District 3 Monthly Newsletter December 2022

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As 2022 comes to a close, we take time to reflect on the past 12 months and set our intentions for the upcoming year. This revolution around the sun has been one filled with recovery, adjustments and growth for our community, and I am grateful to have spent it serving alongside staff and engaged constituents. Together, we have worked through some tough issues and made some meaningful strides.  

As a member of the Regional Climate Protection Agency, and the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit Board of Directors, I am looking forward to continuing to leverage local, state and federal resources to honor Sonoma County’s standing as a leading jurisdiction on climate action. In the past year, on climate, we allocated nearly $4.4 million to support local climate change projects,  acquired funding to build second Petaluma SMART train station, adopted the resilient lands strategy to protect natural resources, and made all local public bus transit free for students, among other exciting initiatives.

On housing and homelessness, the point in time count demonstrated reduction of families who are unhoused but an increase on the number of residents who experience chronic homelessness. At the Board of Supervisors and on the Continuum of Care Board we worked to better synthesize the systems of support and dedicate resources to better serve unhoused residents. Part of our work includes approving $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to address homelessness and allocating funding to support rental assistance and shelter programs and supportive services. Meanwhile, the partnership between the City of Santa Rosa and County of Sonoma known as the Renewal Enterprise District has loaned  nearly $20 million through the RED Housing Fund to help create more than 600 climate-smart housing units.

On equity, we’ve worked to examine and begin to address deeply seated systemic inequities, striving to be a local government that serves every resident justly. To this end, we voted to increase the county’s living wage,  approved language access and community engagement agreements, partnered with local jurisdictions to establish a guaranteed basic income pilot program, established an ag access card program to reduce the risk of farmworkers entering evacuation zones, and approved $39 million in ARPA funding for 27 community-led programs to support the recovery of groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Stay tuned in the next year to hear about the exciting fruits these projects will bear. 



This list is not nearly exhaustive and below we have included some of the projects we have most recently undertaken. As always, I appreciate your engagement and trust. I welcome your thoughts, opinions and comments and look forward to another year serving you

A Specific Plan for the Sonoma Developmental Center was approved Dec. 16 by the Board of Supervisors. It calls for the permanent protection of more than 700 acres of open space,  hundreds of units of affordable and workforce housing,  living-wage jobs and a walkable community with neighborhood-serving businesses.

The state owns the site and has forged a unique partnership with Sonoma County to allow local input in charting the future of the property. 

This month the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to raise the county’s Living Wage to $17.25 an hour starting in January 2023. The Board directed staff to return in the spring with options for an additional increase to keep pace with inflation. 

The Board of Supervisors recently authorized the Economic Development Board to finalize the broadband internet infrastructure design for unserved and underserved areas of unincorporated Sonoma County. In 2021, the Board approved funding to examine opportunities to increase broadband access, and since then staff has been hard at work to deliver a design plan. The design project is expected to be completed by June 2023 in partnership with the Golden State Connect Authority.

On Dec. 6, the Board adopted two plans intended to improve public safety for all road users in Sonoma County by reducing traffic collisions and fatalities. The Vision Zero Action Plan and the Sonoma County Local Road Safety Plan represent data-driven, collaborative strategies to enhance roadway safety in our communities. 

Sonoma County received $5.7 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Wildfire Resilient Sonoma County, a local wildfire risk reduction program. The award is the first allocation of the funding announced by President Joe Biden in June 2021. The complete $50 million grant program requires a local match of 25 percent – or $12 million total – which likely  will  be financed with PG&E settlement funds. Click the link below to learn more on how this funding will bolster local wildfire risk mitigation efforts.  

On Dec. 13 the Board of Supervisors approved a comprehensive earthquake response plan, establishing guidelines for immediate response and early recovery from a major seismic event including specific actions to be taken by county staff, emergency response personnel and other agency partners. The plan by the Department of Emergency Management will serve as a supplement to the county’s overall Emergency Operations Plan and will serve as a framework for coordinated emergency work among community agencies including counties, cities, special districts, regional, state, tribal and federal partners. 

This month Permit Sonoma announced the names of 20 community members who will form the Equity Working Committee designed to help shape land-use planning through an equity lens. The committee will assist in developing Permit Sonoma and Sonoma County’s environmental justice policies and risk-reduction planning for wildfire and other hazards by centering the expertise of under-resourced communities.



The committee also will help Permit Sonoma integrate the experiences of low-income residents, communities of color, communities experiencing disproportionate poor health outcomes, and people with disabilities to improve policy making, planning and public participation programs.

In a celebrated step toward advancing equity work at the county, the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 13 reviewed and approved the mission, vision and values of the county Office of Equity, which was established in August 2020.

The office’s mission strives toward partnerships within the County government “with Black, Indigenous and communities of color; and with community members who are disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities.” The office’s vision promotes a Sonoma County “where power and resources are distributed equitably; where systems support every community member as they work together to cultivate well-being, agency, and liberation; and where people of all races and identities can live authentically.”

Beginning in February, a steering committee embark on the creation of the county’s Racial Equity Action plan. 

The Sonoma County Superior Court has opened a new office to help people without an attorney navigate through the civil justice system.

The Civil Self-Help Center will provide individual assistance with civil law issues, including evictions, small claims lawsuits and restraining orders for civil harassment and elder abuse. While the center does not represent people in court, it offers free information on legal processes and provides assistance with filling out court forms. People who need more extensive legal help will be guided to other resources.

Ag + Open Space has opened Round 2 of the 2022 Matching Grant Program funding cycle and is accepting applications from now until March 10, 2023.

This program has granted almost $40 million dollars to non-profit organizations, cities and other County departments for the creation and restoration of parks, trails, urban farms and vibrant open spaces.

The focus of the Matching Grant Program is to bring open spaces to where people live – our cities and other residential communities.



Examples of past funded projects include: 

• Bayer Farm Neighborhood Park & Gardens (Santa Rosa)
• The Windsor Town Green (Windsor)
• Meadowlark Field Laguna de Santa Rosa restoration project (Sebastopol)

Goodwill Redwood Empire is very excited to provide two program opportunities in 2023 for individuals in our community to both gain basic skills and to upskill – all at no cost to the learner. See flyers for both information and details on the upcoming programs! 

The County of Sonoma Department of Health Services has issued This Request for Proposals (RFP) to contract local food vendors to prepare and deliver hot and cold meals to guests at some or all of the County’s non-congregate shelter and permanent supportive housing site locations for a designated number of meal periods (breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner) per week.

This Request for Proposals issued by the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services (Department), Behavioral Health Division seeks to identify Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to provide engagement and systems navigation services for incarcerated persons. The Department is committed to tracking meaningful outcomes and working with CBOs to ensure that high quality services are delivered effectively and efficiently.

The County of Sonoma is Hiring! View a list of our current and upcoming job opportunities, including Civil Support Specialist I & II, Sheriff's Office Accountant I & II, Transit Specialist I & II, and much more!

Save the date Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, from 7:30-9:00 am at the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park.

Our keynote speaker: Dr. Jerry Nickelsburg Faculty Director, UCLA Anderson Forecast is back to present an exclusive first look into Sonoma County’s economic future for 2023. The valuable insight will provide context as we launch into the new year.

The event will also feature a panel, facilitated by Supervisor Coursey, to discuss local economic projections for the incoming year.

Tickets go on sale Jan. 3 at  sonomaedb.org.

On Saturday Jan. 14 from 9 am – noon, Landpaths will hold their monthly stewardship day at Jeff’s Garden located at Andy’s Park at 3399 Moorland Ave. For the first hour, participants will have a chance to learn tree pruning techniques and there will also be an opportunity for community members to renew or adopt a plot at the garden. 

InResponse Community Meeting

The inRESPONSE: Mental Health Support Team is observing one year of service to the community with a community meeting on Jan. 19 from 6 pm-8 pm at Elsie Allen High School, 599 Bellevue Ave.



Attendees will hear from Program Director Katie Swan and have an opportunity to provide feedback on opportunities for program improvements. 

This holiday season, another surge in COVID infections, along with high levels of influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are straining healthcare systems and impacting families.



The good news is that there are easy actions everyone can take to stay healthy this season. Twelve Bay Area health officers recommend the following steps:

Get vaccinated against flu and COVID.

• The updated Omicron COVID booster, also known as the bivalent booster, targets the Omicron variant, as well as the original 2020 virus. The Omicron boosters are available for ages six months and older. These improved vaccines are the best protection against severe symptoms of COVID and hospitalization.
• Earlier in the pandemic, COVID vaccination rates in the Bay Area were high, shielding some communities from the worst outcomes. This vaccine protection has decreased over time, but an Omicron COVID booster can rebuild it. In most parts of the Bay Area, less than half of eligible people have received the updated Omicron COVID booster.
• More people in the Bay Area are getting the flu this year than earlier in the pandemic. Flu is not the same as the common cold and can lead to sudden, severe illness in the very young, seniors, and those with underlying medical conditions.
• Now is the time to get your flu shot. Your doctor can give you the flu shot and the COVID booster in the same visit. COVID shots are free and other recommended immunizations are widely available at low or no cost.
• There is no vaccine for RSV, but simple measures like regular hand washing and covering coughs can help.

Stay home if you are sick.

• No matter which virus you have, if you are feeling sick the best way to keep from spreading it to others is to stay home until you have recovered. If you think it might be COVID, get tested.
• People who need urgent or emergency medical care, including testing or treatment for influenza or COVID, should seek it.

Wear a mask in indoor public places.

• Masks can prevent transmission of COVID, flu, RSV and other respiratory viruses all at once.
• Wearing a high-quality mask, such as a KN94, KN95 or N95, can prevent you from getting sick and missing out on life, work, school and holiday parties. Masking is strongly recommended indoors in public settings to prevent the spread of viruses and reduce the risk of illness.
• Masks also lower the likelihood that you pass on an infection if you are already sick, even if your symptoms are mild. This helps protect people around you, especially those at higher risk of serious illness.
• Improve ventilation indoors by turning on HVAC systems, filtering the air with a portable HEPA filter, pointing fans out open windows, or opening doors and windows when possible. These can all help viruses from spreading indoors.

Get tested before an indoor gathering or if you feel sick.

• Reduce the chances of infecting someone else with COVID by finding out if you have the virus before gathering with others. Remember, COVID symptoms may be mild or absent. Make sure to stock up on home test kits.

Get treatment, if needed.

• Free treatments are available if you test positive for COVID. Free medication prevents hospitalization and is available to most adults and some teens with even mild symptoms.
• Talk to your doctor about treatment options or visit covid19.ca.gov/treatment or find a test to treat location near you: aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat. Treatments work best when started right after symptoms begin, and within 5 days of symptoms starting.

Health Officers from the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, and the city of Berkeley encourage the public to take these easy steps to protect themselves and others from missing holiday moments and to ease the burden on local health systems. Across the Bay Area, respiratory viruses impact the most vulnerable, including young children, the immunocompromised, people living in crowded housing or congregate living facilities, and seniors, especially at skilled nursing facilities.