Public Correspondence: Amendments to County Housing Policy

 The following is letter written in part by Business Council staff, in concert with other housing and community leaders, regarding the County’s proposed amendments to it Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. The current list of signatories may not reflect the final number of people who have signed in support of the letter. [Proposed Amendments Under Item 59…

Read More

Santa Cruz Shows Up for Housing

On Tuesday night the Santa Cruz City Council passed the latest iteration of the Downtown Plan, increasing the zoning densities along lower Pacific Avenue and Front Street, and clearing the way for potentially up to 800 new units of housing. It was the single largest increase in zoning density within the City since the 1989…

Read More

Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz

MBoSC recently presented at the joint committee meeting of the SCCBC, sharing topics such as the current state of mountain biking locally, upcoming projects, land use planning opportunities, and more. If you weren’t at the meeting, you can check out their presentations: Sign up for their newsletter for regular updates.

Read More

MBEP Regional Transportation Initiative

Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) announced its latest initiative focused on creating regional transportation options that lead to walkable neighborhoods, dynamic main streets and healthier communities. This new initiative was unveiled at MBEP’s 3rd Annual State of the Region conference on November 8. MBEP is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the region, and how we move within and between our cities has a major impact on the well – being of our neighborhoods and residents.…

Read More

County Updates – Developer Option in Jeopardy, Inclusionary Rental?

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors recently gave direction to Planning staff to once again amend the County’s Affordable Housing Program (second time in 3 years), despite the process and economic concerns laid out by representatives the Business and Development Community. The proposed amendments appear to be staff driven, and include the elimination of…

Read More

Congrats to Bay Fed CU

SCCBC member Bay Federal Credit Union was recently named one of “2017 Best Credit Unions to Work For” for the second time in three years! Bay Federal was also named one of the Best Places to Work in the Bay Area the past three years running. As part of its efforts to be an employer of…

Read More

An Introduction to the Downtown Streets Team

At Downtown Streets Team our goal is to prepare homeless men and women for the workforce and to help them move forward and into regular employment. The old adage, “get a job, bum” is too simple and unrealistic when we stop to think about the many challenges that people face simply to find a place…

Read More

Important Survey for Ag-Related Businesses

Agricultural Workforce Development Survey As you know, our agricultural sector constitutes an important pillar of our local economy, and while technologies and new regulations come into place, we need to adapt to this changing environment by acquiring new skills and knowledge. The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Cruz Workforce Development Office have partnered with the AWET Program, an initiative…

Read More

UCSC Friday Forums: EDGI

Members and staff of the SCCBC attended today’s UCSC Friday Forum featuring Chancellor George Blumenthal and Assistant Professor Lindsey Dillon. The presentation focused on the foundation and recent activities of the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI). Ms. Dillon co-founded EDGI, a network of academics and professionals, after the elections of November 2016 in response to threats to federal environmental…

Read More

Breakfast with Congressman Panetta

The SCCBC was honored to host Congressman Jimmy Panetta this morning at the Chaminade Resort for for breakfast. Congressman Panetta gave our board and guests a legislative briefing then took questions from the audience. Thank you, Congressman Panetta, for sharing your time with us! And thank you to our sponsors Kaiser Permanente, Cruzio Internet, and…

Read More