City Council Wants to Weed Out Criminals from Homeless Services

Following the by a homeless man, Santa Cruz City Council members are proposing changes to local homeless services.

The first proposal is that this and future year’s budget allocations to homeless services require implementation of an ID system. There should also be an identification registry protocol similar to the one used in Santa Cruz motels, the council members wrote, cluing police and service providers into who is using the facilities.

"We believe these proposals to be common-sense and easily implemented. They reflect the conversations we have had with police, social service providers, and concerned citizens," wrote council members Lynn Robinson, Hilary Bryant and Ryan Coonerty in a statement released Wednesday.

There should also be rules that grant shelter priority to Santa Cruz County residents instead of people from outside the area, they added, with exceptions made for winter shelter and domestic violence victims in need of immediate attention.

A designated police officer should also meet regularly with the Homeless Services Center to identify any people with criminal backgrounds, the council members wrote. They will also work with public housing property owners to screen current and prospective tenants.

Other changes include expanding funding for local mental health outreach workers, expanding the local “Homeward Bound” program, and requesting that the County Jail return prisoners to their community of origin after they have completed their sentences.

“We believe that under Monica Martinez’s leadership, the Homeless Services Center has dramatically improved in creating more accountability and effective programing for homeless individuals,” they stated.  “She can count on our full support and continued funding as we work together to implement these proposals.”