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2023-2031

Housing Element

Adopted | February 14, 2023 Revision Adopted | June 3, 2025

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City of Santa Rosa

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2023-2031 Housing Element

Adopted | February 14, 2023

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Prepared By: PlaceWorks 101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 200 Folsom, California 95630 t 916.245.7500

ORANGE COUNTY • BAY AREA • SACRAMENTO • CENTRAL COAST • LOS ANGELES • INLAND EMPIRE • SAN DIEGO

www.placeworks.com

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Tribal Acknowledgement................................................................................................................ 1-1 Vision ............................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Purpose............................................................................................................................................ 1-1 Content and Organization ............................................................................................................. 1-2 Regional Housing Need................................................................................................................... 1-5 General Plan Consistency .............................................................................................................. 1-5

2. Public Outreach and Engagement .................................................................................................... 2-1 Stakeholder Consultations.............................................................................................................. 2-1 Community Workshop.................................................................................................................... 2-3 Online Community Survey.............................................................................................................. 2-4 Sonoma/Napa Collaborative Equity Working Group....................................................................... 2-5 General Plan Update Community Involvement Strategy (CIS) ........................................................ 2-5 Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session ................................................................ 2-8 Planning Commission and City Council Meetings ......................................................................... 2-9 Public Comments............................................................................................................................. 2-9 Noticing of the Draft Housing Element ........................................................................................ 2-10

3. Housing Needs Assessment............................................................................................................... 3-1 Data Sources.................................................................................................................................... 3-1 Population Characteristics.............................................................................................................. 3-2 Household Characteristics .............................................................................................................. 3-6 Income and Employment Characteristics....................................................................................... 3-7 Employment Trends ........................................................................................................................ 3-8 Housing Characteristics .................................................................................................................. 3-11 Housing Cost and Affordability...................................................................................................... 3-15 Special-Needs Groups..................................................................................................................... 3-20 At-Risk Housing............................................................................................................................... 3-34 Financial Resources ........................................................................................................................ 3-40

4. Fair Housing Assessment................................................................................................................... 4-1 Outreach .......................................................................................................................................... 4-1 Relevant Factors .............................................................................................................................. 4-3 Assessment of Fair Housing............................................................................................................ 4-10 Sites Inventory Analysis ................................................................................................................. 4-63 Contributing Factors ....................................................................................................................... 4-73

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5. Housing Site Analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 5-1 Regional Housing Needs Allocation ............................................................................................................ 5-1 Projects Under Construction........................................................................................................................ 5-2 Planned and Approved Projects.................................................................................................................. 5-2 Downtown Station Area Specific Plan ........................................................................................................ 5-9 Sites Inventory and Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 5-19 Accessory Dwelling Unit Potential .............................................................................................................. 5-25 Summary of Capacity to Accommodate the RHNA................................................................................... 5-25

6. Housing Constraints ....................................................................................................................................... 6-1 Governmental Constraints............................................................................................................................ 6-1 Nongovernmental Constraints ..................................................................................................................... 6-36 Energy Conservation .................................................................................................................................... 6-41

7. Evaluation of Previous Housing Element ...................................................................................................... 7-1 Progress Toward Meeting Quantifiable Objectives ................................................................................... 7-1 Efforts to Address Special Housing Needs ................................................................................................. 7-2 Progress Towards Meeting Housing Element Programs........................................................................... 7-2

8. Goals, Policies, Programs .............................................................................................................................. 8-1 Adequate Sites .............................................................................................................................................. 8-1 Conservation ................................................................................................................................................. 8-7 Special-Needs Groups ................................................................................................................................... 8-13 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing.......................................................................................................... 8-20 Governmental Constraints............................................................................................................................ 8-30 Energy Efficiency .......................................................................................................................................... 8-33 Quantified Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 8-35

List of Tables

Table 3-7 Employed Residents by Industry, 2010 and 2018 ...................................................... 3-9

Table 3-8 Unemployment Rate, Santa Rosa and Sonoma County ............................................ 3-10

Table 3-9 Housing Units by Type, 2010 and 2021 ..................................................................... 3-11

Table 3-10 Vacant Units by Type, 2019 ....................................................................................... 3-13

Table 3-11 Age of Housing Stock ................................................................................................. 3-15

Table 3-12 Housing Sale Price Survey, March 2022 ................................................................... 3-17

Table 3-13 Rental Price Survey .................................................................................................... 3-17

Table 3-14 HCD 2021 Income Limits by Household, Sonoma County ...................................... 3-18

Table 3-15 Maximum Affordable Housing Costs by Income Category, 2021 ............................. 3-19

Table 3-16 Monthly Housing Costs of Households by Percentage of Income, Santa Rosa, 2019 ........................................................................................ 3-19

Table 3-17 Lower Income Households Overpaying for Housing, City of Santa Rosa, 2014-2018 ................................................................................. 3-20

Table 3-18 Developmentally Disabled Residents by Zip Code ................................................... 3-22

Table 3-19 Available Services for Persons with Disabilities....................................................... 3-23

Table 3-20 Tenure by Household Size ......................................................................................... 3-24

Table 3-21 Santa Rosa Housing Inventory by Number of Bedrooms ........................................ 3-25

Table 3-22 Senior Households by Income and Tenure............................................................... 3-26

Table 3-23 Farm Operations in Sonoma County, 2017 .............................................................. 3-28

Table 3-24 Extremely Low-Income Households, 2018 ............................................................... 3-30

Table 3-25 Homeless Facilities in Santa Rosa ............................................................................ 3-32

Table 3-26 Assisted Units (Risk of Conversion Noted in Bold) .................................................. 3-35

Table 4-1 Composition of White Residents of Santa Rosa Population, 1950-2019 .................... 4-4

Table 4-2 Performance Levels of School Districts Serving City of Santa Rosa Students............... 4-40

Table 4-3 Performance Levels of Santa Rosa School District Schools ........................................ 4-41

Table 4-4 Characteristics of the Homeless Population............................................................... 4-56

Table 4-5 Contributing Factors ................................................................................................... 4-74

Table 5-1 Regional Housing Needs Allocation, 2023–2031........................................................ 5-2

Table 5-2 Regional Housing Needs Allocation, 2023–2031 ........................................................ 5-2

Table 5-3 Projects Pending Approval........................................................................................... 5-5

Table 5-4 Approved Projects ....................................................................................................... 5-6

Table 5-5 Vacant DSASP Sites to Meet the Lower and Above Moderate RHNA ........................ 5-15

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Table 5-6 Realistic Capacity - Project Examples ............................................................................ 5-20 Table 5-7 Small Site Project Examples ............................................................................................ 5-21 Table 5-8 Vacant Sites to Meet the Lower-Income RHNA ............................................................. 5-22 Table 5-9 Vacant Sites to Meet the Moderate- and Above Moderate-Income RHNA ................ 5-22 Table 5-10 Remaining RHNA After Units Constructed Credited .................................................. 5-26 Table 5-11 Summary of Residential Capacity Compared to the 6th Cycle RHNA by Income Category ......................................................................................................................... 5-26 Table 6-1 General Plan Residential Land Use Classifications ....................................................... 6-1 Table 6-2 Zoning Districts ............................................................................................................... 6-4 Table 6-3 Residential District Regulations ..................................................................................... 6-7 Table 6-4 Residential District Regulations, Continued .................................................................. 6-8 Table 6-5 Residential Parking Standards ....................................................................................... 6-11 Table 6-6 Housing Types Permitted by Zoning District ................................................................ 6-15 Table 6-7 Processing Procedures by Project Type ........................................................................ 6-22 Table 6-8 Timelines for Permit Procedure ..................................................................................... 6-22 Table 6-9 Planning Fees (Effective July 30, 2021) ........................................................................ 6-33 Table 6-10 Single-Family Development Fees (Effective January 1, 2022) .................................... 6-34 Table 6-11 Multifamily Development Fees .................................................................................... 6-35 Table 7-1 Regional Housing Needs Allocation Compared to Permits Issued, 2015 – 2022 (5th Cycle Housing Element) ................................................................. 7-1 Table 7-2 Review of Previous 2015-2023 Housing Element Programs ....................................... 7-3

Appendix A Table A-1 Sites to Accommodate the Moderate Income RHNA .................................................. A-1 Table A-2 Sites to Accommodate the Above Moderate Income RHNA ........................................ A-3

List of Figures

Figure 1-1 City of Santa Rosa – Regional Location ......................................................................... 1-4 Figure 3-1 Population by Age of Santa Rosa ................................................................................. 3-4 Figure 3-2 Population by Race and Ethnicity, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and Bay Area ............ 3-5 Figure 3-3 Household Income Distribution, City of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County, 2019 ......... 3-7 Figure 3-4 Households by Income Level, City of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County, 2019 ............ 3-8

Figure 3-5 Net New Housing Units by Year, Santa Rosa, 2005 – 2021 ............................................. 3-12 Figure 3-6 Household Tenure in Santa Rosa, 2019........................................................................... 3-12 Figure 3-7 Median Home Sales Prices, 2018 to 2022 ......................................................................... 3-16 Figure 3-8 Disabilities Among Santa Rosa Residents ........................................................................ 3-21 Figure 3-9 Tenure by Household Size, 2019 ...................................................................................... 3-25 Figure 3-10 Santa Rosa Homeless Population ..................................................................................... 3-31 Figure 4-1 Santa Rosa General Area Map .......................................................................................... 4-7 Figure 4-2 Single-Family Zoning and Community Resources............................................................ 4-9 Figure 4-3 TCAC/HCD Opportunity Map ........................................................................................... 4-13 Figure 4-4 Diversity Composition........................................................................................................ 4-17 Figure 4-5 Income Patterns in the Region .......................................................................................... 4-21 Figure 4-6 Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence ......................................................................... 4-23 Figure 4-7 Poverty Status...................................................................................................................... 4-24 Figure 4-8 Housing Choice Voucher Usage Map................................................................................ 4-25 Figure 4-9 Median Income.................................................................................................................... 4-27 Figure 4-10 Regional Racially Concentrated Areas of Affluence ......................................................... 4-28 Figure 4-11 Population with A Disability ............................................................................................ 4-31 Figure 4-12 Regional Population 18 and Over Living With a Spouse................................................. 4-34 Figure 4-13 Regional Percent of Children in Married Couple Households ......................................... 4-35 Figure 4-14 Percent of Children in Female Headed Households, No Spouse..................................... 4-36 Figure 4-15 English Language Arts Overall Test Scores ..................................................................... 4-43 Figure 4-16 Mathematics Overall Test Scores ..................................................................................... 4-43 Figure 4-17 TCAC/HCD opportunity maps – Education Score ........................................................... 4-45 Figure 4-18 Jobs Proximity Index........................................................................................................ 4-47 Figure 4-19 CalEnviroScreen Composite Score.................................................................................. 4-50 Figure 4-20 Overpayment ..................................................................................................................... 4-53 Figure 4-21 Percent Unit Capacity by TCAC Resource Areas ............................................................ 4-64 Figure 4-22 Percent Unit Capacity by Median Income ....................................................................... 4-65 Figure 4-23 Percent of Unit Capacity by Diversity Index Score ......................................................... 4-66 Figure 4-24 Percent Unit Capacity by Population with a Disability ................................................... 4-67 Figure 4-25 Percent of Unit Capacity by CalEnviroScreen ................................................................. 4-68

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1. Introduction

The Housing Element of the General Plan identifies the City’s housing conditions and needs, evaluates the City’s ability to meet its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), establishes the goals, policies, and programs that are the foundation of the City’s housing strategy, and provides an array of programs to create sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods across the City.

Tribal Acknowledgement

The City of Santa Rosa recognizes that we are on the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok, Pomo, and Wappo, who are the original stewards of this area. Santa Rosa is located on the ancestral lands of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo Tribal groups. The two Tribal groups now make up the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is culturally affiliated, and its territory includes what is modern day Santa Rosa. We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples and Southern Pomo tribes: Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Dry Creek Rancheria, Lytton Rancheria, and Cloverdale Rancheria. There are five federally recognized tribes within Sonoma County, who have been stewarding and maintaining relationship on this land as knowledge keepers for millennia. The City is dedicated to promote understanding and educating the public about historical and ongoing connections between land conservation and social inequities. This includes the histories of genocide, forced removal and displacement, and broken promises with Indigenous peoples and Tribes as a part of United States American history. Indigenous and Tribal people are not just in our histories. We strive to empower Indigenous and Tribal voices to share their own history, as to not perpetuate another form of being silenced. While recognizing the past, we honor the resiliency of Indigenous people and California Native American Tribes still in their ancestral territories in relationship with their land and culture.

Vision

It is the overall housing vision of the City of Santa Rosa to create housing opportunities that enhance affordability, equity, livability and sustainability by remedying discriminatory housing practices and creating a city with a range of housing types, sizes, and costs in close proximity to jobs, transit, amenities, and services. In keeping with a fundamental belief that housing is a human right, the City will work towards ensuring that housing stability and affordability is provided to all residents.

Purpose

The purpose of the Housing Element is to identify housing solutions that solve our local housing problems and meet or exceed the Regional Housing Needs Assessment. The City recognizes that housing is a need that is met through many resources and interest groups. To respond to the increasing housing pressures facing Santa Rosa the Housing Element Update presents goals, policies and programs centered in racial equity, environmental justice, and resilience pertaining to housing access, preservation, stability, and production. Together, these goals, policies and programs comprise the City’s housing action plan for the 2023-2031 planning period. The content of this Chapter will

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guide daily decision-making by City officials and staff and will provide benchmarks on the housing programs that the City initiated to meet its overall housing goals

California Government Code Section 65583 requires the Housing Element to include the following components:

» A review of the previous element’s goals, policies, programs, and objectives to ascertain the effectiveness of each of these components, as well as the overall effectiveness of the Housing Element.

» An assessment of housing needs and an inventory of resources and constraints related to meeting these needs.

» An analysis and program for preserving assisted housing developments.

» A statement of community goals, quantified objectives, and policies relative to the maintenance, preservation, improvement, and development of housing.

» A program that sets forth an eight-year planning period schedule of actions that the City is undertaking, or intends to undertake, in implementing the policies set forth in the Housing Element.

The Housing Element is intended to be a dynamic, action-oriented planning tool. Unlike the other elements of the General Plan, which typically have a 10- to 20-year time frame, state law sets a shorter time frame for the Housing Element. The element covers an eight-year time frame, for the period extending from 2023 to 2031, and replaces the Housing Element that was in effect from 2015 to 2023.

Content and Organization

The Housing Element is organized into the following sections and has been structured to comply with state Housing Element guidelines.

Section 1 – Introduction: Provides information on the State of California’s requirements, the purpose of the Housing Element, the organization of the document, and General Plan consistency.

Section 2 – Public Outreach and Engagement: Describes the community engagement and opportunities the City provided for public participation during the preparation of the updated Housing Element.

Section 3 – Housing Needs Assessment: Focuses on demographic information, including population trends, ethnicity, age, household composition, income, employment, housing characteristics, housing needs by income, and housing needs for special segments of the population.

Section 4 – Fair Housing Assessment: Includes an Assessment of Fair Housing that aims to combat discrimination, overcome patterns of segregation, and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics.

Section 5 – Housing Sites Analysis: Describes the City’s housing resources as well as the City’s existing housing stock and the potential areas for future housing development. This section also discusses

opportunities for energy conservation, which can reduce costs to homeowners and infrastructure costs to the City.

Section 6 – Housing Constraints: Analyzes potential governmental and non-governmental constraints to housing development in Santa Rosa. This includes the City’s planning, zoning, and building standards that directly affect residential development patterns as well as influence housing availability and affordability. Potential non-governmental constraints include the availability and cost of financing, the price of land, and the materials for building homes, and natural conditions that affect the cost of preparing and developing land for housing, and the business decisions of individuals and organizations (some examples are home building, finance, real estate, and rental housing that impact housing cost and availability).

Section 7 – Evaluation of the Previous Housing Element: Contains an evaluation of the prior Housing Element and its accomplishments and analyzes differences between what was projected and what was achieved.

Section 8 – Goals, Policies, and Programs: Sets forth the City’s goals, policies, and programs that are designed to address the housing needs in Santa Rosa. Based on the findings of the previous sections, the Goals, Policies, and Programs section identifies actions the City will take to meet local housing goals, quantified objectives, and address the housing needs in Santa Rosa.

Figure 1-1 CITY OF SANTA ROSA – REGIONAL LOCATION

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Regional Housing Need

State law (California Government Code Section 65580 et seq.) requires the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to project statewide housing needs and allocate the anticipated need to each region in the state. For the Bay Area, including Santa Rosa, HCD provides the regional need to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), which then distributes the RHNA to the cities and counties within the ABAG region. ABAG allocates housing production goals for cities and counties based on their projected share of the region’s household growth, the state of the local housing market and vacancies, and the jurisdiction’s housing replacement needs.

ABAG is responsible for developing a Regional Housing Needs Plan (RHNP) allocating the region’s share of the statewide housing needs to local jurisdictions. The RHNA is a minimum projection of additional housing units needed to accommodate projected household growth of all income levels by the end of the housing element’s statutory planning period. As shown in Table 1-1, Santa Rosa is required to plan for 5,326 units during the 2023-2031 planning period at certain densities, 1,953 units of which must be affordable to lower-income (extremely low-, very low-, and low- income) households, 771 units must be affordable to moderate-income households, and 2,602 for above moderate-income households. These numbers include a transfer of 641 RHNA units from the County of Sonoma to the City of Santa Rosa, completed in March 2025, following the annexation of a 34.93-acre site into the City of Santa Rosa and a subsequent RHNA transfer agreement between the two jurisdictions. The 641 transferred RHNA units are broken down into 607 Above Moderate-income units and 34 Very Low income units.

Table 1-2 SANTA ROSA REGIONAL HOUSING NEED, 2023-2031

Source: ABAG, 2021 Note: It is assumed that 50 percent of the very low-income units are allocated to the extremely low-income category.

General Plan Consistency

The Housing Element has been reviewed for consistency with the City’s other General Plan Elements. The Santa Rosa General Plan has been periodically amended since the last comprehensive update was adopted in 2009 and a comprehensive update is currently (2022) in process. The policies and programs in this Housing Element are consistent with the policy direction contained in other parts of the current General Plan. The City will continue to review and revise the Housing Element, as necessary for consistency, once the comprehensive update is complete and when any future amendments are made to the General Plan.

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1 Introduction

Per Assembly Bill (AB) 162 (Government Code Section 65302.g.3), upon the next revision of the Housing Element on or after January 1, 2014, the Safety Element shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state responsibility areas, as defined in Section 4102 of the Public Resources Code, and land classified as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, as defined in Section 51177. Senate Bill (SB) 379 (Government Code Section 65302.g.4) requires that the Safety Element be reviewed and updated as necessary to address climate change adaptation and applicable resiliency strategies. SB 1035 (Government Code Section 65302.g.6) requires that the Safety Element be reviewed and updated as needed upon each revision of the Housing Element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not less than once every eight years. SB 99 (Government Code Section 65302.g.5) requires that on or after January 1, 2020, the Safety Element includes information to identify residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two evacuation routes. As a part of the comprehensive update currently underway, the City is currently working to review and update the existing Noise and Safety Element, incorporating all State law changes, including applicable laws and any additional requirements and General Plan guidelines from the State of California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).

The updated General Plan will address the requirements of all applicable laws and regulations and will include a new Environmental Justice Element as well as updates to all other existing elements. The update process is being guided by a robust community involvement strategy to engage the community’s diverse population of residents, business owners, and students in the plan’s development, as well as Santa Rosa Equity Priority Communities. The updated General Plan will also incorporate a greenhouse gas reduction strategy to advance sustainability in the community. Based on community member input, the plan is being developed to achieve a shared vision for the future in which Santa Rosa is: Just, Sustainable, Inclusive, Healthy, Resilient, Prepared, Sheltered, Equitable, Successful, Connected, Safe, Educated, and Cultural.

2. Public Outreach and Engagement

State law requires cities and counties to make a diligent effort to achieve participation from all segments of the community in preparing a Housing Element. Section 65583[c][6] of the California Government Code specifically requires that “The local government shall make a diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community in the development of the Housing Element, and the program shall describe this effort.”

The diligent effort required means that local jurisdictions must do more than issue the customary public notices and conduct standard public hearings prior to adopting a Housing Element. State law requires cities and counties to take active steps to inform, involve, and solicit input from the public, particularly low-income and racial and ethnic households that might otherwise not participate in the process.

To meet the requirements of state law, Santa Rosa completed the public outreach and encouraged community involvement, summarized below and described herein.

» Stakeholder Consultations » Community Workshops » Online Community Survey » General Plan Update Community Involvement Strategy (CIS) » Focus Groups and Listening Sessions » City Council Study Session » Planning Commission and City Council Meetings

Stakeholder Consultations

To ensure that the City solicits feedback from all segments of the community, consultations were conducted with service providers and other stakeholders who represent different socioeconomic groups.

From November 2021 through June 2022, staff reached out to multiple stakeholder organizations to offer the opportunity for each to provide one-on-one input on housing needs and programs. Of the 14 organizations, nine stakeholders provided feedback via one-on-one interviews or with email responses and two were unsuccessful.

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Representatives from the following stakeholders were interviewed:

• Generation Housing, November 2021
• Catholic Charities, November 2021
• Housing Land Trust of Sonoma County, February 2022
• Sonoma County Housing Authority Staff, February 2022
• Petaluma People Services, November 2021
• Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California (FHANC), November 2021
• SB 18 Meeting with Federated Indians Graton Rancheria, March 2022
• Disability Services & Legal Center Listening Session, April 2022
• Farmworkers Listening Session, May 2022
• InterFaith Shelter Network, May 24, 2022
• Lideres Campesinas, pending
• Second Chance Program & Club, SRJC, pending

Requests for consultation were extended but no response was received from the following stakeholder groups:

• Burbank Housing Development Corporation
• United Farmworkers

The stakeholders were asked the following questions:

1. Opportunities and concerns: What three top opportunities do you see for the future of housing in the city? What are your three top concerns for the future of housing in Santa Rosa?
2. Housing preferences: What types of housing do your clients prefer? Is there adequate rental housing in the city? Are there opportunities for home ownership? Are there accessible rental units for seniors and persons with disabilities?
3. Housing barriers/needs: What are the biggest barriers to finding affordable, decent housing? Are there specific unmet housing needs in the community?
4. Housing conditions: How would you characterize the physical condition of housing in Santa Rosa? What opportunities do you see to improve housing in the future?
5. Equity and Fair Housing: What factors limit or deny civil rights, fair housing choice, or equitable access to opportunity? What actions can be taken to transform racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity (without displacement)? What actions can be taken to make living patterns more integrated and balanced?
6. How has COVID-19 affected the housing situation?

Based on conversations with Generation Housing and Catholic Charities, the City of Santa Rosa has been described as a community that faces several challenges and barriers to housing. Not in my Backyard (NIMBY)-ism in Santa Rosa was identified as causing an increase to the cost of development in the city. The City has also been described as “on the right track” towards housing development. Through consultation, it was recommended that additional incentives or fee waivers be provided to encourage additional residential development. It was also recommended that the City use their publicly owned land aggressively and innovatively for housing.

Sonoma County Housing Authority and Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California stated that there is a need for housing navigation staff or housing case managers to support unhoused individuals, populations with low credit scores, and/or populations with eviction history to overcome application barriers and search for housing units. There is not enough funding within the stakeholder organizations to fund these new staff, so there is a need for additional funding for this staffing need as well as additional rental assistance or down payment assistant programs. These programs have been successful in the past, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to keep individuals housed.

Based on a conversation with the Fair Housing Advocates for Northern California, fair housing providers under AB 1482, the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019, have legally evicted residents using some of the following “no fault” just causes including: (1) Intent by the owner or owner-relative to occupy the unit (this includes the owner’s spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents only), and (2) Withdrawal of the rental property from the rental market. Even though these just-causes have legal standing, there are no current housing accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that housing providers follow through on their no-fault eviction declaration. With no mechanism in place to keep housing providers accountable, landlords can seemingly bypass AB 1482 and “evict” residents without any formal oversight. As a result, stakeholders identified that there is a need to hold housing providers accountable for their “no fault” just cause evictions.

In consultation with Interfaith Shelter Network, there is a need for more lower barrier affordable housing that is inclusive of residents with criminal backgrounds. Additionally, there is a need for very low-income housing for persons with disabilities who have limited incomes because of challenges individuals with disabilities face in finding work. There is also a need for more code enforcement inspections that use HUD standards. The stakeholder voiced that when individuals are placed in housing 15-20 percent of the time the units need repairs. Lastly, the stakeholder expressed a greater need for community input on identifying resources and financial opportunities. This will help to allocate the funding to the community with the greatest need. It was also expressed that Town hall meetings are a good opportunity to identify community leaders who can guide how funding is used and how it should be allocated within their communities.

Community Workshop

On March 10, 2022, the City held a Virtual Community Workshop that was attended by the chair of the Planning Commission and 16 members of the public. Spanish translation was offered at the workshop. The intent of the workshop was to review to provide an overview of the Housing Element

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and RHNA process and solicit input from stakeholders and the public regarding housing needs and opportunities. After the presentation, City Staff created breakout rooms and asked the public a series of questions regarding the City’s shortcomings, accomplishments, types of housing needs and where this housing can be developed, as well as other barriers aside from income preventing residents from accessing housing. Feedback included several topics related to the series of questions asked, including, how the City can: increase housing stock for all affordability levels, address exclusionary housing practices and excess parking downtown; develop transit oriented housing; increase participation through community outreach, as well as integrate fair housing practices. Lastly, the public expressed interest in building up, increasing City programs to fund move in costs, and increasing affordable housing.

Online Community Survey

On February 24, 2022, the City launched a Housing Survey requesting feedback on the state of local housing which remained open until April 8, 2022. A press release was sent out notifying the community of the survey. The survey was available in English and Spanish.

There were 478 survey responses, 11 of which were completed in Spanish (only two percent of the responses, even though 25 percent of Santa Rosa residents speak only Spanish). Among respondents, approximately 96 percent lived in Santa Rosa, 50 percent worked in Santa Rosa, five percent were local business owners, six percent went to school in Santa Rosa, and eight percent were retired or volunteered in local non-profits in Santa Rosa. Approximately 62 percent of respondents currently lived in a single-family home, and 70 percent selected single-family (small/affordable) as the type of home they would like to see built. Sixteen percent of respondents currently lived in an apartment or townhome, and 35 percent selected apartment or townhome as the housing type they would like to live in. Approximately 54 percent of respondents currently lived in a home located within walking distance to Parks and Open Space, and approximately 53 percent chose enhancing livability through bike lanes and traffic calming measures as a very important concern for the feature of housing.

When asked what the greatest barriers are to providing housing in the City, the majority (approximately 64 percent) cited issues related to cost of construction, 52 percent cited lack of jobs to support existing cost of living, and 43 percent cited community opposition to new housing development.

Most respondents noted diverse housing stocks and affordability, age-in-place resources, and services for the disabled as those that were most important to them or their friends and family. Respondents most frequently selected emergency shelters/homeless services, financial support for first-time homeowners and services for the disabled as services that the City should support.

Additional comments:

» Santa Rosa needs affordable housing integrated with market-rate housing; avoid concentrating affordable housing and services in certain areas, particularly the downtown.

» The rental market is particularly difficult right now—low vacancies and high costs; there is a need for more rental units; consider rent controls/caps on increases. » Encourage unique housing types such as tiny homes, co-housing, and live/workspaces for artists. » Middle-income families are being forced out of the city due to the lack of affordability. » Focus on rehabilitating and maintaining the existing housing stock; increase code enforcement and encourage energy efficiency improvements, particularly in multifamily developments. » Provide more homeownership assistance programs for middle income households who don't qualify for housing programs. » Need additional support and assistance for the homeless, and those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; focus on providing permanent homes for the homeless rather than temporary shelters. » There is a need for affordable senior housing especially for seniors on a fixed income. » Support mixed-use, live/work high-density development near the SMART rail station areas.

Sonoma/Napa Collaborative Equity Working Group

The Equity Working Group (EWG) was convened by the Napa Sonoma Collaborative to engage community members in the Housing Element Update process within the Napa Sonoma region. The EWG also had the secondary purpose of exposing jurisdictions to community members outside of the formal public participation process. Over the course of six sessions the EWG discussed barriers, obstacles, and constraints to providing affordable housing within the Napa Sonoma region as well as developed recommendations for how to address these issues. The EWG members were nominated by members of the Napa Sonoma Collaborative due to their work within the community, including those who directly engage vulnerable populations, provide housing for vulnerable populations, or are a member of a vulnerable population.

General Plan Update Community Involvement Strategy (CIS)

» The City of Santa Rosa is committed to providing a transparent, inclusive, engaging, and far-reaching community outreach and engagement process during the General Plan Update (GPU) project. To achieve this, the Project Team prepared a Community Involvement Strategy (CIS) that identifies numerous opportunities for the public, key civic and business leaders, as well as City staff and elected officials to be involved in the GPU process. The document highlights ways that specific outreach activities will seek out and consider the viewpoints of a wide cross-section of Santa Rosa communities, with a targeted focus on reaching populations that are traditionally under-represented in planning processes (e.g., communities of color, low-income communities, immigrants, youth, and seniors). The CIS was reviewed and accepted by the Santa Rosa City Council on August 25, 2020.

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Community Advisory Committee

To support the GPU, the Project Team formed a 25-person community advisory committee (CAC), whose members were selected based on their collective ability to represent the full range of community interests, perspectives, and backgrounds of Santa Rosa. The CAC meets during each major phase of work, including Visioning, Land Use and Circulation Alternatives, and Preferred Alternatives, at the start of the outreach process. Roles of CAC members include serving as liaisons to their constituent groups, inviting input into the process, and encouraging community participation throughout the planning process and to assist the City with gaining a broader understanding of the needs and desires of the local community.

Project Website and Online Engagement

The GPU project website, SantaRosaForward.com, is a clearinghouse for all information related to the project, fully available in both English and Spanish. Community members can visit the site to access all public materials; learn about the latest project updates and opportunities to get involved; sign up for email updates; and submit comments directly. The Project Team leverages the City’s Facebook page, Twitter Account, and NextDoor App, to promote the project website, share updates, and highlight upcoming opportunities for involvement, including the Housing Element surveys and workshops. The Project Team also produced high-quality videos in English and Spanish which introduce General Plans and discuss why Santa Rosa is updating its General Plan now.

Youth Engagement Activities

The Project Team partnered with local community-based organization Latino Service Providers (LSP), specifically to collaborate with their Youth Promotores program to empower Latinx youth in the outreach process for the project, based on their long-standing relationships with local schools. The selected Youth Promotores created bilingual videos about the General Plan Update to explain the project to the community in their own words and why it was important to participate.

Additionally, the Project Team held a youth art contest for elementary and middle school-aged youth and ‘photo voice’ contest for students and young people aged 14 to 24. Both activities are designed to gather input from local young people on the City’s future and build awareness among youth and their families about the project generally.

FEBRUARY 2023

Equity Priority Communities’ Empowerment and Outreach Work Plan

To inform, consult, provide opportunities to participate, and empower every resident of Santa Rosa to be part of the decision-making processes related to the General Plan Update, the City of Santa Rosa developed the Equity Priority Communities’ Empowerment and Outreach Work Plan. The Work Plan is focused on vulnerable, underrepresented, and historically marginalized populations and areas with significant concentrations of low-income households and people of color – defined as “Santa Rosa Equity Priority Communities,” based on Plan Bay Area 2050 (Metropolitan Transportation Commission). The Work Plan will contribute to develop trust, long term skills, and knowledge for decision making in planning, community design, and development.

The City is using the Plan Bay Area 2050 definition of Equity Priority Communities 2050, the California Health and Safety Code definition of vulnerable communities, Executive Order B-30-15 Equity Checklist, and the Resiliency Guidebook of Vulnerable Populations to identify Santa Rosa’s Equity Priority Populations. Based on these sources, the City identified Santa Rosa’s Equity Priority Populations as follows:

» Low-income individuals and families » Racial or ethnic groups experiencing disparate health outcomes » Seniors, children, youth, and young adults » Individuals with disabilities » Immigrants and refugees » Outdoor workers and farmworkers » Individuals who are limited-English proficient (LEP) » Unhoused people » Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ+) communities » Individuals who are incarcerated or who have been incarcerated

Starting in April 2022, the City Staff started organizing focus groups and listening sessions with individuals with disabilities and outdoor workers and farmworkers.

Project Phase and Housing-Specific Outreach. For each major phase of the project, the Project Team has facilitated multifaceted outreach plans to engage community members in the project. The Project Team has conducted additional outreach specifically designed to support the Housing Element, as described previously in Section 2.

» Visioning Outreach. In mid-2021, the Project team hosted a series of 10 workshops (all virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions) and presented to individual community groups to gather input on the community’s vision for the city’s future. The Project Team also released two web-based surveys. Through this effort, the Project Team received over 4,000 unique comments on the

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Public Outreach and Engagement 2

GPU and developed a detailed, 13-point vision statement. One point of the Vision Statement relates directly to housing:

• Sheltered: A diverse mix of high-quality, safe, thoughtfully designed, efficiently planned, and well-served housing at all affordability levels is available throughout the community to accommodate everyone, including formerly homeless, immigrants, local workers, multigenerational households, seniors, students, and formerly incarcerated people.

» Land Use and Circulation Alternatives Engagement. In early 2022, the Project Team held a series of five in-person workshops, in addition to nine popup events, and 18 community group meetings and/or presentations to gather feedback on three land use and circulation alternatives. These events were complimented by a Web-based survey and a virtual studio.

Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session

On November 16, 2021, a Joint City Council/Planning Commission Study Session was held to introduce the 2023-2031 Housing Element update and to review new State Laws. The public was also invited to attend and participate in this virtual event. Staff presented an overview of the Housing Element update process and required contents of the element, discussed early strategies and possible sites to meet the City's RHNA, reviewed new state laws, and solicited feedback from the City Council, Planning Commission and community members on these strategies and other housing needs in Santa Rosa.

Commissioners expressed interest in accessory dwelling units (ADUs) – projection numbers, specifically counting ADU's built after the fires as separate units and not as rebuilt units. The discussion transitioned into ADU affordability within the City. Units have been counted under moderate income levels, however the City informed commissioners that ABAG is in the process conducting an affordability study that will provide more clarity on percentage breakdown. Commissioners had questions and comments regarding new state laws and the City not being required to build, but just providing incentives; reusing sites and the requirements that must be placed on those sites; and concern of overconcentrating units in one area.

Councilmembers and the public had several discussion items, such as, the consideration of AB 602: Mitigation Fee Act and its potential implications on development constraints. Discussions on recent laws also included AB 686, Housing Discrimination: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing. The public expressed interest on how the new law can help highlight the difficulty for acquiring senior housing due to the high demand and low supply of senior designated housing. The Council expressed interest in the new state pro-housing designation and were interested in seeing how the Housing Element can codify a pathway towards this new designation. The discussion ended on how sites will be selected and whether open space is being considered.

Planning Commission and City Council Meetings

On June 9, 2022, a Planning Commission meeting with the Housing Authority in attendance was held to present the draft Housing Element and receive feedback and comments prior to submittal to HCD. Planning Commission and Housing Authority comments included clarification on vacant site capacity, the outreach process, dispersal of housing types and potential consequences for not meeting the RHNA, programs in the housing element that ensure cyclical reviews of development fees, developer consultations and the city' role in lot consolidation. Public comment included: concerns regarding fire risks and hazard analysis on identifies sites, additional outreach to organizations who serve and assist unhoused individuals.

On June 21, 2022, a City Council meeting was held to present the draft Housing Element and receive feedback and comments prior to submittal to HCD. City Council comments included, current available capacity to absorb the County's RHNA, modifying the Housing Element if the identified sites in fire hazard areas, potential consequences for not meeting the RHNA. City Council was interested in learning how infrastructure will be incorporated in more rural areas where sites have been identified. Public comments included, changing the zoning on certain sites to accommodate more low-income housing, recommendations to reduce parking requirements for new housing and incorporating zoning overlays to that would allow faith-based organization to lease their land accommodate more affordable housing within the City.

Public Comments

The City received ongoing public comments during the drafting of the Housing Element. All comments received were considered. Public comment themes included, but were not limited to, the following topics:

» Wildfire concerns with increased housing development » Parking requirements, transit, and bike infrastructure » Increasing low- and moderate-income housing production » RHNA transfer with the County » Support the Napa Sonoma ADU Center » Environmental review » Concerns for too much housing production

All comments received were considered and used to inform the sites analysis and assessment of fair housing issues, and goals, policies, and programs.

Following submittal of the draft to HCD, the City received additional public comment regarding Fair Housing concerns around homelessness, non-congregate shelter and housing options for people experiencing homelessness.

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2 Public Outreach and Engagement

Revisions to the fair housing assessment were included as well as modification to multiple programs (Program H-2, H-5, H-6, H-12, H-14, H-16, H-18, H-20, H-24, H-27, H-34) to address the deficiencies identified. Revisions were also made to the review of previous section to include more detailed information on the implementation of Program H-D-12.

During the review period prior to adoption the City considered comments from Legal Aid that were regarding strengthening the fair housing analysis and adding new programs to protect tenants and prevent displacement. The City has incorporated additional edits based on HCD recommendations and revisions to the sites inventory. Additionally, the City has included Program H-32: Tenant Protection/Eviction Prevention Measures and Program H-14: Mobile Home Park Rent Control, which address tenant protections.

Noticing of the Draft Housing Element

Per California Government Code Section 65585, the draft Housing Element was made available for public comment for 30 days, from June 3 to July 3. Public comment was received, and an additional 10 business days was allowed to consider and incorporate public comments into the draft revision before submitting to HCD on August 3, 2022. The draft was made available on the City’s website and was noticed to residents through the same methods as the Planning Commission and City Council meetings. Additional direct noticing was sent to local housing advocate groups.

3. Housing Needs Assessment

This chapter describes the characteristics of Santa Rosa’s population and housing that are essential to understanding the City’s housing needs. This section is organized as follows:

» Population Characteristics » Household Characteristics » Income and Employment Characteristics » Employment Trends » Housing Characteristics » Housing Cost and Affordability » Special-Needs Groups » At-Risk Housing

Data Sources

The analysis in this section primary uses data compiled by ABAG in the Data Profiles for Housing Elements workbook, released in April 2021. ABAG data is largely from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey (ACS), 2012-2016 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), Department of Finance (DOF), and the Employment Development Department (EDD).

The ACS is conducted by the US Census Bureau and provides estimates of numerous housing-related indicators based on samples averaged over a five-year period. Although the ACS typically has a higher margin of error, it also provides more detailed data that is not available with the US Decennial Census.

The DOF is another source of valuable data and is more current than the US Census. However, the DOF does not provide the depth of information that can be found in the US Census Bureau reports. The EDD provides employee and industry data and projections that are more specific than what is often available through the US Census. Whenever possible, DOF or EDD data and other local sources were used in the Housing Needs Assessment to provide the most current profile of the community.

Because of the difference in data sources, some figures (e.g., population or the number of households) may vary in different sections. Additionally, the sum of data in tables may not total precisely due to rounding.

Population Characteristics

Population Growth

The City of Santa Rosa experienced population growth from 2010 until the start of 2020. As illustrated in Table 3-1, the City’s population grew from 167,815 in 2010 to 173,628 in 2020, an increase of approximately 3 percent. This represents an annual average growth rate of approximately less than 1 percent over the decade. The city did see a slight decrease in population in 2020 and 2021, decreasing by about 1 percent each year. By comparison, according to the ACS 2015-2019, the Town of Windsor’s population decreased by 2 percent while both Sonoma County and the Bay Area grew by over 10 percent. ABAG estimated Santa Rosa’s 2030 population at 204,795.

ABAG projects that the Santa Rosa population will continue to grow through 2040, although at a slower pace than in previous decades, as shown in Table 3-1. The ABAG projections, prepared in 2020, call for population increases of 28.5 percent over the next two decades, bringing the city’s population to 223,060 by 2040.

Table 3-1 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

Source: 2000, 2010, and 2019 US Census, California Department of Finance, E-5 series (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

• Denotes ABAG projected population for future years.

Age Composition

As shown in Table 3-2, the age composition of the Santa Rosa population generally remained stable from 2010 to 2019. The median age increased slightly from 34.5 to 39.2. The median age in Sonoma County slightly decreased from 39.9 to 39.2 for the same period. Approximately 54 percent of the population was between the ages of 25 and 64 in 2019, consistent with 54 percent in 2010. Children and youth up to 24 years of age constituted approximately 30 percent of Santa Rosa’s population in 2019, while seniors aged 65 and greater comprised 17 percent of the population in 2019.

Table 3-2 and Figure 3-1 illustrate the age distribution in Santa Rosa for 2010 and 2019. The table indicates a significant increase in the average age of residents since 2010, increasing from an average of 34.5 to 39.2, respectively. Specifically, there was a slight increase in residents aged 55 and over in 2019 (29.6 percent), compared to 2010 (25.6 percent). From 2010 to 2019, there was a 6.9 percent decrease in population for individuals 15 to 24 years of age and an increase of 62.3 percent for the 65 to 74 age group. There was also a 14.8-percent increase for the 55-64 age group. The second-highest increase in population was for the 75-84 age group, at 16.4 percent increase.

Table 3-2 POPULATION BY AGE – SANTA ROSA

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

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Figure 3-1 POPULATION BY AGE OF SANTA ROSA

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Source: 2005-2010 and 2015-2019 U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Race and Ethnicity

Santa Rosa’s racial and ethnic diversity increased moderately between 2010 and 2019 (see Table 3-3). However, the racial and ethnic composition of the city, as documented by the 2015-2019 ACS, differs from that of the county. In 2019, approximately 54.6 percent of Santa Rosa residents were White, contrasted with 63.2 percent for the county. In addition, in 2019, 32.8 percent of Santa Rosa residents were Hispanic or Latinx, contrasted with 26.7 percent for the county, respectively (see Table 3-3 and Figure 3-2).

The Census Bureau defines Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity separate from racial categories. For the purposes of this graph, the “Hispanic or Latinx” racial/ethnic group represents those who identify as having Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity and may also be members of any racial group. All other racial categories on this graph represent those who identify with that racial category and do not identify with Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity.

Table 3-3 RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF SANTA ROSA, AND SONOMA COUNTY

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Figure 3-2 POPULATION BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, SANTA ROSA, SONOMA COUNTY, AND BAY AREA

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

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3 Household Characteristics

Housing Needs Assessment

Household type and size, income levels, and other household characteristics determine the type of housing needed by residents. This section details the various household characteristics affecting housing needs.

Household Type and Size

According to the 2015–2019 ACS, the largest percentage (62 percent) of households in Santa Rosa were families. Among family households, over half were families with children. For purposes of the US Census and ACS, a family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption residing together. As shown in Table 3-4, approximately 28 percent of households were single persons who lived alone, and the remaining 10 percent were other non-family households.

Based on ACS data, the average household size in Santa Rosa was 2.63 persons in 2019. This is a slight increase from 2010, when the persons per households was 2.59. ABAG projects a continued increase in household size through 2040, when the average is expected to be 2.69 persons per household. The increase may be attributed to an increase in the number of children or additional multigenerational households.

Table 3-4 HOUSEHOLD TYPES IN SANTA ROSA, 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Overcrowding

Overcrowding reflects the inability of families to afford homes that are large enough to accommodate the size of their household. Overcrowding is defined as more than one person per room, while severe overcrowding is defined as more than 1.5 persons per room. According to the 2015 –2019 ACS, approximately 4 percent of Santa Rosa housing units were overcrowded. As shown in Table 3-5, the percentage of overcrowded units remained consistent even as the number of overcrowded housing units increased by 5,184 units between 2010 and 2019. Approximately 2 percent of housing units were severely overcrowded, up from an estimated 1 percent in 2010. Overcrowding is most common among renter

households. In 2019, approximately 74 percent of households in overcrowded units were renters and 66 percent of households in severely overcrowded households were renters.

Table 3-5 OVERCROWDING IN SANTA ROSA, 2010 AND 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Income and Employment Characteristics

Income Distribution

Household incomes in the City of Santa Rosa are slightly lower than the County as a whole. As shown in Figure 3-3, the City of Santa Rosa has a lower number of households with an annual income over $100,000 compared to the County. The city has a higher percentage of households earning between $50,000 and $99,999, and a very small share of households earning less than $50,000 per year compared to the County. In 2019, the median household income in the city was $78,574, compared to a median household income of $86,173 countywide.

Figure 3-3 HOUSEHOLD INCOME DISTRIBUTION, CITY OF SANTA ROSA AND SONOMA COUNTY, 2019

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Source: 2013-2017 CHAS Data Book (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

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Households by Income Level

Figure 3-4 shows data collected from the 2015-2019 ACS regarding household by income level (refer to Table 3-14 for a full description of income levels by household size.) The city had both a slightly larger proportion of lower-income and moderate-income households compared to the county as a whole, whereas the county had about a 2.8-percent higher share of above-moderate income households. The percentage of lower-income households in the city has decreased since 2016 from 33 percent of households to 27 percent of households in 2019.

Figure 3-4 HOUSEHOLDS BY INCOME LEVEL, CITY OF SANTA ROSA AND SONOMA COUNTY, 2019

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Employment Trends

Future housing needs depend, in part, on employment trends. Changes in the types and pay levels of jobs available in Santa Rosa and the surrounding region will have an impact on the type and cost of housing that future residents will desire and can afford.

Employment Projections

Employment trends indicate a need for a range of housing types to support Santa Rosa residents who are employed in a wide range of industries. A particular need for moderate- and lower-income housing units exists to support workers in retail and manufacturing trades since these jobs often do not provide the income needed to acquire safe and adequate housing.

Table 3-6 shows job and employment projections for Santa Rosa through 2040. Projections indicate that Santa Rosa will add 5,855 jobs between 2020 and 2040.

Table 3-6 Employment Trends Through 2040

| Year | Jobs | Employed Residents | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Number | Percentage Change | Number | Percentage Change | | 2010 | 76,750 | — | 79,710 | — | | 2020* | 86,205 | 12% | 89,190 | 12% | | 2030* | 90,425 | 5% | 99,025 | 11% | | 2040* | 92,060 | 2% | 101,775 | 3% |

Source: ABAG Projections 2040

• ABAG projection

Employment by Industry

ABAG estimated that Santa Rosa had 73,669 jobs in 2018. Table 3-7 illustrates the employed residents by industry in Santa Rosa according to the U.S. Census Workplace Area Characteristics for 2011-2018. While some changes from 2011 to 2018 may be attributable to the change in data sources, data shows growth in several industries, including arts, recreation, other services, construction, and health and educational services. There were reductions in the number of Santa Rosa residents employed in the transportation and warehousing and utilities industry and the manufacturing industry. Major employers in Santa Rosa include Keysight Technologies, Amy’s Kitchen, the City of Santa Rosa, the County of Sonoma, Kaiser Permanente, Medtronic Cardiovascular, Santa Rosa City Schools, Santa Rosa Junior College, Providence (formerly St. Joseph) Health System, and Sutter Medical Center (according to the North Bay Business Journal Book of Lists 2017 via the City of Santa Rosa Economic Profile).

Table 3-7 Employed Residents by Industry, 2010 and 2018

| Industry | 2010 | 2018 | Change | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | | | Agriculture & Natural Resources | 222 | 0% | 331 | 0% | 49% | | Arts, Recreation, & Other Services | 10,568 | 16% | 10,832 | 15% | 2% | | Construction | 2,339 | 4% | 3,774 | 5% | 61% | | Financial & Leasing | 3,168 | 5% | 3,187 | 4% | 1% | | Government | 5,245 | 8% | 5,404 | 7% | 3% | | Health & Educational Services | 17,958 | 27% | 23,635 | 32% | 32% | | Information | 1,436 | 2% | 1,506 | 2% | 5% | | Manufacturing & Wholesale | 6,816 | 10% | 6,238 | 8% | -8% | | Professional & Managerial Services | 7,601 | 12% | 8,215 | 11% | 8% |

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Households Dynamics, Workplace Area Characteristics (WAC) files 2002-2018 (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Unemployment

According to the Economic Development Department (EDD), there were approximately 85,900 persons in the workforce in City of Santa Rosa in 2022 and 245,200 in Sonoma County (Table 3-8). The City of Santa Rosa's unemployment rate has increased significantly from 2021 to January 2022, from 3.7 to 4.3 percent, respectively. For comparison, the unemployment rate in Sonoma County decreased from 2021 to January 2022 from 6.7 to 4 percent, respectively. The higher unemployment rates in 2020 are most likely due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, showing almost 7,100 residents were unemployed in Santa Rosa, and over 19,300 residents in Sonoma County.

Table 3-8 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, SANTA ROSA AND SONOMA COUNTY

Source: Employment Development Department, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, January 1, 2022, Preliminary

• Denotes Employment Development Department preliminary unemployment rate for 2022.

Housing Characteristics

Housing Type

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) defines a housing unit as a house, an apartment, a mobile home or trailer, a group of rooms, or a single room occupied as separate living quarters, or if vacant, intended for occupancy as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live separately from any other individuals in the building, and which have direct access from outside the building or through a common hall.

Table 3-9 shows the distribution of housing units by type of structure in Santa Rosa in 2010 and 2021. In both 2010 and 2021, a majority of all housing units were single-family detached structures (approximately 69 and 67 percent, respectively). Single-family attached structures continued to constitute approximately 9 percent of the housing stock. As of 2021, multifamily structures (two or more units per structure) made up 28 percent of Santa Rosa’s housing units. Approximately 5 percent of the housing units in Santa Rosa in 2021 were mobile homes, recreational vehicles (RVs), or other housing types.

Table 3-9 HOUSING UNITS BY TYPE, 2010 AND 2021

Source: 2010 and 2021 California Department of Finance, E-5 series

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Figure 3-5 below shows the number of units (single family and multifamily units) built annually from 2005 to 2021. The net increase in housing units each year in Santa Rosa varied greatly. The greatest annual increase in housing units occurred in 2008 during the market crash. Soon after, construction came to a halt, and in 2011, there was a net increase of only 52 housing units. New construction increased between 2011 and 2017, but due to the destruction caused by the Tubbs fire in October 2017, the city still had a net loss of 849 housing units. By 2019, new construction increased to 662 units, but growth has since slowed to numbers seen between 2012 and 2017.

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Figure 3-5 NET NEW HOUSING UNITS BY YEAR, SANTA ROSA, 2005 – 2021

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Source: California Department of Finance, E-5 series

Household Tenure

Figure 3-6 shows the rate of homeownership in Santa Rosa (referred to as housing tenure) in 2019. According to the ABAG data packet, approximately 54 percent of households were homeowners, while 46 percent rented their homes. The distribution of homeowner households and renters stayed the same from 2010 to 2020. Refer to the Income and Employment Characteristics section for further discussion and analysis regarding rental availability and affordability in Santa Rosa.

Figure 3-6 HOUSEHOLD TENURE IN SANTA ROSA, 2019

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Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Vacancy Rates

Residential vacancy rate is a good indicator of the balance between housing supply and demand in a community. When the demand for housing exceeds the available supply, the vacancy rate will be low. When there is an excess supply, the rate will be high. A vacancy rate of 3 to 5 percent is generally indicative of a healthy market. When vacancy rates fall below 3 percent, there is upward pressure on home prices and rents.

The 2019 ACS estimated that approximately 5 percent of Santa Rosa housing units were vacant in 2019 (see Table 3-10). Of these vacant units, 24 percent were for rent, 7 percent were for sale, 11 percent were for seasonal use (units occupied by persons with usual residence elsewhere), and 48 percent were classified as “other vacant.” “Other” is described as “when it does not fit into any year-round vacant category.”

According to data reported by the DOF, Santa Rosa’s vacancy rate was 4.5 percent in 2021. A lower vacancy rate indicates high demand with a limited supply and can result in increased rent and sales prices.

Table 3-10 VACANT UNITS BY TYPE, 2019

Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019), (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Housing Age and Condition

Age is one measure of housing stock conditions and a factor for determining the need for rehabilitation. Without proper maintenance, housing units deteriorate over time. Thus, units that are older are more likely to need major repairs (e.g., a new roof or plumbing). Generally, houses 30 years and older are considered aged and are more likely to require major or minor repairs. In addition, older houses may not be built to current standards for fire and earthquake safety.

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3 Housing Needs Assessment

Almost 70 percent of Santa Rosa’s housing stock was built more than 30 years ago and approximately 30 percent was built over 50 years ago. It is assumed that most or some of these units are in need of rehabilitation. Additionally, many of these units could benefit from energy-efficiency improvements to reduce energy usage and related greenhouse gas emissions.

The City's Code Enforcement team completes inspections on a proactive bases and as a part of the City’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) and the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Rental Assistance Program. Through the City’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program 570 units were rehabilitation from 2015 to 2021 and through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Rental Assistance Program 613 homes were rehabilitation from 2018 to 2021. Additionally, as a part of typical inspections to ensure that building code standards for existing plumbing, electrical, and other aspects of homes are maintained, 1,750 homes were rehabilitated. Overall, with assistance from both programs and other rehabilitation efforts a total of 2,933 homes were rehabilitated, representing 4.2 percent of the housing stock (69,406 total units, see Table 3-11). It should be noted that this number does not include individual homeowner reinvestment, and therefore the percentage of overall rehabilitation of the housing stock is most likely higher.

Based on local knowledge from the City’s Code Enforcement, the current housing conditions and the homes that have been rehabilitated over the past five years, it is safe to assume that at least 3 percent of the overall housing stock (2,082 units) is in need of some type of rehabilitation, the need for replacement would be within that 3 percent. To ensure the City has an accurate count on the number of homes in need of rehabilitation and the number of homes in need of replacement, the City has included Program H-11 to compete a housing condition survey of older neighborhoods to determine a more accurate need.

Program H-10 directs the City to continue efforts to improve living conditions and quality of life in deteriorating neighborhoods through the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, which focuses on eight key neighborhoods in Santa Rosa. Through the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, units in need of improvements are assisted through correction of code enforcement issues and rehabilitation loans. More information on the Neighborhood Revitalization Program is provided in the Goals and Policies section of this element.

Table 3-11 AGE OF HOUSING STOCK

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Housing Cost and Affordability

One of the major barriers to housing availability is the cost of housing. To provide housing to all economic levels in the community, a wide variety of housing opportunities at various prices should be made available. Housing affordability is dependent on income and housing costs.

Housing affordability is based on the relationship between household income and housing expenses. According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and HCD, housing is considered "affordable" if the monthly housing cost does not exceed more than 30 percent of a household's gross income.

Home Sales Prices

According to Redfin, the median home sales price in Santa Rosa was $809,950 in February 2022. As shown in Figure 3-7, median home prices in Santa Rosa followed countywide trends, steadily increasing from 2018 to 2022. Rohnert Park similarly shows a steady increase between 2019 and 2022 after seeing a slight decrease from 2018 to 2019. Petaluma and Sebastopol both had median housing prices peak in 2021 and decrease in 2022. Sebastopol consistently had the highest median price of any Sonoma County jurisdictions, with the highest median price ($1,250,000) in 2021. The Santa Rosa median sales price increased by approximately 28 percent from 2018 to 2022, which was the second highest percentage increase among the jurisdictions surveyed. The countywide median increased approximately 30 percent for the same period, and the cities of Sebastopol, Petaluma, and Rohnert Park saw overall increases of 27, 26, and 27 percent, respectively. The overall rise in sales prices is a result of growing demand based on consumer confidence and the improving economy, historically low interest rates, a low vacancy rate, and a limited supply of new housing on the market. While there has been an uptick in building permit activity in the city, market conditions in the short term may continue to result in increasing sales prices.

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The median sales price in Santa Rosa varied greatly by area (reported by zip code), with 2019 median ranging from $560,000 in southwest Santa Rosa (95407) to $1,086,750 in the northeast area of the city (95404). Based on the 2019 median income, only households in the above moderate-income category, making more than 120 percent of the median area income annually, could afford a home at the citywide median price in Santa Rosa (assuming no more than 30 percent of monthly income is spent on housing). This 30 percent assumption does not consider the additional income needed for homeowner costs such as utilities and maintenance. A moderate-income household could afford a median-priced home in some areas of the city; however, securing a down payment may be difficult.

Figure 3-7 MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICES, 2018 TO 2022

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Source: Redfin, 2018 -2021 and February 2020

A survey was done in March 2022 of Zillow.com to gather sale prices for different sized homes. Homes with 2 bedrooms ranged in price from $350,000 to just over 1 million while 3-bedroom homes ranged from $499,950 to almost 2 million. Homes with 4 or more bedrooms ranged from $699,999 to 2.8 million (Table 3-12).

Table 3-12 Housing Sale Price Survey, March 2022

Source: Zillow.com

Rental Costs

A recent survey of Zillow.com in November 2021 showed 76 properties, single-family homes, and apartments in Santa Rosa advertised for rent. These included 10 one-bedroom units, with rents from $1,200 to $2,455 per month, and 38 units with three or more bedrooms with rents ranging from $2,182 to $6,850 per month. Advertised rents ranged from $1,200 to $6,850 per month (see Table 3-13). According to the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, California Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), area that encompasses the City of Santa Rosa, in 2021, the fair-market rent for a two-bedroom unit was $2,038. A three-bedroom unit was $2,851 and a four-bedroom unit was $3,163. The costs differ from the fair market price by 18 percent for a two- and three-bedroom unit and by 68 percent for a four-bedroom unit.

Table 3-13 Rental Price Survey

Source: Zillow, February, and March 2022

CITY OF SANTA ROSA

Housing Affordability

This section describes the ability of households at different income levels to pay for housing based on HCD 2021 income limits. HCD classifies housing as “affordable” if households pay no more than 30 percent of gross income for payment of rent (including utilities) or monthly homeownership costs (including mortgage payments, taxes, and insurance).

Table 3-14 shows the 2021 HCD income limits for Sonoma County. The area median income (AMI) for a four-person household in the Sonoma County was $103,300 in 2020. Income limits for larger or smaller households were higher or lower, respectively, and are calculated using a formula developed by HUD.

Table 3-14 HCD 2021 INCOME LIMITS BY HOUSEHOLD, SONOMA COUNTY

Source: HCD 2021 Income Limits

Ability to Pay

Table 3-15 provides the affordable rents and maximum purchase price, based on the HCD income limits for Sonoma County. As shown in Table 3-15, the maximum affordable rent for a very low-income, four-person household was $1,454 a month. When looking at one- and two-bedroom rentals with a median monthly rent ranging from $1,773 to $2,418 (Table 3-13), this price range is out of reach of very low-income households. Based on the maximum affordable rent, two- (median rent $2,418) and three- (median rent $3,436) bedroom rentals would be within reach of moderate-income households. In March 2022, the listing price for single-family homes in the city ranged from $375,000 to $1,795,000 for a three-bedroom home (Table 3-12). The maximum affordable sales price for a four-person household was $221,364 for an extremely low-income household, $368,834 for a very low-income household, $590,197 for a low-income household, and $786,190 for a moderate-income household of four. This indicates that there is a limited stock affordable to low-income households and that moderate-income households could afford existing and newly constructed two-bedroom homes in Santa Rosa; three-bedroom and larger homes would most likely only be affordable to above moderate-income households.

Table 3-15 MAXIMUM AFFORDABLE HOUSING COSTS BY INCOME CATEGORY, 2021

Sources: HCD Income Limits, 2021, Wells Fargo Current Mortgage and Refinance Rates, September 2021 Notes: Total affordable mortgage based on a 10-percent down payment, an annual 5-percent interest rate, 30-year mortgage, and monthly payment equal to 30 percent of income (after utilities, taxes, and insurance). Monthly affordable rent based on 30 percent of income less estimated utilities costs.

Overpayment

Overpayment is defined as paying more than 30 percent of monthly household income for housing costs. Severely overpaying is defined as paying more than 50 percent of monthly household income for housing costs. The ACS estimated that 26,398 Santa Rosa households, or 40.6 percent of all households, overpaid for housing in 2019. Of those households, 29.6 percent were owner occupied households and 53.9 percent were renter occupied households overpaying for housing.

Table 3-16 illustrates households paying 30 to 50 percent and more than 50 percent of monthly household income for housing. In total, renter households pay a greater percentage of monthly income for housing, while owner-occupied households are less cost burdened than renter households. The majority of homeowners use 0 to 30 percent of their incomes for housing, while 29.4 percent of renters use 30 to 50 percent and 24.5 percent use 50 percent or more of their income for housing.

Table 3-16 MONTHLY HOUSING COSTS OF HOUSEHOLDS BY PERCENTAGE OF INCOME, SANTA ROSA, 2019

Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019), ABAG Data Profile for Housing Elements

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Lower Income Households Overpaying

Table 3-17 shows that 73.0 percent (17,765 households) of lower income households were spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Looking at lower income households overpaying by tenure, 68.4 percent were renter occupied households and 31.6 percent were owner occupied households.

Table 3-17 LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS OVERPAYING FOR HOUSING, CITY OF SANTA ROSA, 2014-2018

| Category | Owners Overpaying | Renters Overpaying | Total Overpaying | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | | Extremely Low-Income households | 1,375 | 73.3% | 4,225 | 80.2% | 5,600 | 78.4% | | Very Low-Income households | 1,600 | 66.0% | 3,385 | 84.0% | 4,980 | 77.1% | | Low-Income households | 2,635 | 55.1% | 4,545 | 76.1% | 7,180 | 66.8% | | All Lower Income households (<80% AMI) | 5,610 | 31.6% | 12,155 | 68.4% | 17,765 | 73.0% |

Source: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), 2014-2018

Special-Needs Groups

Special housing needs relate to age, disability, income, family size, or other circumstances (such as student status) that create additional challenges to obtaining suitable housing that is also affordable. The following section describes these special-needs groups and their associated housing availability issues.

Persons with Disabilities

Persons with disabilities have special housing needs because of employment and income challenges; the need for accessible, affordable, and appropriate housing; and higher healthcare costs associated with a disability. A disability is defined by the US Census Bureau as a physical, mental, or emotional condition that lasts over a long period of time and makes it difficult to live independently.

Living arrangements of disabled persons depend on severity of disability. Many disabled persons live in their own home, in an independent situation, or with other family members. The US Census collects data for several categories of disability. The ACS defines six aspects of disability: hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living.

• Hearing difficulty: Deafness or serious difficulty hearing
• Vision difficulty: Blindness or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses
• Cognitive difficulty: Serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition
• Ambulatory difficulty: Serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs

» Self-care difficulty: Difficulty dressing or bathing (Activities of Daily Living [ADL]) » Independent living difficulty: Difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition

According to the 2019 ACS, 40,599 civilian noninstitutionalized individuals over age five in the City of Santa Rosa had one or more hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living disabilities. This number represents about 22.6 percent of the city’s civilian noninstitutionalized population over age five (see Figure 8).

Figure 3-8 DISABILITIES AMONG SANTA ROSA RESIDENTS

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Source: 2019 US Census, American Community Survey, ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021

Developmental Disabilities

California Government Code Section 65583(a)(7)) requires the City to include the needs of those with a developmental disability within the community in its analysis of “special needs groups.” According to Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, “developmental disability” means a disability that originates before an individual attains 18 years of age; continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely; and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual. It includes intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. This term also includes disabling conditions closely related to intellectual disability or requiring similar treatment but does not include other conditions that are solely physical in nature.

Many developmentally disabled persons can live and work independently within a conventional housing environment. More severely disabled persons require a group living environment where supervision is provided. The most severely affected persons may require an institutional environment where medical aid and physical therapy are provided. Because developmental disabilities exist before adulthood, the

CITY OF SANTA ROSA

first issue in supportive housing for the developmentally disabled is the transition from the person's living situation as a child to an appropriate level of independence as an adult.

The California Department of Developmental Services currently provides community-based services to approximately 360,000 people with developmental disabilities and their families through a statewide system of 21 regional centers, four developmental centers, and two community-based facilities. The North Bay Regional Center (NBRC) is one of 21 regional centers in California that provides point-of-entry to services for people with developmental disabilities. The center is a private, nonprofit community agency that contracts with local businesses to offer a wide range of services to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

According to the Department of Developmental Services, from 2019-2020, the Santa Rosa field office served 45 percent of the age group 0-17 and 54 percent for ages 18 and over developmentally disabled residents in the City of Santa Rosa.

Table 3-18 provides an estimate of the number of developmentally disabled residents by age and zip code in Santa Rosa (includes only those served by the NBRC). Approximately 45 percent of NBRC clients are aged 17 years or younger.

Table 3-18 DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED RESIDENTS BY ZIP CODE

Source: Department of Developmental Services, June 2021

There are a number of housing types appropriate for people living with a developmental disability: rent-subsidized homes, licensed and unlicensed single-family homes, inclusionary housing, Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), special programs for home purchase and HUD housing. The design of housing-accessibility modifications, the proximity to services and transit, and the availability of group living opportunities represent some of the types of considerations that are important in serving this needs group. Incorporating "barrier-free" design in all new multifamily housing (as required by California and Federal Fair Housing laws) is especially important to provide the widest range of choices for disabled residents. Special consideration should also be given to the affordability of housing, because people with disabilities may be living on a fixed income.

To assist in the housing needs for persons with developmental disabilities, as part of Program H-22, the City will implement programs to coordinate housing activities and outreach with the North Bay Regional

Center and encourage housing providers to designate a portion of new affordable housing developments for persons with disabilities, especially persons with developmental disabilities, and pursue funding sources designated for persons with special needs and disabilities.

In late 2018, the State closed the Sonoma Developmental Center which provided support services to persons with developmental disabilities. The County placed a request for Specific Plan proposals for the site. The Specific Plan proposals are an opportunity for economic development and conservation for the former Sonoma Developmental Center. The Specific Plan project kicked off in June 2021 and will be finalized in September 2022. Program H-22 directs the City to continue to partner with the North Bay Regional Center and other relevant agencies, local jurisdictions, and housing and service providers to provide support and assistance for persons with disabilities to fill any service gaps created with the closing of the Sonoma Developmental Center.

Additional services available for persons with disabilities include the following:

Table 3-19 AVAILABLE SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

CITY OF SANTA ROSA

Large Households

According to the 2015-2019 ACS, there were 66,319 households in Santa Rosa. Of those, 21.4 percent (6,988 households) were made up of five or more persons (see Table 3-20 and Figure 3-9) and approximately 8.4 percent of the large households were homeowners. Of households with five or more persons, 13.1 percent were living in rental housing. There were approximately 37,359 dwelling units with three or more bedrooms in the City of Santa Rosa, an amount that exceeds the current estimated needs for large families.

Approximately 44 percent of large family households in Santa Rosa were classified as either very low- or low-income households while the remaining 56 percent fell into the moderate- or above moderate-income category. A majority of the city’s rental housing stock consists of individual single-family homes and apartment buildings for rent with multifamily only comprising 28.5 percent of the housing stock in Santa Rosa. The city recognizes that lower income large families are most likely in need rentals with a greater number of bedrooms. See Table 3-21 for a breakdown of the city’s housing inventory by number of bedrooms.

Table 3-20 TENURE BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Figure 3-9 Tenure by Household Size, 2019

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Table 3-21 Santa Rosa Housing Inventory by Number of Bedrooms

Source: American Community Survey, 2015-2019

CITY OF SANTA ROSA

Senior Population

According to the 2015-2019 ACS, approximately 16.7 percent of the City’s population (30,092 persons) were senior residents (65 years or older). Senior-headed households made up approximately 29.1 percent (19,266 households) of the households in Santa Rosa. Of those, 69.9 percent were owner-occupied households and 30.4 percent were renter-occupied households. The 2015-2019 ACS reports that the majority of senior, owner-occupied households (7,785 households or 53.7 percent) had incomes greater than 100-percent AMI. The majority of renter-occupied households (1,444 households or 23.5 percent) had incomes between 0 and 30 percent of the AMI or the extremely low-income group.

With close to a quarter (23.5 percent) of senior households falling into the extremely low-income group, senior housing is an identified need of the city (Table 3-22). The city commits to support the needs of senior households in Program H-26.

Table 3-22 SENIOR HOUSEHOLDS BY INCOME AND TENURE

| Income Group | Owner-Occupied | Renter-Occupied | Total Occupied | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | | 0%-30% of AMI | 980 | 6.8% | 1,444 | 23.5% | 2,424 | 11.7% | | 31%-50% of AMI | 1,660 | 11.4% | 1,035 | 16.9% | 2,695 | 13.1% | | 51%-80% of AMI | 2,530 | 17.4% | 1,045 | 17.0% | 3,575 | 17.3% | | 81%-100% of AMI | 1,545 | 10.7% | 690 | 11.2% | 2,235 | 10.8% | | Greater than 100% of AMI | 7,785 | 53.7% | 1,920 | 31.3% | 9,705 | 47.0% | | Total | 14,500 | 100.0% | 6,134 | 100% | 20,634 | 100% |

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019) (ABAG Housing Element Data Package, 2021)

Senior Housing and Services

The City of Santa Rosa has an interactive Affordable Housing Map available to the public on the City’s website. The map displays Santa Rosa properties that are funded by or under agreement with the City of Santa Rosa Housing Authority and that are affordable to senior citizens. According to the Interactive Affordable Housing Map, there are about 1,119 units set aside exclusively for senior citizens. Based on the total number of units occupied by seniors (20,634 units), these dedicated units represent only a fraction of the potential demand for housing that is specifically designed for seniors. A majority of Santa Rosa’s seniors reside in large, single-family homes or one of the 1,119 affordable housing units exclusively available to seniors.

The City of Santa Rosa provides a variety of senior services and programs at its two senior centers (Person Senior Wing and Steele Lane Community Center). The City’s website outlines a variety of senior resources, such as legal consultations, daily activities, and support groups for individuals who are caretakers for loved ones with dementia. The city also works with other agencies and nonprofit

organizations to meet the needs of seniors in the community. The Santa Rosa Junior College offers an “Older Adults Program,” which offers, art, music, and writing courses for older adults in the community. The California Department of Aging (CDA) administers programs that serve older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers, and residents in long-term care facilities throughout the state. These services are provided locally by the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), Medi-Cal Community Based Adult Services (CBAS) centers, or other contracted agencies. The Council on Aging provides social services to seniors through the Care Navigator and Healthy Ideas programs. The Care Navigator program services include conducting home visits to assess needs and recommended services. The services provided by Healthy Ideas include depression screenings designed to detect and reduce the severity of depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic health issues and functional limitations. The program also includes case management and referrals to appropriate professionals. The Catholic Charities Senior Transportation Program is a free service for seniors over 60 living in Santa Rosa. The program focuses on taking seniors to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and other similar errands. CityBus, Sonoma County Transit and Golden Gate Transit provide fare reductions for seniors on fixed-route and paratransit transportation service seven days a week, as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Paratransit is shared-ride public transportation that is available for all trip purposes (including shopping, higher education, medical appointments, and work). For CityBus trips a one-way paratransit fare of $3.00 (which is double the adult fixed-route fare) covers a very small fraction of the overall cost of the trip, which is over $50 per one-way trip. Regionally, the Clipper card provides fare reductions on all Bay area transit services for seniors. Additionally, the City of Santa Rosa and the Oakmont Village Association have funded a deviated fixed-route that serves the Oakmont community with a free shuttle within the community and one shopping related trip per weekday.

These programs are an important resource for Santa Rosa’s growing senior population, but they are primarily oriented around transportation, health care, and recreational needs rather than housing. The aging population is expected to fuel additional demand for senior housing in the future, along with programs to assist Santa Rosa residents who wish to age in place. The city worked with a number of foundations and organizations to successfully secure financing for the Rehabilitation of the Scottish Rite Event Center into 26 units of new permanent affordable rental housing for very low- and extremely low-income seniors who lost their homes during the Tubbs Fire in 2017. Construction is expected to be completed in June 2022.

Farmworkers

Sonoma County is an agricultural county, with a need for housing for agricultural workers. According to the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner, the county’s value of agricultural production was more than $680 million in 2021. The top five crops, by value, include wine grapes, milk, livestock and poultry, cattle and calves, and nursery ornamentals. While the majority of farmworker employment is in unincorporated Sonoma County, some workers in agricultural jobs will seek housing in Santa Rosa.

According to the 2017 Census conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture, there were 14,379 total farmworkers across farm operations in Sonoma County. Of these, a total of 6,715 were permanent, year-round employees, while a total of 7,664 were seasonal workers, working fewer than 150 days per year. Table 3-23 presents this data, separated by farm type. The total number of