ARTICLE
Every day we see another news story about housing. It is our hottest local issue that takes precedent over all other issues we face in Santa Cruz County today. Earlier this year the Chamber launched “The Year of Housing” as our priority policy issue by attending city council and board of supervisors meetings to speak out on behalf of housing projects; underscore to our elected and public policy decision makers the need to reform outdated housing regulations; to highlight that housing is not independent to other infrastructure concerns - such as reliable and more efficient transportation network, public safety on our streets, in our parks and neighborhood and a sustainable water supply. They are all intertwined that if done in a collaborative way can produce a sustainable future. The Chamber’s housing focus has been on the supply and demand side of housing. However, there is a cyclical effect when our region cannot address the lack of housing at all income levels that bleeds into the homeless population which is an epidemic in our community with the outbreak of Hepatitis A as a public health risk. The new City of Santa Cruz Police Chef, Andrew Mills wrote a very compassionate plea about the health and safety of our city stating boldly, “The U.S. Post Office is a homeless camp and ground zero for the Hepatitis A outbreak. Since my arrival, I have spoken with hundreds of locals including the homeless. Almost everyone I have spoken with agrees that problems in and around the downtown area are untenable. The problems demand action. Now”! You can re-read the Opinion Piece here. Following that opinion piece, the Chief and his department embarked on a series of town hall meetings to understand the pulse of the community and asked the question, “What priorities should the police department focus on, understanding that their resources are not finite?” His instincts are spot on that we cannot solve our public safety problems without a collaborative approach. “Our goal is to shift this from efficiency to effectiveness,” Mills said of the department’s operations. “We want to make sure that we’re drilling down and solving problems.” You can find more information here. The negative impact that homeless brings to our community cannot be brushed under the doorstep at City Hall or at the back of the County Building. Once the police department finally took action to move out the homeless encampment in front of the downtown post office, the encampment migrated to the San Lorenzo Park. My colleague and community leader, Greg Pepping, Executive Director of Coastal Watershed Council wrote about the problem moving from one downtown location to another. Mr. Pepping stated, “While having an environment for local businesses to thrive is key to our community’s prosperity, our community’s values also include natural resource protection as well as safe and welcoming city parks and open spaces. We cannot support the designation of the primary natural resource next to downtown as a campground.” He is right. This demands a better sustainable alternative. Here lies the fact of our problem: For too long we have neglected our county’s infrastructure needs in a sustainable way. Last week was Affordable Housing Week where conversation and ideas abound. There was the release of a UCSC student housing survey that detailed how our younger student population lives in conditions that border on illegal to inadequate. Highlights of that survey can be reviewed here. Affordable Housing and Rent The Affordable Housing Week included discussions about a potential housing bond to fund more affordable and accessible housing; Provide housing options for Working class families - teachers, fire and police, public safety personnel, seniors and the hospitality industry workers. Helping the less fortunate and the homeless population is a part of the housing solution. Over the past three weeks, the Good Times has written a series of news stories about housing, the challenges of building in the Live Oak, Soquel and Aptos area of the county and whether the community would embrace more density and three story developments. Santa Cruz consider affordable rule change to help more affordable development projects actually get built. The message to our public officials - it is time to roll up your sleeves and address the systemic housing shortage that can be a pox to our economy. If the cities and county really agree that Santa Cruz County does not want to be a bedroom community to Silicon Valley but wants to own our economic future - it is time for action. The Chamber and the business community are willing partners to make change happen.
Every day we see another news story about housing. It is our hottest local issue that takes precedent over all other issues we face in Santa Cruz County today. Earlier this year the Chamber launched “The Year of Housing” as our priority policy issue by attending city council and board of supervisors meetings to speak out on behalf of housing projects; underscore to our elected and public policy decision makers the need to reform outdated housing regulations; to highlight that housing is not independent to other infrastructure concerns - such as reliable and more efficient transportation network, public safety on our streets, in our parks and neighborhood and a sustainable water supply. They are all intertwined that if done in a collaborative way can produce a sustainable future.
The Chamber’s housing focus has been on the supply and demand side of housing. However, there is a cyclical effect when our region cannot address the lack of housing at all income levels that bleeds into the homeless population which is an epidemic in our community with the outbreak of Hepatitis A as a public health risk.
The new City of Santa Cruz Police Chef, Andrew Mills wrote a very compassionate plea about the health and safety of our city stating boldly, “The U.S. Post Office is a homeless camp and ground zero for the Hepatitis A outbreak. Since my arrival, I have spoken with hundreds of locals including the homeless. Almost everyone I have spoken with agrees that problems in and around the downtown area are untenable. The problems demand action. Now”! You can re-read the Opinion Piece here.
Following that opinion piece, the Chief and his department embarked on a series of town hall meetings to understand the pulse of the community and asked the question, “What priorities should the police department focus on, understanding that their resources are not finite?” His instincts are spot on that we cannot solve our public safety problems without a collaborative approach. “Our goal is to shift this from efficiency to effectiveness,” Mills said of the department’s operations. “We want to make sure that we’re drilling down and solving problems.” You can find more information here.
The negative impact that homeless brings to our community cannot be brushed under the doorstep at City Hall or at the back of the County Building. Once the police department finally took action to move out the homeless encampment in front of the downtown post office, the encampment migrated to the San Lorenzo Park.
My colleague and community leader, Greg Pepping, Executive Director of Coastal Watershed Council wrote about the problem moving from one downtown location to another. Mr. Pepping stated, “While having an environment for local businesses to thrive is key to our community’s prosperity, our community’s values also include natural resource protection as well as safe and welcoming city parks and open spaces. We cannot support the designation of the primary natural resource next to downtown as a campground.” He is right. This demands a better sustainable alternative.
Here lies the fact of our problem: For too long we have neglected our county’s infrastructure needs in a sustainable way. Last week was Affordable Housing Week where conversation and ideas abound. There was the release of a UCSC student housing survey that detailed how our younger student population lives in conditions that border on illegal to inadequate. Highlights of that survey can be reviewed here. Affordable Housing and Rent The Affordable Housing Week included discussions about a potential housing bond to fund more affordable and accessible housing; Provide housing options for Working class families - teachers, fire and police, public safety personnel, seniors and the hospitality industry workers. Helping the less fortunate and the homeless population is a part of the housing solution. Over the past three weeks, the Good Times has written a series of news stories about housing, the challenges of building in the Live Oak, Soquel and Aptos area of the county and whether the community would embrace more density and three story developments. Santa Cruz consider affordable rule change to help more affordable development projects actually get built.
The message to our public officials - it is time to roll up your sleeves and address the systemic housing shortage that can be a pox to our economy. If the cities and county really agree that Santa Cruz County does not want to be a bedroom community to Silicon Valley but wants to own our economic future - it is time for action. The Chamber and the business community are willing partners to make change happen.