Santa Cruz County Homelessness Digest

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants counties to spend some revenue from California’s so-called “millionaire’s tax” on the state’s homeless crisis. That alarms advocates for programs that are getting that money today.

Local housing leaders say they are pleased to see Santa Cruz County’s homelessness levels falling, but highlighted deep-rooted issues including food security, not enough shelters, and low wages.

Many local governments see voter majorities approve bond measures without reaching the two-thirds required. A new effort to reform that system would drastically improve the ability of local governments to fund housing and infrastructure projects.

Despite efforts by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to shelter more than 14,000 people this year, the city's homeless population keeps growing. That does not necessarily mean her signature program is failing. The larger question: How does California measure success?

The lack of enough places for everyone to live has sent coastal rent prices inland, removing large swaths of previously cheaper rental units.

California’s more than 170,000 unhoused people often lack the means and mobility to locate and visit a doctor who will accept them. At least 25 street medicine teams throughout the state are trying to fill that gap by providing health care to unhoused individuals in need.

The housing development, named “Casa Azul” after its blue paint scheme, includes two upstairs one-bedroom apartments to go with five studio units.

Early this year, a cross-county working group developed a plan to provide shelter for those living along the Pajaro River's bed.

A longtime apartment complex geared toward tenants with special needs will more than triple in size as part of a new affordable housing project.

Fast food is the largest employer of homeless workers in California, with one of 17 unhoused individuals in the state working in the industry. That is according to a new report released by the Economic Roundtable.

California cities of every size lack shelter beds for the growing homeless population. A new bill would force local governments to do more, and punish ones that don't plan housing for homeless Californians.

California cities of every size lack shelter beds for the state’s growing homeless population. A new bill would force local governments to do more, and punish ones that don’t plan housing for homeless Californians.

Continuing a multiyear upward trend, a federal housing agency has awarded 21 of Santa Cruz County's homeless-serving programs more than $6.6 million in competitive funding.

Democratic voters in California cities are pushing mayors and city councils to clear homeless camps. Leaders are responding with new ordinances, from Sacramento to San Diego.

The fencing around the park’s pond, playground and public green spaces since last year were taken down April 1 but the benchlands remains fenced off, awaiting pending environmental restoration work.

Mayor Fred Keeley will pitch to voters a bond measure that would specifically focus on homelessness and housing spending. He plans to unveil the details of this month.

Around 500 community members and activists rallied at Lot 4 in downtown Santa Cruz Saturday morning for the March to End Homelessness organized by nonprofit Housing Matters.

When Ocean Lodge stopped its participation in Santa Cruz’s hotels-for-homeless program, many were stranded without housing.

The RV safe-parking program, hosted in the parking lot of the National Guard Armory in DeLaveaga Park, is operated by nonprofit organization The Free Guide and funded through June 30 by the city of Santa Cruz.

After years of pushback from community activists and a more recent nudge from a state coastal oversight body, the city recently removed signage banning overnight vehicle parking on several Westside streets.

Green pieces of paper, known as “green tags,” serve as warnings for allegedly abandoned vehicles.

Santa Cruz County, along with Applied Survey Research and about 30 volunteers, conducted the 2023 point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness. The count is vital for funding and policy development.

The Santa Cruz Planning Department delivered a plan, dubbed the Draft Coral Street Visioning Report, and city officials hope to have the public weigh in on a “homeless service-oriented vision” for the area.

Federal housing authorities describing homelessness as a nationwide crisis announced an effort to shift grant funding toward those living on the streets, under bridges, along rivers, in their cars and beyond.

Evan Morrison’s Santa Cruz Free Guide, which has been running the Safe RV Parking program at the Armory, has caught the attention of others who keep a close eye on homelessness response efforts.

Santa Cruz County has accepted a $500,000 federal Community Development Block Grant to seed the launch of a pilot program aimed at homeless individuals living in the county's unincorporated areas.

In Santa Cruz County a record 82 overdoses took place. Lookout sought opinions about how the sweeping of a homeless encampment in a county that lacks adequate addiction and mental health services can lead to “poor outcomes.”

How might homeless services become less of a highway-bound "island" in the Harvey West neighborhood? What should the neighborhood look like, prioritize for services and encourage for transit options?

And Santa Cruz County gets money to turn offices into housing, as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom's last 2022 round of Homekey funding.

About 40 friends and homeless advocates gathered at the clock tower in downtown Santa Cruz to memorialize former Benchlands resident Neoklis Koumides, who was stabbed to death on Nov. 21.

For more than 55 years, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County has launched programs to help people experiencing poverty across Santa Cruz County and the Pájaro Valley, including homelessness prevention, employment and mentoring services for youth and adults, immigration legal services, and crisis response.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is not pleased with local leaders' plans to reduce homelessness, and will hold back state funding until they take more aggressive action: “Everyone has to do better.”