Equity in Housing

Colorful houses

The Commission has commenced an Equity in Housing Project to help Sonoma County address longstanding disparities in housing. Federal, state and local government policies have perpetuated these disparities, while the current political climate has made it more difficult to reach certain populations. Recently, immigrant community members have become even more reluctant to seek housing resources for fear of immigration enforcement, despite often needing those resources the most. This has resulted in a lack of representation from non-English speaking and communities of color in some Commission programs.

The Equity in Housing Project includes two distinct but related components:

An Assessment of Fair Housing

A Countywide look at the impacts of policies, programs, zoning and market conditions across our communities that have a disparate impact on people in protected classes including minorities, seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, and others, and an Equity in Housing Agenda – which is focused more internally on modifying agency policies and programs to put equity at the forefront of all we do as the Commission.

The Equity in Housing Project

Which will guide the development of federally required 5-year planning frameworks for the Urban County, the City of Santa Rosa and the City of Petaluma, and will ensure that all of the Commission’s work prioritizes equity in housing and opportunity first and foremost.

Assessment of Fair Housing Survey

All of the cities and towns within Sonoma County are partnering with the Sonoma County Community Development Commission to prepare an Assessment of Fair Housing, required under state and federal law. The Assessment looks at policies, practices and conditions that shape disparities in housing and opportunity for protected groups under the Fair Housing Act (people in racial and ethnic minorities, people living with disabilities, seniors, etc), and identifies meaningful ways of addressing issues like segregation, housing cost, and unequal opportunities for education and employment.

As members of our communities, you know best how disparities impact you. This survey is one of many ways that we are asking people in Sonoma County to tell us about their personal experiences. Tell us about yours here:

In English: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/xgB3Al
In Spanish: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/VsCs1H

Your input will inform our Countywide Assessment of Fair Housing.

We are grateful for your time.

For more information about the state law that requires this work, visit: https://www.nhlp.org/wp-content/uploads/AB-686-Fact-Sheet-Feb.-2019.pdf

For more information on the federal guidance that Sonoma County is following for this assessment, visit: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/affh/overview/#:~:text=

The%20Assessment%20of%20Fair%20Housing,of%20Fair%20Housing%20(AFH).

Note: Although the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule has been temporarily suspended by the current administration, Sonoma County is following this guidance because it is mirrored by State Law.