Who We Are
Homeless Action! Sonoma County is an all-volunteer run and the only local independent homeless advocacy organization in Sonoma County which is not beholden to funders. We are responsible only to the homeless people in our community. Our members, both housed and unsheltered, have life experiences that bring passion and dedication to our work.
We meet every Monday morning from 9:30 am to 11 am. During this time of Covic-19 social-distancing, we meet virtually by Zoom. We welcome homeless advocates as well as our unsheltered friends to join us. Please refer to the Events page for details.
Our Mission Statement
The Mission of Homeless Action! is to demonstrate kindness and mutual support for anyone who is without a stable home. We are an active community of sheltered and unsheltered individuals that promotes the dignity and rights of all members of society.
Our Objectives and Processes
- validating, enabling, and empowering community for unsheltered individuals as they pursue housing;
- integrating sheltered and unsheltered people into our work;
- advocating for the rights of sheltered and unsheltered people with city and county elected officials and with the greater community;
- providing emergency resources and services such as cooling/warming centers, transportation, food, trash removal, tents, porta toilets, Narcan, vehicle registration and repairs;
- advocating for immediate support, safety, sanitation, and shelter of unsheltered people;
- developing and promoting solutions including alternate housing and alternative designs;
- working within the legal system to protect the rights of unsheltered community members;
- supporting and endorsing homeless people in becoming involved in civic functions and homelessness/housing decision-making;
- supporting and informing people likely to become homeless;
- publicly protesting as necessary to bring voice to the needs of unsheltered community members.
For example, encampment sweeps affect our work in these ways:
- contact with our members and those we support is lost we can’t integrate homeless people in our work when they are continuously scatteredthe community we are trying to build is disrupted
- the support and advocacy that we provide to homeless people is lost and damaged through police sweeps
- there is a loss of sanitary services when porta potties and trash cans we provided are removed
A Chronology of Homelessness in Sonoma County
This Chronology began as a brainstorming effort in a Homeless Action! meeting and was expanded by Georgia Berland and Gerry La Londe-Berg. It continues to be a work-in-progress with the help of Adrienne Lauby. Please contact us by email with corrections, suggestions, and expansions. Thank you!
Homelessness Eras
validating, enabling, and empowering community for unsheltered individuals as they pursue housing;
integrating sheltered and unsheltered people into our work;
advocating for the rights of sheltered and unsheltered people with city and county elected officials and with the greater community;
providing emergency resources and services such as cooling/warming centers, transportation, food, trash removal, tents, porta toilets, Narcan, vehicle registration and repairs;
advocating for immediate support, safety, sanitation, and shelter of unsheltered people;
developing and promoting solutions including alternate housing and alternative designs;
working within the legal system to protect the rights of unsheltered community members;
supporting and endorsing homeless people in becoming involved in civic functions and homelessness/housing decision-making;
supporting and informing people likely to become homeless;
publicly protesting as necessary to bring voice to the needs of unsheltered community members.
1650-1980 Homelessness prior to Ronald Reagan
1981-1996 The Task Force Era
1997-2012 The CDC Era
2013-2018 The Homeless Action! Era
2018-present The HOME Sonoma Era
1650-1980 – Homelessness prior to Ronald Reagan
In the 1640s homelessness was seen as a moral deficiency, a character flaw.
1820s – Tent living made illegal in U.S.
1850s – The 1850s brought the first documented cases of homeless youth, many of whom were kicked out of their homes because their providers could no longer afford to raise them. Natural Disasters are another factor in the homelessness problem. The Great Chicago Fire, The San Francisco earthquake, the massive flooding of the Mississippi in the 1920s from Ohio through New Orleans displaced over 1.3 million people. The Drought of the 30s in Oklahoma and Texas, Hurricane Katrina, are just a few examples of disasters that affected millions of households.
1980 – Modern U.S. homelessness begins with President Ronald Reagan’s 50-60% cuts to HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and the closure, without promised community services, of state-run mental institutions. Read – Reagan’s Legacy: Homelessness in America.
1981-1996 The Task Force Era
1981 – Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless [Task Force) is formed and supported by the Sonoma County Human Services Commission. Until June 30, 2018 it held monthly meetings for community input and planning regarding homelessness.
1982 – First Task Force local shelter opens by Community Action Partnership Sonoma County (CAPA) at Pomo Trail, a 6-person home.
1983 – Redwood Empire Food Bank founded by Task Force and U.C. Cooperative Extension.
1985 – Diocese of Santa Rosa (Monsignor Thomas Keys) explores using cottages at Sonoma Developmental Center as homeless shelters.
1986 – Task Force completes first demographic study of homelessness in Sonoma County – one of the first nationally. Study shows many families with children as well as adults to be homeless, almost 1,200 people in total, and requested housing and services. At the time, there were no formal shelter or services.
1987 – The Family Support Center, with 138 beds, is initiated with Task Force support. First managed by Salvation Army (at the FSC current site), then Vietnam Vets of California (site on Santa Rosa Ave), then Catholic Charities, back at former General Hospital site.
Late 1980s – Burbank Housing was founded. Burbank has built over 2,800 affordable rental units in over 60 properties, as well as over 800 affordable homes. John Lowry becomes Executive Director.
Late 1980s/early 1990s – Continuum of Care formed to access HUD Funding (now over $3 million per year to provide Permanent Supportive Housing, shelter and services).
1988 – COTS founded in Petaluma.
1989 – InterFaith Shelter network (IFSN) founded. Operated the cold-weather emergency shelter at the Santa Rosa Armory for 15 years until 2004 under a multi-party contract with the State of California, Santa Rosa National Guard, City of Santa Rosa, and Sonoma County.
1990 – Housing Advocacy Group (HAG) founded. One settlement, led by David Grabill, in a suit against the City of Santa Rosa builds 3,000 affordable housing units and an 80-bed homeless shelter.
1990s – “Homeless Hill” homeless camp begins in Santa Rosa on what becomes the Farmers Lane Extension.
1993 – The Living Room, a day center for homeless and at risk women and children opens in the back of the Church of the Incarnation on Cherry Street in Santa Rosa.
1994 – Santa Rosa adopts a law prohibiting camping or using camp paraphernalia on public streets, in parks, and on other public property. This law led to many homeless people being put on probation and eventually cycling in and out of the justice system.
1997-2012 The CDC Era
1997 – Community Development Commission (CDC) designated lead agency for the federally designated “Continuum of Care” The Commission has submitted annual consolidated funding applications to HUD in partnership with local non-profits.
1999 – Sonoma County Shelter Solutions Group formed to assure adult 24-hour shelter. Members: County Supervisor & CDC Director, Santa Rosa Mayor & Housing / Redevelopment Director. Community Foundation Sonoma County, Task Force for the Homeless (two Board members), Private PR firm. After about 7 years of collaborative work, numerous community meetings and input, Samuel Jones Hall is finally founded in 2006.
1999 – InterFaith Shelter Network (IFSN) Transitional Housing Program (THP) plan implemented in April 1999 with the opening of “Wesley House.” Currently manages ten transitional houses as well as one permanent-living house.
2000 – The Continuum of Care and the Task Force produce the first pocket-sized Sonoma County Homeless Resource Guide.
2002 – Gale Brownell and the Task Force launch Winter Warmth, distributing warm jackets and camping gear to homeless agencies countywide.
2002 May – Georgia Berland becomes the Executive Officer of the Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless.
2003 – Health Care for the Homeless Collaborative- a voluntary countywide coalition of hospitals, clinics, substance abuse, mental health and homeless services workers who meets regularly to collaborate and design new programs and services.
2004 – COTS opened the Mary Isaak Center, the first shelter in Petaluma. [Press article about Mary Isaak)
2005 – Sam Jones Hall (Samuel L. Jones Homeless Shelter) opens in Santa Rosa, operated by the Catholic Charities.
2007 January – Sonoma County Ten Year Homeless Plan adopted.
2009 – 2009 Sonoma County Homeless Census and Survey published by Applied Survey Research. Total HUD enumeration approved for 3,247 people.
2009 December 3 – Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing (HPRP) of Sonoma County income ranges published by Catholic Charities.
2011 – Under Governor Jerry Brown, California ends Redevelopment Agencies which helped fund subsidized and affordable housing.
2011 – 2011 Sonoma County Homeless Census and Survey published by Applied Survey Research. Total HUD enumeration approved for 4,539 people.
2012 November 1 – Twenty-four-year-old Michela Wooldridge is murdered by a man after he took LSD at a party. The onetime Cloverdale High School student came to Santa Rosa from Humboldt County. According to friends, she was one day from being accepted into the Sam Jones Hall homeless shelter and was walking around all night for safety. In September of 2015, Camp Michela was named in her honor.
2013-2018 The Homeless Action! Era
January 2013 – Homeless Action! founded.
2013 – 2013 Sonoma County Sonoma County Homeless Census and Survey published by Applied Survey Research. Total HUD enumeration approved for 4,280 people.
2013/14 Fall/Winter – The Task Force for the Homeless holds series of community meetings to bring homeless advocates together countywide.
2013 July – The Health Care for the Homeless Collaborative, which had fallen into disuse is revived.
2013 September 24 – City of Santa Rosa updates camping Ordinance # 4010 Chapter 11-22
2013 December – Homeless Action! leads effort to develop “Safe Parking” in Santa Rosa based on the model in Santa Barbara.
2013 December 10 – Santa Rosa homeless item included on Santa Rosa City Council Agenda – Advocates call for sanctioned encampments with porta-potties and law enforcement to respect people’s personal possessions, especially ID cards. [Minutes Item 3.2]
2013 December 13 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors – Homeless staff report on Vulnerability index assessment. Index identifies the people who most need housing. New vouchers would go to those most in need, as opposed to those easiest to serve.
2014 January – Brookwood Shelter continues to provide shower days once per month.
2014 January 7 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting report – Cold Weather Homeless Shelter Funding Augmentation. [Minutes Item 31]
2014 February 3 – Sonoma County begins “Safe Parking” program through contact with Catholic Charities at south of Sonoma County Fairgrounds site for 3 months. [Press report]
2014 March 27 – National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty U.N. Human Rights Committee Calls U.S. Criminalization of Homelessness “Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading.”
2014 April 7 – Sonoma County Vulnerability Registry Week – Project over an 8-day period from April 7 through April 15, 2014. [Press report]
2014 April 15 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Homeless Initiatives Report – extended “Safe Parking” to scattered site program. [Minutes Item 35]
2014 June 20 – Sonoma County’s 10-Year Homeless Action Plan Update – This multi-agency planning group met approximately monthly between May and December 2013
2014 August 4 – Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless brainstorming Goals for Assisting Homeless People.
2014 August 19 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Meeting approved a Homeless Outreach Team Pilot Project and Scattered Site Safe Parking Program. [Minutes Items 38, 39, & 40]
2014 August 29 – Report released by the Sonoma County Continuum of Care “A New Front Door for Homeless Services Coordinated Intake and Homeless System Entry Planning in Sonoma County, California”
2014 December 3 – National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty press release about its latest resource No Safe Place: Advocacy Manual, a companion report to No Safe Place: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities.
2015 January 11 – Homeless Action! letter to Santa Rosa City Council and Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
2015 January 20–February 19 – Public Input Requested for the drafting of the 2015-2020 Consolidated Plan and the Long-Range Affordable Housing Plan to Alleviate Homelessness.
2015 February – California’s New Vagrancy Laws: The Growing Enactment and Enforcement of Anti-Homeless Laws in the Golden State published by U.C. Berkeley Law, updated in June 2016.
2015 April 24 – Homeless Action! Prioritization of tasks – Shelter is a Right!
2015 May 8 – Housing Summit for People Without Homes organized by North Bay Leadership Council (NBLC) at Petaluma Sheraton. (NBLC Blogs May 11, Mar 24, Feb 9]
2015 June 1 – The Poor Need Not Apply: Section 8 Acceptance Rates in Santa Rosa, CA Prepared by Carolyn Epple, BSN, MPH, Ph.D. on behalf of Homeless Action!
2015 August 25 – The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors convened a study session to discuss strategies for ending homelessness in Sonoma County by 2025, resulting in the production of the report – Building HOMES: A Policy Maker’s Toolbox for Ending Homelessness.
2015 September 7 – Camp Michela, Sonoma County’s first public encampment, begins at the old Sonoma County Water Agency campus on College Street in Santa Rosa.
2015 October 1 – Continuum of Care Housing Location Committee active.
2015 October 14 – Chanate Campus Community Outreach Meeting [Gorin/Zane et al]
2016 January 19 – Housing is a Human Right Solidarity Sleep-Out & Free Teach-ln organized by Homeless Action!
2016 January 20 – Strong Towns consultant present Santa Rosa study – Santa Rosa: A City in Flux.
2016 February 3 – Sonoma County issues Chanate Redevelopment Request for Proposal.
2016 February 23 – Santa Rosa Housing Report Series #1: Funding Resources for Housing: What revenues can be redirected for housing projects. #2: Process Improvement Action Plan. [Details]
2016 March 8 – Santa Rosa Junior College “A Couch is Not a Home” Homeless Student Awareness Day [News report]
2016 March 20 – A hundred plus homeless people and supporters march from Roseland to City Hall to demand that Go. Jerry Brown declare a state of homeless emergency. The march is the brainchild of Migdalia Vasquez-Howard, a disabled homeless woman, and sponsored by Homeless Action! [News report] add photo?
2016 March 29 – Homeless Action! Survey of Guerneville winter shelter.
2016 March 23 – Sonoma County CDC issuing Request for Proposal from firms or individuals to provide professional outreach and educational services and to undertake research projects related to the implementation of the Building HOMES: A Policy Maker’s Toolbox for Ending Homelessness.
2016 April 19 – Santa Rosa Housing Report Series #3: Assessment of Santa Rosa by Brokers, Builders, Employers: Result of outreach seeking input that could spur development #4: Affordable Housing Programs: Alternatives to expand affordable housing through existing market rate units.
2016 April – Homeless Court re-established in Sonoma County, primarily through the efforts of Georgia Berland, long-time Executive Director of the Task Force for the Homeless. Homeless Court is a quarterly court session where homeless people who are sponsored by a local agency can resolve infraction citations, principally through community service work.
2016 April 27 – Lost in Paradise II: A Forum on Efforts to Address Homelessness in Sonoma County sponsored by CDC, Catholic Charities, Press Democrat, Shine A Light, and the City of Santa Rosa.
2016 July 1 – No Place Like Home legislation sign by Governor Brown. Dedicate $2 billion in bond proceeds to invest in the development of permanent supportive housing for persons who are in need of mental health services and are experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness, or at risk of chronic homelessness.
2016 June 7 – Santa Rosa Housing Report Series #5: Housing Action Plan: to address the City’s ongoing unmet housing needs and to implement the City’s General Plan Housing Element.
2016 August 9 – Santa Rosa City Council declares a Homeless State of Emergency, renewed monthly. As of May 2020, there are no signs the emergency has ended.
2016 August 17 – CDC Location and Placement Committee’s Rent Sonoma Task Force ongoing.
2016 August 29 – The Living Room, which serves 70 to 100 homeless and at-risk women and children daily,moves to its new ½ acre complex on Cleveland Avenue in Santa Rosa, with a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, as well as showers and laundry facilities.
2016 September 8 – Homeless Action! announced plans to build 10 4’ X 8’ sleeping cabins for homeless people. Dubbed Harold’s Utilitarian Transitional Shelters (HUTS) the cabins were built with donations and assistance from the Taskforce for the Homeless, AmeriCorps, and First United Methodist Church. (photos attached)
2016 September 19 – CHAP Program Guidelines – Safe Camping and Personal Storage accepted by Santa Rosa City Council Sub-Committee on Homeless Policy. [Press release, CHAP Guidelines, CHAP Registration Form]
2016 September 25 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors received letter from Homeless Action! re: Chanate property repurposing: to request that the Board of Supervisors provide a greater benefit to the housing needs of homeless and disabled people.
2016 September 29 – Homeless Talk: the Coalition for Citywide Conversations on Homelessness kicked off a series of facilitated small group neighborhood discussions with an event at the Santa Rosa Christian Church. The Steering Committee is Cecile Querubin, Cynthia Stubbins, Pat Kuta, Hierth Pezzi, Adrienne Lauby, Lawrence Lehr, and Gregory Fearon. Homeless Talk spoke to over 500 people in the course of seven months, gathering and analyzing more than 1300 comments about homelessness in Santa Rosa. Venues included the Arlene Francis Center, Burbank Housing, The Family Support Center, Community Action Partnership, Community Advisory Board, Community Development Commission, Friend’s House, Santa Rosa Junior College Neighborhood Association, Sonoma County Peace and Justice Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), North Bay Association of Realtors, Oakmont Villa, Oliver’s Market, Roseland Parents Club, St. Joseph’s Health, Santa Rosa Christian Church, Congregation Shomrei Torah, The Palms Inn, and Yulupa Cohousing.
[Watch video introduction] [Read Homeless Talk Report]
2016 October – First United Methodist Church in Santa Rosa attempts to use Santa Rosa CHAP program to create a small homeless site, but pulls its application in the face of strong community backlash. [Press report]
2016 October 20 – What Seniors Need to Make Ends Meet: Elder Index in Sonoma County published by Insight, Center for Community Economic Development.
2016 October 11 – Regulations under the City’s declaration of homeless emergency to allow for immediate implementation of an expanded year-round Community Homeless Assistance Program (CHAP) to include safe parking, safe camping, the placement and maintenance of portable toilets and access to existing bathroom facilities, provision of temporary overnight shelter, and storage for personal belongings. [Meeting summary] – Agenda item #14.2
2016 October 11 – Housing Action Plan Reports published by Santa Rosa Homeless Collective Affordable Housing Group. [Report]
2016 November – Ten HUTS for homeless People near completion. [News report]
2016 November 1 – Santa Rosa Housing Series #6: Housing Action Plan Update.
2016 November 8 – Russian River Housing Plan issued by Russian River Area Resources and Advocates.
2016 November 16 – Sonoma County Homes for All Summit. [Report]
2016 November 16 – Sonoma Valley Housing Group Resolution on Housing State of Emergency.
2016 December 6 – Senior Homeless Prevention Program approved at the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting. [Minutes Item 27]. The program administered by the Sonoma County Human Services Department Adult & Aging Division ended in 2017 when grant funding ran out.
2017 February 21 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Item expand the current Coordinated Intake Pilot Project to serve all homeless persons within Sonoma County (aka Coordinated Entry System). [Minutes Item 1]
2017 March 22 – Community Development Commission Rent Sonoma Committee ongoing.
2017 March 29 – The City of Santa Rosa’s Homeless Collective Accountability Committee attempts to change several of the most frequent violations (sometimes called “Quality of Life” ordinances) that affect homeless people to more serious citations, by changing the charge from an infraction to a misdemeanor. A critique “Infractions to Misdemeanors.”
2017 Spring – With support from The Living Room, the majority of the HUTS move into narrow walkways behind former Santa Rosa mayor Dave Berto’s small office building on McBride Lane in Santa Rosa. Homeless guests move in and a waiting list begins. [News report]
2017 April – First rent control effort in Santa Rosa. The City of Santa Rosa adopts a rent control ordinance – Rent Stabilization and Other Tenant Protections Program.
2017 May 2 – the City of Santa Rosa considers 3.1 quality of life in the City proposed practices to enforce those ordinances. Objections by homeless people and advocates stopped this effort. [Summary Report] [Staff Report]
2017 June 20 – Sonoma County Continuum of Care Evaluation Committee, Application and Priority List. [Report]
2017 June-September – Homebase Consultant Sonoma County Homeless Services System Redesign process.
2017 July – Sonoma County ends Safe Parking Program, citing lack of funds.
2017 August 6 – Homeless Action! Harold’s HUTS letter to Santa Rosa City Council, Homeless Encampments and Villages with research compilation.
2017 August 22 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Homeless Policy Workshop/Study Session regarding strategic efforts to address homelessness, including discussion of preliminary recommendations for a homeless services system redesign.
2017 August – The sweeps begin with “Homeless Hill” on the Farmers Lane Extension – Santa Rosa’s Homeless Emergency Assistance Pilot Project begins implementation. [Press report]
2017 September 2 – Sonoma County’s Homeless System of Care: An Analysis of Policy, Leadership, and Funding Structure, prepared by HomeBase. [Report]
2017 September – Article in SPUR – The Urbanist – Homelessness in the Bay Area
2017 September 26 – Santa Rosa Overview of Homeless System of Care, Redesign project with HomeBase. Homeless Policy Workshop: A White Paper for Policy-Makers. [Report]
2017 November – Sweeps of 101 underpasses, 6th & 9th Street bridge.
2017 November 7 – Homeless System of Care Redesign Ad Hoc Committee was created as result of a joint meeting of Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the City of Santa Rosa City Council.
2017 November 12 – Homeless Talk – Citywide Conversations, Visions for Change… with Data [Report]
2017 December 4 – Homeless Talk – Infractions – more info?
2017 December 5 – Homeless Encampments and Villages – a media research compilation with background studies by Homeless Action! [Report] [Appendix 2] [Appendix 3] [Appendix 4]
2018 January 23 – Sonoma County Continuum of Care, Coordinated Entry Policies and Procedures [Report]
2018 January 30 – City of Santa Rosa Resolution – creation of a Housing First Fund to provide landlord incentives, alignment of the Homeless Services Center and Family Support Center with the Housing First model; and, provide direction on shelter expansion through a Housing First-focused Safe Parking and Camping Program. [Resolution 1] [Resolution 2] [Resolution 3]
2018 February – Sonoma County CDC plans Camp Michaela Eviction.
2018 February 14 – Homeless Action Last Chance Village rally on St. Valentine’s Day. [Video 1] [Video 2] [Video 3]
2018 March – Civil Rights Lawsuit begins in Federal Court.
2018 April 7 – Order denying TRO Case 18-cv-01955-VC
2018 April – iBelong was founded with a mission to connect community members with collaborative infrastructure that supports working together to solve shared challenges, particularly homelessness.
2018-present The HOME Sonoma Era
2018 – HOME Sonoma County has re-designated the CDC to act as HOME Sonoma County’s lead agency.
2018 April – Last Chance/Camp Mikaela Sweep. [News report]
2018 April – Civil Disobedience at Santa Rosa City Council: 6 Advocates Arrested. [Details or press report?]
2018 May – First Joe Rodota Trail Sweep.
2018 May – Continuum of Care shake up by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Santa Rosa City Council ad hoc Homeless Committee. Beginning of the formation of the HOME Sonoma County Leadership Council.
2018 June – 2018 Sonoma County Homeless Census and Survey published.
2018 June 5 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Agenda #26 The Sonoma County Homeless System of Care: Best Practices for Maximizing Exits from Homelessness into Permanent Stable Housing. [Minutes Item 26]
2018 June 30 – Sonoma County Task Force on the Homeless disbanded.
2018 July 10 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Item #47 2018 Homeless Count Report and the Aftermath of the 2017 Fire Disaster, including a first-time survey of unstably housed people throughout Sonoma County. Adopt a resolution declaring a Homeless State of Emergency in Sonoma County. [Minutes Item 47]
2018 August – Sonoma County Homeless System of Care Leadership Plan adopted.
2018 August 28 – City of Santa Rosa public forum on homeless encampments.
2018 Fall – State of California announced its $500 million Homeless Emergency Assistance Program [HEAP). $12.1 million to address homelessness in Sonoma County, only if the newly formed body could submit an eligible application by the December 31, 2018 deadline. This dominated the new HOME Sonoma County Leadership Council’s discussions of until local funding decisions could be finalized in the spring of 2019.
2018 November 13 – First meeting of the Homeless System of Care Technical Advisory Committee. [Agenda]
2018 December 10 – First HOME Sonoma (Continuum of Care) Leadership Council meeting.
2018 December 31 – Homeless Action! revitalized and reorganized.
2019 January 4 – HOME Sonoma (Continuum of Care) special Leadership Council meeting to complete unfinished business from the first meeting on December 10.
2019 January – Sonoma County Point-In-Time Homeless Census Count took place.
2019 January 15 – Homeless System of Care Technical Advisory Committee Meeting. [Minutes]
2019 July 2 – HOME Sonoma County Coordinated Entry Evaluation published by Technical Assistance Collaborative. [Report]
2019 July 8 – HOME Sonoma County adopted Governance Charter for the Continuum of Care Leadership Council and HEAP Funding recommendations. [Details]
2019 July 26 – HOME Sonoma Commission selected Focus Strategies to staff a three-phase in depth planning effort, to include (1) a Baseline Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement; (2) Local Data and Housing Market Analysis; and (3) Strategic Plan Development and Presentation. [need link to materials]
2019 August 7 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors 2019 Point-in-Time Homeless Census Report published.
2019 August – Sonoma County CDC Three Year Strategic Plan 2020-2022, LeSar Development Consultants). [Details]
2019 August 26 – HOME Sonoma Technical Advisory Committee meeting [Agenda & Minutes]
2019 September – The Evidence Behind Approaches that Drive an End to Homelessness published by U.S. Interagency Council to End Homelessness.
2019 September 24 – CDC entered into a professional services agreement with Focus Strategies for the first phase of work, using eligible No Place Like Home Technical Assistance funds and Continuum of Care Planning funds. Final report for Phase 1 is planned for presentation to the HOME Sonoma County Leadership Council on April 23, 2020 and will be provided to the Board at that time. [Minutes – Link to pdf ?]
2019 September 30 – Meeting of the Performance Management and Evaluation Task Group. [Details]
2019 October 1 – CDC CoC HOME Sonoma Funding report FY 2019-20 Consolidated Notice of Funding Availability. [Report]
2019 October 2 – Housing Production and Rapid Re-Housing Task Group Meeting. [Details]
2019 October 10 – Meeting of the HOME Sonoma County System Funding Task Group. [Details]
2019 October 24 – HOME Sonoma Leadership Council meeting [Agenda]
2019 November 1 – Joe Rodoata Trail initiative started. “Five different teams of trained homeless outreach workers have offered services, shelter, and other support to those on the trail since early November. Catholic Charities Homeless Outreach Team serves as the lead outreach team with support from Reach For Home, COTS, Social Advocates for Youth, and the County’s Interdepartmental Multidisciplinary Team [IMDT].” [Details]
2019 November 16 – Chair-ity fundraising event co-sponsored by Homeless Action! and Sonoma Food Runners.
2019 November 18 – Meeting of the HOME Sonoma County Technical Advisory Task Group Housing First & Coordinated Entry. [Details]
2019 November 18 – Meeting of the HOME Sonoma County Technical Advisory Committee Task Group: Urgent and Emergent Issues. [Details]
2019 December 4 – Meeting of HOME Sonoma County’s Technical Advisory Committee: Housing Production and Rapid Re-Housing Task Group [Details]
2019 December 4 – Home, Together: The Federal Strategic Plan To Prevent and End Homelessness, report published by the U.S. Interagency Council to End Homelessness.
2019 December 10 – Meeting of the HOME Sonoma County Technical Advisory Committee’s Housing First and Coordinated Entry Task Group. [Details]
2019 December – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Item – No Place Like Home Funding Availability “Sonoma County could expect to bring at least $8 million to Sonoma County through this competitive process. Applications are due to HCD by January 8, 2020.” [Minutes Item 12]
2019 December 23 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Item – Joe Rodota Trail funding. Quotes “Enhance linkages to housing by providing options and equity” and “Those exiting from interim measures should only be exiting into permanent housing.” Minutes?
2019 December 23 – Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved Joe Rodota Trail action $11.2 million and other actions from various funding sources. [Meeting details]
2019 December 23 – HOME Sonoma Technical Advisory Committee Meeting. [Details]
2020 January 16 – Pallet Shelter demo at First United Methodist Church, Stony Point campus at Giffen Ave, Santa Rosa.
2020 January 27 – HOME Sonoma Tech Advisory Committee – not listed?
2020 January 30 – Sonoma County opens encampment at Los Guilicos for 60 people, operated by St Vincent de Paul.
2020 February 6 – The HOME Sonoma County Leadership Council approved the application for $3,476,293.48 in funds that the State has designated for HOME Sonoma County. Presented multiple contracting scenarios. [Minutes]
2020 February 7 – Photo exhibit opening for Pocho Sanchez Strawbridge “FACES” at Santa Rosa City Hall Council Chambers.
2020 February 10 – Housing First and Coordinated Entry Task Group Meeting. Minutes approved March 9 but not posted to web site. [Agenda]
2020 February 28 – Sonoma County 2020 Homeless Point in time [PIT) Census conducted, postponed from January 31.
2020 March 9 – HOME Sonoma Technical Advisory Committee Meeting [50/50 Rule and Encampment Policy, New Project Coordinated Entry Notification and Referral Process, CES Certification Process, Policy Prioritizing ADA Accessible Units to Clients with Disability Related Needs). [Agenda]
2020 March 10 – Homelessness update report to Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. [What is this?]
2020 March – CDC Homeless staff begin weekly homeless service provider’s calls.
2020 March 2 – Sonoma County Department of Health declared State of Emergency after new COVID-19 case. [Details]
2020 March 18 – CDC Funding recommendations for Capital projects due per the funding schedule in the capital project NOFA. [Details]
2020 March 27 – HOME Sonoma Leadership Council meeting – allocation of SB 89 Funds: Continuum of Care funding: $575,095.92. Eligible Use: shelter support/emergency housing; staffing; sanitary facilities; Ad Hoc subcommittee.
2020 April 3 – Sonoma County placed COVID-19 Hand washing stations in 30 locations, 16 in Santa Rosa. [Details]
2020 April 15 – CDC 5 year and Annual Plans – funding recommendations, by zoom public hearing.
2020 April 23 – HOME Sonoma Leadership Council – Focus Strategies will prepare an addendum to the Baseline Assessment report, reflecting needs, strengths, and gaps in jurisdictional resources, strategies, and alignment. “The Phase 2 Local Data and Housing Market Analysis will include a thorough analysis of the local homeless system data to develop a shared understanding of system performance and local conditions.”
2020 April 1-21 – City of Santa Rosa and Catholic Charities place people from Sam Jones Residence in the Sandman Hotel to enable social distancing in homeless shelters.
2020 April 1-21 – Sonoma County emergency operations team from CDC and Behavioral Health division place people from shelters and the streets in ten (10) trailers and in the Astro Motel to enable social distancing in homeless shelters.
2020 April 23 – HOME Sonoma Leadership Council meeting. Timelines for Leadership and TAC – Tom Schwedhelm, FEMA & Cal OES COVID-19 Reimbursement, Final H-HAP Funding Agreements, Sonoma County EOC/DOC COVID-19 Update – CDC Representative. Also, proposal is discussed for revising the Strategic Plan and make-up of the Leadership Council and Tech subcommittee.
2020 April 29 – County accepts first residents at Sonoma State University for COVID related situations, operated by North Bay Veterans and supported by SAVS. [Press report]
2020 May – City of Santa Rosa implements Safe Social Distancing program for Unsheltered Individuals at Finley Community Center parking lot as managed site up to 70 tents. [Details]