How long have you worked for the City of Santa Cruz?
I joined the team in October 2019.

What do you do in the Housing Division?
As the Housing Programs Specialist in the Housing Division, I work on Measure O sales and rental requests and administrative processes; annual compliance monitoring procedures for inclusionary units, ADUs, HUD programs, and Measure O units; administering and monitoring HUD funding program allocations, such as CDBG, HOME, and CDBG-CV. I also assist in grant applications to help further the Affordable Housing goals of the City and answer general inquiries from the community related to housing, affordability, and more.

Why did you choose to work in the Housing Division?
I chose to work in the Housing Division because I wanted to gain a different perspective on affordable housing. My nonprofit and direct services background gave me a unique hands-on approach to understanding affordable housing processes but working for local government with the City has given me a deeper understanding of the relationships needed to make quality, accessible affordable housing a reality. I am happy to be a part of the Housing team in the Economic Development Department and continue to develop a presence in the City.

What are your favorite aspects of your job?
I really enjoy that no day is ever the same. The Economic Development Housing Team has so many different diverse projects and the need for affordable housing in Santa Cruz and the greater Bay Area is greater than it’s ever been. This allows me to really use my interpersonal skills and creative problem solving, in addition to drawing on my nonprofit background and experience with direct services to increasing affordable housing opportunities here in Santa Cruz.

What are you looking forward to working on in 2021?
I’m looking forward to simplifying our affordable housing monitoring process and moving it online. This will allow residents who participate in our monitoring programs to submit the annual reports with more ease. I am also looking forward to developing expertise in grant writing and expanding on my skill sets in community engagement, communication, and participatory planning.