As a born n raised Santa Rosan, don’t listen to everyone who’s saying you’re bashing it. You’re just trying to make sure everyone knows what they’re getting into. I clicked this because I was curious as to what you had to say, and I thought the video was great. Thanks for this!
Thank you for your support! I think most of the negative comments are a result of people not actually watching the video and just hitting the comment button. Everyone wants to state their opinion. The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. I grew up in Petaluma and now live in Santa Rosa. There are definitely things we would change but we love it here. Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
I’ve lived in Sonoma county for 37 years, 36 of it in Santa Rosa. I’ve seen a lot of change, some good, some bad. Before the Tubbs & Nunn Fires in 2017, Santa Rosa was getting very crowded and after the crash in 08, we saw a lot of foreclosed homes that were bought by investors who raised rents significantly. Home prices went up too. There were bidding wars on both rentals & sales, especially from Bay Area buyers. A lot of “mom & pop” landlords jumped on the greed bandwagon too; very sad and made life very difficult for the working class, especially for immigrants. (Our entire economy would collapse without immigrants, whether or not they are documented.) In 2006, I was paying $850 for a small 2 bedroom house in the historic West End neighborhood. That house now rents for $3000. Our senior population, of which I’m a member, tends to be relatively well off, if you’re white and married. Single females over the age of 55 are not faring well. Neither are women of color. In the last 8 years, we’ve seen far more white haired employees in grocery stores, clothing stores in Montgomery Village, service jobs. These are people who have to keep working because they lost the majority of their retirement savings 2008-11 and prices have gone way up for almost everything. There’s a lot of judgment here about people who are poor and folks from the Latino population. Racism and bigotry is alive and well here; lots of NIMBY energy, although it’s more covert. The county was considered “The Gateway to the Redwoods” and the “Redwood Empire” up until the 1980s; now, it’s ”Wine Country.” Our orchards and beautiful rolling hills have been overrun with vineyards, wineries, event centers with way more tourists, therefore, way more cars, noise, & pollution. And those wineries have hugely depleted our ground water. Even after all the rain we got this past Winter, we’re still in a long term mega drought. Even with all the controlled burns and fire mitigation projects, we still have serious fire danger and not just rurally. Fires have torn through Fountaingrove hills multiple times in the past 150 years; now with climate change, fires are expected to happen more often (every 15-20 years, instead of every 40 years) and be more intense. Every Summer has more and more runs of multiple days in a row with temperatures above 90. In 2017, the week before Tubbs fire, we had one day at 108, followed by two at 113 degrees. The vegetation was completely dried out and the winds on October 8, 2017 were tornadic, clocked at 90-100 mph. That will happen again, sadly. We do have fabulous restaurants and local entertainment. Our farmers markets are wonderful, with lots of healthy produce, prepared foods, and creative crafts and products by local artisans and vendors. LBC has world class entertainment. The JC and SSU have great plays and performers; the Green Center is an acoustic gem-the music scene was thriving before Covid; it’s gonna take awhile to recover. We have beautiful parks & miles of coastline with gorgeous views from our country roads. Crime is down, but we still have some gang problems- nothing like in the 90s and early 21st century. Drivers are way worse that 10 years ago- a lot of speeding, running red lights, tailgating, sideshows. Most people are still friendly and welcoming, for the most part.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Sonoma County does have much to offer. If you could change one thing about Santa Rosa, what would it be and why?
You bring up some good points, but its still one of the most beautiful, unique, and magical places you could ever pick to live. With the right people we can fix the rest.
What are you talking about?........wrong. I moved from Marin County to Santa Rosa last year, and boy we love it. Try to live in Marin County for 20 years, then come and live in Santa Rosa, and you will realize how much of your life you're wasting away by living in one of the most expensive counties in California. Don't get me wrong Marin County California is beautiful but the cost of living it's amazingly High, in every aspect. Up until today you cannot buy a 3-bedroom 2-bathroom house in Marin County for under $890,000 (not asking price) and if you, it's either a condo or a town house, with no backyard. Don't get me started. Sonoma County has a lot to offer.
I’m with you! I live in Sonoma county is not bad at all. when it comes to the fires I’ve been living in Sonoma County for 44 years and there’s never any fires until 2017! There is hardly any homeless people. I absolutely love it here.
Thank you for your feedback. I'm not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and hit respond. I was born and raised here and like you, I also love living here. The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Santa Rosa is my home town, I gotta say there are WAAAY more than 3,000 homeless people. that's just what the "census says", when in reality it's more like a survey sample. it would be nearly impossible to keep tabs on an ever-changing number (going up) of unhoused people.
Thank you for sharing! Yes, you are correct. Officials acknowledge the census is likely to produce an undercount. However, these are conducted every year so combined with historical data, provides a fairly accurate range. Of the 2,893 total homeless population in Sonoma County counted in 2022, 2,088 were unsheltered. These numbers are actually down from a high of 4,539 in 2011. What do you think about Sonoma County's "housing first" first approach to homelessness to build temporary housing for these individuals to help get them off the street and back as contributing members of our society?
I live in Sonoma County. It’s a huge gorgeous and friendly and mellow county with great weather, beaches, hiking and redwood forests. Not to mention world class restaurants, vineyards and wine labels. There is way more here than the city of Santa Rosa. You would be very lucky to live here no matter where you move from.
Thank you for the support! The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Thank you for sharing! It is definitely not all bad. In my opinion, their are more positives than there are negatives. What are some of your favorite things about living here in Santa Rosa?
The heath lady is in the Newson pocket and held all the kids down and now they are way behind in school!! Gun shoots every night! So sad for a one of the most beautiful place in the state.
Thank you for sharing your feedback Rob. Sonoma County's Health Officer, Dr. Mase, is no longer in this position. Just curious, where in Sonoma County do you live that you hear gun shots every night? And based on this, do you feel that there should be greater gun legislature to help prevent what you are experiencing?
The recently widened 101 freeway has slightly eased commute traffic. The home values are often based on how long it takes to commute to San Francisco and the quality of the schools. I raised my children in Marin and Sonoma County with pleasure.
In the mid 90's we couldn't afford a fixer upper in San Anselmo/Fairfax where we had rented for many years years, having escaped the Cupertino area. We could get into a property but wouldn't have anything left for the fix up and traffic was bad on Sir Francis Drake so my husband would sometimes take the back way through Nicasio to get to work in Petaluma. Since his job was secure, we built our own home in Penngrove. The kids went to Petaluma High, and we love the community. Home values are based on commutability, but we weren't driving to SF regularly. A lot of people do that drive. I don't think the SMART train has made much of a dent. Golden Gate Transit is great.
@Michael Ferl Both honor roll, one in 2017 and the other several years before that. There's a wide age gap due to environmental concerns and financial preparation. The elder had to adjust from the Marin 'hippie' children to Sonoma 'trucker' types. In Penngrove it's a 45/15 grade school program which is terrific. That is not the case for JrHi & High school. Being in a rural setting meant they had to take the bus or I would have to do the drive. The home on acerage that we built in '97 sold last year for a million.
Thank you for sharing your feedback Randy. There is no question that PG&E had a significant impact on the fires since 2017. Do you believe that PG&E is the only issue that should be addressed to prevent future fires in Sonoma County?
Good video. You touched on quite a few things about the area that I wanted to hear. But I’d love for you to get even deeper than what you did. Let’s talk about a lot of the assholes from San Francisco and the east bay that have been moving up to Santa Rosa and Sonoma County making it more congested. Also they are doing a lot of construction in and around fountain Grove which to me is a terrible idea. Fountain Grove is a beautiful, and exclusive area and I don’t think that they need to build homes so close together wherever there’s any available space to do so. Just my opinion.
Thank you for sharing your feedback! Those are good tips. Many people have moved out of Sonoma County and relocated to areas such as Texas, Arizona, and Florida largely due to affordability. Do you think that with home prices even more expensive in the Bay Area, that for individuals that can't afford to live there, should they be welcome to relocate to Sonoma County? If not, what should Sonoma County do to address this concern?
@@MichaelFerl duly noted. This is America, so obviously we know they are free to move wherever they like. I grew up in the east bay, and I know all about how it works. A lot of people from there, not all, have a corresponding attitude that will come along with them wherever they go. so if quality of life, and attitudes begin to change in a nice, quaint place, like Sonoma County then so be it. I think it’s awesome that certain people like to be inclusive, and accept everybody. I personally like a balanced way of doing things. I don’t believe that anyone should be extremely inclusive, or extremely into segregation . There has to be a good balanced way of doing things without just accepting anyone under the pretense of being humane
@@MichaelFerl absolutely not. But I don’t think that we can deny the times have really changed. The erosion of social graces, the ability to empathize with others, common sense, and common decency have become pervasive in the times that we’re in now. I saw a big shift occur in the collective consciousness of a lot of people back home as well as the political landscape. Those changes have made California virtually unrecognizable from where it was 15 to 20 years ago. It’s very difficult for me to be around that level of toxicity.
Thank you for your feedback. Not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and responded. I agree with you, Sonoma County is an awesome place to live. I was born and raised here. The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. If you knew someone moving to Sonoma County, what are some of the pros/cons you think would be important for them to know about?
To the roads issue - we also have a huge percentage of unkind, bullying, road rage drivers. Are they are on drugs? They are menaces and are a blight on our county. Slow down people! While most drivers still evoke the kindness of most citizens here, there are more and more driving recklessly. They know who they are but don't care.. Been here over 35 years (life long Bay Area) and I try to treat everyone equally. I think many of these incompetent drivers are on drugs that their brains can't handle. Some are just angry and want to push others around. I can't say its better or worse elsewhere- I can say these people need to reflect on what they've become when behind the wheel. People are getting killed by their arrogance.
@@MichaelFerl We need to encourage courteousness. It used to be normal here while the Bay Area lost a lot of that. People who regularly drive in a rage are missing out on so many things.
The homeless problem is deep reaching because it is not new money to provide this housing. The county and the city governments are slashing other budgets. The roads suck because the homeless problem takes directly from the public works, parks, etc.. Low income housing is a sham since it is the roads in the poor areas that are being neglected. They have the homeless and the cuts in public sector works.
It is true that there is only so much in funding to go around. If you could have Sonoma County pick only one issue to address and resolve, what would be your number one priority?
@@MichaelFerl thank you for the reply. Luckily for us in Sonoma County, it is a state wide delivery of tax dollars. What I would address as my number one issue would be moral and ethics and government officials. Example: the county fair had budget issues, and during the fair is catering every night at the main office. Prior to the budget issues when they were asking people to volunteer for free to work on the fairgrounds, extra food from the catering was shared with workers. That year, when it was brought to the bureaucrats attention, you can guess what they did. They made a rule not to give out extra food that wasn’t used during those feedings with the Fair board and whoever was invited. Have you noticed you have never seen a tent in fountain Grove or around any of the high-end gated communities? Did the homeless dislike the land with higher property values? Not Sonoma County but shows it goes to the top. Try for fun giving somebody 100 bucks to put a tent around Nancy Pelosi’s neighborhood somewhere. where it is that there are police out there within minutes to physically remove them. Other than that, and the problems that stemmed from the corruption and greed, Sonoma County to me, is the best place on earth
@@fbryancooper In your opinion, should Sonoma County budget more funds towards road maintenance? If so, what should they move stop spending money on to make this possible?
@@MichaelFerl our BOS has moved towards road repair over the past 10 years - I rewrote a horrible map made by an outside consultant. They have put more money but its still way too small percent of their budget. They have plenty of fat to find if they want to look. Meanwhile I've rebuilt my car's undercarriage several times and had broken wheels due to all the potholes. $2.9 billion budget. $100 million roads. not the right ratio .
This guy bashes Santa Rosa and then says he's willing to help you move here! Is this idiotic or what? I live 10 minutes north of SR and yes, it has its problems, but so does almost any other city of its size. I once declared that I would never live in California (in the East we mention all the fruits and nuts and flakes in California), but now that I live in Sonoma County, I love it.
Thank you for your feedback Warren. I'm not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and hit respond. I was born and raised here and like you, I also love living here. The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Yeah…the last fire before 2017 was 50 years ago! Please. Homelessness, yes…Cost, YES! Politics, is very liberal! Not moderately liberal, Roads, yes! I have lived here my entire life, they suck…It is beautiful here, but it is slowly having its issues like all the other liberal places in CA!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. In regards to fires, do you believe that this is no longer a concern for Sonoma County? Also, do you believe that states that are predominately conservative don't experience issues that impact the quality of life such as road conditions?
I was born and raised in Santa Rosa. I'm 54 now, yes the road suck but things are on the up turn hopefully with getting the roads fixed. With the homeless situation I only hope that they make it available to be able for the homeless to be able to afford it because most of them are on a fixed income like social security or SSI and cannot afford the traditional low-income rent they charge here.
Fair presentation. Alas, I don't think it's possible for a single area to get to zero homelessness, for a variety of reasons. Suppose you provide cheap and free housing for all comers, which meets all of the criteria that anybody in your homeless population wants so they are willing and able to move in; no qualifications or rules about behavior or upkeep/trash, nobody gets kicked out. You will then have people from all around the area, the state, and the nation coming to get the no-strings free housing. But if you don't meet everybody's criteria, or you have problem cases who get kicked out based on their behavior, then you'll still have quite a few people living on the streets and byways. And unfortunately, the ones still on the street will tend to be the same ones that cause the most problems for passersby and nearby homeowners, renters, store owners, shoppers, etc. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't create housing options for those who just need a hand up, and those who are willing to get rehab and counseling - as has already been happening and more can and will be done. But we shouldn't fool ourselves; we can reduce the problems, but we'll never get to zero unless everyplace else does too (and that's not going to happen in my lifetime).
I agree. There should also be a more proactive effort to address the issues that causes homelessness in the first place. The social and economical costs to find solutions once an individual is homeless is significantly higher due to the the complexities of mental illness, drug addiction, etc. These issues compound and reduce the ability to rehabilitee these individuals as contributing members of our society. How significant do you think the general public's stereotypes of the homeless population are impacting our ability to create viable solutions to this issue?
@@MichaelFerl I think there is a big problem with clashing stereotypes, that's it's like the parable of the blind men and the elephant. One side's stereotype is of a deserving hard worker who lost housing through no fault of their own and is working and living our of their car and just needs some help - and those folks exist. Another side's stereotype is of somebody whose behavior (whether or not involving diagnosed mental illness or addiction) got them kicked out of past jobs and housing and alienated friends and relatives until they could no longer stand to support them - and they exist as well. Along with many other trajectories. Lumping them all under one umbrella term is like lumping all illnesses which cause pain together as one illness, implying one treatment. No single approach works with even a majority of homeless folks - it's too diverse a condition. I saw a lot of people on Next Door talk past each other, because they were talking about different subsets (or stereotypes). It's hard to build momentum in that confusion. The thoughtful advocates for homeless folks have adopted a model called "housing first", which has had some good results in certain social democracies and which in principle sounds good to me too. Alas, trying to implement it here is both incredibly expensive and has mixed results as far as I can see. San Franciso seems to have trouble creating permanent housing for less than $700,000 per person (not counting ongoing upkeep and services) - and even that only seems to work for some people (the hotel housing program had a lot of problems with damage and violence). The closest to a realistic proposal I've seen is King County WA (Seattle), where the homeless council has asked for $25.5 Billion to cover the first 5 years - 8 billion capital up front and $3.5 billion each year for upkeep and services. They have about 12-13,000 homeless individuals there so you can see that's around $2M per person for the first 5 years, and around $300K/yr for maintenance. Assuming other homeless folks don't arrive in increase the population, which they would. And I fear that even if they got that funding, voters might not find the problem as reduced as they were expecting. Are voters willing to spend that much per homeless person, when they are struggling themselves? Can they even find and hire that many competent social workers? To be honest, I'm not sure there IS a solution within the parameters of a liberal democracy (and I don't advocate abandoning that!). The hard core subset seems not to respond to voluntary programs well. Our society operates by providing incentives and punishments aimed at keeping most people operating within acceptable bounds of behavior, in their rational self interest. Both mental illness and addictions can create people who do not fit the rational self interest model, so the incentives may not work well. (eg: we'll give you housing but you have to follow some rules or you'll lose it and be back on the street). I'm not sure you can fix that by throwing enough money at it. Mayor Breed's intervention center in SF served over 30,000 visitors, with fewer than 50 referrals for rehab or counseling (at the point I was looking into it). I used to be an advocate of "harm reduction" but I'm coming to question the real world effectiveness of that, however well intended. Meanwhile, we have to do what we can, continue to help those who can benefit from help [never forget them!!], treat everybody with basic dignity, and protect both the housed and the unhoused as best we can. I have no magic bullets, as a compassionate realist (at least I try to be). I do take some comfort in the stats that something like 95% of homeless families with children do get housing in our country, last I checked. I also have heard that the "rapid rehousing" program is helpful - for the problem you mention, intervening early before the problems compound. How about you? Have you experienced problems or solutions in your professional work, or your personal life?
@@zephsmith3499 Thank you for your thoughtful approach in weighing out both sides of the conversation. Most individuals argue their points from emotion and without any tangible evidence to support their claims. There is no magic pill to solve this issue and it is going to take thoughtful debate and discussion to create viable solutions. I agree with everything you said. It is incredibly challenging to rehabilitate someone back into society after living on the streets for years, experience alcohol/substance abuse, phycological and/or physical trauma, mental illness, etc. The streets dehumanize people. Homelessness is the byproduct of a bigger issue. It is my belief that we need to spend more time and resources on the factors cause homelessness. Housing costs, poverty, healthcare, drug/alcohol abuse, etc. are some of these issues. As a society, we have a general attitude of, "Not me, not my problem." However, this belief is what has caused homelessness to be all of our problem. If we can collectively embrace an attitude of being proactive and individuals who are at risk, it is much easier to get them back on their feet as opposed to much later, when their issues have compounded and they are forced to live on the streets. Until a majority of our society is willing to collectively be part of the solution, their beliefs and attitude towards homelessness will only further promote the problem.
The liberal politics of the county prevent forest management, encourage homeless and illegal immigration, the regulartory environment makes building and living costs exorbitant, you didn't mention the high taxes.... the taxes go toward high salaries and benefits of the politicians as well as programs which do not benefit the average citizen. By the way there have been horrific wildfires here for generations, as well as droughts and floods. Check.... the climate has remained the same for generations. Texas, Florida, & Tennessee have conservative politics, zero income tax, a much less restrictive regulatory environment which also means lower costs to build and/or rent environment so far fewer homeless. Oh, the salaries and benefits in the conservative states are more in line with the average citizen. Government workers do not have privilege over their employers, the taxpayers..... this is only a few of the reasons people are fleeing this country, this state.
@@MichaelFerl I live in Florida but we have a tiny private farm here for summer stays. I have a lot of political knowledge and experience. I sit on the community council where I live. It is a volunteer (no pay) but elected position. Politics are the foundation of livability. There is no middle class in CA because of politics and CA is losing its skilled workers and tax base. Too many people work for the state and local governments. It's socialist and doesn't allow people to move up in the world. No American dream here. We know so many who have moved from here to Texas and Tennessee because a future for them and their children was more important than the weather here. That is so sad. Most people want to be self sustaining. They don't want to depend on the government. They want to depend on themselves. Better results come when the government gets out of the way.... small government=big people. Virtue signalling isn't virtuous. It makes people feel superior to those held back by imposed poverty. If we didn't already own here we wouldn't be buying here. We love the people and the state is too beautiful to allow it to be killed this way. We try to be a positive. Are you truly familiar with the US Constitution? I'm a pure Constitutionalist. It works.
@@joyspragens2444 I appreciate your passion towards this discussion and believe that you provide some valid points. There is no question that there are many issues that CA is presented with. Their population did decrease by approximately 500,000 between 2020 and 2022, this is approximately 1.3% of the entire 39.24 million residents. Additionally, housing affordability is one of the worst in the U.S. and is one of the primary drivers of the largest homeless population in the U.S. There is significant bureaucracy in construction between all the rules and regulations which has only further impacted the housing issues. With all that said, there are also many positives about CA. Their death rate is 20% lower than that of TX. This is largely due to the health care system and policy. CA independently has the 4th biggest economy in the world and has 4.1 million small businesses, representing 99.8% of all businesses in the state and employs 7.2 million works in CA. CA's per-capita income and GDP has also increased significantly in recent years. To only highlight the negatives about one state and not discuss any of the positives is a biased and unfair perspective. While TX may not have state income tax, they have significantly higher property taxes. Texas also has a larger share of residents without health insurance than any other state. And despite two very different policies, crime rates are very similar between CA and TX. Ultimately, there isn't clear evidence either way to support big government is clearly better or worse than a limited government approach. There are pros/cons of both and if conservatives and liberals made greater effort to work together instead of trying to make the other one wrong, it is my personal belief that everyone can benefit from this.
Help to reduce homelessness by over charging recording records. The only problem is the low income housing they make are way more expense to rent the a whole house in Iowa. Yes i know it's iowa.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Is it your belief that global warming does not pose a significant risk to our future or do you believe that it isn't real?
I agree! Every city has its own issues. It is important to know both pros and cons so individuals can make an informed decision on whether or not a location is best for them. Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Not everyone needs the vanity of a 'like' to feed their ego. Apparently, that is important to you though. I hope this 'like' helps you have an amazing day!
Thank you for your feedback! I'm not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and hit respond. Like you, we also live in Santa Rosa and love living here. The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Ohhh boy!,,. Weeeell, First thing is invest, none sense videos sometimes, bad roads everywhere, fires everywhere, crime anywhere , and about politics, boy!,,. just do your job, find a job that you like, if you hate it, find another one, enjoy life, save and start living. Ouu at the end, after all that, if you can't handle it, soon will be acres and lots up on Mars and course our moon. 😂 So much else to say but this is enough!,.
We had a ton of rain, you try and keep up with the pot holes? They are working on it! Love it hear! Good the far right can move out of here, Texas can have them! I know people who did move to Texas and couldn't stand it and moved right back!
Thank you for sharing. It is true, many people criticize Sonoma County/California, but don't discuss the issues or challenges of living in other states. Cities are like cars, what's a good fit for one person may be the wrong choice for someone else. It is important to find a location that best fits an individual's needs/wants and values. What are of Sonoma County are you located in?
Thank you for sharing your feedback Eugene. If Sonoma County voted primarily Republican, how do you feel this would have prevented issues like the 2017 fires or rising cost of housing?
@@eugene-7461 I agree, there are definitely areas where the road conditions are below average, especially at the county level. Just curious, when you say that we have the worst roads in the country, what are you basing that information on? Is it possible that other states, including those that vote primarily Republican, have road conditions that are the same or worse than what we have here?
@@MichaelFerl I own properties in Louisiana and the roads are as bad and even worse there. In Louisiana there’s not only mismanagement of funds at the government level, but a lot of corruption there, unfortunately.
Thank you for the support Terri. I was born and raised here so definitely love Sonoma County! I think there are positives to have other political parties in the area. While we might not always agree, I think it is important to hear different thoughts and opinions. This also helps hold our leadership accountable. However, if someone's qualify of life is going to be lower because the location doesn't share the same values and beliefs that they have, it doesn't make sense for them to stay there in my opinion. What part of Sonoma County are you located in?
@@terrisaunders7036 The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves if this is the best place for them to live here or not. When you say you are confused and express that it seems really suspicious in term of my intent, what are you referring to?
@@MichaelFerl hard to explain. It sounded to me like a warning and that SC not a great place to live but quite the opposite which made me wonder what your motivation was. I love living here so hard for me to put my arms around your message and intent. After messaging with you I don’t have the same level of suspicion. Do you have a CZcams channel? If so, what is the theme?
@@terrisaunders7036 Thank for taking the time to listen. Yes, this video is on my CZcams channel. The theme is to provide the best information about the Sonoma County real estate market so buyers/sellers can make a more informed decision. If you subscribe to my channel, you can stay current on the latest in the Sonoma County real estate market: czcams.com/channels/McZoTvOl0g7_BJsScK4EEQ.html
As a born n raised Santa Rosan, don’t listen to everyone who’s saying you’re bashing it. You’re just trying to make sure everyone knows what they’re getting into. I clicked this because I was curious as to what you had to say, and I thought the video was great. Thanks for this!
Thank you for your support! I think most of the negative comments are a result of people not actually watching the video and just hitting the comment button. Everyone wants to state their opinion.
The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves. I grew up in Petaluma and now live in Santa Rosa. There are definitely things we would change but we love it here.
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
I’ve lived in Sonoma county for 37 years, 36 of it in Santa Rosa. I’ve seen a lot of change, some good, some bad.
Before the Tubbs & Nunn Fires in 2017, Santa Rosa was getting very crowded and after the crash in 08, we saw a lot of foreclosed homes that were bought by investors who raised rents significantly. Home prices went up too. There were bidding wars on both rentals & sales, especially from Bay Area buyers. A lot of “mom & pop” landlords jumped on the greed bandwagon too; very sad and made life very difficult for the working class, especially for immigrants. (Our entire economy would collapse without immigrants, whether or not they are documented.)
In 2006, I was paying $850 for a small 2 bedroom house in the historic West End neighborhood. That house now rents for $3000.
Our senior population, of which I’m a member, tends to be relatively well off, if you’re white and married. Single females over the age of 55 are not faring well. Neither are women of color. In the last 8 years, we’ve seen far more white haired employees in grocery stores, clothing stores in Montgomery Village, service jobs. These are people who have to keep working because they lost the majority of their retirement savings 2008-11 and prices have gone way up for almost everything.
There’s a lot of judgment here about people who are poor and folks from the Latino population. Racism and bigotry is alive and well here; lots of NIMBY energy, although it’s more covert.
The county was considered “The Gateway to the Redwoods” and the “Redwood Empire” up until the 1980s; now, it’s ”Wine Country.” Our orchards and beautiful rolling hills have been overrun with vineyards, wineries, event centers with way more tourists, therefore, way more cars, noise, & pollution. And those wineries have hugely depleted our ground water. Even after all the rain we got this past Winter, we’re still in a long term mega drought. Even with all the controlled burns and fire mitigation projects, we still have serious fire danger and not just rurally. Fires have torn through Fountaingrove hills multiple times in the past 150 years; now with climate change, fires are expected to happen more often (every 15-20 years, instead of every 40 years) and be more intense. Every Summer has more and more runs of multiple days in a row with temperatures above 90. In 2017, the week before Tubbs fire, we had one day at 108, followed by two at 113 degrees. The vegetation was completely dried out and the winds on October 8, 2017 were tornadic, clocked at 90-100 mph. That will happen again, sadly.
We do have fabulous restaurants and local entertainment. Our farmers markets are wonderful, with lots of healthy produce, prepared foods, and creative crafts and products by local artisans and vendors. LBC has world class entertainment. The JC and SSU have great plays and performers; the Green Center is an acoustic gem-the music scene was thriving before Covid; it’s gonna take awhile to recover. We have beautiful parks & miles of coastline with gorgeous views from our country roads.
Crime is down, but we still have some gang problems- nothing like in the 90s and early 21st century. Drivers are way worse that 10 years ago- a lot of speeding, running red lights, tailgating, sideshows. Most people are still friendly and welcoming, for the most part.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Sonoma County does have much to offer. If you could change one thing about Santa Rosa, what would it be and why?
You bring up some good points, but its still one of the most beautiful, unique, and magical places you could ever pick to live. With the right people we can fix the rest.
What are you talking about?........wrong. I moved from Marin County to Santa Rosa last year, and boy we love it. Try to live in Marin County for 20 years, then come and live in Santa Rosa, and you will realize how much of your life you're wasting away by living in one of the most expensive counties in California. Don't get me wrong Marin County California is beautiful but the cost of living it's amazingly High, in every aspect. Up until today you cannot buy a 3-bedroom 2-bathroom house in Marin County for under $890,000 (not asking price) and if you, it's either a condo or a town house, with no backyard. Don't get me started.
Sonoma County has a lot to offer.
I’m with you! I live in Sonoma county is not bad at all. when it comes to the fires I’ve been living in Sonoma County for 44 years and there’s never any fires until 2017! There is hardly any homeless people. I absolutely love it here.
Thank you for your feedback. I'm not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and hit respond. I was born and raised here and like you, I also love living here.
The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves.
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Thank you for sharing Tony! What area of Sonoma County are you located in?
I lived in Marin for 16 yrs and I considered it heaven. I had to move because of the cost of living. 😭
@@Di-Pi Thanks for sharing your experience! Where did you relocate to?
Raised here since I was 3. Pop. 7000 when my parents came here in 1955. 😢 The bought a house for $11,000.
Wow! Prices definitely have gone up a bit since they purchased in 1955. Do you still live in Sonoma County?
Seems like Santa Rosa welcomes the homeless population ! And a 4 W/D vehicle is needed here for some of the bad roads !!!
Thank you for sharing Alan! Do you live in Santa Rosa?
Santa Rosa is my home town, I gotta say there are WAAAY more than 3,000 homeless people. that's just what the "census says", when in reality it's more like a survey sample. it would be nearly impossible to keep tabs on an ever-changing number (going up) of unhoused people.
Thank you for sharing! Yes, you are correct. Officials acknowledge the census is likely to produce an undercount. However, these are conducted every year so combined with historical data, provides a fairly accurate range. Of the 2,893 total homeless population in Sonoma County counted in 2022, 2,088 were unsheltered.
These numbers are actually down from a high of 4,539 in 2011.
What do you think about Sonoma County's "housing first" first approach to homelessness to build temporary housing for these individuals to help get them off the street and back as contributing members of our society?
I live in Sonoma County. It’s a huge gorgeous and friendly and mellow county with great weather, beaches, hiking and redwood forests. Not to mention world class restaurants, vineyards and wine labels. There is way more here than the city of Santa Rosa. You would be very lucky to live here no matter where you move from.
💯agree! Thank you for sharing.
Out of concerns that I shared in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living here in Sonoma County?
okay, look this video was advertised to me; but all of this is true. Thank you for being so detailed in your reasoning
Thank you for the support!
The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves.
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Santa rosa may be bad, but it's still my hometown. ☝🏽🗣
Thank you for sharing! It is definitely not all bad. In my opinion, their are more positives than there are negatives.
What are some of your favorite things about living here in Santa Rosa?
The heath lady is in the Newson pocket and held all the kids down and now they are way behind in school!! Gun shoots every night! So sad for a one of the most beautiful place in the state.
Thank you for sharing your feedback Rob. Sonoma County's Health Officer, Dr. Mase, is no longer in this position.
Just curious, where in Sonoma County do you live that you hear gun shots every night? And based on this, do you feel that there should be greater gun legislature to help prevent what you are experiencing?
The recently widened 101 freeway has slightly eased commute traffic. The home values are often based on how long it takes to commute to San Francisco and the quality of the schools. I raised my children in Marin and Sonoma County with pleasure.
Thank you for sharing! What area in Sonoma County were you living in when you were commuting to SF?
In the mid 90's we couldn't afford a fixer upper in San Anselmo/Fairfax where we had rented for many years years, having escaped the Cupertino area. We could get into a property but wouldn't have anything left for the fix up and traffic was bad on Sir Francis Drake so my husband would sometimes take the back way through Nicasio to get to work in Petaluma. Since his job was secure, we built our own home in Penngrove. The kids went to Petaluma High, and we love the community. Home values are based on commutability, but we weren't driving to SF regularly. A lot of people do that drive. I don't think the SMART train has made much of a dent. Golden Gate Transit is great.
@@seagypsy574 Thank you for sharing your experience! I also grew up in Petaluma and went to Petaluma High School. When did your kids graduate?
@Michael Ferl Both honor roll, one in 2017 and the other several years before that. There's a wide age gap due to environmental concerns and financial preparation. The elder had to adjust from the Marin 'hippie' children to Sonoma 'trucker' types. In Penngrove it's a 45/15 grade school program which is terrific. That is not the case for JrHi & High school. Being in a rural setting meant they had to take the bus or I would have to do the drive. The home on acerage that we built in '97 sold last year for a million.
@@seagypsy574 Yes, Petaluma still has several farm families. Sounds like you have a lot to be proud of with your kids. 🙂
We don't have a fire problem
We have a utility problem
As three out of four fires were due to pge the one that was not was min fyi
Thank you for sharing your feedback Randy. There is no question that PG&E had a significant impact on the fires since 2017.
Do you believe that PG&E is the only issue that should be addressed to prevent future fires in Sonoma County?
Your videos are exceptional. Thank you.
Thank you for your support!
What are of Sonoma County are you located in? What has been your experience?
Good video. You touched on quite a few things about the area that I wanted to hear. But I’d love for you to get even deeper than what you did. Let’s talk about a lot of the assholes from San Francisco and the east bay that have been moving up to Santa Rosa and Sonoma County making it more congested. Also they are doing a lot of construction in and around fountain Grove which to me is a terrible idea. Fountain Grove is a beautiful, and exclusive area and I don’t think that they need to build homes so close together wherever there’s any available space to do so. Just my opinion.
Thank you for sharing your feedback! Those are good tips. Many people have moved out of Sonoma County and relocated to areas such as Texas, Arizona, and Florida largely due to affordability. Do you think that with home prices even more expensive in the Bay Area, that for individuals that can't afford to live there, should they be welcome to relocate to Sonoma County? If not, what should Sonoma County do to address this concern?
@@MichaelFerl duly noted. This is America, so obviously we know they are free to move wherever they like. I grew up in the east bay, and I know all about how it works. A lot of people from there, not all, have a corresponding attitude that will come along with them wherever they go. so if quality of life, and attitudes begin to change in a nice, quaint place, like Sonoma County then so be it. I think it’s awesome that certain people like to be inclusive, and accept everybody. I personally like a balanced way of doing things. I don’t believe that anyone should be extremely inclusive, or extremely into segregation . There has to be a good balanced way of doing things without just accepting anyone under the pretense of being humane
@@walanderson225 That seems understandable. Do you believe that all people from the East Bay, in this example, all have the same attitude?
@@MichaelFerl absolutely not. But I don’t think that we can deny the times have really changed. The erosion of social graces, the ability to empathize with others, common sense, and common decency have become pervasive in the times that we’re in now. I saw a big shift occur in the collective consciousness of a lot of people back home as well as the political landscape. Those changes have made California virtually unrecognizable from where it was 15 to 20 years ago. It’s very difficult for me to be around that level of toxicity.
@@walanderson225 You make some valid points. What do you think we can do to help address this issue?
Bro said avoid to move to Sonoma County. WDYM?! It’s a perfect place with awesome and kind people! What’s so wrong about it?
Thank you for your feedback. Not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and responded. I agree with you, Sonoma County is an awesome place to live. I was born and raised here.
The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves.
If you knew someone moving to Sonoma County, what are some of the pros/cons you think would be important for them to know about?
@@MichaelFerl k got it
Sonoma County is not far from the way San Fran is. Unfortunately
Thank you for sharing. Do you currently live in Sonoma County?
If you could have Sonoma County leadership address one single issue, what would it be?
To the roads issue - we also have a huge percentage of unkind, bullying, road rage drivers. Are they are on drugs? They are menaces and are a blight on our county. Slow down people! While most drivers still evoke the kindness of most citizens here, there are more and more driving recklessly. They know who they are but don't care.. Been here over 35 years (life long Bay Area) and I try to treat everyone equally. I think many of these incompetent drivers are on drugs that their brains can't handle. Some are just angry and want to push others around. I can't say its better or worse elsewhere- I can say these people need to reflect on what they've become when behind the wheel. People are getting killed by their arrogance.
This is a great point Bryan, thank you for sharing. What do you think should be done to address this?
@@MichaelFerl We need to encourage courteousness. It used to be normal here while the Bay Area lost a lot of that. People who regularly drive in a rage are missing out on so many things.
@@fbryancooper Agreed
The homeless problem is deep reaching because it is not new money to provide this housing.
The county and the city governments are slashing other budgets. The roads suck because the homeless problem takes directly from the public works, parks, etc..
Low income housing is a sham since it is the roads in the poor areas that are being neglected. They have the homeless and the cuts in public sector works.
It is true that there is only so much in funding to go around.
If you could have Sonoma County pick only one issue to address and resolve, what would be your number one priority?
@@MichaelFerl thank you for the reply. Luckily for us in Sonoma County, it is a state wide delivery of tax dollars.
What I would address as my number one issue would be moral and ethics and government officials.
Example: the county fair had budget issues, and during the fair is catering every night at the main office. Prior to the budget issues when they were asking people to volunteer for free to work on the fairgrounds, extra food from the catering was shared with workers. That year, when it was brought to the bureaucrats attention, you can guess what they did. They made a rule not to give out extra food that wasn’t used during those feedings with the Fair board and whoever was invited.
Have you noticed you have never seen a tent in fountain Grove or around any of the high-end gated communities?
Did the homeless dislike the land with higher property values?
Not Sonoma County but shows it goes to the top. Try for fun giving somebody 100 bucks to put a tent around Nancy Pelosi’s neighborhood somewhere. where it is that there are police out there within minutes to physically remove them.
Other than that, and the problems that stemmed from the corruption and greed, Sonoma County to me, is the best place on earth
One reason roads are bad is the county gets less money from the state for the amount of roads vs population.
@@fbryancooper In your opinion, should Sonoma County budget more funds towards road maintenance? If so, what should they move stop spending money on to make this possible?
@@MichaelFerl our BOS has moved towards road repair over the past 10 years - I rewrote a horrible map made by an outside consultant. They have put more money but its still way too small percent of their budget. They have plenty of fat to find if they want to look. Meanwhile I've rebuilt my car's undercarriage several times and had broken wheels due to all the potholes. $2.9 billion budget. $100 million roads. not the right ratio .
This guy bashes Santa Rosa and then says he's willing to help you move here! Is this idiotic or what? I live 10 minutes north of SR and yes, it has its problems, but so does almost any other city of its size. I once declared that I would never live in California (in the East we mention all the fruits and nuts and flakes in California), but now that I live in Sonoma County, I love it.
Thank you for your feedback Warren. I'm not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and hit respond. I was born and raised here and like you, I also love living here.
The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves.
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Yeah…the last fire before 2017 was 50 years ago! Please. Homelessness, yes…Cost, YES! Politics, is very liberal! Not moderately liberal, Roads, yes! I have lived here my entire life, they suck…It is beautiful here, but it is slowly having its issues like all the other liberal places in CA!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. In regards to fires, do you believe that this is no longer a concern for Sonoma County?
Also, do you believe that states that are predominately conservative don't experience issues that impact the quality of life such as road conditions?
I was born and raised in Santa Rosa. I'm 54 now, yes the road suck but things are on the up turn hopefully with getting the roads fixed. With the homeless situation I only hope that they make it available to be able for the homeless to be able to afford it because most of them are on a fixed income like social security or SSI and cannot afford the traditional low-income rent they charge here.
Fair presentation.
Alas, I don't think it's possible for a single area to get to zero homelessness, for a variety of reasons. Suppose you provide cheap and free housing for all comers, which meets all of the criteria that anybody in your homeless population wants so they are willing and able to move in; no qualifications or rules about behavior or upkeep/trash, nobody gets kicked out. You will then have people from all around the area, the state, and the nation coming to get the no-strings free housing. But if you don't meet everybody's criteria, or you have problem cases who get kicked out based on their behavior, then you'll still have quite a few people living on the streets and byways. And unfortunately, the ones still on the street will tend to be the same ones that cause the most problems for passersby and nearby homeowners, renters, store owners, shoppers, etc.
That doesn't mean that we shouldn't create housing options for those who just need a hand up, and those who are willing to get rehab and counseling - as has already been happening and more can and will be done. But we shouldn't fool ourselves; we can reduce the problems, but we'll never get to zero unless everyplace else does too (and that's not going to happen in my lifetime).
I agree. There should also be a more proactive effort to address the issues that causes homelessness in the first place. The social and economical costs to find solutions once an individual is homeless is significantly higher due to the the complexities of mental illness, drug addiction, etc. These issues compound and reduce the ability to rehabilitee these individuals as contributing members of our society.
How significant do you think the general public's stereotypes of the homeless population are impacting our ability to create viable solutions to this issue?
@@MichaelFerl I think there is a big problem with clashing stereotypes, that's it's like the parable of the blind men and the elephant. One side's stereotype is of a deserving hard worker who lost housing through no fault of their own and is working and living our of their car and just needs some help - and those folks exist. Another side's stereotype is of somebody whose behavior (whether or not involving diagnosed mental illness or addiction) got them kicked out of past jobs and housing and alienated friends and relatives until they could no longer stand to support them - and they exist as well. Along with many other trajectories. Lumping them all under one umbrella term is like lumping all illnesses which cause pain together as one illness, implying one treatment. No single approach works with even a majority of homeless folks - it's too diverse a condition.
I saw a lot of people on Next Door talk past each other, because they were talking about different subsets (or stereotypes). It's hard to build momentum in that confusion.
The thoughtful advocates for homeless folks have adopted a model called "housing first", which has had some good results in certain social democracies and which in principle sounds good to me too. Alas, trying to implement it here is both incredibly expensive and has mixed results as far as I can see. San Franciso seems to have trouble creating permanent housing for less than $700,000 per person (not counting ongoing upkeep and services) - and even that only seems to work for some people (the hotel housing program had a lot of problems with damage and violence).
The closest to a realistic proposal I've seen is King County WA (Seattle), where the homeless council has asked for $25.5 Billion to cover the first 5 years - 8 billion capital up front and $3.5 billion each year for upkeep and services. They have about 12-13,000 homeless individuals there so you can see that's around $2M per person for the first 5 years, and around $300K/yr for maintenance. Assuming other homeless folks don't arrive in increase the population, which they would. And I fear that even if they got that funding, voters might not find the problem as reduced as they were expecting. Are voters willing to spend that much per homeless person, when they are struggling themselves? Can they even find and hire that many competent social workers?
To be honest, I'm not sure there IS a solution within the parameters of a liberal democracy (and I don't advocate abandoning that!). The hard core subset seems not to respond to voluntary programs well. Our society operates by providing incentives and punishments aimed at keeping most people operating within acceptable bounds of behavior, in their rational self interest. Both mental illness and addictions can create people who do not fit the rational self interest model, so the incentives may not work well. (eg: we'll give you housing but you have to follow some rules or you'll lose it and be back on the street). I'm not sure you can fix that by throwing enough money at it. Mayor Breed's intervention center in SF served over 30,000 visitors, with fewer than 50 referrals for rehab or counseling (at the point I was looking into it). I used to be an advocate of "harm reduction" but I'm coming to question the real world effectiveness of that, however well intended.
Meanwhile, we have to do what we can, continue to help those who can benefit from help [never forget them!!], treat everybody with basic dignity, and protect both the housed and the unhoused as best we can. I have no magic bullets, as a compassionate realist (at least I try to be). I do take some comfort in the stats that something like 95% of homeless families with children do get housing in our country, last I checked. I also have heard that the "rapid rehousing" program is helpful - for the problem you mention, intervening early before the problems compound.
How about you? Have you experienced problems or solutions in your professional work, or your personal life?
@@zephsmith3499 Thank you for your thoughtful approach in weighing out both sides of the conversation. Most individuals argue their points from emotion and without any tangible evidence to support their claims. There is no magic pill to solve this issue and it is going to take thoughtful debate and discussion to create viable solutions.
I agree with everything you said. It is incredibly challenging to rehabilitate someone back into society after living on the streets for years, experience alcohol/substance abuse, phycological and/or physical trauma, mental illness, etc. The streets dehumanize people.
Homelessness is the byproduct of a bigger issue. It is my belief that we need to spend more time and resources on the factors cause homelessness. Housing costs, poverty, healthcare, drug/alcohol abuse, etc. are some of these issues. As a society, we have a general attitude of, "Not me, not my problem." However, this belief is what has caused homelessness to be all of our problem.
If we can collectively embrace an attitude of being proactive and individuals who are at risk, it is much easier to get them back on their feet as opposed to much later, when their issues have compounded and they are forced to live on the streets.
Until a majority of our society is willing to collectively be part of the solution, their beliefs and attitude towards homelessness will only further promote the problem.
Perhaps the politics has been the cause of the negative you mention🤔
Thank you for sharing Joy! Can you clarify what you mean?
The liberal politics of the county prevent forest management, encourage homeless and illegal immigration, the regulartory environment makes building and living costs exorbitant, you didn't mention the high taxes.... the taxes go toward high salaries and benefits of the politicians as well as programs which do not benefit the average citizen.
By the way there have been horrific wildfires here for generations, as well as droughts and floods. Check.... the climate has remained the same for generations. Texas, Florida, & Tennessee have conservative politics, zero income tax, a much less restrictive regulatory environment which also means lower costs to build and/or rent environment so far fewer homeless. Oh, the salaries and benefits in the conservative states are more in line with the average citizen. Government workers do not have privilege over their employers, the taxpayers..... this is only a few of the reasons people are fleeing this country, this state.
@@joyspragens2444 Thank you for elaborating! Do you currently live in Sonoma County?
@@MichaelFerl I live in Florida but we have a tiny private farm here for summer stays. I have a lot of political knowledge and experience. I sit on the community council where I live. It is a volunteer (no pay) but elected position. Politics are the foundation of livability. There is no middle class in CA because of politics and CA is losing its skilled workers and tax base. Too many people work for the state and local governments. It's socialist and doesn't allow people to move up in the world. No American dream here. We know so many who have moved from here to Texas and Tennessee because a future for them and their children was more important than the weather here. That is so sad. Most people want to be self sustaining. They don't want to depend on the government. They want to depend on themselves. Better results come when the government gets out of the way.... small government=big people. Virtue signalling isn't virtuous. It makes people feel superior to those held back by imposed poverty. If we didn't already own here we wouldn't be buying here. We love the people and the state is too beautiful to allow it to be killed this way. We try to be a positive. Are you truly familiar with the US Constitution? I'm a pure Constitutionalist. It works.
@@joyspragens2444 I appreciate your passion towards this discussion and believe that you provide some valid points.
There is no question that there are many issues that CA is presented with. Their population did decrease by approximately 500,000 between 2020 and 2022, this is approximately 1.3% of the entire 39.24 million residents. Additionally, housing affordability is one of the worst in the U.S. and is one of the primary drivers of the largest homeless population in the U.S. There is significant bureaucracy in construction between all the rules and regulations which has only further impacted the housing issues.
With all that said, there are also many positives about CA. Their death rate is 20% lower than that of TX. This is largely due to the health care system and policy. CA independently has the 4th biggest economy in the world and has 4.1 million small businesses, representing 99.8% of all businesses in the state and employs 7.2 million works in CA. CA's per-capita income and GDP has also increased significantly in recent years.
To only highlight the negatives about one state and not discuss any of the positives is a biased and unfair perspective. While TX may not have state income tax, they have significantly higher property taxes. Texas also has a larger share of residents without health insurance than any other state. And despite two very different policies, crime rates are very similar between CA and TX.
Ultimately, there isn't clear evidence either way to support big government is clearly better or worse than a limited government approach. There are pros/cons of both and if conservatives and liberals made greater effort to work together instead of trying to make the other one wrong, it is my personal belief that everyone can benefit from this.
I live in Sonoma county😢
Thank you for sharing Adam!
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
me too
Help to reduce homelessness by over charging recording records. The only problem is the low income housing they make are way more expense to rent the a whole house in Iowa. Yes i know it's iowa.
Thank you for sharing Daniel. Can you clarify what you mean by, "over charging recording records?"
The whole climate thing has been blown way out of reality.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Is it your belief that global warming does not pose a significant risk to our future or do you believe that it isn't real?
are you familiar with the market in clearlake?
Yes, what questions can we help answer?
spoiler alert. Hell no! it isnt a good time to buy a new home. Its Bionics or whatever they call it.
Yeah but fuck it we ball
All places have problems.
I agree! Every city has its own issues. It is important to know both pros and cons so individuals can make an informed decision on whether or not a location is best for them.
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Not even 40% of the people who saw your video liked it
Not everyone needs the vanity of a 'like' to feed their ego. Apparently, that is important to you though. I hope this 'like' helps you have an amazing day!
Hard to listen to the video with that music.
Thank you for your feedback.
I live in Santa Rosa ain’t shit wrong with it goodbye I love it
Thank you for your feedback! I'm not sure if you actually watched the video or just read the title and hit respond. Like you, we also live in Santa Rosa and love living here.
The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. Every city has its pros and cons. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves.
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
Ohhh boy!,,.
Weeeell, First thing is invest, none sense videos sometimes, bad roads everywhere, fires everywhere, crime anywhere , and about politics, boy!,,. just do your job, find a job that you like, if you hate it, find another one, enjoy life, save and start living.
Ouu at the end, after all that, if you can't handle it, soon will be acres and lots up on Mars and course our moon.
😂
So much else to say but this is enough!,.
Thanks for sharing Rolando!
We had a ton of rain, you try and keep up with the pot holes? They are working on it! Love it hear! Good the far right can move out of here, Texas can have them! I know people who did move to Texas and couldn't stand it and moved right back!
Thank you for sharing. It is true, many people criticize Sonoma County/California, but don't discuss the issues or challenges of living in other states. Cities are like cars, what's a good fit for one person may be the wrong choice for someone else. It is important to find a location that best fits an individual's needs/wants and values.
What are of Sonoma County are you located in?
@@MichaelFerl Santa Rosa!!! And proud of it!
@@catperson6937 happy to hear that...thank you for representing!
😂
Yet you all keep voting Democrat
😂😂
Thank you for sharing your feedback Eugene.
If Sonoma County voted primarily Republican, how do you feel this would have prevented issues like the 2017 fires or rising cost of housing?
Well I was referring to the roads mostly. Ridiculous how much we all pay in taxes and we have the worst roads in the country.
@@eugene-7461 I agree, there are definitely areas where the road conditions are below average, especially at the county level.
Just curious, when you say that we have the worst roads in the country, what are you basing that information on? Is it possible that other states, including those that vote primarily Republican, have road conditions that are the same or worse than what we have here?
@@MichaelFerl I own properties in Louisiana and the roads are as bad and even worse there. In Louisiana there’s not only mismanagement of funds at the government level, but a lot of corruption there, unfortunately.
Whatever 😮
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Out of the issues identified in the video, have any of these impacted your experience living in Sonoma County?
What did we do for you to make this video💀
I was feeling generous. You're welcome. Make sure you like and subscribe😘
Great video. We love it here. Why would we want to encourage conservatives to move here.
Thank you for the support Terri. I was born and raised here so definitely love Sonoma County!
I think there are positives to have other political parties in the area. While we might not always agree, I think it is important to hear different thoughts and opinions. This also helps hold our leadership accountable.
However, if someone's qualify of life is going to be lower because the location doesn't share the same values and beliefs that they have, it doesn't make sense for them to stay there in my opinion.
What part of Sonoma County are you located in?
@@MichaelFerl west side of Santa Rosa. To be honest, I am confused about your CZcams video. It seems really suspicious to me in Terms of your intent.
@@terrisaunders7036 The purpose of this video is to share some of the main concerns that been expressed by people that live here. Real estate agents usually only discuss one side of the conversation. I think it is important to hear both so individuals can make an informed decision for themselves if this is the best place for them to live here or not.
When you say you are confused and express that it seems really suspicious in term of my intent, what are you referring to?
@@MichaelFerl hard to explain. It sounded to me like a warning and that SC not a great place to live but quite the opposite which made me wonder what your motivation was. I love living here so hard for me to put my arms around your message and intent. After messaging with you I don’t have the same level of suspicion. Do you have a CZcams channel? If so, what is the theme?
@@terrisaunders7036 Thank for taking the time to listen. Yes, this video is on my CZcams channel. The theme is to provide the best information about the Sonoma County real estate market so buyers/sellers can make a more informed decision.
If you subscribe to my channel, you can stay current on the latest in the Sonoma County real estate market: czcams.com/channels/McZoTvOl0g7_BJsScK4EEQ.html