Election Year 2022 - Santa Cruz YIMBY's first endorsements
At the monthly meeting in January, we heard the case for and against two local initiatives that are currently gathering signatures: the Empty Homes Tax, and the Our Downtown Our Future Initiative. Shortly after the meeting, members of Santa Cruz YIMBY voted in our endorsement process and here are the results.
Santa Cruz YIMBY supports the Empty Homes Tax initiative.
Our city has few local sources of money for affordable housing and this adds another one. We see this initiative from two primary angles: fixing tax incentives for second homes as well as creating a source of funds for affordable housing. While this initiative may only cause turnover of a limited number of homes or people paying the empty homes tax, it will still open up new opportunities for people to live here. As evidenced in numerous research papers, the supply of new market-rate units triggers moving chains that quickly reach middle- and low-income neighborhoods and individuals.
We encourage adding signatures so this initiative qualifies for the ballot. There are many other ways to ensure this initiative makes it to the ballot - take a look at all the opportunities and get involved!
Santa Cruz YIMBY opposes the Our Downtown Our Future initiative.
We respect the many years of community participation and city staff work that have resulted in a complex and remarkable plan for lots of affordable housing, shared parking, a gorgeous library, and a daycare center. While we share the desire for a decrease in parking supply, the reformed library project will result in no net new parking and facilitate the construction of more affordable housing on other lots downtown. Given the approximately 12,000 people on the Housing Authority List, the need for more affordable housing is urgent and we can't afford years more of delay, as would happen if this initiative is approved.
We recommend not signing the initiative and encourage support for the Downtown Library Mixed-Use project with affordable housing.
If you have signed the petition already, and wish to withdraw your support, you may do so by filling out and filing a form with Bonnie Bush, the SC City Clerk. The form needs to be mailed or hand-delivered.