Housing group’s open letter to Sonoma council
Dear Council Members: At your January 20 meeting, we heard loud and clear that every one of you wants to make affordable housing a priority. That’s great. Now how do we do that?
For nearly eight months, our members have appeared at almost every City Council meeting requesting that affordable housing be put on the Council’s agenda. So far that has not happened.
Our request followed well attended, bi-lingual forums at both the Sonoma United Methodist Church and El Verano Elementary School. We summarized the community’s concerns and its proposed solutions in our “Resolution for a Housing State of Emergency.” Copies have been in the hands of the Council and city staff for some time.
In a poll released last week in Healdsburg — a city much like Sonoma — more than 70 percent were concerned about the lack of affordable housing, 71 percent were upset that outsiders were replacing long-term residents, and 86 percent said they would support increasing affordable housing.
We suspect that the same is true in Sonoma. The comments by the crowd that turned out at the Planning Commission hearing on the proposed hotel between First and Second Street East suggest as much.
The city of Alameda recently adopted a moratorium on large rent increases and no-cause evictions while it studies the affordable housing problem. We have delivered copies of the ordinance to city staff and to a number of Council members.
We wonder if the same couldn’t happen in Sonoma.
The city manager has told us that, until directed by the Council, she cannot spend staff time on studying the community’s proposals. Even if she could, she says, she has insufficient staff to move ahead in what we consider a timely fashion. She has suggested we get in line behind the mobile-home owners (who after many months will see their rent-control taken up in March).
The patience of the mobile-homers is admirable, and we support their campaign to strengthen rent control in the mobile-home parks. But we respectfully submit that “justice delayed is justice denied.”
Sonoma households spending more than a third of their income for rent — sometimes more than half — can’t wait. Families being pushed out of their homes and neighborhoods by vacation rentals can’t wait. Those of us working in town for less than it takes to rent a place in Sonoma or the Springs can’t wait. The families doubled up in apartments and houses because that’s the only way to keep a roof over our heads can’t wait. Nor can the folks sleeping in Maxwell Park.
How many people have to leave town before the Council acts? If it takes meeting more than once every two weeks, let’s do it. If it takes hiring more city staff, let’s do it. If it takes working with the county — or even turning it over to the county — let’s do that. We know you want to move ahead. Let’s do whatever it takes.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the Council hold an open, public hearing at which we can formally present our concerns and propose solutions, and others can do the same. We request that — with all due, deliberate speed — the Council adopt a moratorium on rent increases and no-cause evictions while it works out longer-term solutions. Declaring a housing state of emergency would show you are serious.
Submitted by:
– Spiritual Action Group (of Sonoma United Methodist Church) and the Sonoma Valley Housing Group
3 thoughts on “Housing group’s open letter to Sonoma council”
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Good luck to you. But I think your dreaming .The “outsiders” certainly don’t help .But if people keep having kids , the need keeps building . If you don’t own , your pretty much stuck at the mercy of the market . There won’t be large parcels built into apartments at any near the rate needed . People will build and be able to sell “upscale’ property’s . If “affordable ” means public or low income housing Your looking at opposition . The haves and the have not’s . Trouble in paradise .
Affordable Housing? What about Legal Housing. I was amazed by the number of homes in Sonoma County I worked on as Communications Installer, where there were Multiple Rooms,containing multiple families,that were here Illegally and making more money than they would like you to know.
Now,?before you throw in the Race Card or the Poor Migrant Worker. You might want to talk to many of our ancestors who were Immigrants and played by the Rules and Laws, instead if Playing the Laws and Rules.
Housing isn’t being gobbled up by Vacation Rentals as many would have you believe, but by people taking advantage of the System.
Unfortunately unless you want to live in reality, you can complain about everything and just ignore the Elephant in the room
How did you know they were all here “Illegally” and “making more money” lol