Board votes to place workforce housing affordability measure on November ballot

Trustee Rusty Larson introduced a committee recommendation to place a local workforce housing affordability measure on the November ballot and the board heard public comment before a roll‑call approval.

"My name is Elaine Johnson. I'm the executive director of Housing Santa Cruz County," said Elaine Johnson, who described the community effort to gather signatures and the need for a renewed local funding source to support affordable and workforce housing. A second speaker introduced from the podium discussed teacher recruitment and retention and said local investments can leverage substantial outside funding — citing about $2.5 million already invested by the city that leveraged roughly $60 million in other funds.

Trustee Larson framed the measure as a two‑pronged proposal with a partial tax commonly used to support schools and a progressive real‑estate transfer tax that would not apply to sales below $1,800,000 and would rise on higher‑value sales. After discussion and a minor amendment removing a final recital, the board approved the amended resolution to encourage placing the measure on the ballot. The motion carried by roll call and "passes unanimously," with trustees and the student trustee recorded as voting in favor.

The board did not endorse campaign arguments for or against the measure at this stage; members emphasized the current action was to place the proposal before voters for review during the electoral process. Staff and community organizers said they will continue public outreach and provide additional technical detail about the measure's structure as the campaign develops.