New Sonoma County program aims to keep as many as 400 households from falling into homelessness
The launch of Keep People Housed, a two-year pilot program designed by a Bay Area nonprofit called All Home, means individuals who meet income and other criteria can begin applying for direct financial assistance. The aid is designed to help them through periods of instability that make them vulnerable to losing their homes.
The Press Democrat
Bay Area Expands Homelessness Prevention System with New Programs in Solano, Sonoma Counties
“An alarming number of Bay Area households are just one paycheck, job loss, or medical expense away from a housing crisis,” said Mary Kate Johnson, Director of Regional Homelessness Prevention at All Home. “All Home’s targeted homelessness prevention programs provide critical financial assistance and services to keep people housed, slowing the numbers of people becoming homeless in the Bay Area.”
All Home
Warming Centers
Warming centers are heated public facilities where you and your family can go for relief during periods of extreme cold. Sonoma County works closely with local homeless providers to ensure needs are being met and helps augment with additional resources as needed during freeze alerts. Whenever possible, please go to the sponsoring agency’s website or call the phone numbers below BEFORE arriving to verify the warming center is open and to learn what the enrollment process is.
Sonoma County Emergency Readiness, Response and Recovery
New care unit at Petaluma homeless shelter improves odds people will get off streets after hospital visits
Beds are in place and walls are newly painted at the new Lassar Health & Wellness Center in Petaluma. And a waiting list is lined up to come in the doors when its officially open Nov. 1.
The center — which will offer a safe place for people who are homeless to recuperate after they are discharged from hospital stays or emergency rooms — is located at the Mary Isaak Shelter in Petaluma operated by COTS, a prominent homelessness services organization.
Lassar Center clientele will be able to stay for up to 90 days while they convalesce, and are provided resources to help them gain their footing and find permanent housing.
Petaluma Argus-Courier
Community Matters: Progress on reducing homelessness
Cabral is thrilled that COTS was selected as the lead agency to manage the groundbreaking regional initiative’s implementation. She estimates that $5,800 will be spent per family to keep them housed, an investment which seems a tremendous bargain given that a single chronically homeless person can cost taxpayers as much as $50,000 per year, according to a state auditor’s report.
Petaluma Argus-Courier
Napa, Sonoma county officials decide to open cooling centers with predicted highs in the 100s
Sonoma and Napa County officials have decided to open public cooling centers as temperatures are forecast to peak in the 100s this week.
The conditions — which prompted excessive heat and red flag warnings — check a lot of boxes on each of the counties’ list of requirements to set up cooling spots.
The Press Democrat
Sonoma County homelessness prevention program gets extra funds, sets its sights higher
“It is exceptionally difficult to help households who have fallen into homelessness and it is so helpful and so meaningful to have a resource to prevent households from getting to that point”.
The Press Democrat
Point-In-Time Count offers ‘snapshot’ of homelessness in Petaluma
Dozens gathered before dawn Friday for a tally that influences how much in government funds the city and county will receive to alleviate homelessness.
Petaluma Argus-Courier
The Holiday Crafterino Returns in 2023!
This year the Holiday Crafterino returns! Join COTS and over 50 vendors for a beautiful, holiday-themed, family-friendly arts and crafts fair. All door donations and raffle ticket proceeds will support COTS in our mission to create a community where everyone has a home!
Petaluma Argus-Courier
October 18, 2023
COTS awarded a Top 100 Place to Work in the North Bay area by the North Bay Business Journal
For a total of four times, COTS has been named a Top 100 Place to Work in the North Bay area by the North Bay Business Journal; it is easy to see why. COTS not only cares about the Sonoma County community, but they reflect tremendous care inward too. Part of COTS’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mission is to “allow our staff to thrive, to create a more just and engaged community, and to truly serve our clients across the spectrum of need, [by embracing and celebrating] diversity, [practicing] inclusion, and [exercising] our role as a champion of equity”.
North Bay Business Journal
September 15, 2023
Studios at Montero 'a huge step forward'
A former motel is turned into permanent supportive housing through California’s Homekey Funds. COTS is proud to provide on-site case management at the Studios at Montero.
Argus Courier
COTS provides a Cooling Center during rising summer temperatures.
While high temperatures weren’t high enough to trigger an official county cooling center, ABC 7 and KRON – 4 featured COTS’ work as one of the few cooling centers availbale in Sonoma County.
KRON – 4
Petaluma nonprofit CEO wins North Bay Forty Under 40 award
Living in the North Bay for a decade, Chris Cabral would love to see a material reduction in homelessness in Sonoma County, and she wants to be part of that solution.
Shelter in Petaluma provides tiny homes for unhoused people
Many cities in Sonoma County are experiencing freezing cold temperatures, along with rain Thursday night. That is often when the need for shelter for the unhoused becomes dire. A shelter in Petaluma called COTS has a warming center on cold nights.
‘There’s hope’: Early resident of Petaluma People’s Village gets his own place
Bradley Brown, once homeless, is loving his one-bedroom apartment. “I’m in an area I really wanted all along.”
AMELIA PARREIRA
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
February 15, 2023, 2:29PM
Mobile showers give Petaluma’s unhoused the gift of cleanliness
The local program provides hot showers, clean clothing and more to residents in need. Currently the showers are available Mondays and Fridays at COTS and Tuesdays at the Petaluma Salvation Army.
EMMA MOLLOY
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
January 23, 2023
Petaluma nonprofit Committee on the Shelterless hires new CEO
Chris Cabral, who has worked for almost eight years at nonprofits in Sonoma County, will succeed CEO Chuck Fernandez, who held the position since 2018 and announced his retirement earlier this year.
REBECCA WOLFF
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
September 26, 2022
California wanted to end homeless shelters. Instead, COVID reinvented them
It was Jan. 16, 2004, and Gavin Newsom was the new mayor of San Francisco. His signature homelessness initiatives — including a 10-year plan to end it — wouldn’t come until later that year, but on this day he was already laying down an audacious marker.
Lauren Hepler,
Raheem Hosseini,
Kevin Fagan
SF Chronicle
Sep. 7, 2022
COTS Voted one of the Best Places to Work in Sonoma County
North Bay Business Journal announces the companies and organizations being recognized for the 2022 Best Places to Work awards.
Petaluma City Council approves homeless action plan
“The city of Petaluma is showing an above-average demonstration and commitment to try and serve people experiencing homelessness,” a consultant said.
AMELIA PARREIRA
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
June 22, 2022
Petaluma motel site in line for $15 million from state for homeless housing conversion
The Montero Way property is up for purchase by the city and conversion into homeless housing under the state Homekey Program.
Petaluma welcomes first nine homes at People’s Village emergency shelter site
The first phase of Petaluma’s pilot emergency shelter housing program called the People’s Village is complete, and new residents are being welcomed to nine brand-new units on the site.
Petaluma homeless residents anticipate March move-in at tiny home village
At least nine of the planned 25 housing units have been installed at the site alongside the Committee on the Shelterless’ Mary Isaak Center homeless shelter on Hopper Street site.
Petaluma unanimously approves purchase of ‘tiny homes’ to help curb homelessness
“We’re talking about our goal being eliminating homelessness,” Petaluma City Council member Kevin McDonnell said.
Commentary: Tiny homes a big solution for Petaluma
Committee on the Shelterless CEO Chuck Fernandez throws in for tiny home project.
Marge Popp: Volunteer of the Year
For her 32 years of service preparing meals for Petaluma’s homeless, 89-year-old Marge Popp was named Petaluma’s Volunteer of the Year for 2104.