Sonoma County has not been spared by the national economic recession, but economist Steve Cochrane says its effects should be less severe here, with recovery underway by this time next year.

Even though unemployment is up for Sonoma County, and other economic indicators reflect the local effects of the global recession, Cochrane says that, so far at least, our area is weathering the downturn better than many other regions.
     
It will likely take most of the next 12 months for the Sonoma County housing market to stabilize, Cochrane predicts, with joblessness following a similar arc back toward more acceptible levels late this year and in early 2010.

 

Cochran also conducts research for the Sonoma County Innovation Council , which has recently released its own economic forecast, viewable here.

The Sonoma County Economic Development Board hosted the 6^th annual State of the County breakfast Wednesday morning, with Supervisor Paul Kelley delivering the centerpiece address. KRCB was there to record and bring you his talk.

Supervisor Paul Kelley

Job skills, high school diplomas, personal responsibility and building low income housing-they're all wrapped up together in YouthBuild Santa Rosa.

YouthBuild has been active in Sonoma County for the past 13 years, but the overall program has a much longer history.

A new cohort of YouthBuild students is forming now, with required interviews on Dec. 15. Casey McChesney outlines the application process.

  The 2001 YouthBuild class were joined by then Santa Rosa Mayor Mike Martini (front, second from left), Congresswoman Lynne Woolsey, and County Supervisor Mike Reilly at the grand opening of their new office seven years ago. The program is now preparing to move into new, larger quarters in early 2009.

Greenbelt Alliance's recently published Smart Infill: A practical guide to creating vibrant places throughout the Bay Area  was written to inform decision makers about the benefits of these policies, and cite examples where they have been successfully employed. One of them, says Daisy Pistey-Lyhne, is the Town of Windsor.

Sonoma County has been a leader in adopting community separators or Urban Growth Boundaries for its cities. Those are a key first step in redirecting growth away from sprawl patterns back into urban infill.

For more information about the Sonoma County branch of Greenbelt Alliance, click here .

Greenbelt Alliance also regularly hosts hikes throughout the BayArea. You'll find a list of upcoming events here.