The community forum Sustainable Sonoma has made a priority of finding solutions to Sonoma Valley’s housing problems – and those efforts continued last week when the group invited seven regional housing experts to visit and discuss strategies for meeting the group’s housing affordability goals.
The consulted experts advised that Sonoma Valley take steps on a number of fronts, including policy shifts to improve the economics of building middle- and lower-cost housing, engaging philanthropy to provide essential leverage and social support for change, and building public will for a better housing future.
Sustainable Sonoma is now summarizing the experts’ recommended strategies into a draft report for review by the Sustainable Sonoma Council, tentatively titled “Homes for a Sustainable Sonoma Valley: Strategic Recommendations for Our Community.”
“We all know housing is one of the most difficult and complex topics Sonoma Valley faces,” said Tim Freeman, Sustainable Sonoma Steering Committee member representing economic interests, La Luz Center board member, and Sonoma Valley real estate agent. “It brings together the business community, the social justice community, and the environmental community.”
“Housing matters to every part of our community. That’s why we are making these extraordinary efforts to do our homework, develop a sound strategy, and work as a cohesive group,” explained Caitlin Cornwall, Sustainable Sonoma project director.
“We’re OK with difficult topics,” added Fred Allebach, Sustainable Sonoma Council member representing equity interests, Sonoma Valley Housing Group member, and chair of the City of Sonoma’s Community Services & Environment Commission. “Sustainable Sonoma exists to take action on the tough issues, like housing affordability, that otherwise won’t get better.” (Allebach is also a Sun columnist).
The participating experts, who met for a day at Springs Community Hall, were Cassandra Benjamin of CSB Consulting, Joshua Abrams and Brandi Campbell Wood of Baird + Driskell Community Planning, Margaret Van Vliet of Trillium Advisors, Walter Keiser of Economic and Planning Systems, Ali Gaylord of Midpen Housing, and Libby Seifel of Seifel Consulting. All of them fully or partially donated their valuable time and expertise to help Sustainable Sonoma’s cause. Sustainable Sonoma is also working with Jane Riley at Permit Sonoma (County) and David Storer at City of Sonoma.
As part of their challenge, the experts were tasked with prioritizing housing strategies that the Valley as a whole should pursue, as well as specific actions that Sustainable Sonoma could lead. All the experts’ recommendations were customized for the Valley’s challenges and assets, which include being semi-rural, agricultural, economically and demographically polarized, having few elected representatives, and having a visitor-serving economy.
The experts’ recommendations were also required to meet Sustainable Sonoma’s guiding values: to improve the economy, improve the environment, and increase equity – all three together. In the context of housing, Sustainable Sonoma’s goal is “to increase, improve, and preserve housing that is affordable for people who live or work in Sonoma Valley, within already developed areas, to create safe, diverse, complete neighborhoods,” Cornwall said.
Sustainable Sonoma is a project of Sonoma Ecology Center.
Sustainable: capable of being sustained (Webster) The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level (Google).
“In the context of housing, Sustainable Sonoma’s goal is ‘to increase, improve, and preserve housing that is affordable for people who live or work in Sonoma Valley, within already developed areas, to create safe, diverse, complete neighborhoods,’ Cornwall said.”
~ In short, keep the level and rate of housing the same (sustain it) by adding more housing ? to existing developed neighborhoods (where land prices are already at a premium) in a way that will not change anything?except, of course, in those neighborhoods.
Got it.
Can’t wait to see the new multi-story affordable and diverse Valley housing projects in George Ranch and Diamond A.