Regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) numbers are a fancy way of putting a metric to an area’s need to build a certain number of additional housing units; the state is poised to tell Santa Cruz County that it will need to build nearly 13,000 more housing units by 2031. Local leaders past and present explained to Lookout that it’s more of a guideline than a mandate.
Politics
Where Roe went wrong: A sweeping new abortion right built on a shaky legal foundation
Legal scholars and political scientists point to major missteps at the start which left the Roe vs. Wade decision vulnerable.
California promised to close its last nuclear plant. Now Newsom is reconsidering
Delaying the closure of Diablo Canyon would mark a shift for nuclear politics as the climate crisis worsens.
Where’s Trump? A campaign fixture in some states, his name is nearly absent in California
Republican candidates across the country are appealing to voters by claiming their allegiance to Donald Trump. But in California, many won’t even say if they voted for him.
Santa Cruz County primary election 2022 guide
The candidates for the newly created State Assembly District 28, who spoke at a Lookout-moderated forum last week,…
Newsom’s ‘CARE Court’ homelessness plan faces new questions before first hearing
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to create court-ordered treatment for mental illness has divided some Democrats and local governments.
California’s biggest election this year could be the race for attorney general
The progressive incumbent, Rob Bonta, who was handpicked by Gov. Gavin Newsom, will have to defend his record against candidates running tough-on-crime campaigns, including Anne Marie Schubert.
The future looks electric: City of Santa Cruz committed to more updated EV charging stations, with county set to follow
With California aiming to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, the race is on to build the infrastructure Santa Cruz County needs to keep up with the burgeoning fleet of electric options.
Analysis: Biden’s escalating aid to Ukraine reflects a sea change in U.S. foreign policy
President Joe Biden’s commitment to Ukraine appears to signal the end of a period of retrenchment in which Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump sought to disengage from the military entanglements launched by President George W. Bush, Doyle McManus writes.
Can a conservative break through for California attorney general?
Conservatives running for California attorney general make their case to break the Democratic stranglehold on statewide offices since 2006. Eric Early, Nathan Hochman and Anne Marie Schubert say that voters’ concern over crime and public safety will help them unseat incumbent Rob Bonta.

