HOME Investment Partnerships Program

The Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act created the Home Investment Partnership (HOME) Program in 1990.  This federal program provides annual grants to cities, counties and states throughout the United States to support affordable housing activities that benefit very low and low-income households.

Use of Funds

Although Sonoma County has rental housing stock, the rents are too high for a very low-income family to afford.  To address this disparity between rents and incomes, the Commission uses one-half of its HOME program funds for rental assistance.  This helps to ensure that the housing does not remain vacant and the rents become affordable to very low-income families.

One-half of HOME funds are used for development of new rental units for very low-income families and seniors in Sonoma County.

Funding Cycle

As a designated Urban County, Sonoma County receives approximately $1 million in HOME Program funds annually.  The Sonoma County Community Development Commission administers the program for the County, and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors makes the final decision regarding the local distribution of the funds.

The funding cycle for the HOME Program is a part of the Consolidated Plan and follows the timetable for that process.

The following links provide information about the Commission's HOME funding policies and process: