Weekly Roundup for November 23, 2022

Today’s digest provides helpful and important updates on the following:

1. Holiday safety tips and reminders
2. Do you know the difference between 211 and 911?
3. Introducing the November ‘Housing Hero’
4. Other news from Sonoma County

Holiday Safety Tips and Reminders

As we make plans to gather with loved ones and give thanks for the things that bring joy to our lives, getting a flu shot is more important than ever to limit the burden on our health care system.

Protect yourself and your loved ones and fight flu together!

For more information, please visit: 
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/Influenza.aspx

You can also visit Sonoma County’s vaccine calendar for clinics that provide COVID and/or flu vaccinations here: https://socoemergency.org/vaccine-calendar.

Plus, we are at the tail end of wildfire season, and for the second straight year we have made it through without any significant events. That is something for which we can all be thankful.

With the holiday season upon us, our Cal Fire partners remind us of this holiday safety tip: Three feet is the rule of thumb in keeping the kids safe from burns while in the kitchen!

Just like keeping kids three feet from fireplaces and space heaters, the same distance applies for ovens, stoves, and other hot food preparation areas. Utilize family and friends to occupy the children while you focus on holiday dinner preparations.

More tips on cooking fire safety are at https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/5268/cookingsafety.pdf

211 and 911 – What's the Difference?

Do you know the difference between calling 911 and 211?

• 911 provides emergency assistance for police, fire, or emergency medical needs when immediate action is required, someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy, or a crime is in progress.

Learn more about 911: https://www.sonomasheriff.org/911

• 211 provides vital information and resources such as disaster resources, evacuation warnings and orders, evacuation center locations or temporary evacuation points, transportation, and food resources.

Learn more about 211: https://211sonoma.org/

Watch the county’s Safety Communications Webinar from Nov. 4 on when to call 911 and when to use 211: https://youtu.be/FtxLYbVnClA

Introducing 'Housing Hero' Zach Powers of Sebastopol

Zach Powers of Sebastopol was named as Housing Hero for the month of November as part of an ongoing campaign to address the region’s housing shortage.

A property owner in Sebastopol and native Sonoma County resident, Powers has been renting out properties in Sebastopol for eight years but started renting to housing voucher holders three to four years ago. He was unaware of the program until he got information from a local housing nonprofit, SHARE.

Now, he calls SHARE or the Housing Authority whenever he has open units because, he says, the process for filling the units is easier than going through normal means. Some of the benefits that Powers said he has experienced from renting to Section 8 Housing Voucher recipients include always receiving the rent on time, not having to charge below market rate for his rentals and often ending up with long-term renters. 

To learn more about participating in the housing voucher program, becoming a Housing Hero, or to submit a nomination, read the press release here: 
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/zach-powers-of-sebastopol-named-as-housing-hero-of-the-month?fbclid=IwAR0J8UOCVohEv49G96Wm6ql_y0zx-8_ZspDjoh9IncdcRLVviq40a0u9H_E

To hear Zach’s story, visit: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EpgJHmNdJw 

Other News from County of Sonoma

Want to read more about what we're up to at the County of Sonoma?

Browse all Sonoma County communications here: 
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/county-administrators-office/sonoma-county-communications