A new study finds the world’s great surf breaks are vulnerable to climate change. In Malibu, the problem is more specific: a coast with few defenses, with a record El Niño winter closing in.
Housing & Development
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Why Bright Plaza matters for Santa Cruz’s housing future
Bright Plaza has become a talking point in the city of Santa Cruz’s debate over housing, development and neighborhood change. The site could eventually hold more than 200 affordable homes, along with space for local businesses. Here, Workbench owners Jamileh Cannon, Tim Gordin and Sibley Simon explain the reasoning behind the project – and that building here follows a long-standing city plan for denser housing along commercial corridors. They address the concerns surrounding the project, explain why they believe Santa Cruz needs to make room for more housing, and invite the public to join Tuesday’s community meeting about the project.
Posted inHousing & Development
How Airbnb is fighting for its place on California’s coast
Residents of cities like Pacifica want to limit the presence of visitors and corporations. Companies like Airbnb want to keep their lucrative coastal listings. That tension has led to increased attempts to influence a small but powerful committee.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
County housing market remains steady as Federal Reserve hikes interest rates
Santa Cruz County’s housing market stayed the course in August, with more homes coming on the market and sales dipping only slightly. Real estate agents expect plenty of sales through the fall, but mortgage advisors and real estate experts alike are keeping a close eye on the Federal Reserve, which hiked interest rates by a quarter-percent on Wednesday.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
I’m running against Gail Pellerin: We need to hold onto the heart of Santa Cruz by revising recent housing laws
Carol Pefley is running against Gail Pellerin for the Assembly District 28 seat on Nov. 3. A former journalist and realtor, she believes we need to rethink state housing laws and help maintain the Santa Cruz “mystique” she remembers as a young adult.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Even bright people get confused about Santa Cruz housing – especially now in Seabright
The debate over Workbench’s proposed Bright Plaza project has become tangled in misunderstandings about what is actually being proposed, how the city approval process works, what qualifies as affordable housing and where higher-density housing belongs, writes affordable housing advocate and former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane. Santa Cruz can disagree about development without letting misinformation, hyperbole and name-calling replace thoughtful debate, he writes. Before we decide what kinds of housing belong in our community, he insists that we should separate preliminary drawings from actual proposals, affordable housing from market-rate housing and legitimate concerns from exaggerated claims.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Suddenly Seabright? Where has Ryan Coonerty been on development all this time?
Ami Chen Mills, running for mayor of Santa Cruz, pushes back against the assertion by her opponent, Ryan Coonerty, that she has taken a stance “too late” on the project proposed at Seabright and Soquel avenues. She presents the politics behind the Seabright project, criticizes Coonerty’s record on development and local control and explains her own evolving approach to the housing crisis. She argues for truly affordable housing, tenant protections, neighborhood-scale development and stronger local oversight.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Why a bill to juice condo construction died even though California lawmakers voted for it
Supporters said a condo construction bill was a key to unlocking the type of naturally affordable for-sale housing that California desperately needs. But deadlines matter.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
If nobody goes to downtown Santa Cruz, who are all these people?
Downtown Santa Cruz isn’t empty — and both the numbers and the visuals prove it, writes Matt Huffaker, the city manager. New businesses are opening, vacancies are falling and millions of people are showing up to shop, eat, study and spend time downtown. Maybe, he writes, it’s time to stop asking what’s wrong with downtown and start noticing what’s working.
Posted inHousing & Development
Watsonville rescinds approval for 21-unit housing project after airport safety lawsuit
Watsonville officials have rescinded approval of a 21-unit townhome development across from the municipal airport after a judge ruled that the city violated state airport safety and environmental laws in approving the development.
