Planning commission advances Santa Cruz City Schools’ 100-unit housing project; city council to vote March 11

The City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission unanimously voted Thursday to approve plans for the 100-unit workforce housing project proposed by Santa Cruz City Schools and recommended the city council approve it. 

Superintendent Kris Munro told Lookout the project is now headed to the city council for a vote on March 11, and if approved, the district can begin building what will be the county’s first educator workforce housing project. 

Commissioner Matthew Thompson said during the meeting he was impressed by the architecture and planning of the project. 

“This is one of the best multi-family projects I’ve seen, on many levels,” he said. “It provides a buffer from the neighborhood, it actually has enough parking. Plus, they’re good-looking buildings and can accommodate many household sizes.”

Santa Cruz City Schools, and districts across the county and state, have reported for years that their workforce struggles to afford housing in California. Because Santa Cruz County, named the country’s most expensive rental market, is particularly challenging to afford, many teachers leave the area for higher-paying jobs in neighboring counties or leave the state entirely. 

Following the lead of other districts across the state, Santa Cruz City Schools decided to build and rent out its own workforce housing at below-market rates to try to retain and recruit teachers and staff. 

Spokesperson Sam Rolens told Lookout the district hopes staff and teachers will be able to move in in 2028 and will pay between 60% to 65% of market rent.

Rolens said it’s unclear what market rent will be once the complex is done so the district doesn’t yet have finalized rates. The district says for today’s market, 65% is about $1,820 for a studio, $2,080 for a one-bedroom, $2,730 for a two-bedroom and $3,250 for a three-bedroom unit. 

The property, at 313 Swift St., is located on a parcel of land owned by the district off of Swift Street on the Westside, near the old Natural Bridges Elementary School campus. Previously, the district planned to build 80 units but updated its proposal to 100 units in May after the cost of construction shot up dramatically. Officials say by adding more units, the district hopes to earn more in subsidized rent payments.

Rolens said the project will cost between $60 to $80 million. The district’s voters passed a total of $371 million in bonds in November 2022, part of which will help fund the project. 

The complex is a four-story building of 100 units made up of 11 studios, 28 one-bedroom apartments, 50 two-bedroom apartments and 11 three-bedroom apartments. The proposal would keep two existing one-story administrative buildings and remove two existing modular buildings. One building will be used for residential storage, and officials haven’t decided how the second building will be used. The site will have 119 parking spaces. 

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