County supervisors delayed a vote on a planned new ordinance that would allow tow companies to immediately destroy abandoned and inoperable vehicles after the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter raising a series of legal concerns with the proposed law.
homelessness
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Will Measure C make a difference?
OPINION: After Lookout’s editorial board requested more transparency about how Santa Cruz has used its limited funds for affordable housing and prevention of homelessness, Yes on Measure C campaign volunteer Andrew Goldenkranz responds with a deeper dive into funding and results.
Posted inLatest News
As day center set to close, unhoused residents worry about a future without showers, mail and phone charging
Replacing the showers, mailroom, charging plugs and other services that Santa Cruz homelessness nonprofit Housing Matters plans to end in March will be a tall task, due to funding shortages and a lack of space for such an operation.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz nonprofit Housing Matters to end homeless day services, sparking staff backlash
Housing Matters plans to close day services at its Coral Street campus as the organization shifts its focus to shelters and the upcoming opening of a permanent supportive housing project. The news sparked widespread concern among the nonprofit’s employees, with some saying they are worried about what the changes will mean for the area’s homeless community.
Posted inLatest News
Money from Monterey County could help finish construction on ‘tiny village’ for homeless in Watsonville
Monterey County officials have approved more than $1 million in funding to help finish construction of a 34-unit “tiny village” in Watsonville. The project is a joint effort between Santa Cruz and Monterey counties to address homelessness along the Pajaro River levee.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Board of supervisors advances abandoned vehicle demolition law, raising concerns from homeless advocates
Santa Cruz County supervisors pushed forward with a plan to allow quick demolition of abandoned vehicles after they’ve been towed. County officials say it will help with enforcing parking laws and encouraging those living in vehicles to receive help, but the plan has drawn criticism from homeless advocates who say it targets a vulnerable population.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Pajaro River levee cleanup scatters an unhoused community, creating new challenges for outreach workers
In the weeks following a massive encampment cleanup along the Pajaro River levee, unhoused residents have moved upstream, which has created challenges for the homelessness outreach team tasked with helping some levee residents find shelter.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville City Council approves city’s first homelessness strategic plan
The Watsonville City Council voted to adopt the city’s first homelessness strategic plan at its meeting Tuesday night. The plan outlines the city’s approach to reducing homelessness and connecting unhoused residents to social services.
Posted inHousing & Development
‘A covenant of hope’: Watsonville’s tiny village homeless housing on track for December opening
On Friday, local officials got their first look at the 34-unit tiny village in Watsonville, which will house up to 36 homeless residents from the Pajaro River levee. The project, a collaboration between Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, is nearly complete and on track to open toward the end of the year.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
A key Santa Cruz mental health service closed amid funding turmoil and months of missed paychecks
After winning county funding this summer, Santa Cruz’s Mental Health Client Action Network abruptly closed, leaving unpaid staff in crisis as leaders cite financial turmoil, leadership struggles and stalled reimbursements.