County met the challenges of a tough year
We recently passed the oneyear anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, an event that marked the beginning of a horrible year from which we are only now beginning to recover. At the time, Santa Cruz County was celebrating several successes, including the opening of the Felton Branch Library, Seacliff Skate Park and Chanticleer Park/LEO’s Haven. We had put the finishing touches on the county’s first-ever strategic plan, and established the first yearround homeless shelter system in county history.
The pandemic meant we could not pause to celebrate, and county government helped the community meet the challenge. The Health Services Agency worked tirelessly to protect the health and safety of residents, while the rest of county staff were called to service far beyond their usual roles to respond to the pandemic and, later, the devastating CZU Lightning Complex fire.
We knew the pandemic would worsen longstanding inequities, and we began meeting regularly with South County leaders while locating testing and vaccination services there first. The Board of Supervisors protected residents by establishing an eviction moratorium, placing restrictions on price gouging and providing rent support for tenants. We also met regularly with hospitals, secured personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and met with employers to help them survive the pandemic. We oversaw the Great Plates program, delivering thousands of meals to local seniors isolating at home. We increased shelter beds by hundreds. We protected as many people as we could, even as county finances dwindled and we furloughed staff. Our commitment to the community has been unyielding.
And when the vaccines finally arrived, we moved quickly to distribute them as quickly and equitably as possible – Santa Cruz County has one of the highest per capita vaccination rates in California.
In August, we fought a devastating fire that burned a quarter of the county’s land. We evacuated more than 60,000 people, putting thousands in hotels or at more than a dozen shelter sites. We also took in thousands of animals, and set up donation sites for fire survivors, managing and distributing tons of donated goods, food, pet supplies, bedding and more.
After the fires, we established the Office of Response, Recovery and Resiliency, and brought on help to quickly guide survivors and process rebuilding applications. We are pleased to have recently issued our first CZU fire rebuilding permit.
We worked to protect residents from debris flow, raising awareness and visiting impacted residents to share information. We worked with state and federal partners to remove toxic household and other fire debris at no cost to homeowners, and put implemented measures to protect watersheds and nurture environmental recovery.
Our other work never abated. We adapted and continued to provide community services. Our tireless staff at the Emergency Operations Center navigated more fires and storms, a massive debris flow evacuation and a Public Safety Power Shutoff. We also renovated the La Selva Beach library, oversaw implementation of the U.S. Census, established a new Housing for Health Division to address homelessness and ran a U.S. presidential election that included record turnout.
This has been a trying year for everyone. I want the residents of Santa Cruz County to know we are here for you. In this year of change, our commitment to residents is the one thing that is constant.
And when the vaccines finally arrived, we moved quickly to distribute them as quickly and equitably as possible – Santa Cruz County has one of the highest per capita vaccination rates in California.