Thank you for lighting the way
~ It was great to see you Saturday~
Hi Tom,
Thank you so much for joining us this past Saturday! Being in a room filled with people who care so deeply about our community was both energizing and heartwarming. The wonderful things happening in our community are made possible with your generosity.
We’re happy to share a few moments from the event. These photos were taken by Jeremy Lezin, a longtime friend of the Foundation. Additionally, here’s the slide show with all the wonderful stories about the impact your giving makes.
We’re Here to Help
From amplifying the power of your gift to ensuring it creates lasting change, we’re here to support you in every step of the way. Whether your passion is the arts, the environment, education, or another cause close to your heart, we can help you turn that passion into action.
Learn more and give to the funds we shared about on Saturday, including our Greatest Needs and Santa Cruz County Scholarship Endowment.
With gratitude for all you do every day,
Susan, Hilary, Kevin, and Kea
At the Community Foundation, we bring together local nonprofits, caring donors, and community leaders to benefit the people of Santa Cruz County, now and in the future.
2026 Impact Stories –
Past Homeowner Info Sessions –
Topic: Preparing for Downsizing Part 1
What Do You Do with all of your Stuff? How to deal with a lifetime of “stuff” when you begin to consider downsizing or selling your home? What are the common challenges? Tips for getting through it? Resources that can help.
Topic: Preparing for Downsizing Part 2
What you should know about Capital Gains Taxes if you are planning to downsize. Basis/Adjusted Basis and Capital Gains Exemptions. What to think about? How to estimate your calculations? Practical advice from a pro.
Topic: Preparing for Downsizing Part 3
Prop 19 and what you should know about transferring your property tax base both within and outside Santa Cruz County. How does the process work? What if you want to buy “up”. How this could affect your childrens’ inheritance.
Topic: New Septic System Requirements
What homeowners should be aware of and start preparing for. What are point of sale inspections? What future homeowners should know about septic guidelines. What’s an advanced treatment system?
Get the straight poop with Speaker: Ken Claussen from A+ Septic
Topic: What’s NEW with ADUs?
How have State-mandated changes on accessory dwelling units changed the game? New opportunities for two ADU’s on standard residential parcels. Reduced costs, easier guidelines, relaxed zoning.
Speakers: Christian Nielsen and Timerie Gordon from Nielsen Architecture and Design
Topic: Adventures in Fire Insurance
Is it still available? Where do you get it? How much does it cost? Will it get any better? Will my policy get canceled? One of the hottest topics we’ll talk about all year. Plus: The New Defensible Space Disclosure Requirements for Home sellers.
Speaker: Tanner Tedsen, Farmers Insurance
Topic: Learning to Go with the Flow. Updated Info on the new point of sale Sewer Lateral Ordinances
Introduced in 2020. How have they changed and what you need to know about Sewer Lateral Inspections, Repairs and Requirements when you sell a house.
Speaker: Mike Murrow from Bellows Plumbing
Instagram –
A Rarer Kind of Luxury
The luxury of silence.
The beauty of an ocean view.
A garden that feels like its own world.
And extraordinary antique architectural elements woven into the structure of the home.
A sense of place that is increasingly impossible to find.
Brezsny Associates
Christie’s International Real Estate- Sereno
(831) 588-8485
Open House This Weekend – Santa Cruz Gardens
Come experience the sunny side of Santa Cruz Gardens this weekend! Join us Saturday 8/29 from 1–4 PM and Sunday 8/30 from 12–3 PM to tour this thoughtfully reimagined and beautifully recreated 3BD/2.5BA home where contemporary design meets warmth, comfort, and effortless California living.
Set on a sunny 7,013-square-foot parcel, this exceptional home is filled with natural light and beautiful modern details. Wide-plank French white oak floors, vaulted ceilings, contemporary lighting, picturesque windows, and an inviting indoor/outdoor flow create a peaceful and sophisticated atmosphere throughout.
The beautifully updated kitchen features sleek quartz countertops, Bosch stainless steel appliances, and an induction range, while a versatile upstairs loft provides the perfect space for a home office, creative studio, reading nook, or relaxed lounge.
Both the living and family rooms open to the backyard deck and patio, extending the living space outdoors. The low-maintenance yard backs directly to open space, offering exceptional privacy and a peaceful connection to nature, with mature apple and lemon trees adding to the charm.
Thoughtfully updated from top to bottom with HVAC, tankless water heater, upgraded electrical, PEX plumbing, and double-pane windows and sliders, this is a home where the major details have already been taken care of.
And the location is hard to beat. Santa Cruz Gardens offers a wonderful sense of community with a neighborhood pool, highly regarded schools, nearby trails, easy access to Chaminade, and the Garden Deli just down the street—all while being only about 10 minutes from the beach.
If you’ve been looking for a home that combines modern style, privacy, natural beauty, and an ideal Santa Cruz location, this is one you won’t want to miss.
✨ Open House:
Saturday 8/29 | 1–4 PM
Sunday 8/30 | 12–3 PM
Come for a visit, stay for a lifetime. 🌿
We`re honored to be recognized in the 2026 RealTrends rankings among the top real estate teams in the nation.
While we`re proud of the accomplishment, what means the most to us is the trust our clients place in us every day. Brezsny Associates has always been built on relationships, not transactions. The majority of our business comes from past clients, friends, family, and referrals, and that is something we never take for granted.
To everyone who has trusted us with a purchase, sale, referral, or simply introduced us to someone they care about, thank you. Your support is the reason we`re able to do what we love and continue serving our community at a high level.
We`re incredibly grateful and look forward to helping many more families achieve their real estate goals.
#BrezsnyAssociates #SantaCruzRealEstate #RealTrends #Grateful #RelationshipsMatter
Open House This Weekend – Coastal Seabright Triplex with Income & Lifestyle Potential
Discover the flexibility and charm of coastal living this weekend in the heart of Seabright. Join us Saturday 5/30 from 12-3 PM and Sunday 5/31 from 12–3 PM to tour this rare triplex opportunity just moments from the beach and some of Santa Cruz’s favorite local destinations.
Situated on a spacious 7,492 sq ft lot, this unique property features three turn-key 1BD/1BA units, each approximately 592 sq ft, thoughtfully updated with fresh paint, laminate flooring, and inviting light-filled interiors ready for immediate income potential. Whether you’re an investor looking to expand your portfolio, seeking a primary residence with supplemental rental income, or dreaming of a beachside second home, this property offers exceptional versatility.
Each unit enjoys its own fenced front yard perfect for gardening, relaxing, or entertaining, along with access to a shared courtyard, shared laundry room, and carport with storage. Ideally located approximately a 15-minute walk to Seabright Beach and Ocean View Park, a 10-minute stroll to Shoppers Corner and The Buttery, and only a 5-minute drive to the Santa Cruz Harbor and vibrant downtown restaurants, shopping, and entertainment.
If you’ve been searching for a property that blends lifestyle, location, and income potential, this is one you won’t want to miss.
✨ Open House:
Saturday 5/30 | 12-3 PM
Sunday 5/31 | 12–3 PM
Come experience the coastal lifestyle that makes Seabright one of Santa Cruz’s most sought-after neighborhoods.
NEW LISTING - 3435 Crestline Way
Beautifully remodeled in 2026, this single level 3 bd, 2 ba home offers 1,432 sq ft of thoughtfully designed living space on an expansive 22,172 sq ft lot with sweeping views of the Monterey Bay. Enjoy panoramic vistas from the golden ribbons of sand along the shoreline from Rio Del Mar to Monterey, views of the Lighthouse on Westcliff & the surrounding mountains. Inside, natural light pours through large picture windows, highlighting wood floors, contemporary lighting & a gas starter fireplace w/custom tile surround. The updated kitchen features quartz countertops, a waterfall peninsula, stainless appliances, soft closing cabinetry & under cabinet lighting, opening to the main living areas & out to the expansive view patio. Both bathrooms showcase custom tile work, including a spa inspired rain shower & a hallway bath w/an oversized illuminated tile niche. Outdoor spaces are designed for enjoyment w/an entertainment patio, bar top seating, covered play area, garden beds & a private putting green w/chipping mats. Additional features include owned solar, new HVAC, new water heater, new roof, updated electrical panel, laundry room, ample storage & a two car garage. A rare opportunity to own a dazzling turnkey home w/captivating coastal views & exceptional indoor outdoor living.
There are homes that simply exist, and then there are homes that change how you feel when you arrive.
This Bonny Doon retreat is the kind of place that slows life down in the best way. Sunlight filtering through the trees. Quiet mornings with coffee on the deck. Evenings that stretch a little longer as the forest settles around you.
Inside, the mid-century warmth flows effortlessly from gathering spaces to the indoor saltwater pool, a rare and joyful feature that makes every day feel a little like a retreat. Outside, stone paths, native gardens, and open land invite you to wander, breathe deeply, and reconnect with nature.
It is peaceful, grounding, and quietly beautiful. A place where time softens and life feels just a little more intentional.
Come visit 150 McGivern Way and see for yourself this Saturday 4/4 from 12-3pm.
Open House This Weekend – Bonny Doon Retreat
Escape to your own Bonny Doon sanctuary this weekend. Join us Saturday 3/28 from 1–4 PM and Sunday 3/29 from 12–3 PM to experience this stunning mid-century retreat set on 4.5 sun-drenched acres.
This 5BD/2.5BA single-level home offers a rare blend of privacy, comfort, and indoor-outdoor living, highlighted by a one-of-a-kind indoor saltwater pool that brings spa-like relaxation into everyday life. Entertain or unwind on the expansive Ipe wood deck, surrounded by peaceful forest views and beautifully landscaped garden paths that create a true secret-garden ambiance.
The property also features a beautifully appointed detached 1BD/1BA casita with vaulted ceilings, wood floors, granite counters, and its own private balcony—perfect for guests, extended family, or creative space.
If you’ve been dreaming of space, privacy, and a home that feels like a retreat, this is one you won’t want to miss.
✨ Open House:
Saturday 3/28 | 1–4 PM
Sunday 3/29 | 12–3 PM
Come experience the lifestyle that makes Bonny Doon living so special.
Coastal Comfort on Santa Cruz’s Coveted Westside
Morning coffee on the porch, afternoons at the beach, and evenings entertaining in your private garden patios, and tucked on a quiet cul-de-sac this beautifully updated 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,614 Sq Ft Westside home captures the effortless Santa Cruz lifestyle just minutes from the coast. The home offers the perfect blend of privacy, style, and coastal living.
Inside, vaulted ceilings and wide plank white oak LVP floors create a bright, open feel, while fresh paint and contemporary lighting bring a clean, modern aesthetic throughout. The updated kitchen features sleek solid surface countertops, stainless appliances, and a layout that flows naturally into the home’s main gathering spaces, ideal for everyday living and effortless entertaining.
Multiple living areas, including both a living room and separate family room, offer flexibility for how you live, whether it’s cozy evenings by the electric fireplace, hosting friends, or simply enjoying quiet time at home. The refreshed bathrooms feature stylish upgrades including a rain shower and a lighted vanity mirror for a spa-like feel.
Outdoor living is just as inviting. Lush landscaped gardens surround the property, while multiple patio areas provide perfect spaces for outdoor dining, morning coffee, or lounging in the afternoon sun. A charming covered front porch welcomes you home, and a mature lemon tree adds a touch of classic California charm. From inside, enjoy peaceful peeks of the bay.
The location captures the best of the Westside lifestyle, just minutes to Swift Street Commons, local breweries, popular restaurants, boutique shops, and some of Santa Cruz’s most loved beaches. Wilder Ranch and its miles of coastal trails are nearby for hiking, biking, and taking in the dramatic coastline.
Private, stylish, and ideally located, this Westside home offers a rare opportunity to enjoy the laid back Santa Cruz lifestyle with modern comforts already in place. Come for a sunset, stay for a lifetime.
