Santa Cruz County Housing Digest

Construction will commence soon on 460 units of student and employee housing on the Santa Cruz Westside.

UC Santa Cruz moved to raze the 42-space Camper Park on July 10, citing concerns for health and safety.

Taking advantage of new state funds, some California healthcare providers are starting to offer what their homeless patients really need: housing.

The Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury released a report finding a lack of tracking of occupancy of local affordable housing units.

A second virtual community meeting about the proposed 16-story 260-unit Clocktower Center housing development in downtown Santa Cruz included both objections and support for the project.

A report released on June 27 by the National Low Income Housing Coalition found the Santa Cruz area to be the most expensive rental market in the nation.

A push to bolster housing production in California's coastal communities in recent years has led to heated battles over potential state reforms. Below, a veteran elected official believes the debate has created a false choice between housing and protections. The opposing view: A former attorney for the Coastal Commission says the state Coastal Act has failed to deliver on what it envisioned.

On June 19, California YIMBY announced support for the California Forever project going to the Solano County ballot in November.

In a June 18 meeting of the Santa Cruz City Council with planning commissioners attending, a draft plan was presented for the South of Laurel area (SoLa) project including a permanent Warriors arena and 1600 units of housing in towers up to 12 stories tall.

A recent court ruling exempted five charter cities from a controversial housing law. That’s given anti-density advocates across California an idea.

On May 29, MidPen Housing celebrated the completion of the 57-unit affordable apartments on Capitola Road in Live Oak adjacent to the Santa Cruz Community Health and Dientes Community Dental Care clinics.

Tens of thousands of California homeowners, especially those who live in areas at risk of wildfires, have lost their insurance or have to pay more to keep coverage. One after another, major companies have pulled out of the state, many citing the cost of claims.

On June 11, Solano County elections officials announced the verification of necessary signatures for the California Forever sponsored initiative to amend the county General Plan to be on the November ballot.

A panel at the CalMatters Ideas Festival debates how to reduce homelessness without punishing poverty. There’s worry about a potential $1 billion cut in state funding.

On June 6, the Solano Land Trust announced its opposition to the California Forever project to build a new community housing up to 400,000 people in the county.

On June 4, the City of Santa Cruz released a draft of the Downtown Plan Expansion project documents for public review.

The proposal for the 16-story 260-unit Clocktower Center housing development in Santa Cruz was presented on June 6.

Aptos High School building and construction trades program students recently completed construction of a 20-foot by 8-foot tiny home.

These community projects can give renters and low-income homeowners a chance to go solar, but the PUC’s action is unlikely to give them the option.

In its May 28 meeting the Santa Cruz City Council approved plans to build a 5 story housing project on Mission Street, with a slight modification.

UC Santa Cruz is developing housing for upper division undergraduate students and staff in the Delaware Addition on the Santa Cruz Westside.

On May 20, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on the now-cleared site of the former downtown Santa Cruz Metro station to celebrate the beginning of construction of a new transit hub and 128-unit affordable apartment complex.

In its May 15 meeting, the City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission considered changes made to the five-story project and recommended approval by the City Council.

A case study of the impact of the California Housing and Community Development's pandemic Project Roomkey program in Santa Cruz County was released.

In the May 14 City Council meeting, the economic development department shared updated renderings of the library/housing/parking project at Cedar and Lincoln Streets, with construction to begin in early 2025.

The Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission has informed some residents of two mobile home parks in Live Oak of a need to move their units 1 to 4 feet due to encroachment over lot boundaries.

in its April 30 meeting, the Santa Cruz City Council postponed a decision on the 59-unit housing development project at the site of the Herb Room on Mission Street amid fierce neighborhood opposition.

Demolition of the church at the center of the Santa Cruz circles was completed on April 23, making way for construction of a ring of house to be built on the 1.6-acre parcel.

A 34-unit tiny home village for people displaced when Pajaro was flooded will begin construction in Watsonville on a church-owned parcel in Watsonville.

The City of Santa Cruz acquired the Toadal Fitness parcel downtown for $2.5 million as part of the mixed-use library project.

Santa Cruz City Schools is exploring the development and building below-market rate housing for teachers and other staff priced out of the county rental market.

An update of meetings held between UCSC staff and Camper Park residents.