Unlicensed Contractors Snared In Undercover Santa Rosa Sting: DA

SANTA ROSA, CA — As rebuilding continues for thousands of North Bay residents whose homes were destroyed in the October 2017 wildfires, a recent undercover sting in Santa Rosa resulted in misdemeanor charges against 12 unlicensed contractors, according to prosecutors with the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office.

The California Contractors State License Board's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team — SWIFT— and the district attorney's offices of Sonoma and Marin counties posed as homeowners Oct. 16-17 and invited suspected unlicensed contractors to place bids on home-improvement work.

The sting was at a single-family home in the burned Coffey Park area of Santa Rosa but was not directly affected by the Tubbs Fire, and the contractors unknowingly gave bids to undercover CSLB fraud investigators, Sonoma County prosecutors said.

The bids were for landscaping, painting, masonry and bathroom remodeling. The lowest bid was for exterior painting for $3,000 and the highest bid was $20,000 for landscaping.

Unlicensed contractors are prohibited from performing work on a project valued at $500 or more in combined labor and material costs.

The contractors, all facing misdemeanor charges on suspicion of contracting without a license, were due in Sonoma County Superior Court Tuesday.

One contractor is facing a second conviction and faces 90 days in jail and another asked for an excessive down payment before starting work. It is illegal to ask for more than 10-percent down or $1,000, whichever is less.

Eleven of the contractors also could face an additional charge of illegal advertising, Sonoma County prosecutors said.

Although CSLB's attention has been focused on protecting disaster survivors from being victimized by unlicensed contractors, authorities say all homeowners should exercise caution when hiring someone for home-improvement work.

"Consumers should be sure to take some simple steps before hiring anyone to work in or around their home," said CSLB Registrar David Fogt. "The fastest way is to make sure they have a state license, and to check the license status using CSLB's Instant License Check. Homeowners should also use CSLB's Find My Licensed Contractor feature to download and/or print a list of qualified licensed contractors in their area."

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.