Capitola

Capitola is a small seaside town in Santa Cruz County, California. The city had a population of 9,938 at the 2020 census. Capitola sits on the northeast shore of Monterey Bay. Steep cliffs mark access to several popular beaches, including New Brighton Beach, or drop directly to the rocky shoreline of the bay. In the summer of 1961 hundreds of birds attacked the town. Most of the birds were sooty shearwaters, a normally non-aggressive species that rarely comes to shore. The reason for this attack remained unknown for over 25 years until it was discovered that the birds had been affected by domoic acid, a toxin produced by red algae. In 2009 a drainage pipe burst following heavy rains, sending a surge of water through the historic village area. On March 24, 2011, a drainage pipes burst after heavy rains. The area was flooded again two days later when the area was floods again. The first Condominium Beach Community in the United States, built in 1924, is on the National Register of Historic Places as "The first condominium beach community in the U.S. Built in 1924". It is located at 36°5835N 121°5717W (36.976250, 121.954750) The city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), of which 1.6 square miles of land and 0.1 square mile (0.26 km²) of water. It is known as the oldest beach resort on the West Coast.

History

Soquel Landing got its name from a wharf located at the mouth of Soquel Creek. Capitola is known as the oldest beach resort on the West Coast. In the summer of 1961 hundreds of birds attacked the town. Most of the birds were sooty shearwaters, a normally non-aggressive species that rarely comes to shore. Alfred Hitchcock was a regular visitor to nearby Santa Cruz and read about this episode. He went on to direct a filmThe Birdsbased on the idea ofHundreds of birds attacking humans. On March 24, 2011, a drainage pipe burst following heavy rains, sending a surge of water through the historic village area. Two days later cleanup operations were interrupted when the area was flooded again. In 2009 efforts were made to revive the event. The Capitolas Classic was a skateboarding event held in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was a head-to-head speed competition that drew top names in the sport, many local as well as international, including Santa Cruz, California local John Hutson, who held the world speed record for skateboarding at 53.45 mph and dominated the event each year. The event was known in skating circles for its annual downhill race, which was a. head- to-head race that drew many local and international top names. The last time the event was held was in 2000, when it was held at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It has since been canceled. It is unclear why Frederick A. Hihn decided to develop the area as a seaside resort.

Geography

Capitola is located at 36°5835N 121°5717W (36.976250, 121.954750) The city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), of which 1.6 square miles is land and 0.1 square mile (0.26 km²) is water. Steep cliffs mark access to several popular beaches, including New Brighton Beach, or drop directly to the rocky shoreline of the bay. Capitola has mild weather throughout the year, enjoying a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. Due to its proximity to Monterey Bay, fog and low overcast are common during the night and morning hours, especially in the summer. The historic Venetian Court that sits on the beach just east of the pier is on the Register of National Historic Places as "The first Condominium Beach Community in the United States, built in 1924" The city is home to the Santa Cruz County Museum of Art and History, which was founded in 1872. The Santa Cruz Coast Guard Station, which opened in 1875, is located in the city's downtown area. It is located on the harbor at the mouth of Soquel Creek, which is a tributary of the San Francisco Bay. There have been a number of historic fuel releases to the soil in Capitolas, among these the following locations have been identified by the County of Santa Cruz or California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that Capitola had a population of 9,918. The racial makeup of the city was 83.84% White, 1.17% African American, 0.57% Native American, 4.00% Asian, 5.53% from other races, and 4.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.63% of the population. There were 5,534 housing units at an average density of 3,302.7 per square mile (1,275.2/km²), of which 2,152 were owner-occupied, and 2,474 (53.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate is 4.8%. The median income for a household in the city in the 2010 U.S. Census was $46,048. The average household size was 2,11, and the average family size was2.78. The city's population was spread out with 1,643 people (16.6%) under the age of 18, 930 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,801 people (28.2%) aged 25 to 44, 3,005 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,539 people (15.5) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

Economy

Capitola Village and Esplanade is the heart of Capitola Retail and Tourism hub being a drawn for tourist and locals alike. 41st Ave is the retail and business corridor for a majority of larger national and regional business serving the community as a whole. The Capitolas Mall, the only enclosed regional shopping center in Santa Cruz County is slated for redeveloped into a mixed use project with the increasing pressure due to the failure of the traditional mall concept. The principal employers in the city are; Santa Cruz Bank and Trust, Capitolaworks, Inc. and Santa Cruz Gas and Electric Company. The city's unemployment rate is currently at 3.7%. The city has a population of 2,816. The unemployment rate for CapitOLA is currently 3.8%. The unemployment rates for the county are currently at 2.9%. The town has a poverty rate of 1.8 per cent, the highest in the county. The town's population is 2,716. It has a unemployment rate of 3.9 per cent. It is the second highest for the County of Santa Cruz, after Santa Cruz. The county has a Poverty Rate of 2.7 per cent and the state has a Unemployment Rate of 4.1 per cent (2013-2014). The city is home to a number of small businesses, such as a coffee shop, a hair salon, a restaurant, a bank and a health care provider. It also has a large number of non-profit organizations, including the local Chamber of Commerce.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Capitola is in the 17th Senate District, represented by Democrat John Laird. In the U.S. House of Representatives, the town is in California's 20th congressional district. The town is part of the San Francisco Bay Area, which is home to the Golden Gate Bridge and the California Bay Area Freeway and Expressway. The Santa Cruz Mountains are the town's main source of water supply. The city is also home to a number of wineries and wineries, including Santa Cruz Mountain and the Santa Cruz Coast Range, which was founded in the early 19th century. It is also the home of the California National Guard, which has been stationed in the town since the mid-19th century, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary since the early 20th century as well. The community is also known as "Capitola" or "Santa Cruz" because of its proximity to the SantaCruz Mountains. It has a population of about 2,000 people, most of whom live in and around the town of Capitolas. It also has a small percentage of residents who live outside of the city, such as in Santa Cruz County and the San Diego County area. It was the site of the first recorded human sacrifice in the area, in 1881. The area is also a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer months, when it is known for its beaches and nightlife. The village has a reputation for being a good place to hang out.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Capitola, Santa Cruz County, California = 95. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 29. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 81. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Capitola = 5.2 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 9,938 individuals with a median age of 42.6 age the population dropped by -5.38% in Capitola, Santa Cruz County, California population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 6,234.63 residents per square mile of area (2,406.54/km²). There are average 2.07 people per household in the 4,504 households with an average household income of $59,531 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 10.70% of the available work force and has dropped -4.54% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 20.22%. The number of physicians in Capitola per 100,000 population = 250.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Capitola = 30.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 0 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 65. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 263. 74 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 57, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Capitola, Santa Cruz County, California which are owned by the occupant = 40.08%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 37 years with median home cost = $445,100 and home appreciation of 16.12%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $5.92 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,053 per student. There are 19.4 students for each teacher in the school. 17509.11% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 22.08% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 12.30% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).