We are rapidly aging
People eligible for Medicare outnumber grade schoolers by 3 percentage points and by 2030, one of every four County residence will be over 65. As more of our county population retires, there could be impacts to housing turnover, discretionary spending, and new demands for county services.
Our children cannot afford to live here
Since 1980, Santa Cruz County added 80,000 people and only 26,000 housing units. This suppressed supply has driven the County to be considered one of the least affordable communities in the United States. In 2023, the hourly wage needed for a two-bedroom home is $63.33 — an annual income of $131,720.
The County's high housing values (median value of over $1.02 million) does not translate to robust property tax revenues due to restrictions on how the County can tax property. Review the County's Housing Dashboard for more: Housing Progress (santacruzcountyca.gov)
We are experiencing more frequent and severe climate disasters
The County has experienced seven federally declared natural disasters since 2017. Combined, these disasters have cost the County over 250 million. While State and Federal agencies will assist the County, there are immediate strains on the County's financial position as we await financial assistance. Given the increased frequency and intensity of climate change driven disasters, the County is evaluating strategies to meet these challenges.
We need to reimagine a County that challenges inequality and creates resilience
In order to build a sustainable, thriving economy, we have to find opportunities that not only allow our own children and youth to thrive, but allow more families to be included in an economy that values the contributions of the past and builds towards an equitable future. The County's 2023 Housing Element update is an opportunity to meet existing and projected housing needs for all segments of the community, including various household types, special needs populations, and all income levels. Doing this means taking meaningful actions that address disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, and developing at greater densities within the County's urban services line.
The County's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors in December 2022, aligns with the Housing Element to support quality of life for all residents by reducing emissions from personal vehicles through developing balanced neighborhoods and communities that result in shorter car trips, expanded safe walking and biking opportunities, more robust and decarbonized public transit options, and improved internet connectivity. The plan maintains open space and makes us more resilient in the face of increasingly frequent climate disasters.
Finally, the County will be developing a Master Plan on Aging for older residents currently living through the many different stages of the second half of life. By 2030 it is projected that 25 percent of County residents will be over 65. Ensuring the physical and social resources for those adults, and for younger generations who can expect to live longer lives than their elders, is critical for the sustainability of the County and its unique culture. The Master Plan on Aging will build on the Housing Element and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan to support communities of all ages – family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and caregivers – surrounding older adults and people with disabilities.