SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz County officials are more than four months into the mammoth effort of updating its housing element and have planned a series of community meetings to share progress with the public and collect further input.
As part of its General Plan Housing Element update, required by state law every eight years, the county must identify “adequate sites” to accommodate estimated population growth in the region and ensure that it has programing and zoning policies that incentivize that growth.
The first of three community meetings where members of the public, including those impacted by the ongoing housing crisis, can learn about the county’s efforts is happening from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday in Aptos Village Park at 100 Aptos Creek Road.
A virtual meeting is planned for May 31 and the third meeting is June 28 at Watsonville Civic Plaza. Meeting links, times and locations are at sccoplanning.com.
As part of this latest cycle, the county must plan for 4,634 housing units, which is more than three times higher than what was expected during the preceding fifth cycle from 2015 to 2023. The total number of units are divided into specific affordability levels including very low, low, moderate and above moderate income levels and while the county must plan for development, it is not directly responsible for actually constructing the units.
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