Housing is on the Ballot and It’s all Hands on Deck!

Ballots for the November election will go out in the mail on October 10th – that’s just a week away! Community members will be casting votes for some critical housing measures as well as for City Council and Board of Supervisor candidates and a new Santa Cruz City Mayor. The results of the upcoming election will impact affordable housing policy and production of future affordable housing projects. It’s up to all of us to get informed, engage community members, and encourage people to get involved and vote for policies and candidates who will work to increase the supply of safe, stable affordable housing for everyone in Santa Cruz County.

The HSCC-endorsed NO on Measure O campaign is in full swing! The campaign kick-off was held on Thursday, September 15th with an overwhelming show of support from the community. This may well be one of the most critical measures on the November ballot. If Measure O passes, over five years of planning and countless hours of community meetings to obtain public input on the Library and Affordable Housing project will go down the drain, along with 124 affordable housing units and a child care center included in the project. The No on Measure O campaign needs all hands on deck to protect the future of the Library and Affordable Housing Project. To learn more visit www.santacruz4realsolutions.org. Find out how you can get involved, arrange to pick up Yard signs ,or donate to the campaign to support a stronger thriving downtown, state-of-the art library, and housing for 124 individuals and families who are struggling to find an affordable place to live in Santa Cruz.

The HSCC-endorsed YES on Measure N campaign is also in full swing. Santa Cruz City residents will be voting on the Empty Home Tax which would provide a reliable local revenue stream that could only be used to increase the supply of low income affordable housing. The measure does not tax people who are living in their homes or in ADUs. Property owners will use a simple, fast and easy self-declaration process to verify that their home has not been vacant for 120 days in a calendar year. The measure includes many exemptions for residents who are temporarily displaced from their homes for various reasons including medical conditions that require placement in a long term care facility. Go to https://emptyhometax.org/calendar/ to find out how you can help support this effort to create a local funding source dedicated to increasing the supply of affordable housing for low-income people who need a place to call home In Santa Cruz.

In Watsonville, supporters of two opposing land use ballot measures, Measure Q and Measure S, are garnering support from south county voters. An educational event for community members to learn more about the ballot measures is planned to take place October 19th from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the Community Room at the Watsonville Public Library located at 275 Main Street. Representatives from Measure Q and Measure S campaigns will be available to provide information and answer questions to help voters decide how they will mark their ballots. Fourth District Board of Supervisors candidates were also invited to attend the community event to give voters an opportunity to meet them and hear where they stand on housing issues. Felipe Hernandez has confirmed his attendance. Jimmy Dutra has declined to participate but will submit a candidate statement that will be posted on HSCC’s website. Elizabeth Madrigal from the Monterey Bay Economic Development Partnership (MBEP) will moderate the event. Sponsors for the event include HSCC, MBEP, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, and California Rural Legal Assistance.

Residents residing in the Santa Cruz City School district boundaries will be voting on Measures K and L. If these measures pass, $371 million in bonds will be issued to fund school upgrades. In addition, about 5% of the bond money amounting to approximately $19 million will be used to construct 80 workforce rental housing units for teachers and essential school staff. HSCC has endorsed a YES vote. To learn more about YES on Measures K & L go to https://www.yesonkandl.com/ to find out how you can get involved to support local schools and housing for educators.

In addition to housing measures on the ballot, there are several candidate races for Capitola, Watsonville, Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley City Council seats, Santa Cruz City Mayor, and third and fourth district seats on the Board of Supervisors. HSCC sent out questionnaires to all candidates to learn more about where they stand on affordable housing policies and measures on the November ballot. Candidate responses are posted on HSCC’s website. HSCC and some of our affordable housing partners also invited local candidates to answer the following question in a short video: “If elected, how will you ensure your jurisdiction will meet Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) targets while fulfilling the goals of affirmatively furthering fair housing?” Click here to view the videos we received.

There are also several events and forums that both HSCC and our partners will be hosting leading up to the election. Make sure to follow along on our Housing Is On The Ballot webpage to get all the info for these events.

Elections matter and affordable housing advocates need to help voters understand what’s at stake on the November ballot. It is critically important to ensure that addressing our County’s affordable housing crisis is the highest priority for the decision-makers we elect to represent us for the next four years. Check out HSCC’s Housing Is On The Ballot webpage and share the link with your friends and neighbors.

As housing advocates, we all have a vital role to educate voters and encourage community members to get involved and visit campaign websites to see the many ways they help - pickup yard signs, do some phone banking, walk precincts, donate funds or volunteer time to support ballot measures and candidates who will help increase the supply of affordable housing in our county. Housing is a human right and everyone deserves a safe stable place to call home. Communities thrive when everyone has good, safe housing options. Our votes are our voices and we must say YES TO HOUSING when we mark our ballots.

It’s all hands on deck from now until Election Day on November 8th!