

Caritas Center, which opened in 2022, includes a housing support service center and emergency family shelter, developed and operated by Catholic Charities. For example, Caritas Village in Santa Rosa comprises two developments: Caritas Center and Caritas Homes. More affordable housing is underway, too, including housing for the county’s most vulnerable residents. The Commons in Santa Rosa is under development and will have 50 units of permanent supportive housing.

The site will include 21 units of permanent supportive housing. George’s Hideaway in Guerneville is currently under design for construction, with a goal of occupancy in late 2023 or early 2024.This project has started a phased opening as of May 8, 2023. The Studios at Montero in Petaluma includes 60 units of permanent supportive housing.Three more homekey sites are pending or have opened since the 2023 Point-in-Time count: Emergency Housing Vouchers assigned to the Sonoma County Housing Authority and the Santa Rosa Housing Authority from US HUD have provided housing for more than 200 individuals.Santa Rosa’s safe parking location at its city field office (up to 50 RV or car spaces).The Roberts Lake managed encampment, an NCS location in Rohnert Park (up to 60 persons sheltered at one time).Petaluma People’s Village, an NCS shelter in Petaluma (25 units).Horizon Shine, a safe parking location in Sebastopol that shelters 18 persons.Caritas Center in Santa Rosa began accepting clients in October 2022, including 40 units of interim housing.Labath Landing in Rohnert Park with 60 units, which opened in October 2022 as an interim housing site.L&M Village in Healdsburg with 22 units, which opened in November 2022 as an interim housing site.Some of the housing programs that came online between the 20 counts are: While we’re thankful for these numbers, we still have 2,266 people to move into housing,” she continued. “The county team and our partner cities have pushed hard to place more housing units in operation and to provide strong supportive services to help keep people housed. “This progress comes from focus and coordination,” said Tina Rivera, Director of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services. Projects such as Homekey, new safe parking and interim housing sites, housing vouchers and rental assistance have continued to play a pivotal role in the decrease throughout Sonoma County. Preliminary results are in line with an overall downward trend since 2011, with the exception being in early 2022 when, during a COVID pandemic surge, the county saw a 5 percent increase in homelessness. As the report notes we have more work to do but we are moving in the right direction.” “These efforts, including the passage of Measure O by county voters, are truly making a difference and changing lives. “These numbers are incredibly encouraging and are a reflection of the hard work of many across Sonoma County who, through innovative programs and partnerships, are helping homeless residents get off the streets,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

“Sheltered” homelessness pertains to those who live in an emergency shelter or transitional housing. “Unsheltered” individuals are defined as those who live in a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks and abandoned buildings. The reduction in unsheltered individuals reflects an overall increase in the number of beds available at new housing projects in the county. Conversely, the number of individuals in sheltered circumstances increased from 805 in 2022 to 975 in 2023 (see Chart 1 at the end of this document). Meanwhile, the number of homeless individuals in unsheltered circumstances decreased from 2,088 in 2022 to 1,291 in 2023. The 2023 PIT Count occurred on Friday, Jan. The 22 percent decrease in homelessness is the largest reduction since a 27 percent decrease in 2015. The official results from the 2022 count were 2,893. The annual one-day snapshot found a total of 2,266 individuals experiencing some form of homelessness. Sonoma County saw an overall 22 percent decrease in the area’s homeless population last year including a 24 percent decline in those identified as being chronically homeless, according to preliminary results of the 2023 Sonoma County Point-in-Time count in January.
