Quick Take
At its Dec. 3 meeting, the Watsonville Planning Commission plans to hear an appeal filed by a resident asking the commission to rescind its zoning approval of the “tiny village” shelter for the homeless on the Westview Presbyterian Church property.
The Watsonville Planning Commission is expected to consider an appeal filed by a resident asking the commission to rescind zoning approval of the 34-unit “tiny village” project that would provide shelter for the unhoused on land at Westview Presbyterian Church. The appeal hearing is scheduled for Dec. 3.
The formal appeal, filed by Watsonville resident Catalina Torres in October, claims the commission’s decision to approve the project’s zoning application was “defective and improper” for various reasons. The appeal alleges that staff improperly accepted the application without determining the size, location, capacity and character of the project, despite those being main requirements on the application.
Torres’ appeal also alleges city staff failed to require that the applicants — Monterey and Santa Cruz counties — specify the organization responsible for managing the shelter and provide its qualifications.
If the planning commission approves Torres’ appeal, city staff would have to review the zoning application again, but Monterey and Santa Cruz counties wouldn’t have to resubmit another application. If the appeal is denied, one of two things could happen: the project continues or Torres can appeal to the city council, starting a new appeal process. If the appeal goes to the city council and is denied, Torres can file a lawsuit.
Watsonville planning officials approved the project’s zoning application in September, despite concerns from some city councilmembers. The application was approved because it met the requirements of a state law that supersedes local control in order to increase the state’s stock of affordable housing.
The 34-unit tiny village project was first proposed by Monterey and Santa Cruz counties in 2023. It will be made up of 26 individual single-bed shelters, two double units and four Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant units. It will also include two laundry rooms, four shared bathrooms, a kitchen and storage area — all of which will reside on the Westview Church property.
The project, primarily led by Monterey County, is funded by an $8 million Encampment Resolution Funding Program grant from the State of California. Half of the funding will go to the construction of the tiny village and the other half will go toward supportive services.
Torres and some neighbors in Watsonville’s District 1 have been vocal in their opposition to the project. The neighbors say they have experienced vandalism and “homeless-related” crimes and anticipate the addition of the shelter will only add to those problems, Torres told Lookout in October.
Westview Presbyterian Church pastor Dan Hoffman, who has advocated for the city’s unhoused population for years, told Lookout in October that he believes the tiny village will help get people in the neighborhood off the streets and eliminate some of the issues some neighbors are concerned about.
The number of homeless individuals increased in the county in 2024, as the unhoused population has shifted dramatically from Santa Cruz to Watsonville in the past two years, according to the latest point-in-time report. Watsonville’s homeless population had increased by 60% in the past year, even as local officials and homeless advocates say South County has struggled to fill a wide gap in shelter beds and services.
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