Winter Shelters House 550 Individuals In Santa Cruz Co.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Shelters in Santa Cruz County housed 550 individuals this winter season, but officials said demand for housing remained "extraordinarily high" despite increased shelter capacities.

The county's five-month winter program ended on April 15 and saw 382 men, 141 women and 14 children seek help at shelters. Rayne Marr, Santa Cruz County homeless shelter coordinator, said the county increased its capacity by 30 percent and shelters throughout the area had an 87 percent occupancy rate.

Several individuals were able to obtain housing and employment through shelter services and others were able to maintain their jobs because they had a place to rest, a county spokesman said. The county said it is working on developing a year-round shelter, instead of several seasonal shelters, to house people in need.

According to Santa Cruz County census data from 2017, there are 2,249 homeless individuals in the area. About 50 percent of the group has been unstably housed for more than a year.

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Renee Schiavone/ Patch