Big news! We’ve added new housing program data - check them out under “Housing Programs” on each city page.

Unincorporated Sonoma

Housing Element Status
Certified
Affordable Housing Production
5%
affordable permits issued
Housing Programs
115
total programs
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Housing Programs

Housing programs are the strategies that cities and counties legally have at their disposal to produce more and preserve existing affordable housing, as well as protect existing residents from getting displaced from their homes and communities.

6th Cycle Programs

115
total programs

Local housing programs, as part of a housing element, have significant impacts on a city or county reaching its affordable housing goals. Each additional housing policy has a significant impact on the residents who are most in need of affordable housing. However, the number of programs that a jurisdiction includes in their housing element is not meant to imply how well a city or county is addressing local housing needs since the quality and impact of each will need to be determined as well.

Overview of Program Deliverables

Use the below data to explore this jurisdiction’s approaches to affirmatively furthering fair housing for the 6th element cycle, and review the actions, deliverables, and deadlines committed to for each program.

PROGRAM NUMBER
ACTIONS
DELIVERABLE
DELIVERABLE DATE
1a
Program Description: The County and the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) provides funding assistance to affordable housing developments using CDBG, HOME, PLHA, CFH, and LMIHAF funds. These funding programs are administered by the CDC), which provide financing to developers who are then able to provide safe, affordable housing to households in a range of income groups. These funds can be used to construct new affordable housing as well as to rehabilitate existing units, which can be added to the permanent affordable stock through affordability restrictions. Overall, the County will strive to provide 30% of funding to projects in RCAAs, moderate-, and high-resource areas. 1a The County will continue its support of the CDC's activities and strategies outlined in the Consolidated Plan, including provision of staff and funding resources, and will support the Dept. of Health Services' Continuum of Care work to ensure that existing production levels are maintained and will continue to require that all rental units assisted with County Fund for Housing (CFH) funds be affordable to very low-income households.
: Ongoing
1b
1b The County will continue providing loans from CFH funds to housing projects located within cities. However, given the 654% increase in the County's RHNA, the CDC will prioritize these funds to units within the Unincorporated County to help the County meet its RHNA unless transfer agreements have been negotiated with the cities.
: Ongoing
1c
1c The County currently dedicates a portion of its Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and "boomerang" funds toward affordable housing on an annual basis. The County will continue using these funds for affordable housing and will consider establishing an annual minimum percentage of these funds.
: Ongoing
1d
1d Provide adequate staffing resources for the CDC and Permit Sonoma to allow full implementation of the Housing Element, especially within the first three years of the planning period.
: 20% increase in staff hours dedicated to Housing Element Implementation including fair housing programs
: Ongoing
2a
Program Description: Currently the Unincorporated County has 5 affordable units that may be lost from the affordable housing supply within the next ten years due to expiring affordability restrictions. There are no publicly assisted units at risk for conversion. 2a The Community Development Commission will continue to maintain an inventory of all units at risk of conversion to market-rate (''at -risk units'1 in the next 10 years. This list will be updated annually as needed during the County's Annual Progress Report process.
: Annual
2b
2b Owners will be contacted at least three years before expiration of affordability covenants to inform them of State preservation notice law requirements (Gov. Code §§ 65863.10, 65863.11, 65863.13) and to gauge interest in continuing affordability restrictions. The County will work with tenants of at-risk units and provide them with education regarding tenant rights and conversion procedures. The County will continue to assist qualified entities and developers with the acquisition of these properties or the extension of affordability restrictions using CDBG, HOME, LMIHAF, and CFH funds. The County will strive to preserve as many "at -risk" units as feasible, subject to the availability of funds.
: Review annually. Contact at least three years before expiration of affordability covenants
3a
Program Description: The County will continue to protect its mobilehome parks and its mobilehome park residents by undertaking the following actions: 3a Continue to implement the mobile home rent stabilization ordinance (Sonoma County Code Chapter 2, Article XIX) and update as necessary to ensure ongoing affordability of this unique form of housing.
: Ongoing; consider updating by end of 2025
3b
3b Continue regulating closure or conversion of mobilehome parks to other uses by requiring a use permit and relocation (Zoning Code Section 26-92-090 or successor ordinance).
: Ongoing
3c
3c Consider re-adoption of requirements for owner-initiated conversions of mobile home parks (MHPs) to resident ownership to ensure that residents are in favor of such conversions. Until such time that a new ordinance is adopted, continue to implement state law related to the conversion of MHPs to resident ownership imposed by Senate Bill 510 in 2013 (Gov. Code § 66427.5). Where conversions are initiated by residents, assist with the conversion process via (Gov. Code § 66428). (Existing; 2 previous programs combined, and a new action added to consider re-adoption of MHP conversion regulations).
: Consider ordinance by 2026
4:
Program Description: As part of the Housing Element update, the County will rezone sufficient sites and take other actions to demonstrate an adequate inventory of sites to meet its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) Allocations. These sites shall meet the standards set forth in Government Code § 65583.2, including subsections (i) and (h), have sufficient infrastructure capacity and access, and will be sufficient to address the shortfall of 1,129 units, including 535 lower-income units.
4a
4a To address a portion of its RHNA shortfall, the County will rezone sites concurrent with adoption of the Housing Element update. These sites will either be upzoned to default density or will be rezoned to add the Workforce Housing Combining District. The County will rezone at least 86 acres of land within the Unincorporated County, including 50 acres zoned to allow multifamily development by-right at 20 units per acre and meeting the standards set forth in Government Code § 65583.2 for sites available to accommodate the lower-income RHNA. These sites will have a realistic development capacity of 1,557 units, including 68 units affordable to lower-income households.
: Rezone sites no later than January 31, 2024
4b
4b To further address its RHNA shortfall, the County will rezone the 30.32 acres of land within an unincorporated island within the City of Santa Rosa, located at Guerneville Road and Lance Drive, to match the City of Santa Rosa's prezoning and the North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan. These sites have a realistic development capacity of 641 units, including 163 lower-income units. As these sites are surrounded by incorporated lands, the County will coordinate site development with the City of Santa Rosa and ensure that project design is consistent with the City's adopted development standards for the site, including its objective design standards. Upon annexation of one or more of the parcels within this island into the City, RHNA responsibility shall be transferred from the County to the City pursuant to Government Code § 65584.07 (d).
: Rezone sites no later than January 31, 2024
4c
4c As an additional strategy to address its RHNA shortfall, the has County identified the existing County Administrative Center campus in the City of Santa Rosa to accommodate development of 200 housing units that would be developed consistent with a governmental purpose of the County, including but not limited to at least 180 units affordable to lower-income households including special needs populations and County employees. These units would be developed through an RFP process; sites would be ground leased and would remain County-owned. City land use and zoning regulations would not apply. The County would retain authority to approve entitlements and issue permits on this County-owned site pursuant to the County's sovereign immunity under Government Code §§ 53090- 53091. The County will monitor progress toward development of housing on the County Administrative Center campus and will identify and rezone backup sites for housing if there is inadequate progress to ensure compliance with no net loss laws and maintain adequate sites to meet the County's RHNA • Initiate EIR by mid-2024; complete by end of 2025 • Issue RFP by end of 2024 • Select Developer pursuant to RFP, negotiate terms of ground lease by mid-2026 • Issue building permits by end of 2026 • Review of progress and identification of alternative sites, if necessary to meet RHNA, by mid-2027 if building permits are not issued by end of 2026.
: Identify and rezone backup sites by mid-2027 if necessary to meet RHNA
4d
4d The County will amend the Zoning Code to allow developments of at least 20 units per acre as a use by right (as defined in Government Code § 65583.2(i)) on sites identified to accommodate the lower-income RHNA, when 20 percent or more of the development's units are affordable to lower-income households.
: Amend Zoning Code by January 31, 2024
5b
5b The County will also require replacement housing units subject to the requirements of Government Code § 65915(c)(3) when any new residential, mixed use, or discretionary commercial development occurs on a site in an active Priority Development Area (PDA) designated by ABAG/MTC (as of May 2023, Airport Industrial Specific Plan Area PDA, Santa Rosa Avenue PDA, Springs PDA).
: Lower-resource areas (Airport SMART Station Specific Plan Area, Springs PDA, Santa Rosa Avenue PDA) with a higher displacement risk
: Ongoing
5c
5c Utilize Specific Plans, Master Plans, and other community planning tools to target investment into areas of most need, focused on improving community assets such as schools, recreational facilities and programs, social service programs, parks, streets, active transportation, and infrastructure.
: Lower Resource Areas (Springs Specific Plan Area, Airport SMART Station Specific Plan Area
: 2023 (Sonoma Developmental Center, Springs Specific Plan); 2024 Airport SMART Station Specific Plan; ongoing as new plans are adopted
5d
5d Utilize affirmative marketing strategies in marketing plans for subsidized housing projects, prioritizing existing residents at risk of displacement. Timing: Beginning in 2024 and ongoing thereafter
: Countywide
: Community Development Commission
5e
5e Upon settlement of the Vannucci v County of Sonoma case, the County will work with interested and impacted persons and agencies to address concerns as needed. Timing: As determined by court or settlement
: Permit Sonoma, County Counsel, County Administrator, Community Development Commission
6:
Program Description: Instead of relying on ABAG to determine the regional fair share of housing for the county and its cities, the County will support and promote the formation of a subregion, as allowed by State law, for a more equitable RHNA allocation process in subsequent RHNA cycles.
: Meet with SCTA/RCPA Planners Advisory Committee twice prior to initiation of 7th cycle RHNA . Target: : Urban Service Areas Countywide, targeting a larger proportion of lowerincome RHNA in higher resource areas and vice versa
: End of 2027
7:
Programs Program Description: The County currently administers four density bonus programs, including the State Density bonus program, the County Supplemental Density Bonus Program, and the Rental and Ownership Housing Opportunity Area Programs. These programs will be continued. Additionally, the County will evaluate the programs and determine if they could be expanded or modified to create additional opportunities for housing.
: 50 new affordable units during the planning period . Target: : Concentrated in USAs near transit, amenities, and access to opportunities
: Ongoing; evaluation by 2026
Displaying 1 - 20 of 115
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