🌱 Sonoma Co. Housing Choice Voucher Lottery + Sales Tax On The Ballot

Good morning, neighbors! It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Healdsburg Patch newsletter. Here's all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy and not as warm. High: 76 Low: 59.

Here are the top three stories in Healdsburg today:

1. The Sonoma County Housing Authority has announced that it will accept applications for its Housing Choice Voucher waitlist lottery from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31. After the application period, 750 randomly selected applicants will be placed on the waitlist and confirmed for eligibility. The program provides financial assistance to individuals and families with very low incomes to afford housing in the private rental market. Eligible applicants can apply online or in person, and the Housing Authority emphasizes caution against fraudulent websites or fees. Contact details and further information are available at the link. (Sonoma County, CA)
2. A half-cent countywide sales tax measure that will go toward funding local fire services is set to appear on the March 2024 ballot in Sonoma County. The tax measure, which has secured a spot on the ballot through voter signatures, is intended to provide financial support for county fire agencies. The proposed tax is expected to raise approximately $60 million annually, benefiting 29 fire entities, and comes after a similar funding effort failed in 2020. If passed, the tax would address the rising costs of fire agencies and help transition from volunteer-based services to more comprehensive and resilient firefighting strategies. (Subscription: The Press Democrat)
3. Nearby Napa County has been granted $37.5 million from the federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, with an additional 25 percent county match, to reinforce its wildfire resilience efforts. The grant will help with the implementation of the Napa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which aims to enhance long-term wildfire and climate resilience for residents and communities. With a significant portion of its population living in wildfire hazard severity zones, Napa County's plan focuses on defensible space, ignition-resistant construction, and hazardous fuel reduction, along with strengthening evacuation routes and protecting critical facilities. (Napa Valley Patch)

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Today in Healdsburg:

Friday, September 1

• Bilingual Storytime At Giorgi Park (10:30 AM)
• Happy Hour At Oakville Grocery/Wine Merchant (3:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Bay Area was placed under a smoke-related air quality advisory on Wednesday due to ongoing wildfires in Northern CA, OR, and WA, with the North Bay experiencing the worst air quality. Healdsburg recorded an air quality index of 163, categorized as unhealthy, prompting residents, especially those sensitive to poor air quality, to limit outdoor activities and potentially move indoors. (Healdsburg Patch)
• Healdsburg's Tuesdays in the Plaza have come to an end for the summer. In a Facebook post, Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley thanked everyone who helped make the events happen weekly and expressed her excitement for next year's events. Click the link to read more. (Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley via Facebook)
• Considering a stay-cation in the fall or winter? Sonoma County and the surrounding area have several unique places to stay that aren't hotels. Click the link to learn more. (sfgate.com)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (September 5)
• Add your event

That's it for now! Your usual curator, Simone Wilson, will be back with your next newsletter.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.