RESOURCES
Here you will find access to the many organizations tha fight for a community driven city with a transparent and honest City Council and staff.
These organizations' missions, core beliefs, and actions sometimes differ very much and we don't agree with everything they do or say. However, they all devote a lot of time towards the same goal of transforming our city into a place for the whole of our community.
Are we missing a few? Let us know!
Publications, newsletters and blogs
43-year old weekly opinion newsletter published by Bruce Bratton with incisive contributions from Chris Krohn, Becky Steinbruner, Gillian Greensite, Gary Paton and many more.
The San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (Indybay) is a non-commercial, democratic collective of bay area independent media makers and media outlets, and serves as the local organizing unit of the global Indymedia network.
The Democratic Socialists of America, Santa Cruz, publish important articles about social issues faced by Santa Cruz residents.
This newspaper is produced by and for UCSC students. Their focus is on political and social issues affecting students and the Santa Cruz Community
City Council, governance and calendar
This site gives you all of the political and social events happening in Santa Cruz County and is updated every week. You'll find time and place for meetings and a long list of links to city and county organizations.
Santa Cruz City Active Applications and Development Projects
This site gives you all of the political and social events happening in Santa Cruz County and is updated every week. You'll find time and place for meetings and a long list of links to city and county organizations.
Santa Cruz City Council Meetings
Here you will find the City Council meeting agenda, the videos, and minutes.
City of Santa Cruz Advisory Board
These are boards or communities created to received feedback and recommendation from the public
For a thoughtfully planned city
Downtown Commons Advocates is a broad group of Santa Cruz business owners and community members who advocate for a downtown public commons— including an improved permanent home for the Farmers Market— at the existing Cedar Street location.
Affordable housing
A network of pro-housing activists fighting for more inclusive housing policies. They drive policy change to increase the supply of housing at all levels and bring down the cost of living in opportunity-rich cities and towns.
New Way Homes funds housing projects with Non-Profit Partners in the SF/ Monterey Bay Area. Small investors are invited to invest in New Way Homes.
YIMBY is a network of pro-housing activists fighting for more inclusive housing policies and a future of abundant housing. They drive policy change to increase the supply of housing at all levels and bring down the cost of living in opportunity-rich cities and towns.
Environment
Sustainable Systems Research Foundation
SSRF is a non profit think tank that seeks to address environmental and sustainability issues in Santa Cruz. The organization addresses such issues occurring in housing, food, agriculture, transportation, and all other issues found in the development of our community.
Transportation
Campaign for Sustainable Transportation Santa Cruz
The Campaign for Sustainable Transportation is a group of volunteers dedicated to making Santa Cruz County a place where everyone in our diverse community can access their needs and activities in a way that is safe, affordable, convenient and sustainable for future generations.
For youth
At FoodWhat, youth engage in relationships with land, food and each other in ways that are grounded in love and rooted in justice.
Mixed use library/garage project
This organization represents the many Santa Cruz residents opposed to the destruction of the current library downtown, and are opposed to the relocation of the library downtown, flanked by a 6-story parking garage.
Santa Cruz wharf
Don't Morph the Wharf is founded by Gillian Greensite. It does not have a webpage or Facebook page but Greensite writes a regular column in Bratton Online. To find out more about the City's crazy project for the wharf, sign up to receive Bratton Online here.
Riverfront Housing Complex
Description of the project on the City's page
Uncritical article in the Good Times on the project
Read our blog for more info on this project
The dark and mysterious concept of affordable housing is a good example of the very little effort made by the City to provide affordable housing.
Helping those living in the streets and in vehicles
Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs is an all volunteer program that shares free vegan meals, produce and bakegoods with the local community.
32-beds for adult men and women. Often full, there is a waiting list. This is a non-profit organization.
This pop up shelter springs in to action on very cold or very wet nights when there is not enough room to shelter everyone.