If two ballot initiatives currently collecting signatures gain majority vote in November 2022, affordable housing will units will multiply with an ongoing stream of revenue to subsidize them.

It's our chance to change .

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The Empty Home Tax

This initiative will tax homes that are empty 120 days or more per year. The tax would be $6000/year per empty residential parcel and $3000 for empty units in condos or for vacant residential units on parcels of 7 or more units. The expectation is to encourage people who have empty homes to either rent them or pay a tax on the unoccupied space. Although the project income from this measure is till difficult to assess, EHT expects that the annual revenue will be in millions of dollars, needed money to help people find a place to live in this very expensive city. Find out more here.

 

 

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Our Downtown - Our Future

This initiative is broader than the Empty Home Tax. Initiated after the City voted to build a 6-story parking garage, with library and 50 affordable housing units (now 102), the initiative, when passed by the voters, will require that the City build affordable housing on most City-owned parcels downtown (including Lot7) AND, by not building the parking garage on Lot 4, will ensure a steady revenue stream to build affordable housing. Find out more here.
(Full disclosure: reImagine's Erica Aitken is actively engaged in helping get Our Downtown - Our Future on the ballot)

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HELP!

Both initiatives are required to collect signatures in order to put their proposal on the November 2022 Ballot. You can help them by donating to their political fund, by volunteering, and by signing the petition.

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To donate, you can either visit their websites or you can donate to reImagine by clicking on the Donate button above. All donations will be split in two and sent to Empty Home Tax and Our Downtown, Our Future.

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Thank you. We're very excited because it's time to let the voters of Santa Cruz decide the future of their town!

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