• I am affirming that I value a community in which all people are treated equally.
• I am committing to look people who are experiencing homelessness in the eyes, not to ignore and pretend they don’t matter or are not a part of our community.
• I am committing to learn about and participate in solutions to homelessness to reimagine a better, more equitable community for everyone.

Homelessness affects all of us. Our healthcare, public safety resources, public parks, workforce, and tax dollars are directly impacted by homelessness. It benefits all of us to end homelessness in Santa Cruz County, and to do that, the whole community has to be on board. When we’re all housed, our whole community thrives.

There are approximately 1,800 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County according to the 2023 Point-in-Time Census. At any given time, approximately 79% of those people are unsheltered, meaning they are living in harsh conditions without easy access to essentials such as a toilet, a shower, or clean drinking water. They are living their lives in public, even the most private parts of their lives.

The vast majority of people who are unhoused in Santa Cruz County have deep roots in our community — 75% of people currently experiencing homelessness reported Santa Cruz County as being their home at the time that they lost housing. They are our friends, our family, and all of them are our neighbors.

Everyone benefits from reducing homelessness, as people stabilize in housing, dependence on emergency services drops and health outcomes improve. 

Progress is possible. According to the County of Santa Cruz - Housing for Health Partnership, more than 1,300  people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County found stable housing between January 2022 and December 2023. Imagine a Santa Cruz County in which every person had a home and a sense of belonging!

By signing this petition YOU have taken the first step towards creating a better and more equitable community. By pledging to support our unhoused neighbors, YOU are pledging to confront your own biases and discomfort, acknowledging that meaningful change starts with an open heart and mind. 

1. YOU are affirming that you value a community in which all people are treated equally.  
2. YOU are committing to look people who are experiencing homelessness in the eyes, not to ignore them and pretend they don’t matter or are not a part of our community.
3. YOU are committing to learn about and participate in solutions to homelessness to reimagine a better, more equitable community.

Sources: 2023 PIT COUNT in Santa Cruz County