October 2021 Newsletter

September was FULL!

Governor Newsom had his pen ready to sign lots of housing bills after that pesky recall....Our region got their Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND), the number of homes that must be planned for in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties.....The Santa Cruz City Council spent a lot of time on SB35. They studied it, made themselves objective assessors, and then punted the first SB35 affordable housing project, 831 Water St, to October 12th.

Thanks to everyone that came to this event!. The film was short and direct - our history includes exclusionary housing practices and policies that shaped our residential neighborhoods. The discussion afterwards was energizing with a range of experiences and thoughts.

Keep reading for what's coming up in October, housing news from all around the county, details on legislative wins - yahoo! - and the big step forward in Housing Elements, RHND

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• Oct 5th @ 9:00am: Board of Supervisors meets on county ADU policy. Full agenda packet here. One concern is that proposed policy retains the owner-occupancy requirement after the state law expires.

• Oct 6th @ 5:00pm: City of Santa Cruz is hosting a Rail Trail Segments 8 and 9 EIR Scoping Meeting with an opportunity for input. See the meeting notice here including zoom and phone connection info.

• Oct 12th @ TBD: Santa Cruz City Council meeting expected on 831 Water St compliance with objective standards. Agenda will be posted here.

• Oct 13th @ 5:00pm: Housing Action Coalition's 19th Annual Housing Heroes Awards. See more info here.

• Oct 14th @ 5:30pm: Santa Cruz YIMBY monthly meeting - details forthcoming (may be in person!)

• Oct 24th @ 1:00pm: Intro to Fair Housing Elements. See more info here.

• Oct 26th @ TBD: Santa Cruz City Council meeting expected on large vehicle (RV) parking ordinance. Agenda will be posted here.

• Coast Futura will have demo runs of a clean, quiet, zero-emission streetcar on Oct. 16-17 in Watsonville, and Oct. 21-24 in Santa Cruz. Check here for more info.

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Governor Newsom survived the recall, and then signed a whole bunch of housing legislation - here are just a few:

• SB 9 makes it legal to build duplexes on lots zoned for one house statewide; it effectively ends single-family zoning!

• SB 10 makes it easier for cities to approve zoning changes for small apartments in neighborhoods currently zoned for single houses.

• SB 8 extends the "Housing Crisis Act of 2019" (SB 330)

• AB 1174 makes important amendments to a previous law, SB 35

• AB 602 reforms housing impact fees to make them more fair and transparent

• SB 478 directs cities to stop using land use “tricks” to block multi-family housing that is otherwise legal.

Congrats to Rafa Sonnenfeld and Henry Hooker who were our chapter "All Stars" - they were active and regular advocates for these and other housing bills. If you have an interest in pushing the legislature to take the housing crisis seriously & act with urgency in the next legislative cycle, let us know!

Read more on the bills related to housing and homelessness signed by the Governor:

• Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Increase Affordable Housing Supply and Strengthen Accountability, Highlights Comprehensive Strategy to Tackle Housing Crisis

• Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Address Homelessness and Mental Health Services, Highlights $22 Billion Housing and Homelessness Package

This month, let's look all around the county at what's happening....

Watsonville is looking to update its General Plan and faces two restrictions: land-use planning around the Airport with related litigation from the Watsonville Pilots Association (WPA) and Measure U which protects agricultural land (and is up for renewal)

• Council discussion probes benefits of airport, proposed Measure U renewal | The Pajaronian

• Watsonville City Council Approves Development as Possible Litigation Looms | Good Times

• Will Watsonville Preserve Its Ag Land With Measure U Renewal? | Good Times

Here's some news on divisive topics in Santa Cruz, including the Mixed-Use Library:

• Who Really Supports Affordable Housing in Downtown Santa Cruz? | Good Times

• Santa Cruz moves forward with master architect for library, housing project | Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Farmers market exec: Downtown redevelopment ballot initiative doesn't represent our interests | Lookout Santa Cruz

...those whose home is their RV:

• Santa Cruz overnight RV parking ban tabled | Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Not my preferred way of living’: Where overnight RVs can be, and when, remains in city-discussion gridlock | Lookout Santa Cruz

...and 831 Water St and SB35 which is a relatively new law that streamlines approval of affordable housing projects.

• Talking SB 35 & 831 Water Street: City officials address community concerns over state-mandated growth | Lookout Santa Cruz

• Santa Cruz council aims for transparency with new state housing law | Santa Cruz Local

• Santa Cruz council delays vote on 831 Water St. | Santa Cruz Local

The city of Capitola has produced one low-income, residential unit in the last decade. In an effort to get (some) affordable housing, Capitola recently took a look at their inclusionary requirements and raising in-lieu and impact fees.  (Not making their jobs easier, they also approved a hotel which will require finding another place for a planned 61 affordable housing unit site):

• Finding feasibility: Capitola refines housing ordinance – Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Capitola leaders change affordable housing rules | Santa Cruz Local

• Capitola Closes in on First Affordable Housing Project in Nearly a Decade | Good Times (Spoiler alert: the "project" appears to be the mall renovation)

Scotts Valley has permitted four low-income units in about six years. They are on the slow path, but here come another two (2) low income homes!

• Condo project approved on Scotts Valley Drive | Santa Cruz Local

In slightly older news, Scotts Valley might extend where their inclusionary law applies:

• Affordable housing law likely to broaden in Scotts Valley | Santa Cruz Local

A big topic right now in the county relates to rebuilding from the CZU fires and how to handle geological hazards.

• Santa Cruz County supervisors move forward with code change for fire rebuilds | Santa Cruz Sentinel

• 'Your responsibility, your duty': Board makes covenant tweaks; homeowners, realty experts still concerned | Lookout Santa Cruz

CA eviction moratorium ended in Sept - what now?

• UCSC professors studying Santa Cruz housing crisis look to moratorium expiration | Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Eviction moratorium ends Thursday; what Santa Cruz County tenants need to know | Lookout Santa Cruz

On next week's BoS agenda: ADU policies....

UC students came back to the Santa Cruz housing crisis  (is help on the way?)

• Thousands of UC students struggle to find housing | Santa Cruz Sentinel

• California commits $500 million more to student housing: ‘A drop in the bucket’ | CalMatters

UC Santa Cruz Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) is approved by Regents. It includes pledge to house 100% of student growth and be good stewards of water.

• Following approval of Long Range Development Plan, campus invites local leaders to collaborate on framework for sustainable implementation. |UC Santa Cruz
  

• UC Regents approve 20-year growth plan of UC Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz Sentinel

• Santa Cruz Long Range Development Plan draws critics | Santa Cruz Local This is a great overview of what's in the LRDP and some of growth issues and promises by the University.

What's the water situation and is growth really a factor? (according to the Water Dept: No)

• As Drought Worsens, Local Agencies Seek Ambitious Water Solutions | Goodtimes

• Santa Cruz's water supply: Is growth the problem? | Santa Cruz Water Department via Lookout Santa Cruz

Big Step Forward on Housing Elements

We have been talking about Housing Elements for the last few months. This important housing planning process (learn more here) took a big step at the end of August, when our region (Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments or AMBAG) received it’s Regional Housing Needs Determination (RHND) for the 6th cycle

This is the total number of housing units that must be planned for in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. AMBAG is now working on how to assign specific numbers to each city and the two counties. How do these compare to the current (5th) cycle?

These numbers are 3.2x higher. 

Read more: State aims to triple housing production in Santa Cruz, Monterey counties

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What We Are Reading 📚

• 📣 FEATURED local voices 📣 Guest Commentary | Housing in Santa Cruz: Who benefits? by By Benjamin Breen and Roya Pakzad

• Legislators seeking ideas to help solve housing crisis for farm and hospitality workers | Lookout Santa Cruz (Sept 30)

• Gov. Newsom’s office launches $1.75 billion affordable housing fund | East Bay Times (Sept 17)

• Courts step in to protect the Housing Accountability Act | CA State Attorney General Press Release (Sept 13)

• To house the homeless, California must re-imagine housing | CalMatters (Aug 28)

• Opinion:Vacant Nuance in the Vacant Housing Debate | Darrell Owens (Aug 27)

• We can't beat the climate crisis without rethinking land use | Brookings (May 2021)

• On-Street Parking Pricing | Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (Sept 2021) (NB: wonky, but interesting)

• How to end the American obsession with driving | Vox (Sept 12)

What We Are Streaming 🎧

• Up for Growth: Pro-Housing is Pro-Environment - panel discussion of the connections between housing and climate.

• Vienna's Radical Idea? Affordable Housing For All - Vienna's strategy for affordable (and beautiful housing)