September 2021 Newsletter
In August we did a tour of downtown Santa Cruz and discovered the Missing Middle. Lookout Santa Cruz had several articles featuring our tour, before and after:
Take the Missing Middle tour yourself! Go here for the map and a preview.
Next SC YIMBY Monthly Meeting - Thurs, Sept 9 @ 5:30pm
Our next monthly meeting is remote again: ZOOM LINK
Let's do a Legislative Victory Dance!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
We will debrief on the upcoming City Council Study Sessions, its implications for 831 Water Street and subsequent City Council Meeting.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
Also: this month's Membership Campaign, Parking Minimums,
County ADUs and any Member Items
👀 See you then!
The City’s first project to apply for SB 35 streamlined ministerial approval is 831 Water St. The deadline for the city is September 27. We need to pay attention and speak up!
Tues, Sept 7 @ 7:30 PM - City Council Study Session - The motion is on the table for the city council members (politicians!) to make objective decisions about SB35 and Density Bonus. Meeting info here. Watch your email for separate ACTION ALERT on this!
Thurs, Sept 9 @ 5:30 PM SC YIMBY Monthly General Meeting - Takeaways from the Sept 7 Study Session, the implications for 831 Water Street, and preparing for the upcoming Sept 14 City Council Meeting ZOOM LINK
Tues, Sept 14 @ TBD - City Council Meeting - Public meeting to assess compliance with the City’s objective standards criteria and accompanying density bonus request for 831 Water St. Meeting info here.
Keep Governor Newsom in Office - Vote No on the Recall - Vote NO on or before Sept 14
Our simple voter guide for the Special Election:
Vote NO on the Recall
Vote NO on Question #1
Vote - on or before Sept 14 - by mail, dropoff, or in person
Tues, Sept 7 @ 7:30 PM City Council Study Session - Public meeting re: SB 35 and Density Bonus. More info here.
Wed, Sept 8 @ 5:30 PM Webinar A panel discussion on progressive parking reform. SC YIMBY co-sponsored with Catalyst SV. Register here.
Thurs, Sept 9 @ 5:30 PM
Santa Cruz YIMBY Monthly Meeting - focus on City Council & 831 Water St. ZOOM LINKTues, Sept 14, Time TBD
City Council Meeting - Public meeting to assess compliance with the City’s objective standards for 831 Water St More info here.
Santa Cruz supervisors reject staff’s proposed ADU ordinance changes | Aug 11 (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Smaller apartment complex proposed at 831 Water St. in Santa Cruz | Aug 13 (Santa Cruz Local)
Watsonville City Council Approves Development as Possible Litigation Looms | Aug 27 (GoodTimes SC)
Will Watsonville Preserve Its Ag Land With Measure U Renewal? | Aug 24 (Good Times SC)
Some UCSC students struggle to return to campus as affordable, available housing remains elusive | Aug 29 (Lookout Santa Cruz)
2021 California Housing Legislation - green check on SB 9 and green check on SB 10
August was a big, big month for CA housing legislation. There were key steps forward for both SB 9 and SB 10 - both are on their way to the Governor! There were some great (bi-partisan) Assembly floor speeches in support of SB9, including this personal closing from Salinas Asm Robert Rivas.
Yes to People, Yes to Housing
Housing production in City of Santa Cruz since 1980 - stacked columns showing much less production since 2008
5th cycle RHNA progress for Santa Cruz cities and county for each income-level as reported to HCD through 2020 (Source: HCD Annual Progress Reports Dashboard)
% Renters in difference areas of Santa Cruz (source: National Demographics Corp as presented in 8/31 Public Meeting on Santa Cruz City District Elections)
Map of hourly wage needed to afford two bedroom rental housing: Santa Cruz County
Explore the Housing Wage map here.
Housing burden in Santa Cruz County and surrounding areas. The map shows the % of households by census tract that are both low income (making <80% of county’s median family income AND severely burdened by housing costs (paying >50% of their income for housing costs) Source: CA OEHHA
Explore the Housing Burden Map here.
What We Are Reading 📚
Denser cities could be a climate boon – but nimbyism stands in the way | The Guardian (Aug 22)
Walking Places Is Part of the Culture Wars Now | Vice (Aug 30)
Opinion | We Need to Build Our Way Out of This Mess | NY Times (Aug 11)
What Gets Built on Sites That Cities "Make Available" for Housing? | Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies (Aug 2021)
Yes, Other Places Do Housing Better, Case 3: Paris | Sightline Institute (Jul 26)
What We Are Streaming 🎧
The Fight to End Single Family Zoning and the YIMBY/NIMBY/PHIMBY War with Darrell Owens - housing, the fight to end single-family zoning, YIMBYs, NIMBYs and PHIMBYs. | Time to Say Goodbye
California SB 9 & SB 10 with Senator Scott Wiener | Infill Podcast, YIMBY Action
Stay in touch!
We welcome your feedback, questions or comments! Feel free to be in touch with a reply to this newsletter or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Join us through membership here. Sign up for our mailing list here.