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Larry Imwalle Shares Insights from 3.5 Years as the City's Homelessness Response Manager | |
"What truly motivates me is my deep commitment to equity and justice—values that have been a constant throughout my career, even before I joined the City of Santa Cruz. I am passionate about working with populations that have been marginalized in various ways, especially those experiencing homelessness, as these individuals are often overlooked by many systems that are supposed to serve them. Bringing an equity-focused lens to this work is important to me because I believe that addressing the root causes of homelessness requires an approach grounded in connecting with people and human understanding...."
| | Help Shape the Future of Santa Cruz's Coastline! | |
Join the City of Santa Cruz for an interactive Open House on Wednesday, May 1, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the London Nelson Community Center!
Discover how nature-based solutions—like restoring dunes and enhancing natural landscapes—can help protect our beloved coastline, preserve ecosystems, and build a more resilient Santa Cruz.
What to Expect:
- Exciting updates from our ongoing Nature-Based Solutions Feasibility Study.
- Concepts for vegetated dunes on Main Beach.
- Ideas to strengthen and protect West Cliff Drive.
- Hands-on exhibits and visuals to bring these ideas to life.
- A chance to share your thoughts and shape our coastal future!
Whether you’re a longtime resident, a beach lover, or just curious about climate action, your input is essential to help us design a coast that’s strong, sustainable, and reflective of our community’s values. Let’s work together to ensure Santa Cruz’s coast thrives for generations to come!
The project is funded by the California Coastal Conservancy and will be completed by Summer 2025. Learn more about nature based solutions.tCruz
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Join Us for Pedal In the Park
Get ready to roll into Depot Park for an unforgettable day of biking fun and safety on Saturday, May 3, from 1 – 4 p.m.! Modo, the active transportation platform of Ecology Action and the Santa Cruz Police Department, are teaming up with 20 local businesses and nonprofits to host a free community event that celebrates the joy of biking and promotes road safety.
What to Expect
- Family-Friendly Group Rides: Join Modo for scenic rides along the rail trail and low-stress Westside routes. Learn skills like hand signaling, navigating intersections, trail etiquette, and more—all while enjoying a relaxed group ride.
- Bike Rodeo and Obstacle Courses: Engage in fun, skill-building challenges suitable for all ages.
- Giveaways: Helmets and More: Stay safe and stylish with a free helmet (while supplies last).
- Free Drawing: One lucky participant will win a brand-new bike.
- This event is made possible thanks to grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).
Join the Movement
'Pedal in the Park' is a celebration of what makes Santa Cruz a vibrant, connected, and fresh-air-loving community. Bring your family, friends, and bike, and let's ride together!
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Trees, Beautiful Trees!
National Arbor Day is Friday, April 25. Celebrate with the City of Santa Cruz and join Certified Arborist and Urban Forester Leslie Keedy from Parks and Recreation as we plant the seeds for a healthier, more beautiful Santa Cruz.
Urban trees do so much—they provide shade, clean our air, reduce stormwater runoff, and create vital habitats for local wildlife. Santa Cruz is committed to planting 500+ trees every year, and we need your help to grow a greener future!
How to Get Involved
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Volunteer for planting events – contact us at parksandrec@santacruzca.gov or (831) 420-5270
- Donate to Urban Forestry through Friends of Parks and Recreation. Together, let’s make Santa Cruz blossom!
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SCPD Welcomes New Officer
The Santa Cruz Police Department is proud to welcome Officer Guinn to the team! Officer Guinn graduated from the police academy on April 11 and was officially sworn in by Deputy Chief of Police Jon Bush. Please join us in congratulating Officer Guinn as he begins his service to the Santa Cruz community.
Want to work with the City? Check out open jobs!
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Celebrating Sergeant Rock’s Promotion
Please join the Santa Cruz Police Department in congratulating Detective Rock on his promotion to Sergeant. Sergeant Rock has worked hard for this amazing accomplishment, and it is well-deserved. SCPD would like to thank Sergeant Rock for all his great work while on the Investigations team.
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Record-Breaking Summer Scholarships Available for Local Youth!
The City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department is thrilled to share that Friends of Parks and Recreation (FOPAR) awarded a record number of 2025 summer scholarships to 133 local youth, totaling over $56,000 in scholarship funds!
Thanks to the generous support of FOPAR and our amazing community, more kids than ever will have the opportunity to explore, play, and grow through our summer programs.
“These scholarships open the door to a summer filled with fun, learning, and new friendships,” said Tony Elliot, Director of Parks and Recreation. “We’re incredibly grateful to FOPAR for their unwavering support and commitment to equity and access. This investment in our youth makes our entire community stronger.”
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Update on Fish Stocking at Loch Lomond Reservoir
Fish stocking in Loch Lomond Reservoir by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure to protect the Santa Cruz Water Department’s system from potential impacts of an emerging invasive species threat in California.
In October 2024, Golden mussels were discovered in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta — the first known detection of this invasive species in North America. Like other invasive mussels, Golden Mussels can pose a serious threat to water infrastructure by clogging inlet screens, pumps, and other equipment critical to the operation of reservoirs and water treatment facilities.
Golden Mussels are primarily spread by watercraft such as boats and rafts. While personal watercraft are not allowed in Loch Lomond Reservoir, the Santa Cruz Water Department is taking proactive steps to reduce any potential risk.
At this time, the City’s water system is not connected to any affected water bodies, nor does it receive water from any agencies currently impacted by Golden Mussels. More information on Golden mussels and where they have been found is available in the following resources from the California State Department of Fish and Wildlife:
Thanks for your understanding and for helping us protect this vital source of local drinking water.
Photo: Golden mussel shells collected in October 2024 at a water quality station at Rough and Ready Island near Stockton in San Joaquin County, California, USA. Photo: Elizabeth Wells, Ph. D. (DWR).
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Youth Needed to Serve on New Sustainability & Resiliency Committee Apply Now!
The City is recruiting one at-large youth resident member (age 24 or younger) to serve on the new Sustainability and Resiliency Committee. Applicants should have an interest or expertise in climate advocacy, transportation, water, trees, waste, buildings, energy, or resiliency. This is a pilot committee that will serve as an advisory body to the Santa Cruz City Council on climate and resiliency, helping to guide operational decisions and implementation of initiatives to reach climate and resiliency goals. The committee will meet quarterly for 18 months, and stipends are available. Apply by April 28.
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Water Staff to Participate in Upcoming Salmonid Restoration Conference
The Salmonid Restoration Federation will host the 42nd Annual Salmonid Restoration Conference on April 29 - May 2 in Santa Cruz. Co-sponsored by the City’s Water Department, the conference offers opportunities to see and learn about lagoon restoration, post-fire recovery, dam removal, and coastal monitoring.
Several water department staff members will host sessions throughout the conference. Participants will have the opportunity to explore restoration projects through field tours at various locations, including the San Lorenzo River, and participate in technical workshops on topics including:
- Using Rapid Assessment Protocols to Gauge Fish Passage Opportunities
- CA Estuarine Marine Protected Monitoring Program
- Fish and Fire Conversation
- Remote Sensing Tools for Restoration Planning and Assessment
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Save the Date for Touch-A-Truck on May 21!
NEW LOCATION! Depot Park - 119 Center Street
Join Public Works on Wednesday, May 21, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. in Depot Park for an action-packed, family-friendly event to get an up-close look at the City’s impressive fleet of vehicles and equipment. Learn about the tools and machinery that keep our City running smoothly and watch staff compete in the third annual Equipment Road-eo! Enjoy skills competition, educational booths, demonstrations, activities, and more!
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Planned Murray Street Bridge Harbor Access Path Closures
To facilitate continued PG&E-related work, sections of the harbor access path will be closed to bike and pedestrian traffic.
The west harbor access path will be closed from Tuesday, April 22, to Friday, April 25, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please note that this information has been updated from the closure notification that was shared last week.
The harbor access paths are located under the east and west sides of the bridge and connect the north and south sides of the harbor. Only one access path will be closed at a time for construction-related activities.
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Proposed Wastewater Rate Increase
In order to maintain the Wastewater Treatment Facility and collections system that provide our community with an essential quality-of-life service, the City of Santa Cruz is proposing a wastewater rate increase. These increases are essential to sustain the city’s wastewater system, which faces mounting challenges from aging infrastructure and rising operational costs.
Critical components, such as pipelines and parts of the treatment plant, have outlived their service life and urgently need replacement. A public hearing will be held on the proposed wastewater rate increases on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, after 10 a.m. at City Council Chambers, located at 809 Center Street. For more information about the proposed rate increases and public hearing, including Spanish-translated information, visit cityofsantacruz.com/sewer-rates.
Additional links:
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During the month of May, Housing Santa Cruz County (HSCC) brings together County-wide housing partners with a variety of virtual and in-person events to activate and engage the community. View the full schedule of events..
The City will also publish a quick guide of events online. Events include a bike tour, informational forums, the grand opening of affordable housing projects, and the Affordable Housing Month Keynote event. We hope you can join us to celebrate Affordable Housing Month!
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City of Santa Cruz
City Manager's Office
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz CA 95060
santacruzca.gov
831-420-5010
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