Santa Cruz Local

The future of Santa Cruz’s homeless policy is going to be guided by a new committee. It’s called the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness, and it was created on Tuesday night by the Santa Cruz City Council. We break down what you need to know about Tuesday's meeting, including a proposal for rental housing data collection and the city's new 5G cell tower policy. Plus, some news about Santa Cruz Local.

Cindy Larive will become UC Santa Cruz’s new chancellor next month. As the university’s top official, her decisions will shape the campus and its growth. So, she’ll also have a big impact on the City of Santa Cruz and its housing crisis. That’s why we want to get to know her. We visit her at her home in Riverside. We also break down UC Santa Cruz's pressures to grow and the challenges Larive will face.

You may remember that the Santa Cruz City Council was putting together a task force on tenant protections. It was a step toward potential new housing laws in the city. On Tuesday, a consultant returns to the council. His findings? The atmosphere is too toxic for a task force to succeed. In Tuesday's meeting, the council goes in a different direction. We brief you on what you need to know about Tuesday's city council meeting.

The City of Santa Cruz now has a projected $3.9 million deficit. The Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday took major steps toward balancing the budget. Hear what cuts and revenue strategies the city is considering before the final budget adoption, expected June 11. Also, we hear a letter to the editor about our needle exchange episode.

Santa Cruz County has an injection drug use problem and a needle litter problem. We look at Santa Cruz County's needle exchange program and how it compares to other programs in the state. What can Santa Cruz County's health department learn from San Francisco's needle cleanup program? What are the trends with Santa Cruz County's injection drug use? How can Santa Cruz County get more inject drug users into treatment? We hear from Supervisor Ryan Coonerty, county health officer Dr. Arnold Leff, San Francisco Department of Public Health program manager Eileen Loughran, Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner's Office forensic pathologist Dr. Stephany Fiore, Janus of Santa Cruz Director of Medication-Assisted Treatment Amanda Engeldrum Magana and Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County co-founder Denise Elerick.

The City of Santa Cruz’s plan to build a new library and parking garage downtown has gone astray since the new city council took office. Some people believe that the city doesn’t need another downtown garage. The council has listened. The plan isn’t dead. It’s just on hold while the city takes another look at other concepts for the new library, but without the garage. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. If the council doesn’t come up with a plan for a new library within the next year, the city risks losing the $27 million provided by Measure S, the tax for local library construction that voters approved in 2016.

The City of Santa Cruz has a $3.2 million deficit. That’s smaller than in years past, but it’s still not good news. What that means for you is that in the short term, you’re going to be seeing some cuts to city services. You won’t be seeing any large improvement projects for things like parks, the Civic Auditorium, and the wharf. And come election time next year, you’re probably going to be voting on some kind of tax increase. We’ll discuss what cuts the city is considering, and how we got here.

A U.S. district court decision on Monday allows the City of Santa Cruz to permanently close the Ross Camp come Friday. We zoom out and tell you about how the City of San Jose closed a homeless camp along the Guadalupe River last month. And we give you the success story of Lauren Dixon, a 24-year-old Santa Cruz resident who clawed her way out of homelessness last year. What can Santa Cruz learn from these stories?

For months, the City of Santa Cruz has struggled to close the Ross Camp, a homeless camp at Highway 1 and River Street. Here's the latest chapter: a U.S. district court will decide whether the city can legally close the camp. We talk with Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills and City Attorney Tony Condotti on how the court hearing went on Friday in San Jose. We also hear from Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry, who is part of a group that sued the city over the camp's pending closure. He says closing the camp doesn't give a real solution to the people living there.

Senate Bill 50, a controversial housing bill working its way through California's Legislature, had some major revisions Wednesday. We break down what the revised bill would mean for Santa Cruz County residents. In a nutshell, we may see more four-unit apartment buildings in residential neighborhoods where they were previously excluded.

The City of Santa Cruz reopens the Benchlands homeless camp by the San Lorenzo River on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the 1220 River Street homeless camp in Harvey West is set to reopen by April 30. It's all part of a new plan to close the Ross Camp by Highway 1. However, the Ross Camp's closure is on hold, awaiting a U.S. district court decision expected Friday. The court is expected to hear a lawsuit filed against the city by a group living at the Ross Camp. We break down what you need to know from Tuesday's Santa Cruz City Council meeting. Transcript is on our website, santacruzlocal.org.

Santa Cruz County's history of no-growth policies have shaped today's local housing crisis. Now, we're at a crossroads with new state leadership that wants to spur development. We break down SB 50 - a proposed bill that would limit cities' ability to block apartment projects. We tell you where in the county SB 50 would affect. We also tell you how local cities are doing with their housing goals (spoiler alert: not great). At the end, we talk about Santa Cruz's pending Ross Camp closure and how to submit "audio letters to the editor."

On Tuesday the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors took a step toward redeveloping the Cemex cement plant in Davenport. The privately owned plant has been closed since 2010 and it sits on 172 acres on the rugged North Coast of Santa Cruz County. There have been ideas thrown about converting the land into something that resembles the Costanoa Lodge near Ano Nuevo. Or perhaps a manufacturing plant for Santa Cruz air-taxi startup Joby Aviation. But Davenport is a town of about 400 people -- and many people there are worried that redevelopment could ruin the natural environment that makes the area so great.

The closure of the Ross homeless camp has been delayed yet again by the Santa Cruz City Council. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the council canceled the April 17 closure and declined to set a new date. The council also formally threw out the idea of creating a new homeless camp by Depot Park. And to the relief of many residents, the council paused its search for new sites for homeless camps in city neighborhoods or parks.

On Tuesday, in an open letter to the community, Santa Cruz City Manager Martin Bernal writes that the city is no longer pursuing a "safe sleeping" homeless camp. The plan for a 50-bed shelter next to Depot Park is most likely dead. What does this mean for the closure of the Ross Camp by Highway 1 and River Street? We talk to city spokeswoman Eileen Cross, City Attorney Tony Condotti and Rayne Marr, the county's homeless services coordinator.

Since the start of the Measure M campaign in 2018, one thing has been missing from Santa Cruz's debate on rent control and eviction rules: data from neutral sources that detail the city's rental market. Santa Cruz Local wanted to change that. Music by Podington Bear at soundofpicture.com

A property buyout was approved at Highway 1 and River Street on Tuesday at the Santa Cruz City Council meeting. The city plans to use eminent domain to acquire land belonging to Central Home Supply, which would force the business to move. The buyout is part of the city's plan to improve safety and traffic at one of its most congested intersections. We hear from Rusty Santee, co-owner of Central Home Supply, who objects.

Santa Cruz City Council creates a new 50-bed homeless camp in a Washington Street parking lot by Depot Park. The new camp will be managed, and will have rules, such as no drugs or criminal activity. We hear from the owner of Perrigo's Auto Body Shop, who says the camp will destroy his business. Also, what you need to know about the council's homeless shelter crisis declaration.

Santa Cruz City Council again schedules the closure of a homeless camp at River Street and Highway 1 — this time it's set for April 17, and it's supposed to coincide with the reopening of the nearby 1220 River Street homeless camp. The city also pinpoints six sites for another homeless camp. We visit the current camp and talk with homeless people about conditions there, and possible solutions.

Santa Cruz City Council delays the closure of the homeless camp behind the Ross Dress For Less on River Street, until the city can find a better place for the 200 people living there. Also, to the relief of many Westside residents, a ban on overnight parking on Delaware Avenue will remain in place. We break down the Feb. 26 city council meeting for you.