HEAPA Grants

Outreach staff are among the most valuable system change players. In the course of their work encountering unhoused individuals, they learn the weaknesses and strengths of the homeless system of care. Born of the stories they hear from client histories, and validated by program staff feedback, outreach staff are uniquely positioned to detect the potential barriers to effective care. The reports they prepare in order to advocate at Coordinated Entry weekly roundtables contain important evaluations of our current systems.

HEAPA finds that work and understanding to be valuable investigative reporting. It has established the HEAPA Stories Project, and will be awarding $100 cash awards to monthly writers whose submissions illustrate compelling evidence of the need for system change.

Applicants are limited to one request per month, no longer than one page, typewritten and consisting of a single-spaced, page. Story content should be based on a single un-identified individual, or group of individuals. Awards will be made within two weeks of submission, and funds are completely unrestricted in their use. Submissions should be emailed to: gfearon@heapa.org, or gfearon@gmail.com.

Sonoma County Behavioral Health Draft Integrated Plan

Here is the agenda for the January 6th meeting of the Behavioral Health Board’s Annual Report/Integrated Plan Committee.

Here is the Gap Analysis conducted last year.

Sonoma County DHS Final Gap AnalysisDownload

Here is the latest Annual Report for review.

Here is the latest Draft Plan, on which you can provide comments.

Here is a financial spreadsheet of the proposed Departmental spending.

Copy of Integrated Plan for Proposition One – Sonoma CountyDownload

Two HEAPA Grants

On December 21st, the HEAPA Board of Directors approved two small grants to community agencies serving our unhoused community. The first was a general operating grant to Sonoma County Acts of Kindness for $1,000 in support of their efforts to provide personal clothing, sleeping gear, and other vital resources for those they serve on the streets. The group has always been of service at encampments, in locations where the unhoused congregate, and has operated almost entirely by volunteers and community giving.

The second grant for $1,580 was given to Sonoma Applied Villages Services (SAVS) for supplies and forty hours of community organizing support for their effort to establish a sanctioned camp on public land. Convinced that recent federal actions to change the rules concerning funding of homeless programs will result in fewer successful housing placements, SAVS is renewing their decade-old insistence for a central, sanctioned housing location.

HEAPA is a nonprofit charity, organized under federal regulations, and donations to it are permitted deductions under the federal IRS rules (84-2299731). The mailing address is 2040 Elizabeth Way, Santa Rosa, CA. 95404.

Sonoma County’s HealthCare Crossroads

Short Summary

A forum on the major threats facing healthcare access for the Latino community in Sonoma County was held on November 14th.

Long Summary

At the Los Cien Health Care Forum, where leaders discussed dire threats to community healthcare. Keynote speaker Francisco J. Silva detailed how federal policies like HR 1 and a state ballot initiative could devastate Medi-Cal and community clinics, disproportionately impacting Latino families. A panel of local health leaders reinforced the urgency, discussing the local impact of these cuts, the rise in uninsured patients, and the strain on services. The core message was a call for unified community action to protect the healthcare safety net.

Membership and Business Support

A membership program has been relaunched after being closed for reimagining. A dedicated email about membership will be sent, including a link to join online. A new non-profit and business directory is being developed to provide a trusted list of services. There is a focus on creating programs to support business owners and professionals inclusively, rather than forming a formal business chamber.

Los Cien Health Care Forum

The event began with a welcome by Herman G. Hernandez, Executive Director of Los Cien. Acknowledgments were given to partners, including the Luther Burbank Center, and the design team volunteers. The BRIDGE alumni program (Building Representation, Inclusion, Diversity, and Governance Excellence) was recognized. A tribute was paid to Rick Nolan, the retired CEO of the Luther Burbank Center, for his decade-long partnership and support of the Latinx community.

Keynote on Threats to California Healthcare

Keynote speaker Francisco J. Silva, CEO of the California Primary Care Association, discussed major challenges facing healthcare.

Impact on Latino Communities:

Cuts to Medi-Cal and community health centers are direct cuts to the Latino community, as they form the largest group of enrollees and patients.

Federal HR 1 Impacts:

This federal law represents a significant rollback of Medicaid access. It imposes work requirements and frequent eligibility hurdles. Nationally, it could cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and strip $32 billion from community health centers. In California, it is estimated that 1-3 million people could lose Medi-Cal coverage.

State-Level Cuts:

State proposals aim to limit Medi-Cal for undocumented immigrants by freezing enrollment and introducing a $30 monthly premium. These changes threaten the “Health Care for All” progress made in the state.SEIU UHHW Ballot Initiative. A statewide ballot initiative filed by SEIU UHHW is described as the “most dangerous attack on community health centers in California history.” An independent analysis projects the initiative would: Divert $1.7 billion from patient care into penalties; Push a majority of clinics into financial deficit, with 47% at risk of closure; Force cuts to enabling services like translation, transportation, and community health worker programs. The public is urged to read petitions carefully and understand that this measure could cripple the healthcare safety net.

Local Impact in Sonoma County

One in three residents of Sonoma County (approximately 140,000 people) is on Medi-Cal. Proposed policy changes will double the county’s administrative workload for recertifications while simultaneously cutting its caseload-based funding. The cost of uncompensated care will financially impact everyone, from private employers to public services. Safety-net providers are already seeing an increase in patients, with the Jewish Community Free Clinic reporting a 25% rise in the last 60 days. There is a growing level of fear among patients, with some rationing visits or hesitating to seek care due to immigration concerns.

Community Collaboration and Response

Sonoma County’s healthcare leaders are working together to create solutions for the impending crisis. The community is advised to seek information from trusted sources like 211, OpenDoorsSC.com, and local health organizations to combat misinformation. Health centers affirmed that they do not ask for or share patient immigration status with government agencies. Partnerships are key, with organizations like Kaiser Permanente investing in community health grants and housing projects based on shared needs assessments.

Behavioral Health Crisis

The panel highlighted a severe and worsening crisis in behavioral and mental health. There is a critical shortage of services, clinicians, beds, and facilities for all populations, not just those on Medi-Cal. The county’s behavioral health system currently has a waitlist of over 500 people for its high-need services. This crisis existed before the current policy threats and is expected to be exacerbated by them.

Call to Action

Leaders emphasized that local action is critical, as federal and state support is no longer reliable. The community is called to get involved, advocate, and hold legislators accountable. Local control over funding through measures like Measure O is crucial for sustaining services. Training future healthcare professionals within the community is a key strategy, as many tend to stay and practice where they train.

Gen H Sonoma County State of Housing Presentation at Redwood Credit

Short Summary

A deep dive into Sonoma County’s housing crisis and the community-led policy solutions being proposed to address it.

Long Summary

You listened to a presentation by Generation Housing on the state of the housing crisis in Sonoma County. The discussion highlighted a shortage of over 50,000 homes, which impacts everyone from young families to seniors, leading to school closures and workforce challenges. The event launched the ‘Housing for Healthy Communities’ initiative, focusing on state laws to encourage building more ‘missing middle’ housing and creating starter homes. The central theme was that a broad, community-wide advocacy effort is essential for creating meaningful change.

2025 State of Housing Report

The report focuses on telling a housing story using data to address successes, myths, and the intersectional nature of housing. There is a significant housing shortage at all income levels, particularly for affordable housing. The crisis is defined by the impact of this shortage on education, health, the economy, and the climate. The housing shortage is the result of 75 years of policy, requiring a multi-faceted approach (“silver buckshot”) rather than a single solution.

Housing & Community Impact

A panel of experts shared how the housing crisis affects various sectors of the community. Youth & Families: Sonoma County is losing homegrown talent as young people, including recent graduates and community leaders, are forced to leave due to high living costs. Education System: Teachers and school staff cannot afford to live in the community, leading to high turnover and negatively impacting student success. This has contributed to declining enrollment and school closures.

Workforce & Young Adults: The lack of affordable rental options is a “missing rung on the ladder” to homeownership, causing young adults to delay forming independent households or leave the area.

Seniors & Caregivers: Seniors on fixed incomes, even homeowners, face extreme cost burdens from rising insurance and utility costs. The caregivers they depend on are also priced out of the region, threatening seniors’ ability to age in place with dignity. Immigrant Community: Immigrants and foreign-born residents face immense barriers to housing stability, with homeownership often taking over 25 years to achieve. Housing policy needs to center the humanity of these community members.

Permanent Supportive Housing: This model is the most effective way to end homelessness but is very expensive to operate. Housing Choice Vouchers, which cap a resident’s rent at 30% of their income, are essential for the financial viability of these projects.

Benefits of Affordable Housing: A Napa County study revealed that the greatest benefits of affordable housing were social and economic stability, stress reduction, and the ability for residents to engage in long-term financial planning, such as saving for a home down payment.

Calculating Sonoma County’s Housing Need

The established goal is to build approximately 58,000 new homes by 2030. This number was validated through three independent methods that all produced similar results: Household Formation Deficit: A historical deficit of 38,000 households that should have formed, plus a

future need for 20,000 more. Property Value Method: The number of homes needed to bring the disproportionately high cost of land back to a normal market rate. Vacancy Rate Method: The number of homes needed to achieve a healthy 5% vacancy rate, as Sonoma County currently has one of the lowest per-capita availability rates in the state.

Independent analysis confirms the region has the capacity to build roughly 52,000 new homes within existing urban growth boundaries.

“Housing for Healthy Communities” Initiative

This is a new policy initiative focused on creating “missing middle” housing by encouraging jurisdictions to opt into two state laws.

SB-10: Allows for the creation of up to 10 housing units on a single parcel in transit-oriented or infill areas.

AB-1033: Allows Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to be sold separately as condominiums, creating new starter-home opportunities without new construction. The goal is to build gentle density and create more diverse housing options, similar to older, walkable neighborhoods, by reversing decades of exclusionary zoning.

Fiscal Benefits of Infill Housing

Denser, infill housing provides a significant financial benefit to cities facing budget deficits. It maximizes property tax revenue per acre. An apartment building can generate $17M-$35M in taxable value per acre, compared to $9M-$11M for single-family homes. It minimizes long-term liabilities for cities. Delivering and maintaining infrastructure like roads, water, and sewer is significantly cheaper on a per household basis in denser areas.

Behavioral Health Board Annual Report/Integrated Plan Committee Proposed

The Sonoma County Behavioral Health Board Executive Committee accepted a recommendation that it place the establishment of an Annual Report/Integrated Plan Subcommittee on the agenda for its November 18th monthly meeting. The Board’s bylaws require it deliver an annual report on programs in the Department of Health Services, and the passage of Proposition One defines its role in advising the Department and the Board of Supervisors on the FY26-29 Integrated Plan.