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County of Sonoma, California

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Community Impacts of Recovery Funds in Sonoma County

Employment Services

Job Link

With rising unemployment, the need for services to job seekers and employers alike has increased. Over 5,000 job seekers received help at Job Link during 2008 and 2009. Additionally, more than 650 employers and their employees benefited through Job Link services that included 12 job recruitment fairs and 31 layoff workshops. The funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) will allow Job Link services to be available to more job seekers and employers. Offering work training and job search assistance to people who have been laid off contributes to the economic health of Sonoma County by reducing the consequences of unemployment, such as the need for public assistance.

Job Link offers integrated services through a partnership which includes the Sonoma County Human Services Department, the state’s Employment Development Department, Goodwill Industries of the Redwood Empire, Santa Rosa Junior College, the state’s Department of Rehabilitation, California Human Development and Experience Works.

Services to job seekers include:

  • Skills Assessment
  • Job Search Workshops
  • One-to-One Counseling
  • Training Scholarships

Employers have access to:

  • Seminars
  • Recruitment
  • Customized Training

Youth Employment in Environmental Projects

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds were used to employ 330 community youth in environmental projects throughout Sonoma County. $1.2 million of stimulus grants were combined with Water Agency funds and private and non-profit resources to employ 27 youth work crews, with approximately 10-15 members each, to perform stream restoration efforts. There was also a strong educational component that helped the participants develop career skills. Local non-profits were selected as employers and trainers. 22 public and private organizations participated.

Summer Jobs Program

Sonoma County’s 2009 Summer Jobs Program has provided subsidized employment for over 300 young people (ages 14 to 24) who may not otherwise have had jobs this summer. For many, it is their first job and an opportunity to build professionalism, community contacts, and learn the positive impact they can have in their community. These young peoples’ earnings have a direct and immediate impact on the local economy. The program has a long term effect in reducing the social problems arising from lack of job skills and job opportunities.

Summer Youth Ecology Corps

The Summer Youth Ecology Corps is an ecologically-based part of the program, in which participants work in creek maintenance, trail restoration, and gardening. These efforts directly impact the community, either by mitigating flooding, providing produce for families in need, or keeping park trails accessible to the public. In addition to developing environmentally-related skills and knowledge, participants are also learning the importance of work ethic, punctuality, and team-work.

The Youth Ecology Corps worked on a range of projects, including:

  • Community Revitalization
  • Park Maintenance
  • Stream Restoration

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Housing and Community Development

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds contribute to the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), which provides direct financial assistance to residents who have become homeless, or are in imminent danger of being homeless, due to the economic downturn. Examples include: assistance with security deposits, catching up on rent due in arrears, and short-term rental assistance. Auxiliary support services are also provided.

The Sonoma County HPRP is being implemented by Catholic Charities with joint funding from the City of Santa Rosa and the County of Sonoma.

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Transportation & Natural Resources

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) economic stimulus program will fund Sonoma County’s Roadway & Bridge Surface Preservation Program. While the infrastructure needs are great & it has been suggested that there are other projects that might be of a higher priority from a maintenance & repair standpoint, the rules of the program were very specific in requiring that candidate projects be ready to bid within 120 days, no right-of-way acquisition was required, and the environmental approval would be minimal or have a negative declaration. In keeping with these criteria, the following 2 activities were submitted & approved by Caltrans:

  • Provide a wearing surface seal coating on approximately 60 miles of arterial & collector highways, extending the surface life by approximately 10 years
  • Provide a penetrating sealer (methacrylate) to the concrete decks of 45 bridges to protect from the affects of wet weather on the reinforcing steel, extending the deck life by approximately 20 years

Sonoma County received the maximum level of funding available through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission formula. Each of the independent Cities in the County & throughout the region also received ARRA funds through this process. There is a strong possibility that additional funds may be available at some point after all the jurisdictions have bid & awarded their work; the County may be eligible for these funds.

This program is scheduled to begin implementation in September 2009.

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Public Safety

Sonoma County has received $279,090 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which will benefit the efforts of the entire criminal justice system: initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, information systems for criminal justice, and justice-related research and evaluation activities that improve or enhance law enforcement, prosecution, court, corrections, prevention, education, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation, technology, and crime victim programs. JAG awards represent one time funding.

The Sheriff’s Department, the Public Defender, the Probation Department, and the District Attorney’s office have worked in collaboration to direct these funds to serving the community. Based on that collaborative effort, looking at what would benefit the criminal justice system as a whole, the County’s criminal justice departments agreed to utilize the grant award to fund the following critical one-time items:

Public Defender

  • 2 residential drug and alcohol treatment beds: $42,000

Probation

  • Resurfacing 3 recreation yards at juvenile hall: $50,000

District Attorney (DA)

  • 8 laptops for deputy district attorneys to use in the courtroom: $33,960
  • DA Investigative technology items (including a digital camera, monitor, DVD/VCR recorder player, camcorder, forensic computer, and duty belts): $8,000
  • Completion of the DA lobby security project: $10,000

Total DA request is $51,960.

Sheriff

  • Coroner digital x-ray machine: $80,000
  • Community service officer (CSO) extra help hours for graffiti removal: $20,000
  • Main Adult DF first floor court holding cell project: $10,000
  • MADF replacement camera at the transportation door: $4,730
  • Crime Scene Investigations technology items (including a digital video enhancement system, digital imaging program for event/scene reconstruction, zoom camera lens, digital camera and lenses for the crime lab, and digital still frame cameras): $20,400

Total Sheriff request is $135,130.

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Energy & Water Conservation

Sonoma County General Services Department will receive approximately $1.9 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants funds. These funds will support a range of projects, including:

  • Build out of photo voltaic capacities on County buildings
  • Charging stations for electric vehicles
  • Replacement of inefficient water heating systems

These projects will reduce green house gas emissions and save the taxpayers funds in energy costs for decades.

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