Santa Cruz County real estate, housing, and affordability coverage.
CHANGING SANTA CRUZ
An ongoing Lookout series on development happening in downtown Santa Cruz.
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MORE HOUSING NEWS
HOA fees skyrocketing? A California bill could cap them, but Democrats are divided
Some Democrats are divided over a bill that would cap how much homeowners associations can raise fees each year.
Trump renews push to shift homelessness funding. What’s at stake
The Trump administration wants to shift more money to homeless shelters that require sobriety, a change that would disrupt California’s “housing first” policies and threaten to put nearly 15,000 Californians back…
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County home sales and inventory continue to rise as summer begins
The Santa Cruz County housing market looked typical for the beginning of summer. Home sales and inventory have risen, bringing more balance to a market often dominated by sellers. However, a…
Santa Cruz’s rental inspection and code enforcement is a Trojan horse for city overreach
Santa Cruz’s rental inspection program was created to protect tenants from unsafe housing, but property owner Darius Mohsenin argues it has evolved into a system focused more on permits, paperwork and…
A California housing bill would raise wages to $28. Why do some unions hate it?
Legislation that would kick aside regulatory barriers to building townhouses marks just the latest spat between two rival construction unions over the future of California housing policy.
Santa Cruz’s population decline has widened. Low-wage jobs and high housing costs are reasons why.
The city of Santa Cruz has lost 1.3% of its population since 2024 and 3.7% since 2020, a Lookout analysis of the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau finds. The…
Housing inventory takes jump as Santa Cruz County’s busy season commences
Most of the Santa Cruz County housing market showed few surprises in April, but the number of available homes took a leap, rising to more than 400 properties on the market…
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