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.
Latest News
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.
Posted inHousing & Development
‘I’m interested in making Santa Cruz relevant again’: Mayor Fred Keeley discusses monumental downtown vote
As Santa Cruz weighs a major downtown expansion and a new housing measure, Mayor Fred Keeley faces a defining week. Years of planning come to a head as the city debates growth, change and what kind of future it wants to build.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Proposed Medicaid changes could threaten care access for 80,000 in Santa Cruz County, health leaders warn
Plans by congressional Republicans to trim billions from Medicaid and introduce work requirements could destabilize hospitals and health clinics across South County and the Pajaro Valley, where nearly 80% of patients rely on Medi-Cal or Medicare programs.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville appoints David Brletic new community development director
The City of Watsonville has tapped David Brletic as the new community development director. Brletic, who officially began his role Monday, will lead the city’s community development department which oversees planning, zoning and building projects.
Posted inLatest News
Lawyer: Santa Cruz resident’s immigration case a ‘cautionary tale’ under Trump 2.0
Michael Mehr, one of the immigration lawyers who helped with the release of Cliona Ward, says the green card holder’s case represents a significant shift in how federal immigration officials are handling residents returning from abroad who have past criminal records, even those with minor offenses.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
In Capitola, city council resignations are rare. Two in one year is unprecedented.
In a town where mid-term resignations are rare, Capitola has seen two in five months. With tensions rising and a council seat now empty again, city leaders will soon have to decide how to move forward.