Grey Bears, a longtime Santa Cruz nonprofit serving seniors and food-insecure residents, plans to move its overcrowded operations from aging facilities into a renovated warehouse next door by 2028. The $9.6 million project, already more than 80% funded through local donations, aims to expand its commercial kitchen, market and dining services at a time of rising demand and shrinking food assistance resources.
Housing & Development
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Getting our housing facts straight before Santa Cruz votes
Housing is taking center stage in Santa Cruz County’s June primaries and November elections, writes housing activist and former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane. He worries that community debates are often clouded by misinformation. Here, he argues that many new downtown Santa Cruz developments are in fact affordable and part of a long-overdue housing push. He points to decades of underbuilding as the root of today’s shortage and rising costs. As voters head to the polls, he urges a fact-based conversation about who gets to live in the community.
Posted inHousing & Development
El condado de Santa Cruz enfrenta demandas por dos polémicos desarrollos de vivienda en Live Oak
El condado de Santa Cruz ha sido golpeado con demandas relacionadas con dos polémicos desarrollos de vivienda en Live Oak liderados por la firma local de arquitectura Workbench.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz County facing lawsuits over two contentious housing developments in Live Oak
A group of residents has filed a lawsuit against Santa Cruz County over a proposed development at 841 Capitola Rd., while local architecture firm Workbench is going to court over another of its projects, at 3500 Paul Sweet Rd.
Posted inHousing & Development
California considering a first-of-its-kind idea to boost factory-built housing
To encourage housing developers to build more homes in factories and then trucking them to where they’re needed – something supporters say could result in more affordable housing – the state might get into the construction insurance business.
Posted inFood & Drink
Gran Gelato Caffè opens in downtown Santa Cruz, among first businesses in new developments
Gran Gelato Caffè, a new Santa Cruz café from the owners of Pizzeria La Bufala, has opened on Cedar Street, serving house-made Italian gelato, pastries and espresso. The shop is among the first retail tenants in the new downtown developments.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz County housing market sees more sales and agents getting busier, but uncertain geopolitical impacts loom
The county’s housing market in February closely mirrored January, but agents are seeing more listings and are hosting more open houses, which they believe could mean busy upcoming months. Meanwhile, the war in Iran could affect buying power and buyer psychology, should it drag on for an extended period of time.
Posted inLatest News
With Capitola Mall site rezoned, city aims to focus state-mandated growth on 41st Avenue corridor
Once redeveloped, the Capitola Mall is expected to take care of a large number of state-mandated housing units that the City of Capitola must plan for by 2031. Moving forward, the city seeks to center development on the 41st Avenue corridor, which officials say holds the best opportunities for building.
Posted inHousing & Development
After years of delays, Capitola City Council approves mall zoning code amendments, opening door for redevelopment proposal
The Capitola City Council approved zoning code updates for the Capitola Mall site at a special meeting Monday, finally moving into the next step of the saga and allowing a developer to submit a project proposal for the large-scale redevelopment in discussion for nearly a decade.
Posted inHousing & Development
Nuevas viviendas a lo largo del San Lorenzo finalmente abren, conectadas al río por primera vez en décadas
Funcionarios de la ciudad celebraron el jueves la apertura de uno de los muchos nuevos edificios de apartamentos en el centro de Santa Cruz.
