Santa Cruz County Local News

Sky-high rent is among Californians’ biggest concerns. Nearly 30% of tenants spend more than half their income on rent; and the median rent is $2,850 a month, 33% higher than the national average.

Two propositions on the Nov. 5 ballot address this issue — though one does so in a rather roundabout way.

Legislators are pushing ahead with a retail theft bill package in their continued opposition of Proposition 36 — a November ballot measure backed by law enforcement groups and Republicans (and some Democrats) that would roll back parts of 2014’s Prop. 47.

The chemical, used for decades, can harm babies’ developing brains. Farmworkers and people living near fields are most at risk. The EPA issued a rare emergency order.

A look at a local National Night Out celebration in Scotts Valley on August 6 and an explanation of the annual nationwide event.

Following a public hearing on August 7, a 38-unit three-story all-affordable development was approved for Almar Avenue in Santa Cruz despite neighbor concerns.

The Senate appropriations committee sent dozens upon dozens of bills — that have a price tag of at least $50,000 to $150,000 and that may also be politically dicey — to the dreaded suspense file, where many could die quickly on Aug. 15.

A critical new federal audit calls out California for doing too little to prevent fraudulent spending of homelessness funds. Nearly $320 million was at risk.

So many intense wildfires all at once require an intricate chess game for maneuvering firefighters and equipment around the U.S.

The City of Santa Cruz will be hosting an online meeting to go over current Accessory Dwelling Unit policies and processes and solicit feedback on possible amendments on Thursday August 15 from 5:30-7PM.

Food service staff from local school districts recently participated in a weeklong training as Santa Cruz County schools begin their academic year, including the preparation of 15,000 daily meals for students as part of California's Universal Meals Program.

Facing a $100 million budget shortfall, UCSC eyes budget cuts and possible layoffs.

Many landlords in California can only raise the rent a certain amount. On August 1, they — and their tenants — found out how high.

The developer of a proposed mixed-use complex on West Cliff Drive and Bay Street announced they have ceased work on the project after years of planning, appeals to the California Coastal Commission and a neighborhood association lawsuit.

Legislators and Gov. Newsom are working behind the scenes to draft energy legislation before the end-of-the-month deadline.

About 80 Californians die every year after contracting Valley fever, a fungal disease that typically affects the lungs. A recent outbreak was traced to a music festival in Kern County.

The developer of a proposed 16-story mixed-use project in Santa Cruz has scaled it down to a maximum of 8 stories due to financial and design constraints.

A voter at a polling center at Santa Ana College in Santa Ana on March 5, 2024. Photo by Lauren Justice for CalMatters

Whether they mean to or not, people are responsible for about 95% of the state’s wildfires. While arson accounts for about 10% of the fires, others can start in a myriad of ways.

A housing forum hosted by Lookout Local in Santa Cruz brought a diversity of viewpoints together on July 31.

The University of California Santa Cruz is the recipient of over $2 million in federal grant funding to help increase California coastal resiliency to climate change.