Good morning, Santa Rosa.

On Tuesday, Santa Rosa City Council took back a key downtown parking lot from Cornerstone Properties after concerns were raised that the company would not start its planned apartment project.

For two decades, Cornerstone acquired several downtown properties without delivering any local housing developments.

Sonoma County’s Energy Independence Program is phasing out residential financing for home energy, water and safety upgrades due to new federal regulations that make the program fiscally unsustainable—existing contracts remain unchanged and the commercial program will continue.

Residents can submit new applications until January 12th, 2026.

Sonoma County is planning a major upgrade to its government center with a new five-story office building set to be built on Administration Drive.

Demolition will begin late next year and construction will start mid-2027 — master planning will also review the eastern part of the 26-acre site for possible mixed-use development that could include up to 1,500 homes.

Sonoma County submitted revised flood maps to FEMA on July 10 to improve accuracy and ease burdens on residents in the Todd Creek Watershed—FEMA is reviewing proposed changes that may affect nearly 1,000 parcels, including removal of over 160 parcels from floodplain designations.

A 90-day public comment period will begin later this summer.

The Petrified Forest between Sonoma and Napa counties is back on the market—its owners are offering the 502-acre property for nearly 10 million dollars after lowering its price from 12 million dollars in 2023.