Santa Cruz to prohibit other cities from dropping off homeless people

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) — Santa Cruz officials are taking action after a homeless person was transported from San Joaquin Valley and dropped off in the beachside city. Hanford Police Department officers gave the free ride and left the person who had no ties to Santa Cruz, city officials said.

This week, the Santa Cruz City Council introduced a new ordinance titled “Prohibition of Government-Sponsored Unsanctioned Transport of Homeless Persons.”

Under the ordinance, Chapter 9.91 will be added to the municipal code explicitly prohibiting the unsanctioned transport of homeless people without “a coordinated and responsible plan for shelter or services,” officials wrote.

The new ordinance also aims to prevent other cities from dumping their unhoused residents without notifying Surf City first.

Officials said Santa Cruz reserves and limits its shelter resources for people who are currently living in the area, not 180 miles away in Hanford, California.

The Hanford Police Department did not respond to KRON4’s request for comment Thursday.

“This ordinance is an important step to ensure that the City’s limited resources are focused on supporting those who are already part of our community and not overwhelmed by unsanctioned actions by other jurisdictions,” Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said.

City officials said their humane approach to the homelessness crisis focuses on providing compassion for locals through “housing-first” programs and services.

Keeley said, “We’ve developed compassionate and progressive programs, from our outreach teams to our housing-first initiatives, all designed to provide real solutions for individuals experiencing homelessness. These efforts reflect our belief that every person deserves access to supportive services that foster stability and dignity.”

Councilmember Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson said, “Our City is proud of the strides we’ve made in addressing homelessness over the past three years. We’ve worked tirelessly to stand up comprehensive programs that offer real support and long-term solutions for those experiencing homelessness here in Santa Cruz.

Kalantari-Johnson said, “We encourage other jurisdictions to follow suit by developing similar programs that provide services and shelter to those within their own communities.”

According to the 2024 Point-in-Time census count, 1,850 people were homeless in Santa Cruz County.

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