Santa Cruz Residents Debate Housing, Climate, and Rail Plans

Letters to the editor address growth, environmental responsibility, and the future of transportation in the county.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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This week's Letters to the Editor in the Santa Cruz Good Times newspaper address a range of local issues, including concerns about the pace of new housing development, calls for greater accountability from fossil fuel companies and consumers for climate change, and disagreement over plans to remove railroad tracks in favor of a trail-only project.

Why it matters

These letters highlight ongoing debates within the Santa Cruz community around balancing growth, environmental protection, and transportation infrastructure - issues that will have significant impacts on the region's future development and quality of life.

The details

The letters cover several key topics. One resident, Deb Molina, calls for more detailed data on new housing units built, including how many are low-income versus market-rate, as well as information on commercial occupancy rates and water usage. Another letter writer, Tim Rudolph, argues that consumers share blame with oil companies for perpetuating fossil fuel use and the climate crisis. Meanwhile, Kevin Kinkor expresses concern over efforts to remove railroad tracks in favor of a trail-only project, urging county leaders to preserve the rail corridor for potential future passenger service.

  • The letters were published on February 11, 2026.

The players

Deb Molina

A Santa Cruz resident who is seeking more data and transparency around new housing development in the city and county.

Tim Rudolph

A Santa Cruz resident who argues that consumers share responsibility with oil companies for the climate crisis.

Kevin Kinkor

A Santa Cruz resident who is urging county leaders to preserve the railroad tracks rather than pursue a trail-only project.

Fred Keely

A former Santa Cruz County Treasurer who is now leading efforts to advance a trail-only project that would remove the railroad tracks.

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What they’re saying

“How many new units/ homes have been built in the last two years? How many are low-income? How many are market rate? What is the average rent for those? And how many are currently rented? How many are in the city versus the county? What is the occupancy rate of commercial space below many of these buildings? Where is the water coming from to pipe into all these new homes? What number of new housing do we need to hit before we can stop the new building?”

— Deb Molina, Santa Cruz Resident (goodtimes.sc)

“If, indeed, we were to really make polluters pay and thus properly account for the natural capital debt we're accruing, gasoline would be 17 dollars per gallon, the cost of heating and cooling your home and fueling your various toys and devices would have you filing for bankruptcy, and clothing yourself in petroleum-based synthetics might involve some sort of cap-and-trade requirement.”

— Tim Rudolph, Santa Cruz Resident (goodtimes.sc)

“Less than four years ago, 73% of voters made it clear they want the tracks preserved for future rail use. Moving toward track removal contradicts that mandate and risks disregarding the will of the voters.”

— Kevin Kinkor, Santa Cruz Resident (goodtimes.sc)

What’s next

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will hold a public meeting on March 4, 2026 to discuss the future of the rail corridor and potential trail-only plans.

The takeaway

The letters highlight the ongoing tensions in Santa Cruz around balancing growth, environmental protection, and transportation priorities - issues that will require careful consideration of community input, data-driven analysis, and long-term planning to address.