North Bay Business Journal

SONOMA COUNTY — Residential construction in the North Bay’s most populous county is projected to improve this year as prices for unsold homes finally hit bottom heading into 2013, but the pace of homebuilding going forward will be slower than before the economic recession and profits will be pinched harder, according to a new county government report.

SANTA ROSA — Despite concerns from some members of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors about more spending at a time of county budget cuts, the board this morning voted 4-1 for a three-year grant for $100,000 annually to the economic development program Building Economic Success Together, or BEST.

SONOMA COUNTY — A new report on the economic health of Sonoma County predicts that rising levels of employment, innovation by local technology firms and hotel occupancy will lead to a stronger growth for the county this year, according to a spring 2011 local economic report by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board, Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board and research partner Moody’s Analytics.

SANTA ROSA – Operating revenues for Sonoma County health care organizations increased 2.2 percent in 2009 and total operating expenses fell 2.6 percent, marking the first decline in more than a decade and the highest level of net income since 2004, according to the 2010 Sonoma County Health Care Industry Insider Report.

NORTH BAY – A coalition of North Bay employment development officials have created a research council that once funded will examine renewable-energy employment needs and possible joint strategies for Sonoma, Marin, Solano and Napa counties.