MBEP Endorsed Housing Projects
831 Water Street
Project Status: Pre-Development
831 Water St. is a proposed housing development located near Downtown Santa Cruz featuring two five-story mixed-use buildings including 151 apartments, underground parking, and ground-floor commercial space, and…
Greenfield Commons
This project would provide 222 units of farmworker and other affordable housing targeting income levels of approximately 40% to 70% of Area Median Income. It would include community buildings with amenities such as multi-purpose…
Cedar Street Apartments
Project Status: Pre-Development
In January, MBEP endorsed the Cedar St. Apartments development. Located in the heart of Downtown Santa Cruz, Cedar St. Apartments answer a critical need for affordable housing and supportive housing in the City of Santa Cruz…
1482 Freedom Blvd.
On Tuesday, Feb 23rd, the 1482 Freedom Blvd project by Eden Housing received final approval by City Council for Density Bonus and Design Review Permit. Mayor Dutra gave the only “No” vote, citing that it is unfair for Watsonville …
Water Street Apartments
Water Street Apartments is a 41-unit affordable residential community in Santa Cruz, CA, that provides housing for very low and low-income individuals and families. It is conveniently situated near downtown and a mile away…
Harper Street
Project Status: Under Construction
Rodeo Creek Court, located on Harper Street in Live Oak, CA is a project proposed by Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay. The development provides 11 affordable homeownership units, one of which is reserved for…
Sunshine Vista
Project Status: Entitlements Approved
Sunshine Vista is a mixed-income housing project in Watsonville, that features 150 housing units, associated parking, common open space areas, utilities, stormwater management, and a public-access nature trail. The project provides…
1930 Ocean Street Ext.
Project Status: Entitlements Approved
The 1930 Ocean Street Extension project, located in Santa Cruz, consists of 32 new homes including 6 to 7 units designated for very low, low, and moderate-income households. MBEP endorsed the project and began an Action…
Pacific Front Project
Project Status: Entitlements Approved
Pacific Front is located in the heart of Downtown Santa Cruz and represents the first major implementation of the 2017 Santa Cruz Downtown Plan. The project includes ground floor commercial space and 205 homes. To meet…
UCSC Student Housing
Project Status: Approved
Located on the University of California, Santa Cruz campus, this unique project is led by the University and addresses the need for more student housing. A total of 3,072 beds and 1,082 units are included in the development for…
190 West Cliff
Project Status: Entitlements Approved
190 West Cliff, located near Downtown Santa Cruz and adjacent to the Dream Inn, includes commercial space and 89 new homes. Also, 10 affordable homes will be included onsite, representing a step toward addressing the…
111 Errett Circle
Project Status: Entitlements Approved
In January 2020, MBEP endorsed the 111 Errett Circle housing development located in Westside Santa Cruz. Unlike most projects we come across, 111 Errett Circle’s development team are the local residents that make up “The Circle…
MBEP Endorsed Housing Policy
Salinas Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
MBEP provided the City of Salinas with its Housing White Paper Policy recommendations to support its work in updating its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The ordinance details inclusionary set aside between 12%-20% depending on housing type.
Seaside Housing Element Update
MBEP provided the City of Salinas with its Housing White Paper Policy recommendations to support its General Plan update. This update offered an opportunity to re-examine the City’s land use policy as well as to seek strategies for preserving and improving the City’s single-family neighborhoods, while
increasing residential development potential in focus areas. There are thousands of homes
(rental and for sale ) that could be developed in Seaside in the next 5-20 years.
Monterey Water Credits for Affordable Housing
Project Status: Approved
Affordable housing advocates from the City of Monterey requested support from the MBEP Housing Initiative for an affordable housing policy. MBEP supported the project and initiated an Action Center campaign with email blasts, outreach through social media and convening meetings with stakeholders, as well as attending the hearing to support staff recommendation that if new water is available for future allocation, the City shall give preference to projects meeting fair- share housing goals. This recommendation was approved by the City Council in February of 2018.
Garden Road Rezone
The Garden Road rezoning is a zoning ammendment to allow applicants to convert existing buildings within the project site into residential units at a conversion rate of one multi-family residential unit per 900 square feet of existing building area. A total of 405 residential units could be created through new development or conversion of existing building space on the project site, 20% of which would be affordable housing units. MBEP began supporting this rezone proposal early on by meeting with the various stakeholders, community outreach through social media and email blasts, and engaging in an Action Center campaign that yielded a dozen letters of support, as well as attending the various hearings. The Rezone proposal was approved by the Airport Landuse Commission, the Planning Commission, and the City Council.