Last updated: April 2023
Construction continues on a 205-unit housing project with shops at Pacific Avenue and Laurel Street in Santa Cruz on Oct. 19, 2022. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
Stay up to date with the latest about major housing and construction projects across Santa Cruz County and how to make your voice heard.
Follow the links to learn more about these developments:
Santa Cruz
- 415 Natural Bridges Drive apartments (Updated April 2023)
- Twenty studios are expected to built on land owned by the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz. Construction is expected to start in May 2023.
- Peace Village housing complex at Peace United Church of Christ
- Church leaders have proposed a 40-unit complex with nine affordable units on church property at 900 High St.
- 190 West Cliff Drive, Dream Inn parking lot (Updated February 2023)
- The owner of the Dream Inn plans to build 89 housing units on a parking lot across from the hotel. The project would be four stories, with two levels of underground parking.
- Pacific Front Laurel
- This project calls for 205 market-rate housing units with ground-floor shops. The project takes up the entire downtown block between Pacific Avenue, Front and Laurel streets. The project has six stories plus two levels of underground parking.
- Pacific Station housing project at Downtown Santa Cruz bus depot, 925 Pacific Ave.
- This project includes up to 179 affordable units above ground-floor commercial space. The proposal includes a new downtown Pacific Station Metro bus station and medical office space.
- Downtown Santa Cruz library, parking garage and housing
- This project calls for a new one-story library, up to 125 affordable housing units and a maximum 310-space parking garage at Cedar and Cathcart streets, where the downtown farmers market meets.
- 831 Water St. (Water Street and Branciforte Avenue)
- This proposal calls for a “workforce housing” building and a second “affordable housing” building at the intersection of Water Street and Branciforte Avenue. Each building would be four stories.
- Food Bin redevelopment, 1130 Mission St., Santa Cruz (Updated April 2023)
- This project calls for a five-story building with 59 single-occupancy units with ground-floor commercial space.
- La Bahia Hotel and Spa (Updated February 2023)
- A 155-room luxury hotel and spa is under construction at 215 Beach St.
- 130 Center St. across from Depot Park
- This project calls for a six-story apartment complex with shops at 130 Center St. in Santa Cruz. The lot near Depot Park now has an auto body shop and a Hertz rental car shop.
- 324 Front St. downtown hotel
- This six-story project includes 228 rooms. It would replace the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union building and two city-owned parcels.
- 530 Front St. housing complex (Updated April 2023)
- A seven- and eight-story, 276-unit rental housing complex is planned at Front Street and Soquel Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz.
- 126 Eucalyptus Ave., senior housing project at former Gateway school (Updated February 2023)
- The Watermark at Santa Cruz has been approved with 76 homes for seniors.
- Calvary Episcopal ‘red church’ housing project (Updated February 2023)
- There is a proposal for a 65-unit affordable housing project on a parking lot next to the church.
- 301 Beach St., Marea Sol Hotel, formerly Coastview Inn
- Owners are building an addition to the existing hotel, including the addition of five rooms, two new floors and an exterior remodel.
- 119 Coral St., permanent supportive housing project (Updated February 2023)
- The Santa Cruz Planning Commission approved 120 studio units for permanent supportive housing for homeless people with disabilities.
- 727 Hanover St. housing project
- Eleven homes are proposed.
- Pure Water Soquel conveyance project
- An 8-mile pipeline is being constructed underground from the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility at 110 California St. in Santa Cruz to a new water purification center in Live Oak and on to Aptos.
- 150 Felker St. apartments
- This project calls for a 4 story apartment complex with up to 33 units near the Graham Street exit on Highway 1, off Ocean St.
- 908 Ocean St., Ocean Place condominiums (Updated February 2023)
- Twenty parcels are proposed to be combined on Ocean and May streets to build 390 condos and ground-floor shops.
- 1811 and 1815 Mission St., Mission Studios (Updated February 2023)
- A three-story mixed use development with ground-floor offices and second- and third-story apartments is proposed on the south side of Mission Street between Palm and Dufour streets.
- Linda Vista Shopping Center, with La Cabaña Taqueria and Arrow Surf & Sport (Updated February 2023)
- Developers are renovating a strip mall that was severely damaged in a fire in 2022. The center now includes La Cabaña Taqueria and Arrow Surf & Sport, which will remain open during construction, then operate in the renovated center.
- Highways 1 and 9 intersection project (Complete)
- New turn lanes, bike lanes and shoulders are being added to Highway 1 and 9, and along River Street in Santa Cruz.
- 350 Ocean St., Ocean Street Apartments (Complete)
- Construction of 63 apartments finished in February 2022. Each unit has one to three bedrooms.
Aptos
- Aptos Village Phase 2
- Twenty-nine homes and at least seven shops are expected to be built next to 141 Aptos Village Way in Aptos.
Soquel
- 2838 Park Ave., Soquel, Project Homekey housing
- Thirty-five permanent supportive housing units and one manager’s unit are proposed to be built with a potential $13.5 million from the state. The aim is to prevent homelessness among veterans and families house young adults who aged out of the foster-care system.
Live Oak
- Kaiser Permanente medical complex, 5940 Soquel Ave. (Updated February 2023)
- Leaders from Kaiser Permanente have proposed a 160,000-square-foot building at 5940 Soquel Ave. in Live Oak. it would include 24-hour urgent care, physical therapy, chemotherapy, optometry and a pharmacy.
- Bienestar Plaza, 1520 Capitola Road housing near health and dental clinics (Updated April 2023)
- The 1520 Capitola Road project near 17th Avenue calls for 57 units of affordable housing. The project will include two clinics: a Dientes Community Dental Care and a Santa Cruz Community Health Center.
- Maciel Residential Community (Updated February 2023)
- The project calls for 21 detached single-family townhomes at 1960 Maciel Ave. in Live Oak.
Capitola
- Capitola Mall
- The Capitola Mall project calls for 637 housing units, commercial space and a theater where the Capitola Mall now stands.
Watsonville
- 1482 Freedom Blvd.
- 53 affordable housing units have been approved for construction at Freedom Boulevard and Atkinson Lane.
- The Residence at 558 Main
- 50 apartments will be built at 558 Main St., south of East Fifth Street in Watsonville.
Scotts Valley
- Bay Village subdivision
- Eight houses and two duplexes will be built on a vacant lot between MacDorsa Park and the Scotts Valley Fire Department on Erba Lane.
More Resources:
- City of Santa Cruz Active Planning Applications and Status page
- County of Santa Cruz Planning Department page
- City of Capitola Community Development page
- City of Scotts Valley Current Projects page
- City of Watsonville Planning Division page
- Housing Santa Cruz County’s Affordable Housing Projects page