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Santa Cruz County Homelessness Overview



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Santa Cruz Free Guide provides individuals with a list of resources for housing and supportive services.

California Local Pin Marker Local Homelessness Digest

How the LA Fires Could Exacerbate California’s Homelessness Crisis

01/14/2025

Jennielynn Holmes stood in the middle of a make-shift evacuation center when the scope of the crisis hit her.

Spotlight on 2024 Santa Cruz County Homeless Count

12/31/2024

A look at the shifting number and locations of homeless in the county in the last year.

California Local Pin Marker Recent Articles

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
County Remembers People Who Died While Homeless

The number of people who died while homeless this year saw a sizable decline from last year, when Santa Cruz County honored 121 people at its annual Homeless Memorial.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Will a New Court Program Address Severe Mental Illness in Santa Cruz County?

A state-mandated Santa Cruz County court program started this month to connect services to some people with serious mental illnesses. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> CARE Courts opened in Santa Cruz County this month, offering …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Watsonville City Council Slams Tiny Village Plan, Approves Mobile Home Ordinance

The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday expressed frustration at a new planned tiny village community for homeless people slated for the parking lot of Westview Presbyterian Church at 118 First St.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
What Triggers a Homeless Camp Sweep in Santa Cruz County?

A tent camp floods at the benchlands of San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz in December 2021. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
Key takeaways

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz Takes a Stance Against Homeless Drop-Offs

Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley sent a clear message last week during an early morning press conference: Santa Cruz will not take on other cities’ unhoused populations. Accompanied by city and county officials, Keeley convened the media to unveil a …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Addressing Homelessness in Watsonville: A Call to Action

Homelessness remains one of the most pressing social issues of our time, particularly in communities like Watsonville.

Sacramento News and Review logo LOCAL NEWS
Prefab Temporary Housing Might Soon Shelter Unhoused Californians

Small, less-expensive readymade homes could buy time as the state continues to struggle with homelessness and high building costs.  By Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main...

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
City of Santa Cruz Clearing Out Camps in Pogonip Open Space

Days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing jurisdictions throughout the state to address the homeless encampments within their borders—and about one month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws banning sleeping in public do not constitute …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Watsonville, Santa Cruz Clearing Homeless Camps

Days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing jurisdictions throughout the state to address the homeless camps within their borders—and about one month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws banning sleeping in public do not constitute …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Neighbors Worry Over Village for Homeless People

Residents of a Watsonville neighborhood are pushing back against a proposed housing project meant to help homeless people staying along the Pajaro River levee. They say that local officials have ignored their concerns over crime and safety and are moving …

Featured

The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
Santa Cruz is lucky to have local groups that look beneath the surface of homeless encampments and find ways to help.
Doing the Work
These nonprofit and community organizations do a lot of heavy lifting.
A city-sanctioned homeless encampment directly adjacent to county government offices and across the San Lorenzo River from the heart of downtown Santa Cruz.
How the City and County Work on the Homelessness Crisis
As the population of unhoused individuals and families in Santa Cruz has exploded, officials from the City of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County tackle the issue.
Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
What Is a Community Foundation?
By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.
Working together with many volunteers, this crew feeds 65,000 people in Santa Cruz County every month.
California’s Oldest Food Bank Pays It Forward
California’s first food bank has helped residents of Santa Cruz County for more than 50 years.
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