Everyone has a housing story.

We invite you to take part in our editorial campaign on Sonoma Valley’s housing stories. Created by The Future Collective with photographer Kayla Schmah, the project features portraits of people in their homes or workplaces alongside personal reflections on housing, belonging, and life in Sonoma Valley. By sharing these stories, this project hopes to make visible the many ways housing shapes people’s lives and our community as a whole. It also aims to inspire the many forms of community investment needed for The Commons to be successful in making Sonoma Valley a place where people across incomes and generations can live.

Everyone has a housing story. Some of us have housing thanks to social networks, or the generosity of below-market landlords. Many of us are making significant sacrifices to live close to our work and our families. Some of us live in homes that our families have owned for generations, or helped us buy. Some of us are fortunate to own homes or spend part of our lives here because we were drawn to the beauty and community of the Valley. Many of us commute long distances because we cannot afford a home here, or can’t access the limited housing stock we could afford.

Community members who live or work in Sonoma Valley, or have been displaced, are invited to share their story in whatever way feels meaningful and comfortable, including anonymously if preferred. Participants can decide how they would like to be represented, and stipends are available to support involvement in the project. If you’d like to share your story, contact Kim Jones at kim@sonomavalleycatalystfund.org.