Sonoma Valley lacks the housing to support its workforce which includes teachers, nurses, hospitality industry and farmworkers, elderly and disabled residents.  While this has taken years to develop, the current situation is significantly and negatively impacting our community and economy and the future vitality of the Sonoma Valley.  The current situation and its evolution has been elegantly described by the Generation Housing 2024 Report of the State of Housing in Sonoma County (1).  The bottom line is that housing that supports these residents has been “hollowed out”.

When Sonoma Valley workers cannot secure housing, we all lose – on diversity, a skilled, dynamic workforce, and community.  Our economy will not thrive if the people needed to drive it are living far outside of our community or great talent cannot be attracted to our community.  Increasing affordable, workforce housing stock is the foundational component of maintaining our essential workforce, climate resilience, economic resilience and quality of life.