May 2022 Newsletter

May is Affordable Housing Month - Housing Santa Cruz County has a great calendar of events - groundbreakings, panels, tours, and celebrations!

Affordable Housing - Construction is Happening!

1500 Capitola Rd- Family Housing by MidPen Housing

57 homes, includes 10 homes for households who are homeless with developmental disabilities
Partnership with Dientes and Santa Cruz Community Health Centers
Funding includes: No Place Like Home Grant, County funding,
Tax Credits & Housing Vouchers

RSVP to attend the 1500 Capitola Rd Groundbreaking on May 11th

Pacific Station South - Family Housing by For the Future Housing

70 homes, 100% affordable to Low Income households (60% AMI), includes 25% of the units to be set aside for special needs populations.
Funding includes: City funding, Tax Credits & Housing Vouchers

Attend the City of Santa Cruz Groundbreakings on May 19th

Cedar/Center St Family Apts by Pacific Union Partners

65 homes, with 64 affordable (and a manager's unit), includes 25% of the units to be set aside for special needs populations.
Will build affordable housing on parking lot
Funding includes: Tax Credits & Housing Vouchers

Attend the City of Santa Cruz Groundbreakings on May 19th

1482 Freedom Blvd - Family Housing by Eden Housing

53 homes, iincludes 25 set aside for farmworkers and 6 for homeless households with disabilities
First SB 35 project approved in Santa Cruz County (Watsonville City Council Approved, February 2021)
Funding includes: SERNA Farmworker Housing Grant,
Tax Credits & Housing Vouchers

Attend the 1482 Freedom Blvd Groundbreaking on May 25th

GREAT NEWS: Veterans Village in Ben Lomond gets $6.4m in Project Homekey funds!

"The County of Santa Cruz will receive $6.4 million to purchase a motel that will be converted into 20 permanent supportive housing units that will serve the chronically homeless and veterans at risk of homelessness. The 20 units are for individuals at 30 percent of AMI. Off-site amenities, located within two miles of the project, include a bus line, full-scale grocery store, and a library." - Gov New som News Rel ease

Upcoming YIMBY Events:

May 4 @ 5:00pm - Candidate forum for Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 3, co-hosted by Santa Cruz YIMBY and Student Housing Coalition. Zoom info here.
May 5 @ 5:30pm, Abbot Square: YIMBY Housers Happy Hour More information here.
May 6 @ 5:00pm, Virtual Movie Screening: Owned: A Tale of Two Americas . This event includes a conversation with the film maker and director. More information here.

Other Upcoming Events:

May 1 @ 2pm-4pm, Sesnon House : Affordable Housing Month Kickoff & Housing Santa Cruz County 1st Anniversary. More information and tickets here.
May 2 @ 3:30pm (Virtual): Housing Action Coalition Presents: Subsidized Affordable Housing 101 More information and registration here.
May 9 @ 6pm (Virtual): Santa Cruz County Sustainability Update Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Pubic Meeting Click here to join the meeting or join via phone: (916) 318-9542, Conference ID 267 775 23#

What We Are Reading

Read AND Comment:

Santa Cruz County Sustainability Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Released The 45-day public review period for the county's Sustainability Policy The Draft EIR and information on how to comment are available for review online.

Wonky and persuasive
The strongest case for urban density isn't aesthetics, it's math

Parking data
Here's how much space US cities waste on parking

Jerusalem Demsas nails it again
Community Input Caused the Housing Crisis - The Atlantic

Map of U.S. showing where rents are rising crazy fast: Not what you expect!
Rent is rising. See how much prices are up in your area. - Washington Post