Sand City · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Sand City public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Housing Policy Recognition
Sand City has been officially labeled pro-housing by California, a designation that could help unlock state housing programs and signal the city is serious about building more homes. For locals, it mostly means more tools and incentives may be available to move housing projects forward—though actual construction still depends on specific proposals.
Opportunity Zones 2.0 Census Tract Nomination
Sand City is nominating its one qualifying census tract for the new federal Opportunity Zones 2.0 program, which offers tax incentives meant to draw investment into commercial infill and housing near existing city projects.
Monterey Bay Shores Resort Development Agreement
The city locked in a long-term deal with New Dawn Equity Partners for a resort on 39 acres between Highway 1 and the bay — 184 hotel rooms, 92 condo-hotel units, and 92 residential condos. The agreement freezes land-use rules for the project's seven-year initial term while bringing the city fees and a new Community Facilities District.
Monterey Bay Shores Resort Development Agreement
The biggest project on the shoreline in decades — a hotel, spa, condo-hotel, and 92 homes on 39 dune acres — moved through its first reading. The agreement extends the project's approvals past their August 2026 expiration in exchange for new city revenues.
Housing Development
Sand City is seeing apartment construction pick up, though only a few units are done so far and a larger wave is still coming. That could mean more housing choices and more neighbors soon, but also short-term construction and growth pressures.
Coastal Development Permit
Sand City has a beachfront project in the works, and the developer is now working with the California Coastal Commission on the required coastal development permit. If you care about what gets built along the shoreline—and who gets to use it—this is the process to watch.