Santa Cruz Local newsletter briefs for the week of April 22:
HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION
Affordable housing waitlist opens in Santa Cruz, with more on tap
Pacific Station South at 822 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz is expected to open this year. (For the Future Housing)
Pacific Station South at 822 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz is expected to finish construction this year. There will be 69 units of affordable housing, 47 of which will be filled through the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz’s waitlist. A waitlist for the remaining units opened April 17.
- To join the waitlist for Pacific Station South, email [email protected], call 707-708-3260 or visit a temporary leasing office to 324 Front St., Suite 212, Santa Cruz.
- Separate from that waitlist, 47 other units will be filled from the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List, according to the housing authority. Potentially eligible households on that list will be mailed a letter from the housing authority.
In Watsonville, two MidPen Housing projects are expected to finish construction this year. The waitlists are not yet open, but interested residents can sign up to receive an email or text message when the waitlists open.
- Sparrow Terrace, 141 Miles Lane, Watsonville. The project includes 72 units including studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. Households earning 30% to 60% of the area median income will be eligible, with 35 units will be reserved for farmworker families and six units will be reserved for formerly homeless people. Sign up to be notified of an open waitlist.
- Cienega Heights, 1515 Brewington Ave., Watsonville. The property includes 80 units including one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. Households earning 30% to 60% of the area median income will be eligible, with 39 units will be reserved for farmworker families. Sign up to be notified of an open waitlist.
More Watsonville area projects and information about waitlist openings are on a new Noticias Watsonville resource page.
—Nik Altenberg
WATSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Watsonville shelter plan to be discussed
The Watsonville City Council in 2022. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23 / Online and at 275 Main St., top floor, Watsonville.
The Watsonville City Council on April 23 is expected to review details of a planned tiny-home shelter next to Westview Presbyterian Church at 118 First St. in Watsonville. In June, state authorities approved $8 million for the shelter and the removal of homeless camps around the Pajaro River levee.
The project is scheduled to break ground this summer and open to residents in November or December.
It is set to include:
- 34 tiny homes.
- Staff to connect residents with permanent housing.
- 24-hour staff.
- An area for pets.
- A communal dining area.
— Jesse Kathan
Watsonville council to accept climate adaptation money
At the Watsonville City Council’s April 23 meeting, council members are set to consider acceptance of a $650,000 state grant for climate change adaptation. The grant would pay for a collaborative project between Watsonville, the City of Santa Cruz, the nonprofit Ecology Action and other groups.
The project would include:
- A roadmap to carry out the goals put forth in local climate adaptation plans, including plans in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. The adaptation plans aim to make communities more resilient to severe weather and other effects of climate change.
- Coordination between local climate resilience efforts.
- A plan for ways to pay for continued adaptation.
- Money for environmental justice efforts.
—Jesse Kathan
To participate: The meeting will take place at 275 Main St., top floor in Watsonville. It also will be broadcast on the Watsonville city website.
LIVE OAK
Proposed county budget to be explained
A presentation on the County of Santa Cruz’s draft budget will take place at the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office community room. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 / Online and at the Sheriff’s Office community room, 5200 Soquel Ave., ground floor, Live Oak.
Santa Cruz County leaders plan to discuss the county’s draft budget and answer residents’ questions during an April 24 town hall meeting at the Sheriff’s Office community room.
Assistant County Administrative Officer Nicole Coburn is expected to present the proposed budget. Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig plans to host the meeting.
Despite a recent county sales tax hike approved by voters in March, the county’s budget includes millions of dollars in cuts to road and facility repairs, reductions of public health staff and a proposal for the largest capital loan in county history, said Santa Cruz County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios.
—Stephen Baxter
To participate: The meeting will take place at 5200 Soquel Ave., ground floor. Join on Zoom or call 669-444-9171, meeting ID 967 0831 8897.
SANTA CRUZ
Grant awarded to help house homeless
Pallet shelters provide unhoused people with temporary shelter at the Housing Matters campus on Coral Street in Santa Cruz. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local file)
Santa Cruz city leaders have been awarded a $4 million grant for homelessness services from the state’s Encampment Resolution Fund.
The money is set to pay for:
- Twenty new, short-term housing units on the Housing Matters campus on Coral Street.
- More outreach for about 55 people camping on or near Coral Street and Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz. Outreach workers will aim to connect homeless people to housing and other services.
—Jesse Kathan
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.
Nik Altenberg is a copy editor and fact checker for Santa Cruz Local. Altenberg has a bachelor’s in Latin American and Latinx Studies from UC Santa Cruz.
Jesse Kathan is a staff reporter for Santa Cruz Local through the California Local News Fellowship. Kathan holds a master's degree in science communications from UC Santa Cruz.
