Sonoma County Housing Community has recently announced significant updates to the Landlord Recruitment Initiative (LRI), designed to encourage local landlords to provide housing for individuals currently experiencing homelessness. The initiative, coordinated by HomeFirst, serves over 5,000 individuals and families in Sonoma County and Santa Clara County.

Key updates to the initiative include:

Increased landlord incentives: The LRI has now doubled the incentive amounts for landlords. For first-time or initial unit rentals, landlords can receive $1,000, with $500 available for subsequent units rented out to new tenants by the same landlord.

Enhanced risk mitigation: The risk mitigation fund, designed to alleviate potential financial risks for landlords, has been increased from $1,000 to $5,000.

Expanded referral bonus: The referral bonus program, which was initially exclusive to landlords, now extends to anyone who refers a landlord to the initiative. Referrers can earn a $100 bonus for each landlord who participates in the LRI.

These changes aim to build confidence among landlords and mitigate financial risks, especially in light of the new security deposit law that takes effect on July 1, 2024.

The LRI program is part of HomeFirst’s efforts to provide a range of housing services to those who are housing insecure or unhoused. By partnering with landlords, HomeFirst seeks to match unhoused individuals in Sonoma County, including seniors, single parents, veterans, disabled individuals, and low-income families, with suitable housing options.

For more information about participating in the landlord recruitment initiative, landlords and interested parties can contact Bianca Rojas-Zilamy, the landlord recruitment coordinator, at the landlord hotline (707-244-9144) or bzilamy@homefirstscc.org.