More than 60 percent of Sonoma County adults worry about finding an affordable place to live, and 80 percent are concerned about housing for their family members and friends, a survey found.

Just 41 percent strongly agree or somewhat agree that the county government is focusing on the priorities that matter most to community members, according to the results of a community survey presented recently to the Board of Supervisors.

“We conducted this survey to take the pulse of the community,” Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the board, said in a statement. “While we still have some big issues to deal with, the results show the people of Sonoma County are seeing the same problems we are, and we are determined to address those concerns.”

A slide from a presentation on the Sonoma County Resident Survey conducted in March 2023 shows the issues respondents mentioned as very serious or somewhat serious, with homelessness and cost of living taking the top spots. (EMC Research/Sonoma County)

By 51 percent to 47 percent, respondents said they believe the county is generally going in the right direction. Two percent said they didn’t know. In 2021, 49 percent said the county was on the right track, to 46 percent who disagreed.

The telephone and online poll of 1,019 adults was conducted by EMC Research in English and Spanish between March 28 and April 7, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The results were demographically and geographically representative of the county’s adult residents, according to the statement.