Published on August 06, 2026
The City of Santa Cruz is developing design guidelines for larger multifamily housing and mixed-use development such as those that have been proposed and constructed around the downtown and the major corridors(Mission Street, Ocean Street, Soquel Avenue, and Water Street). These guidelines will help shape how new housing is designed so it fits well within neighborhoods, contributes to the character of Santa Cruz, and supports safe, attractive, and livable communities.
This summer, the City hosted a design professional forum and a Planning Commission hosted public workshop to better understand design themes that should be prioritized when drafting design guidelines for multifamily housing.
Wenowinviteyou to share your perspective on design guidelinesand the feedback received from design professionals, the Planning Commission, and community meetingthrough this public input survey. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
Yourinput from this survey will help refine resultsfrom prior engagementand shape the final guidelines to ensure they reflect local values, priorities, and the unique character of Santa Cruz. The survey will remain open through August – we look forward to hearing from you!
Please visit the Design Guidelines City Webpage for more information and next steps.