The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has passed a measure to provide temporary eviction protections tailored specifically to areas of the Lower Russian River hit hardest by recent flooding. The initiative seeks to aid residents grappling with the aftermath of the atmospheric river storms that brought extensive rainfall to the region in January, as reported by Sonoma County's official website. The modified eviction ban covers only six postal codes, lifting the broader countywide moratorium enacted earlier in the month.
According to the county's proclamation of local emergency, the Board had no choice but to impose a countywide eviction prohibition initially, despite the ordinance's lack of language for focus on specific geographic areas. Following the latest Board meeting, an adjustment was made to center these tenant protections on the affected neighborhoods within postal codes 95436, 95471, 95446, 95462, 95486, and 95430.
"Renters in low-lying areas have faced multiple floods this winter — not only forcing them from their homes but also disrupting their ability to travel to work," Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Board of Supervisors, asserted, as per Sonoma County's official website.
These protective measures will remain in force until August 25 or until 30 days after the emergency declaration has been terminated, whichever comes first. Exceptions to the eviction ban include violence, health and safety requirements, removal of the rental property from the market, or other legal mandates. These decisions were made to rectify the original ordinance's limited scope and ensure that the most vulnerable in the storms' paths maintain shelter amidst their recovery efforts.
