October 2022 Newsletter
The General Election is around the corner - we will have our ballots by mid October! Read on to see our Voter Guide for Santa Cruz County. We also highlight some upcoming housing events and HUGE legislative wins for housing and the climate.
Here is our voter guide of pro-housing choices for the measures and candidates:
Santa Cruz YIMBY Voter Guide
Local Initiatives
✅ Yes on Measures K & L
✅ Yes on Measure N
❌ No on Measure O
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors
✅ District 3 - Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson
✅ District 4 - Felipe Hernandez
City of Santa Cruz
✅ Mayor - Fred Keeley
Capitola
✅ City Council - Alexander Pedersen
California State Assembly
✅ District 28 -Gail Pellerin
✅ District 29 - Robert Rivas
Measures and Candidates Need Your Help!
Yes on N (Empty Home Tax) will be having canvassing every Sunday, and Lit Drops every Tuesday in the month of October.
They meet at 5pm at Tabby Cat. Show up! Request a yard sign for Yes on N.
No on O will have weekend canvassing including this Saturday, Oct. 1, between 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Email sc4realsolutions@gmail.com for more information. Ask to be added to their email list and get notified about more canvassing and lit drop dates. Request a yard sign for No on O.
Alexander Pedersen will have lit drops every Saturday until election day. Show up to Brommer St. Park at 11am. Email pedersenforcapitola@gmail.com with questions or for more information.
Sign up to help or request a yard sign for Alexander Pedersen
Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson has two lit drops scheduled: October 8th and November 5th, both with 10am to noon to meet and pick up packets. For details on location, contact Gabriela at gt4shebreh@gmail.com. Gabriela can also provide information for anyone interested in canvassing. Request a yard sign in support of Shebreh.
Felipe Hernandez will have weekend canvassing until the election: Saturdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm and Sundays from 1:00pm to 5pm. Meet at 30 West Beach Street (Corner of Rodriguez & W. Beach St). The areas of Watsonville that have tended to vote for Jimmy Dutra (Felipe's opponent) are English speaking areas and so English speaking canvassers who can walk and talk on behalf of Felipe are desired.
Want to learn more about candidates? Check out Housing Santa Cruz County's “Housing is on the ballot!” where they are collecting answers to their housing questionnaires as well as short videos.
Join us on Thursday, October 6th at 6pm for a Housers Happy Hour. We will be at Abbott Square (look for us in the secret garden area)
Our special guest is Santa Cruz Mayoral candidate, Fred Keeley.
Upcoming Housing Events
Thursday, Sept 29 @ 6pm (TONIGHT): City of Santa Cruz Housing Element Update Online Community Meeting.
Tuesday, Oct 4 @ 6:30pm: Democrat Club of North Santa Cruz County Scotts Valley City Council Candidate forum. Social time starts at 6:00, meeting at 6:30pm More information will be posted here soon.
Thursday, Oct 6 @ 6pm: Santa Cruz YIMBY Housers Happy Hour at Abbott Square with special guest City of Santa Cruz Mayoral candidate Fred Keeley
Friday, Oct 14 @ 7pm: Assembly District 28 General Election Housing Forum. Register for the webinar here.
Sunday, Oct 16: Santa Cruz Open Streets (West Cliff closure) scopenstreets.org
Tuesday, Oct 18: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisor meeting. Expected topic is tenant protections. Agendas posted here.
There are other election forums and events that are still in planning - we will send out more information when available.
Capitola Happy Hour with Supervisor Koenig and City Council Candidates.
Team YIMBY at Live Oak Habitat for Humanity site for a volunteer build day.
Big news out of Sacramento:
Governor Newsom signs
landmark parking reform and housing bills!
Last week, we celebrated that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a landmark parking reform bill into law. This week, we are celebrating that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed thirty-eight housing bills into law! Several of these bills were CA YIMBY priorities this year and highlighted below (and shout out to our own Student Housing Coalition for their work on SB886).
AB 2097 effectively ending parking requirements near transit across the state. This bill reduces housing costs and prioritizes people and the planet over cars. Our housing solutions can be climate solutions. 🏘 > 🚗
AB 2011 legalizes (and streamlines approval for) housing on commercially-zoned land all across the state. Let's speed up new affordable housing in underutilized commercial areas, with strong labor standards.
AB 2221 makes it even easier to build an ADU in California, clearing up lingering ambiguities in the law and speeding up an already quick and easy permitting process.
SB 886 makes it far easier to build the student housing we desperately need by exempting on-campus housing from onerous and unnecessary CEQA hurdles.
What We Are Reading and Streaming
Let's read more about the legislative wins and what it means for more abundant, affordable housing:
California YIMBY Statement on Governor Signing AB 2097 (9/22/22)
California YIMBY Statement on Governor Signing Major Housing Legislation (9/28/22)
and watch the Governor and others talk about the impact:
