The city is open to changes to a 24/7 safe parking program that could impact dozens in the area who rely on the program for long-term parking and hygiene services. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/CatchLight Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> The California Coastal Commission could allow city officials to end a 24/7 safe parking program for people who live in their vehicles, redirecting the money to other services for homeless people.
The program was discussed at a commission meeting on April 16 as part of a report on the city’s oversized vehicle ordinance, which bans large vehicles from parking on city streets between midnight and 5 a.m. and is up for renewal.
Both the oversized vehicle ordinance and the safe parking program were implemented in 2023 with a Coastal Commission permit. The parking program was required by the commission to try to ensure that the oversize vehicle ordinance wouldn’t limit coastal access for homeless or low-income people.
The power to renew and to change the permit, including the safe parking program, lies with the Coastal Commission Executive Director Kate Huckelbridge. Huckelbridge is expected to renew the permit, which expires next month. Any changes to the 24/7 parking program would be decided by Huckelbridge through discussions with Santa Cruz city staff and would not come before the Coastal Commission for a vote.
The process to decide if and how to change or eliminate the 24/7 parking program would involve a meeting of the ordinance stakeholder group, which meets roughly twice a year, said Lee Butler, director of the city’s Housing and Community Development Department.
At Thursday’s meeting, some commissioners expressed support for a potential change or end of the program, noting that the commission is not responsible for coordinating homeless services. Others were more dubious, asserting that any changes or replacement of the program would have a high bar to ensure it doesn’t lead to less coastal access for homeless people.
“To remove that program while also continuing those regulations in the Coastal Zone, seems to me to really be specifically excluding a particular class of people from our coast,” said Coastal Commission Chair Meagan Harmon. “If we say ‘in lieu of access to the coast, we’re providing you with an extra caseworker’ — I don’t think that lives up to our obligations of providing access for all under the Coastal Act.”
Harmon said she trusted Huckelbridge, the commission director, to ensure any changes to the permit don’t compromise coastal access.
An RV is parked near West Cliff in 2021. The California Coastal Commission regulates development and protects coastal access. About 20% of Santa Cruz County falls within the ‘Coastal Zone’ and is subject to Coastal Commission authority on certain issues. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
Discussion of the 24/7 parking program was initiated by Santa Cruz city officials, who wanted feedback from commissioners on whether they’d be open to the city redirecting the roughly $500,000 they spend each year on the program to other support services for homeless people.
The 24/7 parking program, located outside the National Guard Armory near Delaveaga Golf Course, is used by about a dozen RV owners at a time for safe, legal parking. There are also bathrooms, showers, water, charging outlets, trash, mail services and case managers to help people find long-term housing.
The possibility of changes or an end to the 24/7 program comes as the city is scrambling to find a replacement for homeless services that have been slashed in recent months, in particular nonprofit Housing Matters’s day services program.
Safe parking program a ‘Godsend’ for RV dwellers
Military veteran John Connell, 67, has lived in his RV at the 24/7 parking program since January. After experiencing many problems with landlords and other city services, he calls the program a “Godsend” for providing him safety.
The program’s caseworkers are helping him with paperwork to access other services. Since the program started, 28 people have found permanent housing, according to the city.
John Connell has lived in his RV at the Armory safe parking site since January. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/CatchLight Local)
Residents regularly report there are not enough spaces at the 24/7 lot for all who want to stay there. The city said maximum capacity is 15 RVs. Alicia Kuhl, president of the Santa Cruz Homeless Union, said at the commission meeting that there are more than 150 people living in RVs in Santa Cruz.
The city also operates an overnight-only safe parking program in parking lots downtown near Cedar and Lincoln streets. Open from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m, accessibility is an issue for many, who cite car problems preventing moving vehicles frequently, the time required to drive back and forth each day, and limited options for parking during the day.
The overnight parking has handwashing stations and portable toilets, but no showers or other services.
While the city is not at this time proposing any changes to the 24/7 program, many fear it will eventually be removed altogether.
“A vehicle is not just transportation. It is home. It is shelter. It is most often a person’s most valuable possession, and the only thing standing between many people and their absolute displacement,” said Dr. Graham Pruss, executive director of nonprofit National Vehicle Residency Coalition, at the commission meeting.
“I wouldn’t have anywhere to go,” said 67-year-old Barbara Jaime, who has lived in her RV parked at the 24/7 site for about a year. “I’d probably be out there trying to scavenge a place to stay.”
Matt Barnett, left, is director of program operations at People First, a local nonprofit that runs the 24/7 safe parking program. Tommy Zabonik is the program manager. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/CatchLight Local)
Nik Altenberg contributed reporting.
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Sana Dadani is a freelance reporter based in Palo Alto. Her stories have been featured in New Mexico In Depth, SFGate, the San Francisco Chronicle and many others.
Amaya Edwards is Santa Cruz Local's Photo and Social Media Journalist. She is a Catchlight Local Fellow.
