Plan to attend the 7 pm meeting this coming Tues., Mar 27 in the Santa Cruz City Council chambers to hear the report on housing in Santa Cruz. It is important for those who do not want 6 story buildings and higher in Santa Cruz to attend this meeting to make the City Council aware the community is watching over what they are doing. Save Santa Cruz will be in attendance in the meeting and is writing the mayor and city council the following: "We see nothing in the report scheduled for March 27th that indicates that the Subcommittee gave any consideration whatsoever to the idea that the City should increase the amount of required inclusionary housing and should eliminate the ability of developers to pay “fees” and bypass the requirement actually to build permanently affordable inclusionary housing at the time new developments are constructed. Hundreds of new residential units are being proposed for our downtown. Unless the Council takes action, these proposed new developments may well not provide any significant affordable housing. The Council should take action to ensure that future developments (in downtown and elsewhere) actually provide real, permanently affordable housing for our community. The agenda memo before you recommends that the Council direct more “discussion.” Community roundtables are fine, but Save Santa Cruz urges that you take ACTION, as well - action that could make a difference. We urge you to do that this evening, and that you direct your staff to return, promptly, with specific changes to the City’s inclusionary housing ordinance to require that an increased amount of affordable housing be required when new developments are constructed, and that the required new units be built, with permanent price restrictions, at the same time that market rate units are built." As the City Council Agenda states: The meeting will be to receive a progress report on the Housing Blueprint Subcommittee’s work and authorize the extension of the Subcommittee to engage the community on the Subcommittee’s proposed prioritization and recommendations and return to the City Council with first priority recommendations in June 2018. IT IS IMPORTANT WE SHOW THE CITY COUNCIL THE COMMUNITY IS ACTIVE AND WANTS TO BE PART OF THE SANTA CRUZ HOUSING PLANS BY ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS. THE MORE PEOPLE WHO ATTEND THE MORE OUR VOICE MATTERS. More information here: http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=962&doctype=AGENDA http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/cache/2/ff5llj2cn0e21e4w2sr3qqqb/469705403232018043117430.PDF http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/cache/2/ff5llj2cn0e21e4w2sr3qqqb/469705503232018043937785.PDF Thank you for caring about Santa Cruz.