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Santa Cruz County Housing Articles



Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Cabrillo College Trustees to Choose Developer for Student Housing

A sports field off Cabrillo College Drive near Highway 1 is expected to be redeveloped into a housing project for Cabrillo and UC Santa Cruz students. (Cabrillo College/Jones Lang LaSalle IP)
Cabrillo College trustees meeting:

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
City Council Approves Two New Low-Income Housing Developments

The Watsonville City Council on Oct. 22 unanimously approved two new low-income housing developments that will add 18 units to the city and give some families a chance at home ownership.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Proposed Downtown Santa Cruz Rules Seek to Cap Building Heights

Pacific Station South is a seven-story project with 70 below-market-rate apartments on the 800 block of Pacific Avenue. (Stephen Baxter Santa Cruz Local file)
Meeting: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Community Members Discuss Housing Affordability and the Battle Over Rent Control

Talk of the Bay host Len Beyea leads a discussion about housing affordability and, in particular, the rent control initiative on California's November ballot, Proposition 33. Participants include Lira Filipini, Rick Longinotti, and Lee Brokaw.
Proposition 33 on the November …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Architects Describe 6-Story Apartment Proposal on Mission St. In Santa Cruz

A housing proposal on the 1800 block of Mission Street in Santa Cruz grew from three stories to six-stories in a new design. (Workbench)
SANTA CRUZ >> A proposed six-story apartment building on Mission Street would provide college students and …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
161 Homes Proposed on Graham Hill Road Near Scotts Valley

A proposed development on Graham Hill Road would include 117 single-family homes and 44 townhomes. (Fletemeyer & Lee Associates Inc.)
SANTA CRUZ >> Forty acres of horse pasture on Graham Hill Road near Rollingwoods Drive could be transformed into a …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
4 Years After CZU Fire, Local Family Endures Uphill Battle to Rebuild Home

August 2024 marked the four-year anniversary of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire ripping through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Through fundraisers, educational forums and memorial events, residents—including victims of the fire who remain in the area—have gathered to support and assist …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Rats, High Rents Plague UC-owned Hilltop Apartments in Santa Cruz

Residents at the UC-owned, 168-unit Hilltop Apartments on Western Drive in Santa Cruz described problems with rats, delayed maintenance and unexplained charges. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
Key takeaways

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz Bolsters Tentant Protections

Over 70 residents of the St. George Apartments in downtown Santa Cruz are breathing a sigh of relief after the Santa Cruz City Council took a big step toward adopting an ordinance extending rental increase protections for renters like them. …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley Supports 100% Affordable Housing Project

Scotts Valley threw its weight behind a proposal for a 100% affordable housing project for 4444 Scotts Valley Drive, at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting Sept. 4.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
6-Story Apartment Proposal in Midtown Santa Cruz Prompts Sept. 16 Meeting

Eighty apartments are proposed at a vacant lot at Soquel Avenue and Cayuga Street in Santa Cruz. (Workbench)
Meeting: 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Park Ave. Soquel Housing Project on Track, Developer Says

A housing project at 2838 Park Ave. in Soquel is supposed to finish in early 2025. (Tyler Maldonado — Santa Cruz Local file)
SOQUEL >> Construction appeared to stall for several weeks this summer at a 36-unit permanent supportive housing …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Live Oak Affordable Housing Proposal Grows Despite Neighbors’ Concerns

A five-building housing complex is proposed at Thurber Lane and Soquel Drive. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local file)
Many Live Oak residents have objected to a proposed affordable housing development on Soquel Drive and Thurber Lane with concerns that …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Relocation Money Available for CZU Fire Survivors

Felton roads are nearly deserted under a sepia sky Aug. 20, 2020 after evacuation orders for the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. (William Duncan — Santa Cruz Local file)
Meeting: 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27

Sacramento News and Review logo LOCAL NEWS
Prefab Temporary Housing Might Soon Shelter Unhoused Californians

Small, less-expensive readymade homes could buy time as the state continues to struggle with homelessness and high building costs.  By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main...

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
UC Santa Cruz Adds Off-Campus Housing as Lawsuits Drag On

Construction began in early July on 161 homes on Ingalls Alley near Swift Street and the rail trail in Santa Cruz. The university is expected to sign a 30-year lease for the units in August. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Union Sues UC Over Student Housing Construction Contract

Workers prepare the site of future student housing on Hagar Drive at UC Santa Cruz for construction.  (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> A carpenters union has sued the University of California for what union leaders called …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
After Home Destroyed by Fire, Felton Resident Adds Up the Costs

Mark Livingston, 68, remembers how, a couple years back, a cat showed up at his rustic Felton house in the thick of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Firewise Festival Educates on Wildfire Prevention, Home Hardening and Recovery Efforts

Last Sunday, July 21, Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton played host to nearly 200 people who attended the Santa Cruz Mountains Firewise Festival.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Better Jobs, Affordable Housing on the Minds of Aptos Voters

Aptos residents gather at a Santa Cruz Local listening session at Aptos Branch Library in June to discuss local problems and potential solutions. (Kara Meyberg Guzman — Santa Cruz Local)
APTOS >> Affordable housing, better job opportunities for young people …

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Is California’s Housing Crisis Making Inequality Worse?
California has some of the worst economic inequality in the United States. Is housing a cause? Could it be a cure?
Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
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