Santa Cruz Acquires Coral Street Property, Advances Homelessness Response Action Plan

News release from the City of Santa Cruz:

SANTA CRUZ, CA – The City of Santa Cruz announced today it has closed on the acquisition of 125 Coral St., the next major step in fulfillment of the City Council-adopted, three-year Homelessness Response Action Plan.

The property, adjacent to the city-owned parcel occupied by the Housing Matters campus, will be a prominent opportunity site for the upcoming Coral Street master planning effort and will make it possible to build a north county navigation center. Navigation centers are low-threshold, high-service temporary shelter programs for adults experiencing homelessness.

“The Homelessness Response Action Plan is the roadmap for working to proactively address individual needs and community impacts related to homelessness in our City. The acquisition of 125 Coral Street will make it possible for the City and County to move forward with a much-needed master plan and permanent navigation center to connect homeless individuals and families to state support, health services, and, ultimately, permanent housing,” said City Manager Matt Huffaker.

The City expects to release a Request for Proposals for services related to a Coral Street design charrette and master plan in June. The selected consultant will coordinate with the City, County, non-profit service providers, and other community stakeholders to assess the service needs for the Coral Street area, explore how those needs could be accommodated along Coral Street, and propose a master plan that includes recommended land uses, intensities, and implementation phases.

Current plans call for a new navigation center to be a part of the service and shelter needs addressed in the master plan. The exact location and how its relationship to other uses, such as permanent supportive housing, will be explored as part of the consultant’s work.

The property acquisition was made possible by a $14 million investment from the State to support homelessness response efforts within the City, thanks to the efforts of Senator John Laird and Assemblymember Mark Stone.

The Homelessness Response Action Plan commits the City’s homelessness response to balancing individual needs and community impacts from prevention to exit, centering on the values of collaboration, health & safety, economic vitality, fiscal responsibility, practicality, resource stewardship, and transparency. Action areas include: Building Capacity and Partnerships, Permanent Affordable and Supportive Housing, Basic Support Services, Care & Stewardship, and Community Safety. Learn more at cityofsantacruz.com/homelessness.

This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.