Nostalgia isn’t a housing policy – we need to build in Santa Cruz today because of past policies

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There’s been some chatter lately painting the Santa Cruz City Council as sellouts to developers, accusing us of turning our backs on progressive values. But let’s be real: Those claims just don’t hold water. 

We didn’t get into this housing mess overnight. It’s the result of decades of decisions, some well-meaning, some not, that kept new homes from being built while our population kept growing. 

What we’re doing now isn’t about chasing profits, it’s about making up for lost time. 

While the city council hasn’t issued a formal response to the accusations, I feel strongly that allowing misinformation to go unchallenged, especially in a time of widespread uncertainty and distrust, only deepens confusion and erodes public trust. The result is uncertainty and folks doubting the intentions of people trying to do the right thing. 

I feel it’s my responsibility to speak up. 

For years, Santa Cruz said “no” to housing. We said “no” to the kind of homes that working families, teachers, nurses and young people could actually afford. We wrapped it up in concern for open space or “neighborhood character,” but the impact was clear: rising rents, worsening homelessness, and a deep divide between who could afford to live here and who couldn’t. 

And now, some of the same folks who helped create this problem are criticizing efforts to fix it. 

One writer, a former mayor and councilmember, has been especially vocal. He talks a lot about values, but his track record is full of contradictions. While in office, he failed to offer real housing solutions, instead letting problems fester. 

Let’s be clear: Building more affordable housing is not a betrayal of our community’s values, it’s a recommitment to them. It’s about inclusion, equity, and making sure this town doesn’t turn into a playground for the wealthy alone. 

Take Pacific Station South as one example. It has 69 affordable apartments and received over 1,600 applications. That’s not a sign of greed. That’s a flashing red light that the need is real – and we have to keep going. 

These aren’t luxury units sitting empty. These are homes for people already living and working here. Rents are income-based, with studios starting in the $700s, and larger apartments priced so that families aren’t spending every penny just to stay housed. Every one of these units is locked into affordability rules and closely monitored by the city. 

And guess what? Businesses aren’t being driven out. In fact, 13 new ones opened downtown in just the past six months, and nine more are on the way. The wharf? Actively being improved. We don’t have to choose between housing and a vibrant city – we’re investing in both, because they go hand in hand. 

SANTA CRUZ DEVELOPMENT: If you want to learn more about this issue, check out the city’s Affordable Housing Map and see what’s already happening. 

It’s also worth mentioning that we’re not doing this just because we want to, we’re doing it because we have to. 

California law now requires cities to plan for housing at all income levels, and the state has teeth. Tools like the “builder’s remedy” mean that if we don’t get serious about building, the state will let developers bypass our local zoning rules altogether. By staying in compliance, we keep local control and shape projects to fit Santa Cruz — not Sacramento’s idea of it. 

So, when critics say the council is “beholden to developers,” they’re ignoring both state law and local responsibility. We’re working to make sure housing gets built right, not just fast. And yes, that includes holding developers accountable. 

Right now, two city-led 100% affordable projects are moving forward: 

• Pacific Station North, with 128 new homes and a new transit center. 
• The Downtown Library and Affordable Housing Project, with 124 units, a new library, a child care center, and even a rooftop garden. 

This isn’t “selling out.” This is what good governance looks like in 2025. 

Let’s put things in perspective: In 1990, the median home in California cost about $250,000. Today, that number is more than $1.2 million. In that same period, Santa Cruz’s population grew by about 22%, but the number of homes didn’t even come close to keeping up. 

This is basic supply and demand. We didn’t build enough, so prices went up. And the only way out of that cycle is to build the homes people need, at all income levels. 

What we’re doing isn’t turning our backs on Santa Cruz values. It’s carrying them forward. Wanting everyone from long timers to newcomers, from retirees to young families, to have a chance to live here is progressive. Fighting for housing that serves our whole community is equity. 

I understand the impulse to long for “the way things used to be.” But if we’re going to preserve what we love about Santa Cruz, our open spaces, our quirky downtown, our sense of community, we can’t freeze it in time. We have to make room for the people who make this town what it is. 

We’re building for the future of Santa Cruz, one that’s inclusive, sustainable, and still unmistakably us. 

Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson is vice mayor of the City of Santa Cruz.