Santa Cruz City Mayor - Santa Cruz, California

Annie B.

I have lived in Santa Cruz for 16 yrs and stay because of he individuals and loved ones in my community now. If it weren't for these personal connections I would have left years ago due to the catering to wealthy tech industry and green washing. We need a railroad for commuters (which may be underway now that Capitola is out of the way?!) The 3k affordable single apartments downtown are not for the average person and this town is oppressive towards renters. I hope that folks can see that there's a hoarding issue and not a homeless issue since there are many empty buildings and job opportunities for social work if the community and those with wealth cared to elevate this town with a rich alternative history. I've been displaced from my own home 4 times in 6 yrs bc of lazy property management or abusive landlords and there is little protection for those without tons of extra cash.

It's depressing that the city wants to rip out the biggest oldest trees downtown where the farmers market is. DEPRESSING YALL. Walkable cities are the future and it seems your going in the opposite direction and you, City council, don't listen to locals or environmentalists who are caring about the health of this region. It's also ironic because this city is known for alternative creative consciousness and yet, here we are. . .

Jun W.

Hi Dear Mayor,The utility department employee called Gabrila really helping people.i have hard time finding finance department she walked out and show me.and have asked supervisor for the options to pay.excellent service 👍

Elle A.

When is the homeless issue going to be fixed. I’ve seen improvements, but it’s still worse than a decade ago. Stop disabling comments and likes on YouTube, you gotta let your citizens express themselves >:(((((

Korina F.

Fred Keeley is such a kind man. I feel so privileged to have been able to spend time discussing housing in Santa Cruz with him. He came to the city run homeless encampment where I was visiting a friend after the storms. I brought her a large sun sail I had found on nextdoor for free because her tent roof had been having issues. He just drove up by himself, no silly entourage or camera man to show that he had been there. He just sat down and made himself available to everyone there for quite a while. He was so sweet and understanding and down to earth. He has a plan. It's a good one. Thank you for your time talking to us.
Korina

D M.

Seems like every where I go theirs needles from drug addicts. Can’t take kids to the beach or the parks. Some of the restaurants downtown have needle disposal bins in there bathrooms. Hell cant even go downtown without getting harassed by bums and drug addicts.the local government has failed the residents of Santa Cruz by enabling and encouraging this criminal behavior.
YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES.

Eleyah K.

As a resident of Santa Cruz county and a local activist for human, health, and environmental rights, I would like to express my concern and urge the city council to listen to the public that they are under obligation to work with. After thorough investigations, other locals and I have discovered several environmental atrocities taking place here, a place renown for it's natural beauty. There is cancer-causing pesticides being used in massive amounts in the Pajaro River and along roadsides. There are noxious chemicals from industrial farms being dumped in ponds sharing the same groundwater as a sensitive watershed a few hundred feet from a popular surfing spot. I'm concerned about how the City Council unanimously approved of aerial spraying toxic pesticides, a practice which hospitalized 500 people in the past, to kill a mosquito that hasn't even been a threat to our population. There are people who make Santa Cruz the cultural, artistic mecca that it has been for decades who are being denied their rights to live simply because of the ever soaring costs of living, bus route eliminating, and other techniques to push out the cultural creatives and appeal to the wealthy who can afford to live here (an increasing number who live in the Silicon Valley, unsustainably commuting and taking away housing opportunities for locals). Though there is much more I could do to understand their work completely, city council has seemed to be much more focused on the desires of the wealthy and the superficial appearances of this town to the rest of the world. I would love to see them step forward to make this town more egalitarian and less toxic. The evidence is out and many locals know what needs to be done, they just need to be heard. Though I don't know any council member personally, and do not judge them individually, I look forward to the possibilities of working with them to make every voice heard and bring power to the people of Santa Cruz. I hope more locals reach out with me to get the attention of and work with our local politicians so we can come to an understanding.

David L.

Amazing that the Santa Cruz County Sheriff Deputy can harass my wife who is walking our Shih Tzu in De La Vega park alone, with no one else there, including other dogs, for walking our friendly little Shih Tzu (for whom we always pick up his poop) without a lease. Yes, that's right! A real crime fighter!! There is so much other stuff going on in Santa Cruz that the Santa Cruz County Sheriff Deputy's office needs to tend to that. I think that all 'common sense' has been abandoned by both law enforcement and petty complainers who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel when it comes to what is the REAL problems in Santa Cruz County. Start dealing with the delinquent and criminal youth with their theft and hash oil smoking and the meth fueled crime around here and leave the lone Shih Tzu walkers who do something for this community alone. And 'Yes' we pick up our dog's poop.

Jack C.

SC is the dopest town on the west coast. Sorry if youre some tourist and you get bitched out by some locs, its just that you can get on my nerves with the traffic and the litter and all so try to be courteous as we locs can be sensitive to dicks.