SANTA CRUZ – Santa Cruz County is preparing to update its housing plan as required by state law and the number of new housing units it has been assigned is more than three times greater than what was expected in the previous cycle.
The county’s General Plan Housing Element must be updated every eight years and submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development. Included in this update is the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, which details a specific number of units for very low, low, moderate and above moderate housing. The last update, approved in 2016, had a total requirement of 1,314 units and the new program asks for 4,634 new units from 2023 to 2031, according to a county staff report.
Program details were presented to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting, where it was met with a mixture of apprehension and a desire to quickly begin plans for public outreach.
“With our limitations of infrastructure, water sewage, transportation and power, this is going to be interesting to see how we can meet this challenge,” said Supervisor Bruce McPherson. “It’s overwhelming.”
The county’s Community Development & Infrastructure Department is responsible for developing a program to prepare the update, which must be submitted to the state agency no later than Dec. 15, 2023. According to the staff report, housing element updates have a number of required considerations including assessment of housing needs, accommodating special needs populations, addressing housing affordability and options, identifying constraints and barriers to housing and facilitating robust community engagement in the update process.
When asked by McPherson how strictly the state will monitor the update and its progress, County Principal Planner Stephanie Hansen said it is critical that the housing element itself get updated by the December 2023 deadline.
“Having a compliant housing element is often tied to state funding and grants both for housing projects and transportation,” Hansen said. “So it’s very important that we try to stay on schedule.”
Supervisor Greg Caput voiced a desire for an even spread of new developments across the county’s five districts and also that considerations be made for including high density housing in affluent regions to prevent a sequestration of low and very low income units to a few regions. Supervisor Zach Friend supported Caput’s comments and also lauded the county for housing project efforts in Aptos and Live Oak that are already in line with the equitable practices Caput mentioned.
Board Chair Manu Koenig emphasized the need for robust community consultation and involvement and suggested a deliberative body of community members be created to help steer the process.
“We have an opportunity here to try something like a citizen assembly, which is both representative and deliberative,” Koenig said. “Ultimately, as we roll out the housing element and some of the rezoning … it will continue to help us all be on the same page as a community.”
As motioned by McPherson, county staff will return to the board before Jan. 31 for another study session and the added direction that a request for proposal be submitted for a public engagement process that is both representative and deliberative.
Honoring Stone
At the end of his fourth term in the State Assembly, Assemblymember Mark Stone of District 29, including much of Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Boulder Creek, will be retiring. As a former member of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, there was no shortage of praise from local residents when he was honored at Tuesday’s meeting for his years of service.
“He focused on populations that really didn’t have a voice in the political process,” said Supervisor Ryan Coonerty. “By focusing on those systems, you’ve made real, tangible improvements that we don’t just see now, but for generations to come.”
Stone expressed gratitude for the honor, but quickly shifted the praise to the hundreds of staff members he has encountered throughout the years, working diligently behind the scenes.
“The smartest thing any of us can do when we get to an elected position is to put good people into place, listen to them, let them do their jobs and make sure they are empowered to do the best work they possibly can,” Stone said, reflecting on his near 25 years in public service.” Just being able to work in this environment is really, truly an honor. Thank you.”
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel