Gov. Gavin Newsom wants local jurisdictions to “take back the sidewalks” from homeless encampments; leaders in Santa Cruz County have largely pushed back against what they say is mostly talk from the state’s top political leader.
Latest News
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County lawmakers bemoan erosion of social safety as state cuts, Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill progress
Santa Cruz County faces deep cuts to health and housing programs as state and federal budget proposals threaten critical funding, compounding local strains such as FEMA’s $90 million unpaid disaster tab. Officials warn more service reductions could follow later this year.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Amid mounting vacancies, downtown Santa Cruz needed a coach, and a matchmaker
Santa Cruz hired retail coach Charles Parker to address its mounting downtown vacancies issue. Described as a “matchmaker,” Parker is now leading the effort to pitch the city’s potential to businesses — aiming to turn empty storefronts into vibrant hubs amid shifting retail trends and increasing housing stock.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Local immigration advocates warn that Trump’s $1,000 self-deportation incentive sends misleading message
The Trump administration announced it will be offering undocumented immigrants $1,000 to voluntarily leave the United States. Local immigration lawyers say the new policy sends a misleading message and is just another strategy to increase deportations.
Posted inLatest News
Rivas ousts Justin Cummings from Coastal Commission, appoints pro-development Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez
Speaker Robert Rivas’ appointment of Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez to the California Coastal Commission marks a dramatic change in philosophy as the state land-use agency faces mounting pressure from the Trump administration and legislators up and down California.
Posted inLatest News
RTC stands firm on June 30 deadline for mobile home parks encroaching on Coastal Rail Trail
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission may take legal action if residents of two mobile home parks along the rail line in Live Oak do not comply with a June deadline to move homes that sit on property owned by the agency.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Tensions start to flare as sides submit dueling Santa Cruz housing measures
With the signatures now submitted, local housing advocates and the real estate industry prepare to face off in a battle of ballot measures to go before voters in the city of Santa Cruz this November.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Nonprofit unveils plans for managing Watsonville 34-unit ‘tiny village’ homeless housing
South County-based nonprofit Community Action Board provided new details to the Watsonville City Council this week on how it plans to manage a 34-unit “tiny village” shelter for the homeless at Westview Presbyterian Church. The nonprofit anticipates the shelter to open in the fall.
Posted inLatest News
‘Not in my backyard’: South County residents renew concerns over battery storage proposal months after Moss Landing blaze
A group of South County residents concerned with a proposal for a 200-megawatt battery storage facility on an apple orchard just outside of Watsonville held a community meeting Monday evening. Residents expressed their disapproval of the project and say they want more transparency from county officials.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz City Council approves downtown expansion, but further limits building height to 85 feet
After nearly five years of community discussion and debate, the Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday approved the city’s Downtown Plan Expansion, a vision that promises to reshape the built environment of a city facing the mounting pressures of growth.