Press Release: Opposition to Measure M Grows with Key Affordable Housing Organizations and Santa Cruz County Democratic Party
Measure M claims it will create “Housing for People,” yet it is opposed by leading community nonprofits dedicated to creating affordable housing in Santa Cruz
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The NO on Measure M campaign, organized to save affordable housing by defeating the misleadingly-named “Housing for People” measure, today announced the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party has voted to oppose the measure, joining four leading nonprofit organizations that advocate for more affordable housing in Santa Cruz, including Affordable Housing Now, Housing Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz YIMBY and the UCSC Student Housing Coalition.
“Our community needs to move forward to build homes for the workers, students, seniors and young families of Santa Cruz. Measure M will slow our progress in creating more affordable housing,” said Elaine Johnson, Executive Director of Housing Santa Cruz County. “We should reject any new impediments to meeting our housing needs. Measure M is an impediment. Let’s keep moving forward. Vote No on Measure M.”
Measure M, written in private by community members who already own their homes and do not live in Downtown Santa Cruz, would hinder efforts to create affordable homes in Downtown Santa Cruz in two ways:
Measure M pushes the required percentage of affordable housing in project beyond the widely accepted threshold of 20%, which will result in builders choosing not to build, robbing our community of desperately needed housing for essential workers and their families.
Measure M will push homebuilding away from Downtown Santa Cruz, where the most jobs and the best sustainable transportation options are, leading to more traffic and vehicle emissions, and pressure to build in other neighborhoods in Santa Cruz.
Community Leaders Stand Against Measure M
The official ballot argument against Measure M is signed by: Sonja Brunner, Santa Cruz City Councilmember; Diana Alfaro, Board Member, Affordable Housing Now; Casey Coonerty Protti, Owner, Bookshop Santa Cruz; Elizabeth Madrigal, Lead, Santa Cruz YIMBY; and Nicolas Robles, Communications Executive, UCSC Student Housing Coalition.
The official rebuttal to the ballot argument in favor of Measure M is signed by: Pete Kennedy, Chair, Santa Cruz Planning Commission; Julie Conway, Vice Chair, Santa Cruz Planning Commission; and Michael Polhamus, Member, Santa Cruz Planning Commission.
The ballot argument against Measure M and the rebuttal to the argument in favor are available at www.affordablehousingadvocatessc.org/background.
Learn more about the NO on Measure M Campaign
Website: www.affordablehousingadvocatessc.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NO.on.M.Santa.Cruz
Instagram: www.instagram.com/no_on_m_santacruz/
Affordable Housing Advocates Santa Cruz, FPPC #1464137.
###