Santa Cruz officials work to protect homeless during pandemic

Hotel rooms have been provided for the medically vulnerable and the county plans to expand it.

OBVIOUS CHALLENGE FORTHOSE WITH NO HOME.SANTA CRUZ CITY'S ANDTHE COUNTY HAVEWORKED TO PROVIDEMORE SHELTERS WITHENOUGH SPACE TOALLOW 'SOCIALDISTANCING' SPACING.ACTION NEWS REPORTERPHIL GOMEZ, HAS MOREON WHAT'S BEING DONETO PROVIDE SHELTERFOR THE HOMELESS."THE VETERANS MEMORIALHALL IN DOWNTOWNWATSONVILLE HAS BECONVERETED INTO A SHELTERFOR THE HOMELESS.

THIS ISJUST ONE OF SEVERAL NEWADDTIIONS DURING THISPANDEMIC.""SO, INSIDE THIS GREAT HALWE HAVE ABOUT 30 OFTHESE 7 X 9 FOOT TENTS"THE WATSONVILLEVETERANS MEMORIALBUILDING IS THE CENTERFOR MANY COMMUNITYEVENTS.NOW PROVIDING SHELTERFOR THE HOMELESSGIVES IT A NEW PURPOSE."NOT JUST LIKE ANOVERNIGHT SHELTER, BUT ASA 24/7 PLACE THAT THEYCAN STAY AND SHELTER INPLACE IF THEY WANT."SHELTER SPACE WASEXPANDED AT THE SANTACRUZ ARMORY WITH THIS60 BY 80 FOOT TENT THEVETERANS HALL ONFRONT STREET IN SANTACRUZ IS OPEN ANDALLOWS ITS VISITORS TOSTAY TWENTY FOUR-SEVEN THE ASSOCIATIONOF FAITH COMMUNITYTHAT INCLUDESRESURRECTION CHURCHAND FIRST UNITEDMETHODIST PROVIDEDTEMPORARY SHELTER,BUT NOW ALLOWS LONGTERM STAY."WE'RE A TOTAL OF 30 OFTHE GROUPS A SMALLNUMBER BUT IT'S 30 PEOPLETHAT ARE OFF THE STREETS,SAFE AND AGAIN, NOTPOSSIBLE TRANSMITTERS.EXTRA SERVICES AREALSO PROVIDED"THAT INCLUDE A LOT OFEXTRA SERVICES THAT'SFOOD, MEDIAL SCREENINGTHINGS LIKE THAT; HYGENETHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ASWELL.""HOTEL ROOMS HAVE BEENPROVIDED FOR THEMEDICALLY VULNERABLE ANDTHE COUNTY PLANS TOEXPAND IT.

IN WATSONVILLE,PHIL GOMEZ, KSBW ACTIONNEWS 8