In a momentous achievement, the city of Santa Cruz is honored to announce that we have been recognized with the esteemed Prohousing designation by the State
Department of Housing and Community Development.
This recognition marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to address housing needs and advance affordable housing initiatives in our community.
With this prestigious designation, Santa Cruz secures a coveted place in the priority consideration list for various housing funding programs administered by the State Department of Housing and Community Development.
This partnership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to creating accessible housing opportunities and underscores the effectiveness of our initiatives in this vital sector.
Amidst Santa Cruz County’s current status as the most expensive rental market in the United States, highlighted by the recent “Out of Reach” report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, this designation takes on added significance. The city of Santa Cruz remains steadfast in its commitment to prioritize accessible and affordable housing, exemplified by our dedication to meeting Regional Housing Needs Allocation targets.
The impact of this commitment is already becoming evident, as our city has not only achieved but surpassed its fifth cycle RHNA targets across diverse income brackets, surpassing the total fifth cycle benchmarks by an impressive margin of 1,000 units.
Noteworthy is the allocation of 50% of these units to affordable housing options, a clear testament to our unwavering focus on inclusivity and sustainable housing solutions.
Nonetheless, this achievement marks just the initial step in our journey. The
longstanding housing crisis that has taken root within our community has developed over decades, making it clear that resolving it will require ongoing and sustained efforts.
Santa Cruz’s innovative strategies to stimulate affordable and market-rate housing
growth have been impressive. Through visionary measures such as increasing floor area ratios and building heights in the downtown area that immediately stimulated investment, creatively implementing density bonus programs, expanding the application of AB 2162 to streamline 100% affordable projects with 25% supportive housing, and creating our own Affordable Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing project development, our city has made significant strides in promoting affordable and market rate housing production.
At present, the city is actively overseeing the development of four 100% affordable
housing projects, totaling 400 units, either under construction or entitled in downtown.
Impressively, three of these transformative projects are co-developed by the city itself on city-owned sites, a testament to our proactive approach in addressing the housing crisis.
As a Prohousing jurisdiction, the city of Santa Cruz stands as a beacon of excellence in housing policy and community development. We are proud to continue our robust partnership with the State Department of Housing and Community Development as we forge ahead with our commitment to create thriving, accessible, and inclusive neighborhoods for all our residents.
The Prohousing designation not only recognizes our achievements but also serves as a call to action for other communities to embrace innovative approaches to affordable housing. Together, we can build a future where every individual has a place to call home, and where the vitality of our city is grounded in the strength of its diverse and thriving neighborhoods.
Fred Keeley is the mayor of Santa Cruz.
