Last updated: June 9, 2023
Santa Cruz Local will investigate what’s being done to address homelessness in Santa Cruz County. We want to look at programs that have shown promise at addressing homelessness in other parts of California. We want to understand how those approaches work, examine their limitations and share insights. We’ll post our series here and update this page when we publish new stories.
- We’ll produce rigorous, critical stories on tangible progress on homelessness, so we can understand what works.
- We’ll hear from people experiencing homelessness. The people most affected by plans and policies aren’t heard from enough by local media and local leaders.
This reporting will build on our previous stories and podcast episodes with insight into problems and solutions related to homelessness in Santa Cruz County.
We’ve heard from hundreds of Santa Cruz County residents that solving homelessness is their top priority. We’ve planned this series because of you.
This series is made possible by the support of more than 100 Santa Cruz Local readers. Santa Cruz Local readers gave more than $20,000 in July and August 2021 to support this series.
This series won the Local Independent Online News Publishers Award for Outstanding Coverage in October 2022.
Podcast: How homeless services money is spent in Santa Cruz County
Key takeaways from our three-part investigation
Is homeless services spending effective in Santa Cruz County?
Part 3 of 3: Residents and leaders describe a need for housing
Money sources, constraints and problems with homeless services spending in Santa Cruz County
Part 2 of 3: How homeless services money was spent from 2019 to 2021
How homeless services money has been spent in Santa Cruz County
From shelters to rent help, 14 categories traced from 2019 to 2021
Vouchers help house hundreds in Santa Cruz County, but high demand remains
Alternative programs, tips shared to help find homes
Podcast: How Santa Cruz County could solve chronic homelessness
Lessons from Kern County’s success
Podcast: Homeless and formerly homeless residents discuss solutions in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz Local's Solutions to Homelessness series
Incentives help landlords rent to Santa Cruz County’s homeless
Homelessness series: Landlords’ questions answered about housing vouchers
Homelessness survey reveals some common ground in Santa Cruz County
Survey highlights needs, questions, barriers
Views of the unhoused in Santa Cruz County
Homeless residents share their solutions