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Santa Cruz County Housing Overview



California Local Pin Marker Get To Know A Group

This group founded in 2001 by local volunteers is dedicated to making Santa Cruz County a place where the needs of a diverse community can be met in a way that is “safe, affordable, convenient and sustainable for future generations.”

California Local Pin Marker Local Housing Digest

Competing San Cruz Housing Measures Gather Signatures

05/15/2025

Backers of two competing housing measures to be decided by City of Santa Cruz voters in November have been submitted to the county voting department.

Regional Transportation Commission Pushes June 30 Mobile Park Deadline

05/15/2025

Residents of the Castle Mobile Home Estates and Blue and Gold Star Mobile Home Park in Live Oak must remove mobile homes and other structures which are on the designated Rail Trail route by June 30.

California Local Pin Marker Recent Articles

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz Affordable Housing Measure Expected on Nov. 4 Ballot

Elaine Johnson, executive director of Housing Santa Cruz County, kicks off a campaign for an affordable housing ballot measure on Jan. 16. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> Supporters of a ballot measure to help fund …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
5 Takeaways on Santa Cruz County Housing Production

Twenty-nine homes in Aptos Village Phase II finished construction in May. They are part of about 4,600 homes that are supposed to be permitted outside Santa Cruz County’s four cities by the year 2032. (Swenson)
Editor’s note: Find details on …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
State Legislators Push for Fixes at Hilltop Apartments in Santa Cruz

Two state legislators who represent Santa Cruz say they want the University of California to fix problems at UC-owned Hilltop Apartments in Santa Cruz. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> In response to rodents, rent hikes, …

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo LOCAL NEWS
Damian’s Ladder: Low and No-Cost Home Repairs for Seniors and Individuals With Disabilities

Founded in 2023, Damian’s Ladder is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities in the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley. By providing free or low-cost home repairs and modifications, the organization helps residents live …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Circle Church Home Building Not Expected Until 2026

Utility work is expected this summer at the former site of the Circle Church in Santa Cruz. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> Water and electrical work is expected this summer at the site of the …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
4 Housing Rezones in Live Oak, Corralitos Delayed by Santa Cruz County Supervisors

A five-story, 63 unit housing proposal at 841 Capitola Road takes advantage of the Builder’s Remedy, a state law that essentially removes a local government’s power to deny housing. (Workbench)
SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Cruz County supervisors on Tuesday advanced …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Downtown Santa Cruz Expansion Plan Advances

Spruce Street could close to vehicles from the Kaiser arena to Pacific Avenue as part of a proposed Santa Cruz Downtown expansion plan. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> The Santa Cruz Planning Commission on Thursday …

Image caption: 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

The California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, is the state’s signature environmental legislation, and is also often named as the villain in the state’s housing shortage. But the story may not be that simple.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
City Orders Fixes at UC-owned Hilltop Apartments in Santa Cruz as Problems Mount

In complaints filed with the California Civil Rights Department, Melissa Scalia and other Hilltop apartments tenants have alleged that property managers mistreated them. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> In response to mounting problems at a 168-unit …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
6-Story Apartment Proposal Withdrawn on Almar Ave. In Santa Cruz

A 144-apartment proposal at 831 Almar Ave. has been scuttled. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> The owner of a former tea facility at 831 Almar Ave. has scuttled a proposal for a six-story apartment complex, despite …

Featured

Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
The Public Shore Protectors
Born amid controversy, this public agency is responsible for managing some of the most precious real estate in the world.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
Owning homes is the primary way the middle class builds wealth, and an option no longer available to most Californians.
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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