County of Santa Cruz Government News

Every two years, Santa Cruz County residents are inundated with requests to vote on measures, propositions and local candidate races. Quadrennially, those attempts to garner votes seem to increase in propensity and quantity, with some local intersections plastered with so many signs that they can’t all be absorbed during an average red light wait.

Several candidates tossed their hats in the ring in early 2024 when Zach Friend announced his retirement from the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

Several candidates tossed their hats in the ring in early 2024 when Zach Friend announced his departure from the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide has clear, comprehensive candidate comparisons, and the most thorough explanations of Santa Cruz County ballot measures.

The Santa Cruz County Supervisors on Oct. 8 are expected to consider a ban on the sale of filtered cigars and cigarettes in the unincorporated county. Unincorporated areas include Live Oak, Soquel, the San Lorenzo Valley and other places outside the cities of Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Capitola and Watsonville.

Several candidates tossed their hats in the ring in early 2024 when Zach Friend announced his departure from the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

Forty acres of horse pasture on Graham Hill Road near Rollingwoods Drive could be transformed into a 161-unit development of houses and townhomes, according to a recent pre-application to Santa Cruz County planners.

August 2024 marked the four-year anniversary of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire ripping through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Through fundraisers, educational forums and memorial events, residents—including victims of the fire who remain in the area—have gathered to support and assist fellow survivors in their efforts to reclaim and rebuild what was once theirs.

While outreach and public health are supposed to guide how authorities deal with homeless camps, unhoused residents and their advocates have said the rules are enforced unevenly and arbitrarily throughout Santa Cruz County.

Construction appeared to stall for several weeks this summer at a 36-unit permanent supportive housing complex at 2838 Park Ave. in Soquel, but a representative for the developer said the project remains on track to finish next year.