March 2023 Newsletter
March brings the Spring Equinox with transition, new beginnings and longer days! Let's use this time to learn more, act more, or connect more as pro-housing advocates. Read on!
🏘 🌗 🏘 🌗 🏘 🌗 🏘 🌗 🏘 🌗 🏘 🌗
Next Santa Cruz YIMBY Monthly Meeting:
Housing Elements: How Can YOU Use State Law to Help Your City Allow Housing?
Featuring CA Housing Element Watchdog Superstars Jeremy Levine and Anne Paulson. March 16th at 5:30pm
With drafts of Housing Elements coming as early as April, NOW is the time for us to give public input on policies that can help produce a compliant and achievable Housing Element. Come hear from two experienced Watchdogs who have been through the Housing Element process in the Bay Area.
We've also compiled a summary of Santa Cruz YIMBY's priorities for Housing Elements that can be tuned for each city or county. Have questions? Come to our training on March 16th and/or write to us at hello@santacruzyimby.org.
Housing News
City of Santa Cruz
Community gets first view of 351-unit mixed-use Ocean Street project - Lookout
Missed the 908 Ocean St Community Meeting? Check it out here.
Peace United Church Project Community Meeting held Missed the Meeting? Check it out here.
Measure K & L in action - housing for educators - Santa Cruz City Schools’ workforce housing could be completed in three years if all goes to plan, district says | Lookout Santa Cruz
On Tuesday, March 2nd City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission approved the 530 Front St project with a 5-1 vote.
Downtown Santa Cruz library project advances | Santa Cruz Local
The Watermark at Santa Cruz senior homes at 126 Eucalyptus Ave have been approved - the Coastal Commission denied the appeal
There's a pre-application for a project on 1130 Mission St - 59 SROs along with the Food Bin and Herb Room
Homelessness is a housing problem - Housing Matters received a $25.29 million more in a state grant in February 2023 and is fully funded for Harvey West Studios at 119 Coral St.
Santa Cruz County
Housing for Students - Cabrillo College housing proposal seeks state money | Santa Cruz Local
The housing crisis is a climate crisis - let's build housing near transit - How Santa Cruz’s Climate Action Plan Addresses Climate Change | Good Times
Addressing Homelessness- Strides and stalls in Santa Cruz County homeless plan | Santa Cruz Local
Capitola
On Tuesday, March 2nd Capitola Planning Commission passed the 100% affordable housing project (The Bluffs at 44th) with a 4-1 vote. 👏
Scotts Valley
It only took 15 years (!) - Construction of Scotts Valley mixed-use development moves forward | Santa Cruz Sentinel
Legislative Updates
Mid February is the deadline for the introduction of bills in the CA legislature. Here are some* of the priority housing bills that CA YIMBY is sponsoring or supporting this Legislative season:
* See the full list on the California YIMBY 2023 Legislation page:
SB 423: Permanently extend SB35
AB 976 Extend Incentives for ADUs
AB 309 Social Housing
AB 1633 Hold Cities Accountable (a CEQA fix)
Check it Out!
YIMBY Action's 2022 Impact Report is here! Check out our project advocacy (over 130,000 homes!), legislative power (all 10 priority bills passed!), election power (55 endorsed candidates won!). Click here to see the entire report.
There are 3 upcoming projects that will impact traffic across mid-County: the Murray Street bridge reconstruction (30-month project, which might start spring 2023), auxiliary lanes on Highway 1 between Soquel Dr and 41st Ave (starting in April), and Soquel Drive reconstruction (starting summer 2023).
It's going to be a terrible time to drive - and a great time to start biking.
Bike Santa Cruz County has several initiatives to make biking safer, including protected bike lanes on Broadway/Brommer and expanding the e-bike rebates. Come to their event at Seymour Center on March 18th (5-8pm) to learn more!
