Santa Cruz Local

Santa Cruz Local recently published a three-part investigation into how public money is spent on homeless services in Santa Cruz County. In today’s episode, we’ll discuss why we took on this investigation and several of the key takeaways from our reporting. We also hear from some key leaders in homeless services management. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. santacruzlocal.org/2023/08/02/podcast-how-homeless-services-money • Read part one “How homeless services money has been spent in Santa Cruz County”: santacruzlocal.org/2023/05/05/homeless-services-money-part-1 • Read part two “Money sources, constraints and problems with homeless services spending in Santa Cruz County”: santacruzlocal.org/2023/05/05/homeless-services-money-part-2 • Read part three “Is homeless services spending effective in Santa Cruz County?”: santacruzlocal.org/2023/05/05/homeless-services-money-part-3 • Listen to Santa Cruz Local podcast Ep. 96 “How Santa Cruz County could solve chronic homelessness”: santacruzlocal.org/2021/12/17/podcast-96

In today’s episode we meet the five candidates for Capitola City Council. They are Yvette Lopez Brooks, Joe Clarke, Enrique Dolmo Jr., Gerry Jensen and Alexander Pedersen. The five candidates are running for three seats. They appear before Capitola voters on the Nov. 8 ballot. We explain what a council member does. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Capitola residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://santacruzlocal.org/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide: https://tinyurl.com/ep-103-guide Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide for Capitola City Council: https://santacruzlocal.org/election/2022-nov-08/capitola-city-council/ Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-103-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom: https://tinyurl.com/ep-103-donate Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter for free. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-103-newsletter

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. For the first time, Santa Cruz voters will choose a mayor. We meet the two candidates: Joy Schendledecker and Fred Keeley. We explain the new format for Santa Cruz City Council elections and the new mayoral role. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Santa Cruz residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://santacruzlocal.org/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide. https://tinyurl.com/ep-102-election-guide Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide for Santa Cruz City Council: https://tinyurl.com/ep-102-sc-guide Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-102-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/ep-102-donate Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter for free. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-102-newsletter Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal

We meet two candidates for Santa Cruz City Council: Renee Golder and Sean Maxwell. They’re running for the District 6 seat on the Nov. 8 ballot. You’ll vote in the District 6 council race if you live in these areas: areas of the Lower Westside west of Younglove Avenue and Columbia Street; areas along Western Drive; and a western part of the UC Santa Cruz main campus. We explain what a council member does. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Santa Cruz residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://santacruzlocal.org/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide. https://tinyurl.com/ep-101-election-guide Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide for Santa Cruz City Council with map of District 4: https://tinyurl.com/ep-101-map Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-101-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/ep-101-donate Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter for free. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-101-newsletter

We meet three candidates for Santa Cruz City Council: Hector Marin, Gregory Hyver and Scott Newsome. They’re running for the District 4 seat on the Nov. 8 ballot. You’ll vote in the District 4 council race if you live in these areas: Downtown; Beach Flats; part of the Upper Westside, east of Bay Street and south of High Street; and areas along Mission Street generally east of Laurent Street. We explain what a council member does. Then we press the candidates on the issues important to Santa Cruz residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://tinyurl.com/ep-100-transcript Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide. https://tinyurl.com/election-guide-ep-100 Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide for Santa Cruz City Council with map of District 4: https://santacruzlocal.org/election/2022-nov-08/santa-cruz-city-council/ Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-100-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/ep-100-donate Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter for free. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-100-newsletter

In the Nov. 8 election, Scotts Valley voters will choose two city council members. In today’s episode we’ll learn about the role of a council member. Then we’ll meet the three candidates: Derek Timm, Allan Timms and Jim Reed. Santa Cruz Local presses the candidates on the issues important to Scotts Valley residents. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://tinyurl.com/ep-99-transcript Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide. https://tinyurl.com/SCL-election-guide Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-99-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/donate-ep-99 Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter for free. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-99-newsletter

Santa Cruz Local wants you to decide what the local candidates talk about as they compete for your vote in the Nov. 8 election. This year, Santa Cruz Local’s team conducted nearly 300 interviews and collected 150 survey responses from Santa Cruz County residents. Here is what residents told us they want from local government, in order of frequency: - Affordable housing development - Help paying rent - Solutions to homelessness - Better wages and jobs - More bike and walk infrastructure In today’s episode, we’ll hear from residents about why they care about these issues. We’ll hear voices not normally heard by local government or local media. Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://tinyurl.com/ep-98-transcript Read Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide. https://tinyurl.com/SCL-guide Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-98-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/ep-98-donate Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Subscribe free to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-98-newsletter

In the June 7 primary election, North Coast and Santa Cruz residents will choose a new District 3 representative on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. We hear from residents about their priorities for the election. Then we meet candidates Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Justin Cummings and Ami Chen Mills and press them on residents’ concerns. We hear from the candidates on their plans to: Develop affordable housing. [21:17] Expand rent assistance programs. [27:47] Address homelessness. [34:59] Attract employers and create higher-paying jobs. [43:25] Repair roads, expand law enforcement and improve cellphone service on the North Coast. [50:10] Prioritize bike and walk projects and improve public transit. [57:07] We also press Justin Cummings and Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson on their voting records on the Santa Cruz City Council. [1:03:40] Read the transcript with links to our related stories. https://tinyurl.com/ep-97-transcript Read Santa Cruz Local’s Elections Guide with information on this and other races. https://tinyurl.com/SCL-guide Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-97-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/ep-97-donate Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Subscribe free to Santa Cruz Local’s email newsletter. We’re in your inbox twice a week. https://tinyurl.com/ep-97-newsletter Editor's note: This podcast has been updated to correct the year that Ami Chen Mills left the executive director role at the Center for Sustainable Change.

Bakersfield and Kern County, California, solved chronic homelessness in part through better coordination of service providers, shared housing databases and a fearless approach to experimentation and results monitoring. Despite Santa Cruz County’s housing shortage, there are lessons from Kern County that start with making housing searches more efficient for the unhoused. In Santa Cruz Local Ep. 96, Kara Meyberg Guzman travels to Bakersfield to learn the successes and limitations of the area’s approach to homelessness. Former Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane and Santa Cruz County leaders discuss strategies to solve homelessness that center on permanent housing. Read the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/transcript-SCL-96 Read more in Santa Cruz Local’s Solutions to Homelessness series: https://tinyurl.com/solutions-ep96 Santa Cruz Local is supported by its members. Join us! Keep local journalism strong with a membership today. https://tinyurl.com/ep-96-membership Make a one-time donation to Santa Cruz Local’s newsroom. https://tinyurl.com/donate-scl-96 Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal

We hear from four Santa Cruz County residents: a 25-year-old caregiver in Santa Cruz, a 54-year-old janitor in Watsonville, a father of three in Santa Cruz and a 24-year-old sales associate in Capitola. They share their experiences with homelessness and the keys to getting housed. This episode is part of Santa Cruz Local’s Solutions to Homelessness Series. Read the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ep95-transcript Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://tinyurl.com/podcastSCLmembership Support Santa Cruz Local on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/santacruzlocal Sign up for Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter. We’re in your inbox twice a week: https://tinyurl.com/SCL-podcast-signup Read more stories in Santa Cruz Local’s Solutions to Homelessness Series: https://tinyurl.com/SCLhomeless-series

Responses to mental health crises are set to change in Santa Cruz County with a new 988 system as an alternative to 911. Non-police responses are expected to be dispatched through the system, and advocates say the 24-hour, non-police system is overdue. Santa Cruz Local’s Stephen Baxter talks to Assemblymember Mark Stone, advocate Jeffrey Arlt and others about the mental health crisis response in the county now and its shortcomings. Some potential solutions may come from Santa Cruz County’s Mobile Emergency Response Team at 1-800-952-2335 and Alameda County’s Community Assessment and Transport Team. Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/06/11/podcast-reshaping-mental-health-crisis-response-in-santa-cruz-county/ Santa Cruz Local’s mental health crisis resources page: https://santacruzlocal.org/resources/crisis/ Call MERT: 1-800-952-2335 Read more in Santa Cruz Local’s Police Reform Series: Podcast Ep. 81: Reducing harm in Santa Cruz County Law Enforcement : https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/07/15/podcast-ep-81-reducing-harm-in-santa-cruz-county-law-enforcement/ How Alameda County addresses mental health crisis response (May 20, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/05/20/how-alameda-county-addresses-mental-health-crisis-response/ New committees address police reform in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County (Feb. 19, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/02/19/new-committees-address-police-reform-in-watsonville-santa-cruz-county/ Data special: Trends in Watsonville crime, police work, funding (April 1, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/04/01/data-special-trends-in-watsonville-crime-police-work-funding/ Police Reform Series: State bill sets stage for new mental health crisis hotline (May 13, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/05/13/state-bill-sets-stage-for-new-mental-health-crisis-hotline/

Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council will consider a proposed law that aims to prevent large homeless camps by limiting where and when people can camp and requiring most tents to be removed each morning. We explain the proposal. And we hear from three Santa Cruz residents who are homeless. We hear their stories: their goals, their barriers and their thoughts about the proposed law. Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Read the transcript to this episode, with a map of where camping would be allowed: https://santacruzlocal.org/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s story on the proposal and residents’ views: https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/10/santa-cruz-city-homeless-rules-to-be-reconsidered-in-april/ Comment to the city council on the proposal: Email citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com by 5 p.m. Monday. Zoom link for the city council meeting 5:30 p.m. Tuesday: https://zoom.us/j/94684401344 Call into the meeting: 1-833-548-0276 and enter the meeting ID 946 8440 1344. Read the draft law: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20612766-santa-cruz-homeless-law-draft-ordinance-20210413 Read recent public comment on the proposed law: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20612764-santa-cruz-homeless-law-public-correspondence-20210409

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a need for mental health services in Santa Cruz County’s public schools. We hear from a director at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education about virtual mentoring, an approach that has shown promise in addressing student mental health needs. We discuss how it works and where it falls short. This episode is the third in Santa Cruz Local’s Distance Learning Series. Listen to part one of this series: Ep. 89 Public education money, COVID and the power of Santa Cruz County school boards https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/01/31/podcast-public-education-money-covid-and-the-power-of-santa-cruz-county-school-boards/ Listen to part two of this series: Ep. 90 Student mental health needs in Santa Cruz County, part 1 https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/23/podcast-student-mental-health-and-stress-in-santa-cruz-county-part-1/ Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/ Take Santa Cruz Local's survey on education: https://santacruzlocal.org/schools Santa Cruz County mental health resources: Call or text 211 or visit https://www.211santacruzcounty.org/mental-healthx/ For counseling: Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, 831-728-6445 or https://www.pvpsa.org/ For counseling: Encompass, 831-429-8350 or https://www.encompasscs.org/youth_services_counseling Anyone who is contemplating suicide or has lost someone to suicide can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

Were some COVID-19 deaths preventable in Santa Cruz County long-term care facilities? This episode investigates why some senior homes — which had more than half of the COVID deaths in the county — waited for vaccines through January while others received vaccines. Separately, the episode includes a conversation with contributing reporter Jerimiah Oetting and Santa Cruz Local's Kara Meyberg Guzman and Stephen Baxter about whether new housing means more water demand in Santa Cruz County. Read the stories: "Vaccines came slowly for the most vulnerable in Santa Cruz County": https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/03/vaccines-came-slowly-for-most-vulnerable-in-santa-cruz-county/ "Does more housing mean more water demand in Santa Cruz County?": https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/02/15/does-more-housing-mean-more-water-demand-in-santa-cruz-county/ Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/

Many students in Santa Cruz County feel stressed and disconnected after months of online-only school. We hear from three Aptos High students about their social and emotional well-being needs. A program administrator responds to these stories and shares tips on how adults can help. This episode is the second in Santa Cruz Local’s Distance Learning series. Listen to part one of this series: Public education money, COVID and the power of Santa Cruz County school boards https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/01/31/podcast-public-education-money-covid-and-the-power-of-santa-cruz-county-school-boards/ Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/23/podcast-student-mental-health-and-stress-in-santa-cruz-county-part-1/ Take Santa Cruz Local's survey on education: https://santacruzlocal.org/schools Santa Cruz County mental health resources: https://www.211santacruzcounty.org/mental-healthx/ Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance: 831-728-6445 or https://www.pvpsa.org/ Connect to a mental health provider: Call 211. Anyone who is contemplating suicide or has lost someone to suicide can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

This episode is the first in Santa Cruz Local's Distance Learning series. Today we explore how the state's public education system is organized and funded, and how decisions are made. Many of you wanted to know: How can students, parents and teachers make their voice heard in such a huge, complicated system? We hear from former county superintendent Michael Watkins and state Sen. John Laird on the governor's school reopening plan and how to get involved. Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. We're in your inbox two to three times a week: https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/ Take Santa Cruz Local's survey on education: https://santacruzlocal.org/schools Learn how to participate in the state senate budget subcommittee on education: https://sbud.senate.ca.gov/subcommittee1 Email state Sen. John Laird: senator.laird@sen.ca.gov

In the wake of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in Santa Cruz County, this episode explores forest management policies in the state and county. It also looks at the role of prescribed burns in land management in the county, and a new Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association. Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. We're in your inbox two to three times a week: https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/ Learn about Nature Conservancy training burns: https://tinyurl.com/trex21 Contact the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association: drorao@ucanr.edu, https://calpba.org/

Santa Cruz Local presses the Santa Cruz City Council candidates on the priorities we heard from residents: housing and homelessness. We meet eight of the nine city council candidates: Martine Watkins, Sandy Brown, Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Kelsey Hill, Kayla Kumar, Maria Cadenas, Elizabeth Conlan and Sonja Brunner. Voters will pick four. Read the transcript: https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/10/18/podcast-vote-nov-3-santa-cruz-city-council/ Read Santa Cruz Local’s elections guide: https://santacruzlocal.org/elections/ Support Santa Cruz Local’s journalism with a membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter: https://santacruzlocal.org/free-newsletter-local-news/

Santa Cruz Local presses the five Watsonville City Council candidates on the priorities we heard from residents: affordable housing development, city-sponsored youth programs, the high cost of rent and more. We break down the differences between District 2 candidates Aurelio Gonzalez and Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, District 6 candidates Jimmy Dutra and Tony Gomez, and District 1 candidate Eduardo Montesino. View the maps of the Watsonville City Council districts: https://santacruzlocal.org/elections/ Read the transcript: https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/10/14/podcast-vote-nov-3-watsonville-city-council/ Read Santa Cruz Local's elections guide: santacruzlocal.org/elections/ Support Santa Cruz Local’s journalism with a membership: santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter: santacruzlocal.org/free-newsletter-local-news/

If you’re a voter in Live Oak, Pleasure Point, Soquel, western Capitola or the Santa Cruz Mountains north of Soquel, you’ll vote on the District 1 Santa Cruz County supervisors race. But even if you don’t live in the district, this race still matters to you. The decisions of the board of supervisors affect the entire county. We press incumbent John Leopold and challenger Manu Koenig on the priorities we heard from District 1 residents. A map of Santa Cruz County's District 1: https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/7016018-Supervisorial-District-1 Read the transcript: santacruzlocal.org Read Santa Cruz Local's elections guide: santacruzlocal.org/elections/ Register for Santa Cruz Local’s upcoming candidate forums: santacruzlocal.org/events/ Support Santa Cruz Local’s journalism with a membership: santacruzlocal.org/membership/ Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter: santacruzlocal.org/free-newsletter-local-news/