See which California cities are the most costly to live in. Several studies agree: The premium to live in California might be 40% to 50% over the national average.
Housing
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Housing crisis takes center stage as Senate race comes to Santa Cruz County
After visits by Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee, vying for the Democratic nomination to replace the retiring Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate, Christopher Neely breaks down what he heard from each on one of Santa Cruz County’s most pressing concerns: housing.
Posted inK-12 Education
After revealing surprise enrollment jump, PVUSD says student population might have actually dropped by 675
Last week, Pajaro Valley Unified School District said total numbers for its schools appeared to show about 500 more students enrolled this year than expected. But upon closer look, officials say they accidentally included dependent charter schools in the district’s total enrollment figures. Interim Superintendent Murry Schekman said the realization the district’s enrollment was in fact continuing on a downward trend is frustrating and makes planning for the district difficult. Schekman sees cost of living as the primary driver for the trend.
Posted inHousing & Development
Shiny facades herald emergence of new-look downtown Santa Cruz, with housing coming in 2024
Now built out and putting on their public faces, the Anton Pacific Apartments and Center/Cedar developments are approaching their final shapes. New housing units will be available next year as other projects — including the new downtown library — aim for 2025.
Posted inHousing & Development
Stained glass ‘Dancing Waters’ now adorns downtown Santa Cruz’s River and Front entryway
The “Dancing Waters” installation on the San Lorenzo River-facing side of the downtown River Front Garage is 32 panels of stained glass, documenting Santa Cruz’s long, enduring relationship with water. It’s ambitious public art, and maybe just the beginning of a new wave of it as redevelopment gallops along.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz County home sales drop in July as real estate agents hope for a fall resurgence
Area home sales fell in July after a mild June surge, but the market could heat up again sooner rather than later. A late-summer lull before a fall surge is not uncommon, Santa Cruz County Association of Realtors president Jennifer Watson says, and people looking to buy should take advantage of the slower market.
Posted inUncategorized
How I Got My Job: Case manager Andres Galvan on confronting housing, addiction and mental health crises
Mental health client specialist Andres Galvan works at the intersection of Santa Cruz County’s mental health, homelessness and drug-overdose crises. Now almost 17 years in recovery himself, Galvan understands the importance of counselors and others who work in the mental health and addictions fields treating clients with empathy and compassion. “You can’t just go out there for the paycheck,” he says. “Your heart has got to be in it because you’re going to come across some difficult things. You got to keep that open mind and that’s a difficult task.”
Posted inLatest News
A $1.5 million surprise: Realtors find rare 1963 Ferrari at house off West Cliff Drive
When two real estate agents visited a multimillion-dollar house just off Santa Cruz’s West Cliff Drive being put up for sale by relatives of the deceased owner, they found something in the garage that was almost as valuable as the house itself: a 1963 Ferrari 250GT Lusso. A Carmel-based car broker said that only 350 of these cars were ever made and likely just half of those remain in existence. The cars can sell for upward of $1.5 million.
Posted inLatest News
What’s in illegal drugs? A UCLA team takes testing to the streets to find out
The UCLA study is bringing a sophisticated machine traditionally used in laboratories to the streets, road testing a public health strategy that has gained more urgent attention as deadly overdoses have surged.
Posted inEducation
Joint Cabrillo College-UCSC student housing project in limbo after changes to state budget
What had been expected to be a $111 million state grant to cover Cabrillo College’s portion of a $181.7 million joint 624-bed development at the Aptos campus became bonds issued by the school with state support. That, the school’s president says, has left Cabrillo leaders in a “very uncomfortable space to move forward [with the project] right now.”
