Santa Cruz County plans to add 4,600 homes by 2031, with more than half for low incomes

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors recently finalized an updated housing element, a component of the county’s general plan that quantifies and strategizes how to provide adequate housing for all residents in unincorporated areas of the county.

All counties and cities in California are mandated by state law to come up with a plan to house their residents by updating their housing elements every eight years. The new cycle includes an “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” requirement to make sure new affordable housing is built near adequate services and resources, with the goal of reducing segregated neighborhoods and improving equity.