Urban Housing Development talk focuses on housing crisis

People who packed an Urban Housing Development program hope talking about the housing crisis in California will lead to action.

Keynote speaker Gregory Morrow, of UC Berkeley, said, “It’s an issue across the state, how to figure out how to do more housing, and do it well, and do it in a way that fits in with communities, Santa Barbara’s condition is unique in its own way, but we are seeing this condition across the street.”

The UC Cal Berkeley Community and its founder Ohan Arakelian hosted the event in Santa Barbara. Alumni from Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties attended.

Many young adult residents looking for affordable housing joined them.

“We need more urban housing, beneficial from an environmental point of view, from an economical point of view, ” said Dr. Morrow who is the Executive Director of the Real Estate Development and Design Master’s Program at UC Berkeley.

He said construction costs are skyrocketing making suburban development costly.

He said urban development will help downtown businesses that residents can walk to.

The new Kiva Cowork space is an example.

Kim Zajac just moved to the area from Chicago for a job opportunity.

“Moving here from Chicago, you feel the housing crisis.”

Zajac would like to see more workforce housing.

Her friend Dayna Lake agrees, “The housing crisis is real. A huge part of the component of the problem is NIMBY; not in my back yard.”

For more information about future events follow https://www.facebook.com/calsanta barbara.

KEYT 2019