PATHWAY TO HOUSING
Like most cities across the country, some members of our Petaluma community experience homelessness. There are complex reasons that lead to loss of housing and the City of Petaluma is committed to helping our most vulnerable in their time of need and protecting our community.
A COMMUNITY IN CRISIS
In September 2023, the Petaluma City Council declared a shelter crisis in Petaluma in recognition of the urgent need for shelter faced by a significant and growing number of people in the community. Declaring a “crisis” empowers the City of Petaluma to take necessary steps to address these important issues.
A COMPLEX ISSUE
"Homelessness” is a complex problem – and severe mental illness, addiction and/or major life events are not always the cause. Often, economic hardship or family issues (such as divorce or running away from an unsafe home) are factors on one’s path to losing housing. What’s more, the experience of homelessness itself can be traumatic. For some, these events continue to stack until finding a way out feels impossible.
Because each person’s path to homelessness is unique, the services offered are tailored to the specific needs of the individual.
Click HERE to view our "Strategic Plan to End Homelessness" document.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
FUNDING
We are committed to investing a significant amount of City funds to help solve the complex issue of homelessness in our community. We are also grateful to have been awarded outside funding from a variety of agencies and partners to further our efforts.
Homeless Services RFP
No open RFP at this time
Community Partnerships
We are hard at work developing creative, compassionate, effective solutions to this intricate issue. Our efforts involve a team of community partners including local non-profits working alongside Petaluma city staff and community members. One of the goals of our work is to identify and address the many issues that lead to homelessness. We then work together to identify solutions, build trust and offer resources while helping individuals regain their dignity, health, and a path to housing.
Our non-profit partners do amazing work and provide invaluable services to those in need. We are proud to partner with and support the work of the following organizations:
HomeFirst
The City of Petaluma is thrilled to continue and expand its partnership with HomeFirst, a leading provider of services, shelter, and housing opportunities for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness in California's Bay Area.
Rebuilding Together
For more than 25 years, Rebuilding Together Petaluma has been dedicated to repairing homes of low-income neighbors in need. As a partner in the City’s Housing and Homeless Services, Rebuilding Together Petaluma provides a job training program for people experiencing homelessness, including downtown streets cleanup, graffiti abatement, property maintenance, janitorial services and operation of the City’s mobile shower program for people living without shelter.
SAFE Team
In collaboration with Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC), the SAFE Team is a mobile crisis response unit that assists law enforcement in providing emergency services for issues relating to mental health, addiction, and homelessness. SAFE also offers non-emergency response for those in need and does proactive community outreach.
COTS
The Committee on the Shelterless (“COTS”) has been serving Petaluma for over 30 years. COTS operates two shelters for individuals (Mary Isaak Center and Peoples Village) and one for families offering a total of 100 beds. They help people get and keep housing – including operation of the Keep People Housing homeless prevention program (a partnership of the City of Petaluma, City of Santa Rosa, County of Sonoma and nonprofit All Home), and providing case management support for permanent supportive housing program residents in Petaluma.
Petaluma People Services
Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC) operates the SAFE Team and provides services rental assistance and tenant/landlord mediation to help prevent loss of housing.
Petaluma Health Center
Founded in 1996, the Petaluma Health Center (PHC) is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), committed to providing high quality health care with access for all in Southern Sonoma County. PHC has built a strong reputation for its innovation and has been on the leading edge of providing comprehensive primary health care in a team based, patient centered system, emphasizing overall wellness and the value of the patient provider relationship.