Letter to the editor: Why is UCSC using so much Student Housing West land for cars?

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The contentious UC Santa Cruz Student Housing West project has pitted various groups against each other, but one thing all groups agree on is that there is a housing crisis in Santa Cruz, and the UCSC community is suffering.

And while many projects within the city are struggling to balance how to house people versus cars, one thing that should be clear on campus is that cars should be deemphasized. 

And this project is perfect for that. It’s right on the path of frequent transit service. It’s across the street from the Great Meadow bike path. It’s adjacent to two walking paths on either side of Hagar Court. And it’s a perfect spot for new BCycle stations.

Yet, the university chose to use about 50% of the project’s footprint (that could have either been left to nature or used to house more people) for car parking to make car use more convenient. It’s a bizarrely bad planning decision that disappoints almost all stakeholders.

Ron Goodman

Santa Cruz