Blog Archives

“Buffalo Bill Cody in parade on Pacific Ave. between Lincoln Street and Cathcart…Friday May 7, 1915”. With Buffalo Bill is his sister Mrs. Lydia Goulding who lived on Seabright Avenue. He visited here here in 1910, April 18,1914  and the above in 1915, his last visit, he died January 10, 1917.                                                        photo credit: photo and Buffalo Bill data courtesy of David Terrazas Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com

DATELINE Oct. 2, 2017

GARFIELD CIRCLE CHURCH SALE. “Something’s fishy about the sale of the Garfield Park Christian Circle Church” is what I heard over and over again from some residents who live in and on the circle street (Errett) that surrounds the church. Why was the selling price so far below the market value? It sold, and is in escrow for a listed price of $2,995,000. Who bought it?  Is there a brewery owner involved in the sale and purchase? Where is the money going from the sale? Why are they ripping out the church pews? Many complaints from the treatment of the community from Pastor Steve’s time as head guy to Christopher Drury who runs it now. There was no debt on the building,  the neighbors say. It had wide community use by all sorts of groups, now available times are severally limited. Why the new paint job on the church since it was only five years since the last one? There are more questions and because this is such a prime piece of Santa Cruz community and such a piece of our history…these questions and many more need answering, and more publicity shed on this sad  Drury dilemma.

NINA SIMON ON OCTAGON AND MAH CHANGES. I mentioned last week that I’m back sitting in front of The Octagon a few random hours each week. It’s great…folks stop by and give me all sorts of topics, secrets, and ideas for BrattonOnline. I also get plenty of questions about the changes that MAH and Nina Simon made to “the MAH-ABBOTT neighborhood” In answer to my query to her about what happened to the huge black letter M that stood next to the red ball at the corner of Cooper and Front Street she replied…”When we designed and built the new deck wrapping around the corner, we wanted to invite people to easily hang out and people-watch from there. We also wanted to make the deck as big as possible. We found a way for the ball – which is iconic to the site and beloved by many – to remain. But not the M. It was removed as part of the project”. In answer to even more questions about what’s going into the Octagon itself she emailed…” The Octagon is leased as part of Abbott Square Market and it is my understanding that they are actively developing it with local chefs, to open in 2018″. As it happened after her reply I asked two guys working inside the Octagon…they said that TWO locally owned restaurants will be opening in there by (next month) November!! I guess we’ll wait and see.

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BUFFALO BILL AND SANTA CRUZ VISITS. David Terrazas and I got to talking (not about politics!!!)  about Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody) and his visits to his Santa Cruz sisters. I’d never seen or heard about Bill visiting here…and had never seen any local photos…or knew that he was one of seven children. Sophia M. Decker and Lydia Goudling were his Santa Cruz sisters. Sophia died here at her sister’s home on Seabright avenue. David  T. also had the library print copies of his PEERLESS PAGEANT OF PLEASURE appearing at the Liebrandt Circus Grounds. His Sells-Floto Circus featured “his Indians, Zora Bravest woman in the world, Ranch Girls, and Beasts of the Jungle performed by MME. Ricardo and Captain Dutch. Before all of that happened they would stage a Circus Parade two miles long!!!  

WILDER RANCH HISTORY AND THE S.F. CHRONICLE. Tom Stienstra in his OUTDOORS column for the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday, September 28 wrote a great piece about Wilder Ranch State Park. He titled it “A Hidden Gem for Bikers and Hikers”.

He describes not just the scope of the park but the protocol for hikers, horse people and mountain bikers. That is bikers give way to hikers and equestrians; hikers give way to horses. He repeats Ranger conversations and it’s all very nice BUT never once does he or any ranger tell of the huge battle and victory we locals had in fighting the development of 10,000 homes there. No mention of the $121,000,000 lawsuit that Bob Bosso and The Hollywood Turf Club that he represented slammed on us that we had to fight (we won). That battle against development was significant. I wrote Stienstra about all of it. We should wonder now what would our City Council or Board of Supes do today if Apple, Microsoft, Google wanted to build the equivalent of 10,000 homes here…like a Silicon Beach Ranch or some such monstrosity??

THE SPIRIT OF SANTA CRUZ by CARMELLA WEINTRAUB. My decade’s long- time friend Carmella Weintraub wrote this piece and sent it to Gary Patton and me. Carmella is a long time Santa Cruzan, mother and designer. Gary ran it on Facebook and I want to share it with all of you here. It’s so well written and covers the beliefs and feelings so many of us have. Don’t miss it…read it all…

“SAVING THE SOUL OF SANTA CRUZ”

Carmella Weintraub

It is said that the soul of a place is the sum total of the essence of its highest ideals and should be an expression of its commitment to the good, the true and the beautiful. This quality of soul comes only after the evolution through phases of its development, some of which is challenging and some a natural progress. Then, on both the personality level and the cultural level, integration comes and the soul essence solidifies into a clear and palpable sense of integrity and direction. After facing many changes and challenges in the last 25 years, I feel the soul of Santa Cruz in on the line and I want respectfully offer my perspective.

I came to Santa Cruz in 1969, the year of the Woodstock Festival, an event that heralded the arrival and growing strength of the counterculture and the beginning of the Aquarian Age. This coincided with my serendipitous landing in a town that seemed on the verge of virtually living the values of that time.  I must say, I resonated. The energy here was so positive and real.

The town, which I had known since the 1940’s – my great aunt and uncle lived in Paradise Park – had not changed that much since that time. It was still a sleepy little burg, full of senior citizens, retirees in their quaint little one of a kind cottages and students and faculty of the newly minted University and a main drag that sported some nice stores, Leasks and the Morris Abrams store in addition to the Cooper House and numerous small businesses.  

I found a city that was bordered on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by giant redwood forests. Between these was a magical strip, which included many charming homes and multiple historic public buildings, built between the Victorian age and the 1950’s.  In addition, there was a huge amusement part called the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, an iconic symbol of the natural and playful part of human nature. The City on the Hill, the University community, overlooked this whole picture. The arts community, music and entertainment and surfers, boaters and colorful hippies rounded out the palpable spirit of Santa Cruz.

How could one go wrong?  Unparalleled pristine beauty, intelligence on the hill and creative energy all around.  How could one resist all of that?  I moved here.  I was 30 years old, give or take a few, and made a life here, knowing this place was special. Finding a job in social services saved me from living on the edge in a place without a huge economic base to support its populace.

The scene blossomed in the 1970’s, in the middle of some awesome cultural institutions, both of the Catalysts (old and new), the Cooper House, with live music and dancing by Ginger, Bookshop Santa Cruz, The Teacup Restaurant, the annual Spring Fair and lots and lots of live music groups, art and literary groups.  People “owned” the town. Pacific Ave. was turned into the Pacific Garden Mall in 1968 (originally called Downtown Oasis) a plan inspired by Chuck and Esther Abbott.

The mall was basically a non-stop party of music, mirth and exchange of ideas and provided a place where town residents started to mix with University students and their professors, several of whom held forth at the Pergolesi coffee shop behind Bookshop Santa Cruz to lead a weekly forum of the latest ideological point of view. Hanging out at Logos book store was the pastime du Jour. People were out in droves to see and be seen, to enjoy Don McCaslin, the Brothers Karamozov and to enjoy the radically individualistic social scene that was fueled by the general zeitgeist of the times. Tom Noddy, the Bubble Man, even made it to the Johnny Carson show.  

It was a fun, unselfconscious time, and even with the advent of recreational drugs, it was still slow, but upbeat, rich and enjoyable, a culture of free spirits, unfettered by the strictures of a culture of conformity.

Perhaps feeding off of some present, but unacknowledged, understanding of what we really had here, social action began to take place in the mid- 1970’s, focused on preserving the natural settings of Santa Cruz, for all time. During this magnificent period, many Open Spaces were saved for the enjoyment of future generations.  Pogonip was saved and annexed by the City in 1978 and would not be developed for housing. In 1974, a committed group of Santa Cruz citizens organized to keep Wilder Ranch from the ravages of north coast development. Later, in 1978, Lighthouse Point was saved, also from development, and later converted to a State Park, a status which endures until now providing perhaps the most beloved gathering spot in our city. Even later in the ‘70s Arana Gulch became a permanent greenbelt and would remain committed to its pristine original nature- green, wet and wild.

Money was beginning to creep into the culture of Santa Cruz, but not in a greedy or ostentatious way.  Houses on Westcliff were sold and other large ones built but still, there was the original feeling of Santa Cruz. A place for many people, visitors and residents alike to enjoy a place of rest, rejuvenation, relaxation and renewal.  It was a magical time and things were about to change dramatically.

At the end of the 1980’s, there occurred a sudden and major shift.  The Loma Prieta earthquake hit, decimating the Pacific Garden Mall and killing 3 people. I was downtown with my young children at the time and witnessed this tragic event. The damage was so extensive that the Mall lost its Historic status because 19 of 36 buildings that qualified for the appellation just two years prior to the quake were lost. Future generations would never see the examples of 1890s to 1929 architecture. The Cooper House, deemed unsafe by City officials, came down, despite the protests of hundreds of tearful onlookers.

This loss was a metaphor for much more that was lost in the Earthquake because in the ensuing years many aspects of Santa Cruz changed. In the nanoseconds following the earthquake, the town was plunged into a crisis of major proportions. The town was in shambles and soon so was the spirit of Santa Cruz. We had lost our center.

Very quickly, outside professional urban planning consultants were called in to consult on what our town should look like, despite their lack of familiarity as to what the DNA of Santa Cruz had always been.  Our hip little town soon became a “chic” little town and started a trend that was to continue until this very day.

After the earthquake the local ambience and architecture changed very rapidly and often surprisingly with less public input than was probably fair.

Costco, our first city big box store, opened in 1994.  A few years later, in a sudden departure from our historic heritage, Gateway Center opened in 1997, much to the chagrin of the small business owners who had their charming and historic buildings knocked down. Replacing these historic businesses with what turned out to be a strip mall in the shape of a square, housing businesses at the gateway to our town, in non-descript box like stores with no apparent nod to the look and feel of our town.  As if that were not enough shock. Soon modern design, coupled with a garish green paint on metal standards, appeared in the form of lighting on River St., ostensibly to create a welcoming look to the historic center of town.  In the opinion of many citizens, this goal was never achieved.

There were many shocked people, including myself, but as local architect–activist Mark Primack stated, at the time, after only two people showed up at the design review planning meetings, “the citizens of Santa Cruz will get what they deserve”. I am recalling all of this because I believe we are at a similar juncture now. If we don’t get actively involved in setting the course of development in this town, we will again be the recipients of something we do not want nor deserve.

After this particular surprise, more change came about and currently continues to come about, fast and furiously as the City fathers (and mothers) move quickly to fill in every empty space in Santa Cruz city limits with high density potentially generically designed “infill”, a phenomenon that is currently in process now, led by the Santa Cruz City Council and City Planners.   

To that end, currently on the table or in process are these projects:

• The Corridor Plan, putting high density, tall buildings and hotels on Ocean St. Soquel Ave, Water St. and Mission St.
• The Active Transportation Plan, a plan containing 260 separate projects all over the city to encourage bicycle and walking transportation and safety. Some of the projects disturb neighborhood unity, safety and aesthetics with signage and changes the neighborhood residents do not want to see in their established places of habitation. Other projects invite unbidden crime to enter quiet neighborhoods that are particularly vulnerable.
• The Wharf Plan, potentially putting high density, tall buildings on the wharf, creating issues in congestion, questionable aesthetics and future dangers if sea levels do rise,
• The Hyatt hotel in place of the former Unity Church, out of place in this particular crowded neighborhood with congested streets.
• Potentially moving the present downtown City Library to the space displacing the Farmer’s Market and putting in a multilevel parking garage where none currently exists, at that site.
• Increased non-aesthetic designs (so far) on the planned San Lorenzo River high-end housing development.
• Increased development of the tech industry coupled with high speed Internet cable.
• Destruction of more historical housing and buildings, especially on high profile streets.
• More freeway lanes going to and from Watsonville, yielding more pollution and greenhouse gases
• Private development of housing that does not meet the economic needs of most local citizens, low income and homeless populations.

Why is this all-important and where are we going with this? And why?

What can we do?

Taken together and followed by potentially more changes, these planned projects would change the face of our city in radical ways.  We need to determine our personal response to these intended changes and act on our convictions on behalf of all stakeholders, including visitors and future children. We need, as a community, to take stock of exactly what values we hold dear and exactly what we are losing by not honoring these values.

First, let’s be clear, these concerns are not about maintaining the status quo or about nostalgia.  They are about maintaining our spiritual, aesthetic and moral center in the face of an increasingly inhuman environment which is killing people and compromising the sanity of many our of  citizens, young and old and obliterating natural resources and open space.

There are many practical issues associated with planned changes for Santa Cruz, many of which are long term concerns .  First, can the infrastructure we have now support new development, especially those that will house many residents or visitors? Currently, our infrastructure of roads, sidewalks and buildings need repairing before money is spent on private development. Secondly and importantly, can we continue to supply water and other resources to new development and still service existing citizens? While new hotels can support the sagging tax base, the concern that current water users have is valid. We have contributed here for years.  Thirdly, why are taxes not levied on the multi-million dollar homes that are being built? The alternative, sales tax, creates an overdependence on materialism and shopping. Fourthly, how are all economic levels of citizens going to be able to remain here to enliven the mix of cultures and points of view we have historically enjoyed?

These are all valid, reality-based concerns for our citizens but there are also meta-issues which cannot be addressed at town hall meetings and these involve concerns that are often talked about in private conversations and they affect a large constituency of residents, visitors and future generations of same. Let me express, as a long term resident of this town, how I experience the many hidden values of our town and what we can do to save these before it is too late.

I feel Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) is a sanctuary, a holy sacred space for all who venture into these environs. The operative word here is ALL. Over the years, we have developed something special here and Santa Cruz’ charm and values are a magnet for people all over the United States and the world as well. I submit that Santa Cruz is a center of counter culture for a reason and is known worldwide for the way we live. As our mainstream culture speeds up, creates crowded, concrete communities overloaded with technology and cars and speed, we have maintained a commitment to something slower, saner and unique. It is perhaps a one-of-a-kind experience. Indeed, Santa Cruz IS an experience, a state of mind that is almost indescribable. We have much to offer a world-weary population and we must adhere to the core values and the gifts we offer to the planet. And they are many.  Our human lives actually rely on the necessity of regeneration, relaxation, recreation and rest. Our nervous systems actually demand this and the price we pay for not adhering to these necessities is illness, sometimes severe and often expressed as continuing low grade stress.

We have many healers here and it is, in my opinion, because we are a healing community. People need what we have, all people.  We must remain faithful to the part we play in healing the homeless, the frazzled, the young and the restless and let’s not forget our seniors, the original inhabitants of this retirement community.  We owe this to them as well as our children and future generations.

The chance to experience nature at its finest on miles of currently protected beaches and hundreds of square miles of redwood forests is priceless and nurturing and is, in essence, the basis of our healing atmosphere. The pace in Santa Cruz is not syncopated or staccato but, instead, more lyrical and softly entrained to the rhythm of the ocean and its playful inhabitant creatures. This is our DNA. Nature is our “brand” and in keeping with that, countless human beings can remain a natural human and even more can come here and remember what it is to be fully human. Through the enjoyment of our natural resources, we can experience the joyful and natural state that is evoked by our beautiful beaches and the countless other recreational opportunities that our environment offers.

In a time when cultural mania is increasing to megalomania and the metropolis becomes megalopolis; we have an example, here, of how to balance this trend. Hyperactivity is a national illness and it is up to us to remain a clear beacon for an alternative way to live.  Indeed, Santa Cruz has the ability to provide an active model for a viable life-style alternative.  A lot is riding on our commitment to modeling how it is to be fully human, related to nature, to each other and our fellow inhabitants of the planet. In these meta-respects, we are a model city.

Coupled with our natural resources, our University culture and our small, human size homes and public buildings, each with its individual look, we have created a culture of connected individualism, environmental sanity and ecological consciousness. Artists, musicians, creators, imaginers, young and old, people of diverse orientations, rich and poor, come together to create a culture of character and diversity which is unmatched anywhere. Why would we want to ruin this by importing any of the insanity that is what ruins most other large communities. To do so would, in and of itself, be insanity of the highest order.

We should not become a Silicon Beach. We do not need to be a bedroom community of Silicon Valley and we do not necessarily need to grow. We should not become Monterey and we are not Carmel with its quaint arts community. We simply need to continue to be ourselves and honor what has come to be an amazing place centered as we are on the edge of the Pacific Rim.

I believe we are here with a spiritual charge to balance the insanity of the techno, bureaucratic, corporate industrial complex.  With the protection of the forest on one side and the sea on the other, we are a virtual island of sanity. We are a true oasis of intelligence and creation and beacon of individual freedom to each be who we are as essence and to also share in the rich and diverse community that we share. We must as what we can do to retain the paradise that we have. In the spirit of dialogue, I humbly offer the following suggestions to perhaps stimulate a discussion about how we can help maintain a commitment to existing beauty and value in this town,.  

OUR TASKS

• Support activities and leaders who will not gentrify, technologize, monetize or materialize (nor caffeinate) our community nor exploit human or natural resources to these ends.
• Support the continuance of spiritual development and higher consciousness here, thus encouraging each individual to reach his or her full potential.
• Support spontaneous grass roots level creativity, especially collaborative kinds of projects and events for all ages and stages of  life..
• Support those activities, which do not exploit our natural and historic collective resources on behalf of a few, whether that is government, private citizens or outside developers.  
• Support aesthetic building and public art and design which is in keeping with our historic legacy. This entails keeping the landscape “low rise” as opposed to high rise.  
• Support those policies which do not allow crowding out the citizens of this area who are operating in the lower socio-economic levels.
• Support those changes which do not increase speed, concrete, cars or exclusive money.  Economic development must be based on values of economic moderation and inclusiveness of all levels.
• Support activities, people and policies that allow us to keep our natural rhythm, size and connectivity.  Choose that which supports harmony, diversity, inclusiveness and diversity.
• Support the development of a process for ongoing public input and voting on each proposed development that has the capacity to change the DNA of our community.  Encourage referendum process.  
• Support density in what is already here, change zoning laws to allow development of the many small outbuildings that abound in the city of Santa Cruz.
• Support individuals to accept responsibility and accountability for the role he or she plays in the evolution of our planet and indeed, our very existence.
• This includes responsibility for not over-populating the planet, for not condoning any form of violence or brutality and for respecting all beings as worthy of dignity and acceptance.

We need to unify our energies and goals for this town and listen closely to every voice. The planet and we have a lot at stake.  It is not too late to save what we have created in this village by the sea. We are capable of leading the nation in propagating values that lead to quality human lives as well as the other kingdoms with whom we share the planet, lives unburdened by values not developed in our true interests- that of being happy, healthy and connected with our whole planet and Universe.

Lastly, it is important that we elect leaders who understand the language of the soul. This means making collaborative decisions and working through a channel of what feels right, not only what a few think is right. Leaders need to listen carefully to all citizens who choose to speak up and it is my feeling that it needs to be longer than 2 or 3 minutes per speaker (as it currently stands in the City Council). Santa Cruz people know the language of the soul and we need to speak up on behalf of what we might lose if we don’t make our values known. We have way too much to lose if we stay silent. Many citizens, present and future are depending on us to serve the highest good of all.

Carmella Weintraub, September 5, 2017

Carmella@got.net

By: Chris Krohn    Email Chris at ckrohn@cruzio.com

“Wins and Loses”

“New York (Santa Cruz too?) in its current dissonant form, is at ease with a disturbingly paradoxical identity, as a place that says yes to every branch of Dunkin’ Donuts and no to the people whose fortunes consign them to working there.”–Gina Bellafante, N.Y. Times Book Review of Vanishing New York

I offer an update about several issues that went before the Santa Cruz city council last week. Here’s the recap…

click here to continue (link expands, click again to collapse)

Ya Win Some…
There was unanimity on the Santa Cruz City Council to support Senate Bill 54, which essentially declares California a sanctuary state. It is such a positive step in the direction of providing a commitment to some of the “huddled masses yearning to be free.” It is a bill that affirms our commitment to immigrants, and it is also in keeping with our American heritage, culture, and traditions. Although it is essentially a symbolic gesture unless the state also offers sanctuary cities legal support in defending ourselves against the Immigration and Customs Service (ICE) raids. These ICE raids continue to take place across the country. To also make it real, our Santa Cruz city council needs to set aside some money during the mid-year budget review in January to help pay the legal bills in defending our residents and their DACA offspring, which leads me to the next win. This same city council voted 7-0 to also stand firm with the Dreamers, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Perhaps nothing the Trump administration has done is more insidious and wrong than trying to end the DACA program. But there is hope. There are conversations going on between Republicans and Democrats that we hope will continue this important program. Our council resolution calls on congress to renew this program. Please call US Rep., Jimmy Panetta today and urge him to stand firm and support the program.

There is “…complicity between municipal government and big private money to reconfigure whole sections of a city, with dubious consequences, chief among them the ceding of space, goods and social currency from the ordinary classes to the ruling order.” (Bellafante, Times Book Review)

Ya Lose Some...
We lost on bringing some sanity to the Santa Cruz bail schedule. Sandy Brown and I vote “to not approve this bail schedule and ask staff to bring it back with information about a sliding bail schedule that does not adversely hurt poor people.” The vote was 5-2. The other notable council agenda item was a recommendation by staff to close the inclusionary loophole for planned developments. Most of the time, developers choose to pay into an affordable housing fund or rent to Section 8 voucher-holders instead of renting the required 15% as affordable units. City staff came and unfortunately recommended 7.5%…maybe…if it’s not too much of a burden on the developer the head of Economic Development department indicated. Since the staff report for this item was obfuscating, the council chose to punt and wait on a final inclusionary decision until the next council meeting…it could be in this week’s rainout category too. (too many sports metaphors I know, sorry.)

It’s about “…the hand of menacing greed and self-interest.” (Bellafante, Times Book Review)

And Some Get Rained Out…
No doubt my agenda item to oppose SB 35, the so-called, “Affordable Housing” bill was nothing short of a rainout. On the face of it, this measure is a pro-developer one. Good things are actually present in the bill: developers must pay prevailing wage, requires a 10% inclusionary, and Sacramento acknowledges there is a severe housing crisis in this state, especially along the coast. But why does the state have to tell us to require a 10% inclusionary in all developments when Santa Cruz already has a 15% inclusionary? The bad stuff in SB 35: it allows multi-family development in single-family neighborhoods, it also would tie the hands of local decision-makers in making land-use decisions, and it is bad for democracy. This bill also provides no money. What is it that conservatives often rail about, “unfunded mandates?” This bill was opposed early on by two groups who often do not see eye-to-eye, the League of California Cities, because it puts constraints on what cities can decide, and the Sierra Club because SB 35 seeks to undermine the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The council finally voted to change the “we oppose this bill” resolution to a rather milk-toast just tell Gov. Brown that we want to let you know we don’t think it’s such a good thing to do to put mandates on cities and undermine CEQA. Our resolution is now moot as Brown signed it last week and it is now law. Another rainout may happen with the repeal of SB 1, the gas tax. It passed the legislature this past April. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1

As California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra and the anti-gas tax petition gathers continue to wrangle over what the initiative will exactly be named, many cities including Santa Cruz are already spending some of the money that is anticipated to be collected, that is 12 cents per gallon. The tax kicks in beginning Nov. 1st. How many signatures do they need to get the repeal on the ballot? Only 365, 880, statewide.

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Repeal_Gas_Tax_and_Fees_Increase_Bill_Initiative_(2018)

~

News of the Most Vulnerable Food Not Bombs Feeding the Poor Last Sunday at Post Office

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (sound familiar?!)

Truly Affordable Housing Now! A 10-Point Plan
Get ready; we could be in for a roller-coaster of a ride if we hope to make any kind of dent in the currently insufferable pro-seller-landlord housing market in Surf City. There are so many first-course menu items vying to get on the table that it’s hard to keep up. So, here it is, a TEN-POINT Santa Cruz Quality of Life Plan that not only looks to lift all boats, but seeks to protect the most vulnerable and offer everyone a pay raise as our community approaches the stark reality that there is an actual “carrying-capacity” in our ecological hot-spot. Who will tell the people that there are limits? The following 10 points are not only the jagged pieces to the Santa Cruz housing puzzle–each not THE answer but rather a constituent part–but also its what I’ve been hearing from the multiple voices within the various social and political bubbles that I inhabit.

Santa Cruz Quality of Life Plan

1. Placing a housing bond before the voters and it’s got to be in the hundreds of millions to even make a dent. (Santa Clara County passed one last year with 68% of the necessary two-thirds vote. It was for around a $1 billion.)
2. Enact rent control complete with a “just cause eviction” ordinance along with an elected rent board. It failed twice before in Santa Cruz, but that was a long time ago when there were less than 50% renters, now tenants are near 60% and rents are at an all-time high.
3. A five-year moratorium on growth at UCSC. Is it time for the gown to take a time-out so the town can recover, work on its own housing needs and shore up the transportation, and water infrastructure?
4. Should the community demand that at least a full 50% of the thousand units of housing now being envisioned along Front and Pacific, between Soquel and Laurel, be truly affordable housing? Not by “design” or simply called, “workforce housing,” but by law and HUD standards of between 30% and 80% of the median county household income?

5. San Jose to Houston for the P.O.P. conference–“Problem Oriented Policing.” Notice this is how they rope you in…there’s that first box of donuts, then…who knows what’s next. (L-R) Councilmember Chris Krohn, Chief of Police Andy Mills, Cathy Mills, Principal Management Analyst Lupita Alamos, and in the back, Santa Cruz Police Sergeant Bill Azua and Lt. Jose Garcia. [edit: Vice Mayor David Terrazas is also in the photo!] I’ll tell you about the conference in next week’s post and how many donuts I ate!!

   Continue the “Fight for $15” and demand it be on the ballot in 2018!

6. The city should implement the UCSC model of faculty housing by building low-cost for-sale units, which only increase in price at the local cost of living rate.
7. The city must work with the school district to create affordable housing for teachers. The city of Santa Cruz has land that could be “donated” to the school district to construct teacher housing. The school district holds land that the city can help with the permitting process.
8. Enact a real estate transfer tax, a special “Airbnb” tax, and a 3% hotel tax to support homeless services and a permanent fund for affordable housing.
9. The UCSC administration must lower its $1700 per month, per student dorm fees. It is the most potent force in driving up rentals all over town.
10. Elect a city council majority in 2018 that will help advocate, enact, and enforce the housing measures above; candidates who promote student concerns, uphold the values of labor, and place social justice, fairness and an open political process, first.

Bernie Tweet of the Week
“At a time of massive inequality, the Republican budget takes from the middle class and those in need, and gives huge tax breaks to the rich.” (Sept. 29)

Correction(?) Who knows how old UCSC is? Raise your hand. I know they had a 50th anniversary that lasted like, two years. In my column last week, I said this was the 51st year. (opened in 1965) Well, it turns out that 2017-1965 = 52. Someone wrote in to say UCSC is actually 53. So how old is it? You’d think you could Google the answer, but it’s not so easy.

(Chris Krohn is a father, writer, activist, former Santa Cruz City Councilmember (1998-2002) and Mayor (2001-2002). He’s been running the Environmental Studies Internship program at UC Santa Cruz for the past 12 years. He was elected last November to another 4-year term on the Santa Cruz City Council).

By: Becky Steinbruner    Email Becky at KI6TKB@yahoo.com

SAD DAY FOR RANCHO DEL MAR MERCHANTS AND THE APTOS COMMUNITY
I stopped in last Saturday evening at lower Rancho del Mar Center to offer help and good wishes to the independent small business owners on their final day allowed by TRC Retail.  Keang and DeeDee Lee were working hard to load fixtures they had sold into a trailer to clear out Le Chef Kitchen Store.  Lee’s Baskin-Robbins was already closed, but posters on the  window held hand-written sentiments from the customers who have appreciated Keang’s friendly manner and delicious ice cream for 14 years. Showtime Pizza owner Jose Gonzalez served a loyal customer the last piece of pizza and shook hands.  Sofia’s Taqueria owner, Robert Cordova, who started as a teenage dishwasher there and bought the business 12 years ago, talked casually with the many loyal customers who came for dinner before the restaurant is shuttered. 

WHY IS DEVELOPER TRC RETAIL BOOTING THESE FOLKS OUT WHEN THERE ARE NO BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED?  WHERE IS SUPERVISOR ZACH FRIEND? 
I asked the merchants what they would like to have from TRC Retail?

• Showtime Pizza owner Jose Gonzalez:  “Nothing.”  He got lucky and will move to the nearby Aptos Village Square and re-open next month.
• Sofia’s Tacqueria owner Robert Cordova replied “Please talk to me.”  He said TRC Retail would not answer his many requests for information and updates about the remodel timeline, and thought he had more time to find another place.  When he received the 30-day eviction notice, he said he asked about the projected price of the spaces after remodeling is complete: ” They said $4/SF…that’s too much for me.”  He pays $1.75/SF now.
• Baskin-Robbins and Le Chef owners Keang and Dee Dee Lee were working too hard to talk much, but said they really don’t know what to do.  TRC Retail has not replied to their repeated requests for information either.  “It would be nice if we had first option to locate back into the Center after the remodel is complete” Keang said earlier.  Maybe he does not know the $4/SF price tag.  “I am beginning to think that TRC Retail does not want a Baskin-Robbins in their shopping center,”  he added.
• Erik’s Deli was already closed up.
• Senior Benefits Insurance Services owners Ken Cook and Bill Weber, the last business to occupy the vacant theater building, were not around.

Call TRC Retail Project Manager Scott Grady 949-500-6192  Scott Grady sgrady@trcretail.com and ask that TRC Retail to at least give the tenants compensation for moving costs…after all, TRC Retail’s property managers (there have been three of them!) did not respond to the tenant’s questions and Mr. Bruce Walton, TRC Retail management, admitted “We dropped the ball on communication.”

TOTO, WE’RE NOT IN APTOS VILLAGE ANYMORE…..
Work on the Trout Gulch/Soquel Drive intersection in Aptos Village is looking more like downtown San Jose every day.  Take a look at this great photo by Aptos resident Holger Blech.  The railroad crossing towers are not yet in place but are stored on the Aptos Village Project premises and ready for Collins Electric to hoist them into place.  What is missing in this photo is the gridlocked traffic in all directions.

click here to continue (link expands, click again to collapse)

I WANTED TO BUY A GOOD BOOK, SO TRAVELLED TO KELLY’S BOOKS IN WATSONVILLE.
I asked Kelly (of Kelly’s Books) about the scenario when she was given a 30-day eviction notice by Kaiser Medical last year.  She had an interesting story.  It seems that well-meaning efforts by elected officials actually were not so helpful, but the additional time and $2/SF moving cost re-imbursement was better than nothing.  What surprised me was that those elected officials never once asked the affected business owners what they wanted in the process.  She also said that there is a legal requirement that businesses must be given 60 days notice to relocate, even if their rents are month-to-month.  I want to investigate that…..

COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REPORT PRIORITIZES COUNTY STORM-DAMAGED ROADS FOR REPAIR.
Last Tuesday’s Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisor meeting included a report from Department of Public Works (Item #38 on the Consent Agenda) that prioritized all 207 projects (page 1407 of the agenda, if you are interested).  I am happy to see that the precarious southbound Soquel Drive in the Aptos Village underpass area is #8 on the list and should be fixed by December 18, at a cost of $717,801.  The #1 priority of the County is Valencia Road in Aptos, now up to a grand total of $5.2 million after the Sups approved doubling the budget the week before. 

Even though Supervisor Zach Friend curtly announced at that meeting that he was tired of having me bring up the subject of Nelson Road in Scotts Valley and comparing it to the Valencia Road repair, I’m gonna do it again.  It needs to be pointed out (again) that the Nelson Road repair is a nearly-identical situation to the Valencia Road culvert repair but now at #156 on the County’s priority list for repair and is listed at costing $305,000 to repair.  Wow.  Why the difference?  Supervisor Bruce McPherson got Anna Eshoo up there right away, and the temporary bridge that had been sitting in the Public Works yard, according to Director John Presleigh, got installed within three weeks after the storm made the creek crossing impassable.  Supervisor Zach Friend waited over a month to give Jimmy Panetta a tour, and the temporary bridge finally went in six months after the storm collapsed the culvert and Valencia Elementary School closed. 

I am sure it will all look good someday on Zach Friend’s political resume.

SHOULD LOCAL FIRE AGENCIES BE ABLE TO BID ON PROVIDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT?
That was the big question and I was glad the Board of Supervisors had pulled that “non-controversial” Consent Agenda item off to be discussed in more depth as a regular agenda item.  So were the dozen or so fire and emergency response staff that attended.  It seems the County hired Abaris Group consultants for $100,000 to write a Request for Proposal (RFP) for providing emergency medical transport for Santa Cruz County residents.  The consultant met with emergency responders and related EMS staff to help craft the content of the RFP and had told the fire agencies they would be able to apply.  However, the actual wording of the document excluded the fire agencies, seemingly at the recommendation of the County Health Services Director Ms. Giang Nguyen.  After much discussion, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to accept the RFP wording and “get the process started.”  Only Supervisor Greg Caput looked out into the sea of dark blue uniforms and asked “Is this motion (to approve the RFP) what you want?”  Several heads shook ‘No”, but only Supervisor Greg Caput paid attention.  He was the lone “No” vote.  Stay tuned to possible delayed response times in a neighborhood near you….the bids close December 19.

COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED FOR THE COUNTY DRAFT EIR FOR CANNABIS CULTIVATION & MANUFACTURING LICENSES
Thanks to County Cannabis Licensing Director Ms. Robin Bolster-Grant for listening to the many residents who asked for more time to read the two-inch-thick Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR).  Now you have until October 31, 2017 to read and submit comment regarding this document that spells out significant impacts of the new County licenses for Cannabis Cultivation and Manufacturing.  The mitigations along are 33 pages long.  

Several County Commissions and staff have spent hundreds of thoughtful hours working out the details to address both the needs of the Cannabis industry, for which the County has already budgeted $1 million in anticipated tax revenue, and the mountain residents who worry about fires, water, erosion and trash.  The trick will be striking a balance that is not so onerous that the Black Market flourishes at the expense of the people dedicated to trying to do the right thing.  

It seems that the Second District special overlay that Supervisor Zach Friend pushed through at CEO Susan Mauriello’s bidding will remain in effect…no outdoor Cannabis cultivation allowed in his District.  Ms. Mauriello lives in the Second District and did not like the smell of Cannabis growing in her neighborhood.  Never mind that forcing growing operations inside buildings increases the risk of electrical overloads and fires.  My neighborhood nearly burned to the ground in 2013 for that very reason.

WILL THERE EVER BE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
With Governor Brown signing into law several bills aimed at increasing the state’s affordable housing problems, it merits thought as to what is behind the problem.  Is it lack of housing, or lack of housing that local people can AFFORD?  Santa Cruz City Councilman Chris Krohn’s article last week in Bratton Online really upset me…why wouldn’t the City leaders choose to require Barry Swenson developers to make 15% of the 79 residential units approved for the FIVE-STORY mixed-use building on Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street affordable?  Mr. Tim Willoughby of ‘Affordable Housing NOW!’ replied to my query to that group on this topic that the City only can require 15% affordable units that are to be sold, but not if they are for rent.

Now, however, that may change with AB 1505, which restores the ability of local governments to require developers to include affordable rental units after a 2009 appellate court had nixed it.  This seems like a good thing for the public benefit, as fewer people are able to afford to buy a home.  Notice, however, that the local governments MAY require but, if the process follows past patterns, local governments will not, because they seem to covet the “developer’s feasibility and flexibility.”  In other words, the developer gets to call the shots and make as much profit as they can, and often are awarded grand concessions to boot.  Not good for the taxpayers, or the general public benefit.

Other laws that Governor Brown just signed have me worried: 

• SB 167 will fine cities that do not comply with a court order to build developments at a certain rate would be hit with automatic fines of $10,000 per housing unit not built.
• SB 35 will require cities to build at the rate dictated by faceless regional agencies, such as Associated Bay Area Governments (AMBAG).  It will target cities that fall short of the quota and require them to approve more housing developments that fit the criteria until they are caught up with the mandated numbers.
• SB 540 will allow cities to essentially create planned unit developments for certain areas, possibly waiving public hearings and environmental reviews.  This is intended to speed up the approval and construction process.
• SB 2 will impose taxes of up to $225 on some real estate transactions (but not home purchases) to collect $1.2 billion over the next five years to address homeless issues.

A thought-provoking article in the Mercury News discussed the idea that constantly increasing taxes on the population only worsens the poverty levels and makes affordable housing further out of reach for more people.  Here is the link

BUILDING THE GREAT BIG WALL
I have been somewhat surprised that the Santa Cruz Sentinel has not been covering the progress of Trump’s Wall at the Mexican border, but I am grateful that the Mercury News and many other newspapers have.  According to the media, work is beginning this week on the prototypes by companies selected by the Homeland Security administration.  Several environmental laws have been waived to expedite the work. Here is a link to just one article

Also of note are articles about ICE arrests increasing 43% but fewer have criminal records.  Here is a link  

It seems that maybe our government could effectively put more effort and resources into helping undocumented residents hop on the pathway to citizenship.

What do you think?

~Cheers, Becky Steinbruner

Becky Steinbruner is a 30+ year resident of Aptos. She has fought for water, fire, emergency preparedness, and for road repair. She ran for Second District County Supervisor in 2016 on a shoestring and got nearly 20% of the votes.

CLASSICAL DeCINZO. A not very historic visit to KSCO!!! Scroll below.

EAGAN’S DEEP COVER. See Eagan’s “Taking The Knee” down a few pages. As always, at TimEagan.com you will find his most recent  Deep Cover, the latest installment from the archives of Subconscious Comics, and the ever entertaining Eaganblog and “Hoot Culture”

LISA JENSEN LINKS. Lisa writes: “It’s game-on when Billie jean King meets Bobby Riggs on the tennis court of honor in Battle of the Sexes, this week at Lisa Jensen Online Express (http://ljo-express.blogspot.com/). And kudos to the Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre for bringing an intriguing new play about Martin Luther King to our little town!” Lisa has been writing film reviews and columns for Good Times since 1975.

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE. Each and every Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. I host Universal Grapevine on KZSC 88.1 fm. or on your computer, (live only or archived for two weeks… (See next paragraph) and go to WWW.KZSC.ORG. October 3 has Denise Gallant talking about her Tom Scribner documentary, and then we’ll talk with Erik Gandolfini and Avondina Wills about The Mountain Top play at the Center Stage. On October 10 Phyllis Rosenblum discusses the Santa Cruz Chamber Players 2017-18 season. Following Phyllis Katie Hansen and Sierra Ryan two of the authors of the new MAH book Harvesting Our Heritage will discuss our County crop history. Gary Patton gives info and background on the Save Santa Cruz Organization on Oct.17. The top winners of the Bookshop Santa Cruz Young Writers contest read their works on November 28. OR…if you just happen to miss either of the last two weeks of Universal Grapevine broadcasts go here… http://www.radiofreeamerica.com/dj/bruce-bratton You have to listen to about 4 minutes of that week’s KPFA news first, then Grapevine happens. Do remember, any and all suggestions for future programs are more than welcome so tune in, and keep listening. Email me always and only at bratton@cruzio.com

UNIVERSAL GRAPEVINE ARCHIVES. In case you missed some of the great people I’ve interviewed in the last 9 years here’s a chronological list of some past broadcasts.  Such a wide range of folks such as  Nikki Silva, Michael Warren, Tom Noddy, UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal, Anita Monga, Mark Wainer, Judy Johnson, Wendy Mayer-Lochtefeld, Rachel Goodman, George Newell, Tubten Pende, Gina Marie Hayes, Rebecca Ronay-Hazleton, Miriam Ellis, Deb Mc Arthur, The Great Morgani on Street performing, and Paul Whitworth on Krapps Last Tape. Jodi McGraw on Sandhills, Bruce Daniels on area water problems. Mike Pappas on the Olive Connection, Sandy Lydon on County History. Paul Johnston on political organizing, Rick Longinotti on De-Sal. Dan Haifley on Monterey Bay Sanctuary, Dan Harder on Santa Cruz City Museum. Sara Wilbourne on Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre. Brian Spencer on SEE Theatre Co. Paula Kenyon and Karen Massaro on MAH and Big Creek Pottery. Carolyn Burke on Edith Piaf. Peggy Dolgenos on Cruzio. Julie James on Jewel Theatre Company. Then there’s Pat Matejcek on environment, Nancy Abrams and Joel Primack on the Universe plus Nina Simon from MAH, Rob Slawinski, Gary Bascou, Judge Paul Burdick, John Brown Childs, Ellen Kimmel, Don Williams, Kinan Valdez, Ellen Murtha, John Leopold, Karen Kefauver, Chip Lord, Judy Bouley, Rob Sean Wilson, Ann Simonton, Lori Rivera, Sayaka Yabuki, Chris Kinney, Celia and Peter Scott, Chris Krohn, David Swanger, Chelsea Juarez…and that’s just since January 2011.

QUOTES. “PUERTO RICO”

“American imperialism is often traced to the takeover of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii in 1898.”  Noam Chomsky
“In Puerto Rico, we have a lot of traditions. We eat a very typical thing that’s called ‘pasteles’ – it’s almost like a tamale made of bananas, and we make it all together. Like, all the women of the family unite, and it’s a very big deal, a very big thing”. Joyce Giraud
“After four centuries of Spanish rule, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States in 1898. Residents were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917, and the federal government has allowed Puerto Rico to exercise authority over its local affairs in a manner similar to the 50 states.” Pedro Pierluisi