More than a week after a large swell damaged their homes in the Santa Cruz Harbor and cut off electricity and water services, several harbor residents received some financial relief Wednesday.
Nineteen harbor residents received $500 gift cards through community fundraising efforts from Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, according to CEO Susan True.
True visited with Santa Cruz Harbor residents Wednesday and heard from people who had completely lost their homes or who are temporarily unable to live on their boat because some utilities still haven’t been restored.
“It ranges in severity, some are truly homeless,” she said. “There’s other people who are just really medically fragile and elderly and can’t be on a boat without water because water hasn’t been restored yet even though electricity has now been restored.
True said Community Foundation Santa Cruz County launched a relief fund last week for Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf workers and harbor residents after the swell damaged both sites and closed down the wharf.
On Thursday afternoon, city officials announced the wharf was deemed safe and will reopen Saturday. About 20 businesses and their approximately 400 employees will have been out of work for nearly two weeks.
About 180 wharf employees have so far sought out the $500 assistance through Community Foundation, according to True. She said the foundation is working with local nonprofit Community Bridges to process and distribute the gift cards, which can be used for food and hotel stays. With limited staffing over the holidays, True said the organizations are working as quickly as they can to address the needs of affected workers and residents.
“This is a totally grassroots response,” she said. “There’s no government intervention that’s a part of this.”
Last Tuesday, the City of Santa Cruz declared an emergency, paving the way for state and federal support. City Manager Matt Huffaker told Lookout that city officials have already been in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance.
Have news that should be in Lookout Briefs? Send your press releases, including contact information, to news@lookoutlocal.com.
