Sonoma County Rent Crisis

Sonoma County is in a rent crisis that is negatively effecting everyone and it is only growing. People are stuck living in squalor due to the 1% vacancy rate in Santa Rosa. Families can no longer afford extracurricular activities for their children. College students cannot afford rent and end up living at home with their parents or homeless. Employers are losing workers who can no longer afford to live here.

One solution is Measure C and will be on the ballot June 6, 2017. If passed this will put limits on how much landlords can raise rent rates per year. It also puts more restrictions on landlords ensuring they don’t kick out residents without just cause. Another solution is to change zoning laws to allow more granny-units and tiny homes in the area. Another solution is to bring together seniors who have housing they need help paying for with tenants needing a place to live, as seen with Petaluma People Services Center’s SHARE program.

This is just one solution. There are many more. This is an increasing emergency that has solutions. So why don’t we solve it?

-Kendyl Saxby