The Supreme Court conservative majority recently rolled back decades of progressive social policy in its June 28 Grants Pass decision, writes community organizer Joy Schendledecker. The decision, she writes, allows police to displace people more broadly, ignores national and international “evolving standards of decency” and opens the door to more punitive, criminalizing policies against people without housing. Here, she outlines her fears for how it will affect Santa Cruz County.
homelessness
Posted inLatest News
City of Watsonville begins clearing Pajaro levee encampment
The City of Watsonville began Monday to clear a homeless encampment along the Pajaro River levee that officials say has steadily grown since the beginning of the year. Public works crews issued more than 60 notices last Friday, but there are likely more than that living along the levee.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California passed a law to fix unsafe homeless shelters. Cities and counties are ignoring it
The Supreme Court’s decision on homelessness will test a shelter system that’s full of problems – and lacking accountability.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Can California’s health care providers help solve the state’s homelessness crisis?
Taking advantage of new state funds, some California health care providers are starting to offer what their homeless patients really need: housing.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz stays course on homelessness approach, but Supreme Court decision casts shadow
The U.S. Supreme Court said local jurisdictions can criminalize people sleeping and camping on public land. But does that mean communities in Santa Cruz County will?
Posted inLatest News
Supreme Court gives cities in California and beyond more power to crack down on homeless camps
Cities no longer are prohibited from punishing homeless people for camping if they have nowhere else to go, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision released Friday in the Grants Pass v. Johnson case.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
How Pastor Dan and Watsonville’s Westview Church became a center of homeless help
In the heart of Watsonville, a small church is playing an expanding role in the homeless crisis. What started as an effort to feed the unhoused population along the Pajaro River is expanding into a mini-village of 34 microhomes behind Westview Presbyterian Church that will also host social services. Construction is set to start next month with the goal of housing residents by December.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Finger-pointing at Coral Street – here’s why a homeless encampment lasted for so long in Santa Cruz
An encampment of about 40 to 60 people popped up on Coral Street in the spring and lasted for months before Santa Cruz police cleared it. Why did it take so long? Housing activist and former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane unpacks the complex reasons.
Posted inLatest News
2024 point-in-time count: Seniors and behavioral health still big concerns amid improvements among families and vets
This year’s point-in-time count showed similar levels of homelessness across Santa Cruz County compared to 2023. While the situation improved among families, youth and veterans, homelessness rose among older adults. Those currently unhoused reported more mental illness and substance use disorders as well.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
How shots instead of pills could change California’s homeless crisis
Doctors on the front lines of California’s homelessness and mental health crises are using monthly injections to treat psychosis in their most vulnerable patients.
