Landlord Luncheon

PETALUMA, CA - The Landlord Appreciation Luncheon and Award Ceremony will be held on June 14th from 12:30pm to 2pm at the Petaluma Community Center at 320 N McDowell Blvd, Petaluma, California, 94954. The event, which is funded by HomeFirst’s Landlord Recruitment Initiative, will recognize landlords, property managers, owners, and other housing community members for their involvement in housing people experiencing homelessness in Petaluma.

 

The work of these individuals and organizations in housing the unhoused is critical considering the level of need in the region. Sonoma County’s 2023 Point-In-Time Count, a count of people experiencing homelessness, revealed that there are 2,266 unhoused people in the county, with 245 of those individuals residing in Petaluma.

 

Since its inception, the Landlord Recruitment Initiative has worked with service providers and landlords to house 23 formerly homeless individuals. While the program launched in August of 2023, it took four months to build out, with the first housing match being made in December 2023.

 

“Building positive and supportive relationships between landlords and homeless service providers is an essential ingredient to ending homelessness in our community,” said Bianca Rojas-Zilamy, HomeFirst’s Landlord Recruitment Coordinator. “Honoring and offering appreciation to the landlords who have stepped up to provide housing for our unhoused community members is what this event is about.”

 

At the luncheon and award ceremony, attendees will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, listen to testimonials from a tenant and property manager that have been impacted by the Landlord Recruitment Initiative, hear from service providers, and enjoy the award ceremony. Four awards will be distributed: Landlord of the Year, Property Manager of the Year, Property Management Company of the Year, and Housing Partner of the Year.

 

HomeFirst’s Landlord Recruitment Initiative Team planned this event in partnership with the City of Petaluma, the Sonoma County Housing Authority/Community Housing Connector, Catholic Charities Diocese of Santa Rosa, and the Committee on the Shelterless (COTS). The collaborative planning surrounding the event is reflective of the collective effort of service providers in the region to house the county’s most vulnerable, and the gratitude these agencies have for progressive landlords.

 

30 landlords including private landlords, property managers, and real estate agents are expected to attend the event, as are 46 staff members from approximately one dozen service agencies.

 

About HomeFirst: HomeFirst is a leading provider of housing services. Our Landlord Recruitment Initiative matches unhoused individuals in South County that are looking to rent, with landlords that are looking to fill their Sonoma County-based units.