Podcast: |
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Mid-Pen.org
The Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz, Don Lane, has said that his highest personal priority is to have the City of Santa Cruz take actions to deal with the affordable housing crisis facing virtually all local communities throughout the Monterey Bay Region. A link to a nice news article can be found in today’s transcript at kusp.org/landuse. Meanwhile, this morning, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is taking a comprehensive look at the County’s affordable housing program. I encourage listeners to read the staff report, and to comment in person or by email, if you have the time. There is a link to that report in today’s transcript, too. Lots of very significant changes to the County’s affordable housing program are being suggested, and many of them will have major consequences for the development of affordable housing in the unincorporated portions of Santa Cruz County.
One change that might have a significant impact is a proposal to eliminate the requirement for the on-site construction of affordable housing in new developments of fewer than 14 units. Since the adoption of Measure J in 1978, the County has required the actual construction of affordable housing in connection with any development of five or more units. Collecting fees from developers, instead of making them actually build units, is what the staff is recommending. If you care, you should weigh in.
More Information:
Former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton talks about land use, and land use decisions, with an emphasis on public participation and how the land use process works.