Sonoma County's playing field is leveling up with a new $14.8 million move to bolster Roseland's economy. The Board of Supervisors there green-lit a hefty contract for Ghilotti Construction Co. to lay down the groundwork—sewers, utilities, and streets—for the Tierra de Rosas development. "This work will build the foundation for much-needed housing in an underserved part of our community," Board Chair Supervisor David Rabbitt said, according to a statement obtained by Sonoma County. He's betting on this project to juice up the local economy and restore health to the community.
In what's shaping up to be a sizeable upgrade for Roseland, Tierra de Rosas is set to roll out 75 affordable homes alongside 100 market-rate ones, not to mention a public plaza, a food hall they're calling Mercado Food Hall, and a civic building spreading over 24,000 square feet. "We've been working toward this day for a long, long time," District 3 Supervisor Chris Coursey told Sonoma County, speaking of the area he reps. He's sticking to his guns because this gig could be a game-changer for Roseland, giving affordable housing stock a much-needed hike.
It's a long time coming for the county's Community Development Commission, which snatched up the Roseland Village shopping center in 2011 to set the stage for a housing renaissance in this 7.6-acre spot. They've been joined at the hip with MidPen Housing, a nonprofit developer with designs on making the Sebastopol Road site a reality. After they kicked off demolition last December, MidPen's eyeing some tax credits and bond financing to get the affordable housing off the ground—if all goes to plan, they'll break ground in early 2025.
Sonoma County's shelling out for two out of three phases of hardcore infrastructural upgrades at a ceiling of $17 million. That's leaving room for a 15 percent wiggle on costs, with all the bells and whistles projected to hit $40 million. Shovels hit the dirt later this month for Phase One, which will wrap in February 2026, while Phase Two kicks off next March and aims for a July 2026 close. Meanwhile, Mitote Food Park will keep the grills hot through it all.
Local bigwigs turned up the heat with pomp and circumstance, marking Tierra de Rosas' groundbreaking on May 3.
