Gerry Jensen
Age: 55
Occupation: Business owner, general contractor
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What are the top issues for the City of Capitola and how would you solve them?
Effective policies must start with strong community engagement and an accountable government.
Transparency is the cornerstone of good governance, but as I speak with voters, I’m hearing concerns about whether this fundamental principle is being upheld as strongly as it should be. To address this, we must improve the culture at City Hall to ensure that everyone feels welcome, valued, and heard.
A practical step in this direction is having City Council members rotate to hold consistent, weekly community office hours — even as little as four hours a week. This would significantly improve accessibility and open communication between residents and their representatives.
I am committed to championing this initiative, along with many other efforts, to strengthen community partnerships.
With these principles in place, we can more effectively tackle the many pressing issues facing Capitola. By focusing our efforts on supporting local businesses, revitalizing community spaces, investing in infrastructure, prioritizing safety, and expanding recreational programs for everyone — youth, families, and seniors alike — we can build a stronger, more resilient community. At the same time, we must address the need for increased housing options, protect our environment, and confront challenges like sea level rise through smart planning.
The state is pushing for more housing with the mandate in the Housing Element to plan for 1,336 new units from 2023 to 2031 but some residents see Capitola as already dense and built out. How do you balance conflicting expectations?
We can’t balance expectations without a serious effort in community outreach and education. This hasn’t yet happened. I’d like the city to collaborate with residents by going where people are, not the other way around.
This could include the development of a volunteer housing commission, neighborhood meetings, and diverse communication methods respecting the demands of people’s busy lives.
The Housing Element calls for planning 679 housing units at Capitola Mall when redeveloped by the owner, Merlone Geier Partners of San Francisco. Does that sound reasonable to you? Why or why not?
There are no proposed plans for mall development at this time, so it’s hard to review the impacts on the surrounding areas.
If designed and developed thoughtfully, the site could integrate housing and economic development while embracing the 15-minute city ideal—a concept where people can live close to their work, accomplish daily tasks within 15 minutes, reduce reliance on cars, ease congestion, and enhance overall quality of life.
Only 100 people — 1% of the city population responded to the survey about the 2023-31 Housing Element plan. What strategies would you suggest to increase participation?
It’s a problem to receive only a 1% response rate. This demonstrates what I’ve said previously: the city’s relationship with its constituents must improve.
When the Capitola Wharf Enhancement Project, which I led, reached out to the community for input on enhancements to the rebuilt wharf, we received over 1,000 responses. This is a direct result of employing multiple communication strategies. One of the simplest and most effective approaches is tapping into trusted messengers within the community to improve participation, yielding better results.
Residents welcome housing for their children, their aging parents and local workers. Would you support establishing those priorities? How? If not, why not?
I’ve demonstrated my commitment to expanded housing options through my actions as a Capitola planning commissioner. On a personal level, three of my four daughters (and now my grandchildren) must live elsewhere. This has caused our family to be separated.
Most other families in our area face the same circumstances. Families are the most supportive networks we have, yet this vital support system is strained when housing availability and affordability are so out of balance. We owe it to our community to do better, ensuring that families can remain close and thrive together.
The census estimates that 634 of Capitola’s 5,292 housing units are vacant — 12%, higher than the 9% in the county. Any idea why? Is this a problem the city should address?
When we examine the data more closely, we find something surprising — Capitola has actually experienced a steady decline in second homes since 2010. While second homes contribute to our vacancy rate, they aren’t the only factor.
Homes for sale, rental properties, and seasonal fluctuations also play a role in this number. Before we draw any conclusions, it’s important to analyze all aspects of the data to fully understand the causes of these vacancies. Only then can we determine the most effective ways to address potential issues.
Can you talk about your housing situation? Homeowner or renter? How does that help you relate to your constituents?
My wife, Heather, and I own our home. We recognize how fortunate we are and want to ensure that those who contribute to the vibrancy of our community can flourish and stay connected with their loved ones.
Describe your family situation. Married? Single? Children? Pets?
I’m married and have four daughters, five grandchildren ages 1 to 3, and two dogs.
Your favorite spot in Capitola? How do you spend your free time?
Capitola Beach is my favorite part of Capitola because it so uniquely blends nature, history, local businesses, and community in one space.
How long have you lived in Capitola? What brought you here?
Heather and I lived in Capitola for a decade. We chose to raise our family here because of Capitola’s exceptional quality of life, deep-rooted history of community care, and close-knit, small-town charm.
Honoring the legacy of those who came before us, we are dedicated to passing on the very best of Capitola to the next generation.
What prompted you to run?
Capitola is more than just where I’ve lived for over a decade. It’s where my heart is. It’s where I’ve raised my family and where I plan to spend my future.
I’m incredibly honored to have received the Make a Difference Award from the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County and to have been named Person of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. This campaign is my heartfelt promise to keep serving, driven by my love for this place we are all so fortunate to call home.
Contact me anytime at [email protected].
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Margaux Morgan
Age: 37
Occupation: Personal trainer and nutrition counselor
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What are the top issues for the City of Capitola and how would you solve them?
Right ow, I think some of the top issues are bike & pedestrian safety. In the last 4 years on Council, we have worked with traffic engineers and city staff to create safer roadways for motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and the like. There have been traffic-calming implementations at many intersections, including 41st Avenue and Capitola Avenue along with Bay and Hill Street near Nob Hill.
Many of our crosswalks have been upgraded with flashing yellow lights for pedestrians to enter the roadway safely. We will continue to study these changes to see what else may or may not need to be done to improve the roadways.
The state is pushing for more housing with the mandate in the Housing Element to plan for 1,336 new units from 2023 to 2031 but some residents see Capitola as already dense and built out. How do you balance conflicting expectations?
Yes, these expectations are extremely daunting. Many factors coming from the State are what contribute to the fact that our Regional Housing Needs Allocation numbers have been increased so significantly this cycle.
As a city we are working on re-zoning areas within our city limits to reflect the possibility of development in order to meet these state-mandated goals. If development ever does arise, the city and our planning commission would be working closely with those developers to ensure proper implementation of such development.
We would want to preserve the quality of life for all residents and see that any further buildings/developments would suit Capitola’s needs and wants.
The Housing Element calls for planning 679 housing units at Capitola Mall when redeveloped by the owner, Merlone Geier Partners of San Francisco. Does that sound reasonable to you? Why or why not?
I do believe that the plan of 679 housing units at the Capitola Mall is feasible and reasonable.
However, it has taken many years and lots of back and forth with Merlone Geier to actually create a plan that would work for both them and the City of Capitola. So far, no agreement has been met, which is unfortunate.
I, and I think many other residents, would love to see that area be a mixed-use property that would contain housing, local shopping, eating and fun.
Only 100 people — 1% of the city population responded to the survey about the 2023-31 Housing Element plan. What strategies would you suggest to increase participation?
I think many residents are unsure about what a housing element is and how they can be a part of the plans moving forward. So I believe some education around the topic could be helpful for many.
Residents welcome housing for their children, their aging parents and local workers. Would you support establishing those priorities? How? If not, why not?
I would support prioritizing housing for residents’ children, aging parents and/or local workers.
We could increase allowance of ADUs. Possibly create shared housing opportunities within the City utilizing family & work connections.
The census estimates that 634 of Capitola’s 5,292 housing units are vacant — 12%, higher than the 9% in the county. Any idea why? Is this a problem the city should address?
I believe that such a large percentage of housing units are vacant because there are many families who own second homes here. I feel that it is a problem because so many living spaces are going under-utilized when housing has become such a impacted issue in our city.
There has been talk of a “second home tax” or “empty home tax.” I would be very interested to see what that could do for our city.
However, we would have to figure out how to actually monitor the homes. Who would be doing that? Would the tax money be enough to support that? What would the monitoring perameters be?
There’s a lot to explore there.
Can you talk about your housing situation? Homeowner or renter? How does that help you relate to your constituents? Describe your family situation. Married? Single? Children? Pets?
I have been a homeowner since 2011. I live with my partner and dog.
Your favorite spot in Capitola? How do you spend your free time?
My favorite spot is the beach & village. I love walking my dog down riverview every morning, shopping in the local shops & eating at the local restaurants in town while soaking up the sun.
How long have you lived in Capitola? What brought you here?
I have loved in Capitola for over 18 years. I went to school at Cabrillo and San Jose State, where I graduated from.
What prompted you to run?
I was prompted to run back in 2020 because going through COVID was a really tough time for this community and I wanted to be involved in our comeback.
Being a resident and now a Council member gives me great pride in Capitola and I wanted to find a way to be a bigger part of the community and gain more relationships with community members.
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Melinda Orbach
Age: 40
Occupation: Family nurse practitioner
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What are the top issues for the City of Capitola and how would you solve them?
Without workforce housing, our local teachers, nurses, police, tradespeople, and service workers are forced to live far away from Capitola and contribute to the traffic problems on our congested local roadways.
We need to streamline the development review process by removing subjectivity and expanding the types of projects that can be approved administratively.
One easy change is to amend our zoning code to allow a Zoning Administrator to approve projects that comply with objective development standards, which would eliminate Planning Commission reviews for most projects and reduce time and costs for applicants.
We must increase City revenue to provide the services and amenities we want and need, and the future is 41st Avenue, which already generates 83% of the City’s sales tax revenue. The City should allow a wider variety of uses in commercial zones and reduce parking requirements to draw in new businesses.
The City should also aggressively pursue the development of a top-tier hotel and convention center at the northwest corner of Capitola Road and 41st Avenue. Paired with the Capitola Mall redevelopment, this project could generate significant TOT tax and provide desirable year-round event space for local and regional gatherings.
The state is pushing for more housing with the mandate in the Housing Element to plan for 1,336 new units from 2023 to 2031 but some residents see Capitola as already dense and built out. How do you balance conflicting expectations?
The Housing Element is a one-size-fits-all paper exercise, but the reality is that we must produce more housing to accommodate our local workforce, and the new zoning, policies, and programs included in the 6th Cycle Housing Element should hopefully make it easier to produce the type of higher density mixed-use housing we need to see.
The key to making additional housing work in our community is mitigating the impacts by doing things like providing more reliable public transportation and new active transportation options like rail trail Segment 10.
The Housing Element calls for planning 679 housing units at Capitola Mall when redeveloped by the owner, Merlone Geier Partners of San Francisco. Does that sound reasonable to you? Why or why not?
Reasonable or not, new state housing laws have removed most local control over residential development.
For example, if Merlone Geier were to submit a development application for a 25-story building with 1,000 housing units today, they could do so under builder’s remedy and the City would have no say because we don’t have a certified Housing Element. This is critical for people to understand when discussing local land use controls.
To ensure that projects are designed well, quality of life is maintained, and negative impacts are minimized, City staff must be proactive, flexible, and creative problem-solvers and engage with property owners and developers throughout the development review process.
Only 100 people — 1% of the city population responded to the survey about the 2023-31 Housing Element plan. What strategies would you suggest to increase participation?
The Housing Element requirements are incredibly prescriptive. No one wants to hear this, but cities are forced to tell HCD what they want to hear if they want to get their Housing Elements certified, no matter what local residents think.
If they don’t, they open themselves up to terrible projects under builder’s remedy and lose access to valuable funding opportunities. I would focus on increasing participation in other planning efforts, such as the Cliff Drive Resiliency Project, through targeted social media campaigns and outreach events.
Residents welcome housing for their children, their aging parents and local workers. Would you support establishing those priorities? How? If not, why not?
Absolutely. I support streamlining development approvals, supporting affordable projects with in-lieu funds, and incentivizing high-density mixed-use projects along 41st Avenue.
I am also endorsed by Santa Cruz YIMBY (Yes In My BackYard).
The census estimates that 634 of Capitola’s 5,292 housing units are vacant — 12%, higher than the 9% in the county. Any idea why? Is this a problem the city should address?
Capitola has always been a coastal resort town, but now investors are buying up homes with the intent of using them as short-term rental income properties.
Enforcement of short-term rentals is nearly impossible for a small city staff like Capitola’s, so the solution to our lack of workforce housing options for our year-round residents is to build more housing.
Can you talk about your housing situation? Homeowner or renter? How does that help you relate to your constituents?
With family assistance, my husband and I were lucky enough to buy a two-bedroom condo for us and our daughter in Capitola in 2017.
Since then, we have watched housing prices and interest rates rise to a level that has priced most working families out of our local community.
We also had two more children, so we are outgrowing our two-bedroom condo. Like most working families in Capitola, we are trapped in our current living situation until home prices and interest rates drop or we move out of the area.
Describe your family situation. Married? Single? Children? Pets?
I am married with three children (8, 6, and 2).
Your favorite spot in Capitola? How do you spend your free time?
Cliff Drive overlooking the wharf, Capitola Beach, and Capitola Village. We walk down to events in the Village pulling our kids in a wagon, and I love looking out over all of Monterey Bay and seeing the changing colors and conditions of the ocean, the surfers, sailboats, fisherman, etc. It’s a wonderful reminder of why I chose to live here.
How long have you lived in Capitola? What brought you here?
I have lived in Capitola since April 2017 (7.5 years). I relocated from Oakland to be with my husband and raise my family in the beautiful and safe community of Capitola.
What prompted you to run?
I believe action is the antidote to despair and that civic engagement is a form of self-care. When women are in leadership positions, we see more collaboration, compassion, connection, and community. I believe women should be in every space and in every conversation where important decisions are made.
I want to represent the historically underrepresented West side of Capitola. I strongly believe in representative democracy, where different lived experiences are valued and heard, and I believe that positive change happens when we create policies that are inclusive and represent the needs of diverse groups of people. If elected,
I will fight for policies and programs that will improve the physical and economic health and wellbeing of this community, drawing from my experiences as a working mother, health care provider, and union steward.
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Enrique Dolmo, Jr.
Age: 49
Occupation: NBMS athletic director, campus security, bus driver and classified union president
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What are the top issues for the City of Capitola and how would you solve them?
The top issues for the City of Capitola would be supporting our youth, access to housing and public safety.
The state is pushing for more housing with the mandate in the Housing Element to plan for 1,336 new units from 2023 to 2031 but some residents see Capitola as already dense and built out. How do you balance conflicting expectations?
I want to make sure that there is enough housing available in Capitola for our teachers, healthcare workers, policemen, firefighters, and other public service workers who work in this community to be able to actually afford to live in this community.
Our schools are losing enrollment, and that’s because families cannot afford to live here.
The Housing Element calls for planning 679 housing units at Capitola Mall when redeveloped by the owner, Merlone Geier Partners of San Francisco. Does that sound reasonable to you? Why or why not?
We need more housing units in Capitola so that we can keep families in our schools and make sure that the next generation of citizens can grow up in this town.
What I think would be great for our community is a recreational center in the old sears building.
Only 100 people — 1% of the city population responded to the survey about the 2023-31 Housing Element plan. What strategies would you suggest to increase participation?
We need to reach people where they are. I would post this across social media, and go door to door if necessary to increase participation.
Most working people are too busy to fill out a survey unless someone reaches out to them where they are.
Residents welcome housing for their children, their aging parents and local workers. Would you support establishing those priorities? How? If not, why not?
This is one of the top issues of my campaign- housing for children, families, and local workers is a huge reason I am running.
The census estimates that 634 of Capitola’s 5,292 housing units are vacant — 12%, higher than the 9% in the county. Any idea why? Is this a problem the city should address?
It comes down to cost. Who can afford to live in Capitola with the costs being what they are? Demand is high because this is a wonderful place to live. But the supply of housing is not high enough.
Can you talk about your housing situation? Homeowner or renter? How does that help you relate to your constituents?
I am lucky enough to have owned a home in Capitola since 2010, but I can definitely relate to people in other housing situations. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and I moved out here to South San Jose as a child.
I know what it is like for families to struggle to pay their rent.
Describe your family situation. Married? Single? Children? Pets?
I am married to a beautiful local teacher at Soquel Elementary and I have four wonderful children and one cat names Kittykat.
Your favorite spot in Capitola? How do you spend your free time?
With all the work I do for the Santa Cruz Warriors, for Soquel School District, and for Capitola restaurant of the year Britannia Arms, I don’t have a ton of free time.
But when I do, my favorite spot is the New Brighton Middle School gym on Monday nights to play basketball with the community.
How long have you lived in Capitola? What brought you here?
I have lived in Capitola for 14 amazing years, and I was brought here by my amazing wife, perfect weather, and a fantastic community.
What prompted you to run?
I decided to run for City Council after New Brighton Middle School lost a student.
At that point, I realized I wanted to do something more to support our local youth and families and keep our community safe.