August 2021 Newsletter
Our July meeting was a much-enjoyed mingling in person at Abbott Square. Afterward, Rafa Sonnenfeld led a group on a tour of the “missing middle” in downtown Santa Cruz. It was so wonderful, we are doing it again - come join us! Our next regular monthly meeting will be on September 9th.
Join Us on Wed Aug 11th at 6:30pm
for the Missing Middle Housing Tour
Starts at Lincoln Court (315-323 Lincoln St)
Come on an hour-long walking tour highlighting examples of “missing middle” homes in downtown Santa Cruz. We will highlight building styles like duplexes, townhomes, cottage courts, and courtyard buildings that fit into our neighborhoods and provide more affordable and sustainable housing options. Join us on August 11 at 6:30pm - we start at 315-323 Lincoln St.
and the next day August 12th.....
Transition to District Elections
Thursday, August 12th, at 4:00 pm: City of Santa Cruz Transition to District Elections Resident Information Session Learn about the California Voting Rights Act and why the City is exploring the move to district elections, including timeline of events and activities ahead; Share thoughts and ideas. Register to attend. We all should be watching this process closely: learn more about district elections from the City of Santa Cruz.
831 Water St Community Meeting
Thursday, August 12th, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm: 831 Water Street - Virtual Community Meeting Announcement. View the proposed design, ask questions, and provide feedback for a proposed project 831 Water Street. IMPORTANT to attend in support! The project has changed slightly in scope and there is still lots of opposition.
ZOOM MEETING ID: 918 7870 5149 DIRECT ZOOM LINK: 831 WATER WEBINAR
Local Housing News (and Opinion)
UC Santa Cruz graduates establishing homeless shelter for students | Santa Cruz Sentinel Connor Kensok and Abbi Cundall are both co-founding presidents of the Slug Shelter, a student-run organization created to house students who face homelessness during their studies.
We Oppose the Greenway Initiative | Coast Connect The other side of the Greenway initiative.
Mark Primack: Putting Santa Cruz in its place | Santa Cruz Sentinel Dispensing with some big lies propagated by those presuming to speak for the entire community.
Interested in informal chats about YIMBY issues? Stop by 11th Hour Coffee (1001 Center St) at 9AM on Wednesdays. Drop in, hang out.
Missing Middle Housing:
Santa Cruz Style
Downtown Santa Cruz has lots of examples of “missing middle” housing. This sort of infill housing is meant to fit into our existing walkable neighborhoods. Learn more about missing middle housing from this website. Here is a sampling of what you will see when you join us on August 11 for the Missing Middle Housing Tour.
Here are the the cottage court style homes at Lincoln Court (Lincoln St) in downtown. These homes would be illegal to build in most of Santa Cruz today.
The Abbott Rowhouses (Lincoln St.) from 1894 are located on a single parcel. No parking requirement. These would also be illegal to build in most of Santa Cruz today.
This Elm Street home has three units! Almost 75% of the City of Santa Cruz is zoned exclusively for single detached houses. Wouldn’t it be nice if multiplexes were legal everywhere?
Downtown Villas on Washington Street has five (5) units and was built in 1888. Part of Mercy Housing, it was renovated and deed restricted in 1995 so all units are, and will be, affordable into the future.
Legalize Missing Middle Housing
Two bills before the state legislature, SB 9 and SB 10, will make it easier to build missing middle housing. Add your voice in support of infill housing in Santa Cruz by telling your Assemblymember to support #SB9 and #SB10 - coming up for a full vote in the Assembly!
Learn more:
Senate Bill 9, The California HOME Act - Learn more about SB 9, including the facts (not the myths) and see the types of neighborhood homes it enables.
Will Allowing Duplexes and Lot Splits on Parcels Zoned for Single-Family Create New Homes? More detailed research on the effects of SB-9. From the report: "SB-9 will modestly accelerate the addition of new units relative to the status quo".
Housing Elements are part of the General Plan for every Californian city and California requires cities and counties to plan for how they will meet their RHNA or target number of new housing units. Our Monterey Bay Region will get RHNA numbers later this year. Sign up to be a Housing Element Watchdog - together we will track updates and advocate for good policies and fair housing values! Here are a couple of tweets that show what Housing Element Watchdogs are seeing in the drafts from Southern California which are due in October:
What We Are Reading 📚
Delight Per Acre | Strong Towns Throughout the world, some of the most delightful urban spaces are also some of the smallest.
How homeownership can bring out the worst in people | Vox It’s the biggest thing you might ever buy. And it could be turning you into a bad person.
More Development Would Ruin Our Neighborhood’s Character and That Character is Systemic Racism | McSweeneys Satire of NIMBY complaints about increased housing like duplexes.
Opinion | California's Homelessness Crisis Threatens Democracy | New York Times Homelessness is solvable. Its primary driver is housing unaffordability... and so the solution has always been more housing...
What We Are Streaming 🎧
How Blue Cities Became So Outrageously Unaffordable | Ezra Klein Podcast A great summary of why creating new housing is so hard, but necessary.
NPR’s Planet Money: Three Reasons for the Housing Shortage There just aren't enough homes for everyone who wants one.
Housing Discrimination: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) John Oliver breaks down the history of housing discrimination and what we can do about it.