With a vote of 5-2 last week, the Santa Cruz City Council approved an oversized vehicle ordinance in its first reading, with a second reading yet unscheduled. Opponents to the ordinance, both local activists and legal experts, say it criminalizes homelessness, and could lead to greater issues for the city in addressing the unhoused.
homelessness
Posted inCOVID Today
What sways homeless people to get COVID-19 shots? It could be other homeless people
In L.A. County, health officials are enlisting people living in tents, RVs and makeshift shelters to help get unhoused people vaccinated.
Posted inHousing & Development
‘There needs to be collective ownership’: City’s new homelessness point person on work, solutions
Santa Cruz officials named Larry Imwalle the city’s new homelessness response manager Oct. 5. As he get into the job, he spoke to Lookout about what he thinks needs to be done to address the issue at both the government and community levels.
Posted inHousing & Development
Homeless Garden Project one step closer to a permanent home in Pogonip
The Santa Cruz City Council has approved a plan that moves the Homeless Garden Project to a permanent home on the upper meadows at Pogonip, near UCSC’s upper campus. The two-year process will seek public input and look into environmental impacts.
Posted inHousing & Development
California set to spend billions on curing homelessness and caring for ‘whole body’ politic
California is embarking on a five-year experiment to infuse its health insurance program for low-income people with billions of dollars in nonmedical services spanning housing, food delivery and addiction care. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the goal is to improve care for the program’s sickest and costliest members and save money, but will it work?
Posted inHousing & Development
Homeless services nonprofit focuses on basic needs; “No one agency…can address the issue on its own”
While most Santa Cruz County non-profits catering to the unsheltered population aim to create permanent housing solutions, Brent Adams’ Footbridge Services Center fulfills more immediate needs like shower and laundry services, storage facilities and more.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Sowing seeds of hard work & hope: Homeless Garden Project’s delayed move to Pogonip still on the horizon
A long-planned move to the Pogonip hit a snag when the city discovered environmental contamination on the site stemming from skeet shooting that happened almost 100 years ago. Since discovering the contamination, the Homeless Garden Project has worked with soil scientists, state and county regulators and the City of Santa Cruz to define which areas at Pogonip are safe for organic urban farming.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California will spend a record amount on homelessness — here’s where it’s going
California will spend a record $4.8 billion over two years to alleviate homelessness after legislators passed key details of a new state budget. Here’s how the money will be spent.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Is homelessness Newsom’s weak point in recall? Republicans are counting on it
Challengers in the California recall see Newsom as vulnerable on the issue, but some experts and advocates say their ideas could worsen life for homeless people.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Fire risk & homeless camps, the collision of emergencies: Santa Cruz Fire orders closures to minimize risk
Among the biggest changes of the revised law: Whereas previously proposed rules would’ve left areas with certain zoning…