the Solution

How can we create opportunities for affordable housing? By doing it together.

Generation Housing is uniquely positioned to be a strong, independent cross-sector voice in favor of increased supply and diversity of housing. Generation Housing will increase the political and community will for increased housing by educating elected and appointed officials and our community about the link between housing and quality of life in Sonoma County.

Generation Housing (GH) will convene, organize, and build bridges between various stakeholder groups to align their efforts in support of housing development. GH will be a fierce advocate for policies, programs, land use, and funding that will lead to an increased supply of housing. GH will grow an educated and responsive action network to support pro-housing policies and GH-endorsed housing development projects.

Priority Actions

Increase Political and Community Will

Our County’s housing system relies upon political and community will to enact and implement policies and programs that result in an adequate supply of quality, well-located housing for all income levels. From approval of new funding streams to inclusionary housing policies to the siting of a particular housing development, residents must encourage, rather than discourage, their elected officials to create and sustain housing-friendly communities.

Housing inventory and development capacity

A certain number of housing units, at various levels of affordability, are needed to meet Sonoma County’s current and future housing needs – and the gap between current inventory and what is actually needed grew even larger due to the wildfires. It will ‘take a village’ to reach this goal, with all parts of the system needing strong capacity in order to develop an adequate supply.

Land, zoning, and regulation

Affordable and development-ready land is essential to increasing the supply of affordable housing in Sonoma County – many ‘in-fill’ opportunities exist with the urban growth boundaries and community separators – but may require additional infrastructure and/ or environmental mitigation in order to be usable.

Financing

A range of grants, loans, and other financial tools are needed for development, rehabilitation, operation, and preservation of affordable housing as well as for services for certain target populations such as seniors and individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness.

Generation Housing supports the following housing innovations for our community

ADUs

ADUs are a cost-efficient way to increase the supply of affordable housing, particularly in counties like Sonoma with a large stock of single family housing.

Missing Middle Housing

Diverse housing options, such as duplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts fit seamlessly into low-rise walkable neighborhoods and support walkability, locally-serving retail, and public transportation options.

Infill, Transit-Infill, Transit-Oriented and Multi-Family Development

Smart development creates vibrant communities, reduces commute times and our carbon footprint, and preserves our open space. Strategies to accelerate the development of these types of units are needed to ensure that they include units a range of affordability levels.