Kickoff event on May 1 features State Sen. John Laird, Asm. Robert Rivas

Housing Santa Cruz County (HSCC), a broad coalition of organizations and community members dedicated to making Santa Cruz County affordable to all, is joining other affordable housing advocates to highlight May as Affordable Housing Month.

“There is a dire need for increased affordable housing options to ensure our county is filled with inclusive, thriving, diverse and sustainable communities,” HSCC board member Adam Spickler said. “Through our ongoing advocacy efforts for the advancement of affordable housing development and policies, we are working diligently to promote affordable, safe stable homes for local residents and local workers.”

HSCC’s public awareness and education campaign will promote a series of in-person and virtual events beginning with a kickoff event and first anniversary celebration for HSCC on Sunday, May 1, at the Senson House at Cabrillo College. The in-person event will include remarks from State Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, State Senator John Laird, State Assemblymember Robert Rivas and Spickler, who also is a Cabrillo College Trustee.

Events throughout the month include affordable housing developments’ groundbreakings and open house events, multi-jurisdictional policy discussions, a film screening and conversations with community leaders around affordable housing policy development and plan implementation.

The virtual event Housing Element 101: An Affordable Housing Event for Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley Communities will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. The event will include information about the upcoming Housing Element (HE) cycle and what the new RHNA numbers will mean for our communities. Representatives from Santa Cruz County Planning and the City of Scotts Valley will discuss local efforts to address the affordable housing crisis and possible solutions to increase the affordable housing supply will be discussed. Attendees will learn what they can do to get involved to help meet future affordable housing HE goals. Zoom information forthcoming.

HSCC, launched in spring 2021, is comprised of individuals, nonprofit and for-profit businesses, service providers, homelessness organizations and advocates, agriculture leaders, faith-based organizations, labor leaders, financial institutions, architects and building contractors, sustainability leaders (including transportation, environment, health, education and energy professionals), nonprofit and for-profit housing developers, local government staff and elected officials, and community leaders.

Registration for the Affordable Housing Month Kickoff and HSCC 1st Anniversary Celebration is open with sliding-scale tickets available. See a full calendar of local Affordable Housing Month webinars, virtual workshops and community conversations at www.housingsantacruzcounty.com/affordable-housing-month.

About HOUSING SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (HSCC)

HSCC is a broad-based coalition of organizations and community members dedicated to making Santa Cruz County affordable to all. Together, the coalition is building a leadership and organizational structure needed to align the political and community will necessary to create the housing—particularly affordable housing—that Santa Cruz County needs to thrive. Learn more at www.housingsantacruzcounty.com, and also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.