Santa Cruz County Monitor

No significant updates today.

California's annual homelessness legislation improves programs but ignores the fiscal realities local governments face in sustaining them long-term....

Landowners in Santa Cruz County must secure entitlements for legal development rights before pursuing building permits, with most projects requiring...

More than 60 youth leaders, educators, and officials met at Cabrillo College in June to build youth-adult partnerships across Santa Cruz County.

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Santa Cruz Metro Board voted 8-2 to abandon its own November half-cent sales tax measure, instead backing the Friends of Santa Cruz Metro citizen...

• California Energy Commission deemed New Leaf Energy’s Watsonville battery storage application incomplete after its July 8 review, requiring over a...

UC Santa Cruz research reveals mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains proactively avoid heavily used trails, especially within 30 meters of...

Santa Cruz Metro Board holds a public hearing Monday at 11 a.m. on placing its own half-cent sales tax measure on the November ballot to secure...

Housing Policy and Advocacy

• 🔥 HSCC Ties to Workbench: An op-ed argues Housing Santa Cruz County should disclose its fiscal sponsorship by New...

The Daisy Auxiliary increased its annual donations to the Family Service Agency to $150,000 through proceeds from its nonprofit Daisy Store, underscoring the role of volunteer fundraising in sustaining Santa Cruz County social services.

This Sunday Reads captures both uplifting local action and pointed governance concerns.

• Creative Community Space: Common Roots Farm’s two-year-old...

As Santa Cruz homeowners scramble to file Measure C parcel tax exemptions by July 24, questions mount about the group that led the campaign.

Key...

County Budget Approval

• 🔥 FY 2026-27 Budget Finalized: The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved the $1.29 billion fiscal year 2026-27...

• Two Fremont college students died June 10 after being swept into the ocean near Panther and Yellow Bank beaches.
• Officials report rising water...

Santa Cruz County approved a $1.29 billion FY 2026-27 budget that uses one-time funds to close a $23 million gap while maintaining core services.

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Housing Pipeline Advances

• 🔥 Live Oak Property Sale: Santa Cruz County supervisors agreed to sell 3.5 acres of Live Oak land to Community...

The long-stalled Scotts Valley Town Center project illustrates how ownership disputes and environmental hurdles can freeze development for nearly two...

UC Santa Cruz's Paytan Lab has installed eddy covariance towers at two contrasting Southern California wetlands to measure CO2 absorption versus...

North Santa Cruz County saw robust community engagement for the nation's 250th, with thousands attending separate patriotic parades.

• Boulder...

Live Oak is emerging as a focal point for Santa Cruz County's layered housing response, blending immediate shelter with long-term affordable units.

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