In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely looks at what’s different about efforts beginning Monday to clear the homeless encampment in Pogonip from how the City of Santa Cruz moved residents out of the San Lorenzo River Benchlands last fall.
In the Public Interest
A Monday newsletter covering Santa Cruz County politics & policy from Lookout – subscribe here.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz to wait ‘several months’ to enforce oversized vehicle ban after Coastal Commission approval
Christopher Neely examines the next steps for the City of Santa Cruz’s oversized vehicle ordinance after the California Coastal Commission approved a one-year pilot last week.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: The civil grand jury and the complexities of the public process
Santa Cruz County’s civil grand jury is in focus for Christopher Neely in this edition of In the Public Interest, as he digs into its purpose and hits and misses of past incarnations.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Is Santa Cruz’s housing plan too dependent on UCSC’s new development?
In this week’s edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely examines how projects at UC Santa Cruz fit into the equation of the number of housing units the City of Santa Cruz is mandated to permit by 2031.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Santa Cruz County officials eye CARE Court uncertainly as implementation inches closer
In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely looks at what’s ahead for Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Courts, the state’s system of courts with the power to compel people suffering from some diagnosed mental health conditions into state-sponsored treatment. Santa Cruz County faces a deadline of December 2024 to implement its CARE program.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: As Santa Cruz County faces a mandate of fourfold increase in new housing, all stick, no carrot from state
In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely delves into regional housing allocation numbers, how many new units Santa Cruz County and its cities are expected to build by 2031 and the state of California’s approach to making sure those goals are met.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Supes want Santa Cruz County businesses to open bathrooms to public, but will they?
In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely examines efforts by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to increase public access to restrooms, whether that’s through ordinances requiring private businesses to open their bathrooms, or an incentive program to encourage them.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: Examining Kaiser’s deal with Santa Cruz County
In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely digs into the Access to Medical Care Agreement approved last week by county supervisors with Kaiser Permanente and what it means on the local health care scene.
Posted inLatest News
In the Public Interest: Local officials turn up heat on Newsom, Biden over relief, recovery in Pajaro
In this edition of In the Public Interest, Christopher Neely outlines some of the many challenges facing Pajaro after the catastrophic flooding that followed the failure of the Pajaro River levee and what elected officials from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties are doing to get heard in Sacramento and Washington.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: A new law-and-order approach to homelessness in Santa Cruz?
In this installment of In the Public Interest, Lookout politics and policy correspondent Christopher Neely examines what changes might be ahead in how the City of Santa Cruz handles Food Not Bombs’ gatherings and the long-debated issue of oversized vehicles parking on city streets.