 

Can't make it? There will be more ways to get involved this winter and spring, from online activities to pop-up events.


“Speak up Sonoma County! Haz que se escuche tu vos! We want to hear from everyone in their own voice,” said Tennis Wick, director of Permit Sonoma. “Our team will pop up in shopping centers, community centers, churches, schools, farmers’ markets, and occasionally government settings to hear a range of perspectives on what should be the future of our county.”


The General Plan is a central policy document that provides the framework for all zoning and land use decisions in unincorporated areas of the county. The County's current General Plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2008. Since then, the county has experienced significant changes related to public health, climate, equity, land costs, housing prices and other aspects of life. The updated General Plan will help the community create and achieve a shared vision for future preservation, growth and change that is environmentally, economically and equitably feasible and sustainable.

Learn more about the General Plan update

On the Move

Melissa Valle was named director for the Sonoma County Office of Equity in September after serving five months as interim director. She will oversee the implementation of several key initiatives directed by the Board of Supervisors, including the Language Access Plan, the Boards and Commissions Plan, and the Racial Equity Action Plan.

 

Valle joined the Sonoma County Administrator’s Office in 2018 as a communications and engagement coordinator and became manager of the equity program, where she led the development of the County’s first Racial Equity Learning Program. Before joining the County, Valle worked as a journalist for Telemundo and Univision

 

“Melissa’s lived experiences and professional expertise are an asset to the County and the Office of Equity,” said County Executive Maria Christina Rivera. “Her understanding of the systemic inequities impacting local communities, and our role as a local government agency in mitigating them, is critical to strategically carrying out the County’s ongoing commitment to racial equity."


SoCo Chat, the County's weekly podcast, recently sat down with Valle to explore the meaning of equity and why it is important. Listen to the interview in English or Spanish.

Connect with the Office of Equity

Don’t miss Black Cod Week Oct. 18-27

Sonoma County is known for its delicious Dungeness crab and delectable Chinook salmon. But have you tried black cod?

 

If not, you’re missing out. Black cod is not only packed with flavor, but it comes with many health benefits as well. Try this tasty local fish at your favorite restaurant Oct. 17-27 during Sonoma County’s first-ever Black Cod Week.

 

The 10-day event was created by the County’s Economic Development Collaborative, Sonoma County Tourism and the office of District 5 Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, who represents the Sonoma Coast. It is designed to support our local fishing community, which is facing tough times following the cancellation of the salmon season for the second year in a row and the shortening of the commercial crabbing season.


"Black Cod Week is an opportunity to help our fishermen after several years of shortened crab and salmon seasons," Supervisor Hopkins said. "Black cod is abundant on the North Coast and live in deeper waters, making them less susceptible to the impacts of climate change."

 

More than 40 restaurants across Sonoma County will offer a black cod dish on the menu during the week. Think beer-battered black cod tacos, seared miso black cod filets, and black cod eggs benedict – the possibilities are endless. A half-dozen local markets will also offer fresh black cod for at-home chefs to try their own creations.

 

Make your tummy happy and support Sonoma County’s fishing industry by trying black cod at a local restaurant or market.

View a list of restaurants and markets participating in Black Cod Week

County convenes community conversation about supporting growing number of older residents

Local government, nonprofit and health care leaders gathered in Santa Rosa on Oct. 1 to address one of the biggest issues facing our community: how to support our rapidly growing population of older adults.

 

The event is the first in a series of symposiums to gather community input on the best way to implement Sonoma County’s new Master Plan for Aging, a comprehensive 10-year plan to improve the health and well-being of older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers.

 

The plan provides a blueprint for the public and private sectors to work together as Sonoma County’s rapidly aging population increases demand for affordable and accessible housing, health care, transportation, caregiving and other services. Learn more about it here.

 

“In six short years, more than a third of our county’s population will be over the age of 60,” said Supervisor Susan Gorin, who opened the symposium. “We must do more to help this growing part of our community live as independently as possible and support those who care for them. Our new Master Plan for Aging provides a roadmap to get there.”

 

Visit the Master Plan for Aging website to learn about future events and find out how you can get involved.

View a photo gallery of the Master Plan for Aging event

Learn about benefits of induction cooking at Oct. 19 expo

Graphic with four plates of food asking for people to join us for an induction cooling expo

Want to know why more and more chefs are replacing their gas stoves with induction cooktops? Learn about the benefits of this energy-efficient alternative on Oct. 19 at the Induction Cooking Expo in Santa Rosa.

 

The free event features a demonstration of induction cooking by professional chef Lisa Ham, hands-on opportunities to try induction cooking, and valuable information on rebates and incentives for energy efficient upgrades to your home.

 

The expo will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Premier Bath & Kitchen, 3201 Cleveland Ave. Register at SocoInductioncookingexpo.eventbrite.com to qualify for an additional entry into a drawing for a full set of induction cookware and other great prizes.

 

Induction cooking is gaining popularity as an energy-efficient alternative to traditional cooking methods. By utilizing magnetic fields to directly heat cookware, induction cooktops offer faster cooking times, precise temperature control, improved indoor air quality, and increased safety.

 

The event is hosted by the County’s Climate Action and Resiliency Division in partnership with the Bay Area Regional Energy Network.

Register for the Induction Cooking Expo

Add the SoCo Chat weekly podcast to your playlist

Paul Gullixson speaks with Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County's Registrar of Voters, on a recent episode of SoCo Chat.

 

Have you subscribed to SoCo Chat? Our weekly podcast is the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on in-depth – and sometimes humorous – conversations about our county, including last week’s deep dive into the security of local elections with Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County's Registrar of Voters and Clerk-Recorder-Assessor.

 

Subscribe to SoCo Chat podcasts on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube. Check out our growing library of episodes in both English and Spanish. Recent guests and topics of discussion have included:

 

SoCo Chat podcast logo with since 2024 and a retro microphone in the middle
Join the conversation at SoCo Chat

Out and About: Petaluma Community Emergency Preparedness Fair

Who knew preparing for an emergency could be so much fun? Several hundred people from across Sonoma County attended the 12th annual Petaluma Community Emergency Preparedness Fair on Sept. 22. Representatives from the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, the Sheriff’s Office and the County’s Central Communications Team enjoyed meeting people in Petaluma’s Walnut Park and chatting about how to keep yourself safe and informed during an emergency.

 

The fair was organized by Boy Scout Troop 9 and Cub Pack 9. Attendees learned what to do in the event of an earthquake, how to identify their evacuation zone, first aid and survival techniques, how to care for animals during an emergency, and the disaster recovery process.

 

Congratulations to Christina Bojsen-Moller of Petaluma, who won a SoCo Chat swag bag by signing up to receive SoCo Correspondent in her email inbox twice a month.

View a video of the Petaluma Community Emergency Preparedness Fair

Find room to grow with a County job

The County currently has more than 50 job openings posted on its website. How can you improve your chances of landing one?

 

Sign up for the next Start Here! class, which provides an overview of the County of Sonoma’s job application, examination and selection processes. The two-hour virtual class will be held at noon on Oct. 24.

 

The free class is intended for the public, whether you are looking for a new position now or planning for a future employment opportunity. Participants will learn how to submit a thorough application, best practices for the interview and examination, and much more.

 

Contact us at careers@sonoma-county.org to register for the Oct. 24 class or sign up for our mailing list to be notified of future classes.

Explore current job openings

Adopt the pet of the week

My name is Polo. I’m a 19-month-old male German shepherd who was brought to the shelter in March. I weigh 46 pounds, and I am filled with curiosity. I pull moderately on my leash, but I walk well and I’m fine being handled. I’m seeking a loving family to take me on adventures. Will you bring me home?

 

Polo is one of dozens of cats, dogs, rabbits and other animals at Sonoma County Animal Services in need of adoption.

View animals available for adoption

Support your community by getting involved

Get involved with local government


Make a difference in Sonoma County! Local government thrives when passionate individuals like you step up to serve. There are countless opportunities for you to get involved and play a crucial role in shaping the future of our beloved Sonoma County. Check out the current vacancies:




Your involvement can make a significant impact. Take the first step and explore how you can contribute to a brighter future for Sonoma County.

Find out more and apply online

Volunteer and employment opportunities

Volunteer opportunities


Make a difference in your community. Find out how you can give back here.

Employment opportunities


Take your next career step with the County of Sonoma. Explore employment opportunities here.

In the news

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Upcoming events

A megaphone against the backdrop of a blackboard with chalk writing that says, "Save the Date!"

Upcoming events

Oct. 15           Board of Supervisors

Oct. 15           Mental Health Board

Oct. 15           North Sonoma Valley Municipal Advisory Committee

Oct. 16           Aging & Disability Commission

Oct. 16           Fire Memorial Task Force

Oct. 17           Planning Commission

Oct. 17           Continuum of Care quarterly membership meeting

Oct. 22           Board of Supervisors

Oct. 17           Fish and Wildlife Commission

Oct. 22           Board of Supervisors

Oct. 22           Human Rights Commission

Oct. 23           Economic Development Collaborative Advisory Board

Oct. 23           Homeless Coalition Board

Oct. 23           Measure O Citizen’s Oversight Committee

Oct. 23           Community Development Committee

Oct. 23           Sonoma Valley Community Advisory Commission

Oct. 24           Ag + Open Space Advisory Committee

Getting outside and enjoying the county

Oct. 12          Saturday Walk in the Park – Gualala Point Regional Park

Oct. 18          Hikes With Hounds – Ragle Ranch Regional Park

Sept. 24        Doran Clean-Up for Zero Waste Week – Doran Regional Park

Follow us online or contact us via email

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View and sign up for the county's SoCo Chat podcast

Interested in what's going on at the County of Sonoma?

Sign up for the SoCo Correspondent here.


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A publication of the County Administrator’s Office – Communications Staff