Help End Homelessness in Santa Cruz County: Public Input Sought at 2 Forums

The public is invited to join in one of two community conversations focused on how best to prevent and end homelessness in Santa Cruz County.

The two forums take place on Tuesday, December 2nd at the First Christian Church at 15 Madison Street in Watsonville, and on Thursday, December 4th at the Santa Cruz Veterans Memorial Hall, 846 Front Street in Santa Cruz.

Both forums will be held from 5:30 to 8:00pm and light refreshments will be provided.

The event is sponsored by the United Way of Santa Cruz County, Smart Solutions to Homelessness, the Homeless Action Partnership (HAP), and the Strategic Planning Committee.

In December, 2012, almost 250 community members participated in an all-day Homeless Summit sponsored by the United Way and Smart Solutions to Homelessness to consider local solutions to homelessness.

In response over 80 people applied to be a part of a leadership council being formed to carry the work forward—launching the Smart Solutions to Homelessness initiative.

Since then Smart Solutions has collaborated with the Homeless Action Partnership, our community’s Continuum of Care organization responsible for all applications for Federal HUD funding for the county, to launch the current strategic planning process. This partnership has contributed to unprecedented levels of community-wide participation in the planning process.

The Plan’s goal, as prepared by the Strategic Planning Committee, is that the diverse residents of Santa Cruz County will have access to safe, stable housing, will have incomes to support their well-being, and will have access to culturally competent services empowering them to meet their basic needs and lead dignified lives.

Says Strategic Planning Committee Chair, Jamie Goldstein, City Manager for the City of Capitola: “I am proud that so many members of our community have devoted significant time to develop consensus on a path forward to help us achieve a better community for all. All participants have carefully researched those evidence based strategies that hold real promise to provide solutions to homelessness in this county. Overall it has been an incredibly inclusive process with diverse views represented and a lot of expertise engaged.”

At the upcoming forums the public will have the opportunity to hear and respond to draft recommendations produced by close to 100 participants over the nine-month planning effort.

Participants will be invited to join three discussion groups throughout the evening, choosing from the following topic areas:

• the distinct needs of the veterans, of families, of youth and young adults, or of adults (including chronically homeless and seniors) who are currently unsheltered or at risk of homelessness in our county;
• on what is needed to strengthen Pajaro Valley’s service network;

• or finally, on how to best to address safety and meet people’s immediate needs while longer term solutions are put in place.

Input from the public will be considered as the final plan is developed, a plan that will then be used to guide the community’s work to address homelessness for the next decade.

Please contact for more information:

Jessica Wolf, Community Organizer

United Way of Santa Cruz County

Smart Solutions to Homelessness Initiative

Phone: 831-465-2203

E-Mail: jwolf@unitedwaysc.org