The Housing Section's purpose is to increase, preserve, and/or renovate affordable housing in the unincorporated area of Santa Cruz. This office also administers ongoing programs such as the Measure J inclusionary program and various grant-funded programs.
We also serve as the Housing Successor Agency, administering the remaining housing assets and affordable housing functions of the former Santa Cruz County Redevelopment Agency, following its dissolution by the State in 2011. Over the past several decades, the County and its former Redevelopment Agency have provided millions of dollars of financing and technical assistance to help local affordable housing providers build, renovate, acquire and/or preserve more than a thousand affordable apartments, homes and mobile homes.
Current Housing Program activities include partnering with non-profit affordable housing developers to build new affordable units, applying for grants, supporting the Policy section on Housing policy matters such as the Housing Element Update, serving as liaison to the Housing Advisory Commission, managing the ADU Incentives Program, providing loan servicing on the County’s portfolio of outstanding Housing loans, and supporting other various County efforts to create affordable housing opportunities in the community.
Eligibility for various County-assisted and administered affordable housing programs is based on the State Income Limits published annually by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Please see the Affordable Housing Guidelines for further details.
If you have questions about any County Housing programs, please contact Housing staff at (831) 454-2332 or HousingProgramsInfo@santacruzcounty.us. Se habla español
Housing Feasibility and Nexus Studies
Santa Cruz County Housing Element Programs H-3H and H-3J require preparation of a feasibly study to assess the County’s affordable housing inclusionary rate and nexus studies to analyze the County’s Affordable Housing Impact Fee. The studies, which were developed by Keyser Marston Associates, are posted below and a presentation on their recommendations will be made at the June 30th Board of Supervisors meeting. The staff report for the June 30th presentation packet can be accessed here when available.
Next Steps
Based on the Board of Supervisors direction on June 30th, County staff would hold additional outreach and Housing Advisory Commission meetings and then develop and ordinance or fee change proposals that are anticipated. Staff intends to have this work completed by the end of 2026
SC County Inclusionary Housing Feasibility Study
SC County Residential Nexus Study Report 4-30-26
SC County Non-Residential Nexus Study Report 4-30-26