Last updated: Feb. 8, 2023

Project name: 190 West Cliff

  • Location: The Dream Inn parking lot at Bay Street and West Cliff Drive
  • Status: Approved by Santa Cruz City Council in October, 2019. Residents filed a series of appeals to the California Coastal Commission in late 2019. Coastal Commission staff said in February 2023 they hope to bring the project to a Coastal Commission hearing in spring or summer.
  • Developer: Cliff Bay Partners and Ensemble Investments. Cliff Bay Partners is affiliated with Ensemble. Ensemble has owned the Dream Inn since 2006.

A proposed four-story building at 190 West Cliff Drive would have 89 condominiums, 10 of which would be affordable. (Rendering: Ensemble Investments)

The Dream Inn parking lot now stands at 190 West Cliff Drive. (Brian Phan — Santa Cruz Local)

Project description

  • Total units: This project calls for 89 housing units to replace a parking lot at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz
  • Affordable units: Eight units for people with very low incomes, two units for people with low incomes. Income limits for these units are set by the state.
  • Height: The project would be 47 feet, about as high as the white condos that are across Bay Street. For comparison, the Dream Inn is at 83 feet.
  • Proponents and Opponents: The project received opposition from some neighbors, including residents of the mobile home park Clearview Court. Reasons included traffic, noise, the building’s height and mass and the lack of an environmental impact report. Supporters of the project said housing is sorely needed in Santa Cruz.
  • Details: The project didn’t require an environmental impact report because it fit the General Plan, city leaders said. The city did an environmental impact report in 2012 for projects that fit the General Plan. The project did include environmental analysis. About 90-95% of the work of a full environmental impact report was completed for this project, according to a lawyer hired by the city. To seek a full environmental impact report, the city council would have to show substantial evidence that contradicts the 2012 General Plan environmental report, the lawyer said.

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How to make your voice heard: Submit comments and questions on the City of Santa Cruz project application page.

Read about other notable housing and construction projects in Santa Cruz County.