Sustainability, Housing, Transportation
Sustainability:
Sustainable living creates a sustainable community
Santa Cruz has the opportunity to lead in combating climate change. The Council can and must limit the University’s development to sustainable levels, preserve and invest in green space for all neighborhoods, defend our ground and surface water, and our spaces for indigenous wildlife. Sustainability protects our community- our priority.
Drew’s experience working with grassroots environmental organizations in Santa Cruz demonstrates that small non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are at the forefront of a community flourishing with expertise, ideas, and concern for ecologically intelligent design and new solutions for local economies.
Housing:
Housing security and access to social services creates a safer environment for our families and neighborhoods
Santa Cruz is one of the least affordable cities in the nation. The Occupational Employment Statistics Survey reveals 22,235 people in the survey work in the food industry (cooks, servers, head chefs). Not a single individual of these 22,235 people could afford the 2015 median rent of $1,442 by only spending 30% of their income on rent. When spending 50% of their income, only 1,010 of these people could afford to pay the median rent (Chefs, supervisors , and cooks at institutions). Even in investing 75% of their income, 350 individuals were still unable to pay the median rent.
We must support rent control in Santa Cruz. The human costs are felt in every household, every classroom, and every workplace; our city cannot afford this and rent control can help make housing more affordable in Santa Cruz. Drew also plans to increase affordability by raising the inclusionary zoning and locking affordability to the unit, not the owner.
Drew grew up in Santa Cruz in the 90’s, raised by a single mother who was attending college, and has witnessed the housing market in our city become increasingly unaffordable, especially for the most vulnerable. Although the unaffordability of the housing market is a national problem, Drew’s campaign is focused on advocate for housing rights. He will work to Invest in local organizations, enact strategies to house people who have lost shelter, and develop new mechanisms to reduce the gap between income and rent will allow residents to contribute to the Santa Cruz community–and, most importantly–to live comfortably. by working with others to create viable options that we currently lack, such as rent control, tenants’ rights support, student groups, and ordinances that promote new, sustainable solutions.
Transportation:
A fully funded, accessible public transit system is the foundation for our future
Transportation is one of the most urgent matters facing city and county decision-makers, both in this election, and in the next years. We believe in minimizing options that create wider roadways and maximizing options that help us divest from fossil fuels and individual vehicles. Our solutions should seek commuter relief and corridor-opening by fully funding the metro, encouraging efficient mass transit and safe cycling routes, and encouraging locally self-sufficient neighborhoods by strategically supporting affordable housing and small business development in ways that reduce travel.