I’m 44m, single father, full time (daughters mum is not present at all and hasn’t been for many years), daughter is 13. Without going deep into a full life story, have has lots of struggles, adversity, etc. I have been in Santa Cruz a long time. Am in substance recovery long term. Work hard, and daughter is me life. Lived in same spot almost 10 years. Am single again for about a year now as the missus died last November (not daughters mum) that has put extreme emotional and financial pressure back onto us. I now need to find a new housing situation. Not anything I did. Am a good, quiet tenant. The place I live has more than one unit, and is a large lot, and entire lot being sold together, I believe to be redeveloped. I have been able to maintain paying everything here as I get a good deal ($2400, plus utilities, 3 bd 1bth). I can’t even find a 2 bedroom for that price, and with a single income, and, honestly, not looking to have a new partner anytime soon. I am finding it very difficult to find any sort of assistance for affordable housing. The housing authority is worthless. And I don’t know of other resources. Having lived in UK, and seeing how it is there, why aren’t there any sort of subsidized council housing estates or anything, or programs for single parents? “Low income” in this town is totally screwed. What do I do? I don’t even know where to go from here. Cheers

This is Marshmallow, a wonderful, cuddly, and loving kitty. We’ve had her for almost 3 years, and have genuinely loved her, spending many hours with her on our laps, and enjoying her warm cuddles. She has been indoor/outdoor whole time, but due to problems with skunks and other critters that we’ve had she has been seeming less comfortable in our space, and I’m hoping we can find someone that would welcome her into their home. She would be a fantastic companion for anyone who likes to chill, read a book, or anything sitting with a devoted cat on your lap! She is in good health, she can come with 3 months of food, flea/tick meds, and an outdoor cat house. She would be ideal for an elderly person, but anyone who would provide a loving home will be great

Your One Piece wallet was in the crosswalk in front of urban outfitters. I asked the big group of people in line for the movie if they knew you, but they didn’t. So, I gave it to the person checking tickets at the door.

Hope you find it man!

I'm hosting a family event of 60 people and the venue suggests we hire a cleaning service to sweep and empty trash.

We would just need someone to sweep and empty trash bins.

Does anyone know of any services available on Saturday, Oct 31 at 9:30-10:30pm? (1 hour of work)

I called a few places but most people are not available on weekends or late evenings.

So I was waiting at Riverfront Area 3 for the Number 2 Metro at 5:10 pm today...

Never showed .

Now I'm waiting at the Capitola Mall for the Number 2 Metro at 7:34 pm.

A Bus drives by with a lighted up Out of Order. App says it arriving was now, then it indicates the next bus will be arriving 20 minutes from later (7:54 pm).

Is it a lack of staff?

Changing Schedules?

Sick driver?

I admit I'm frustrated, but I'd really like to know what the issue is.

Having Krohn as a "top advisor" has to be one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of.

Shame on you Ami.

Krohn is the definition of a clown show.

Hi all is there a group somewhere in the online world that has a watch for the monarchs near natural bridges? Thanks in advance!

Anyone looking to buy a Santa Cruz classic?

From their IG:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeuAemqu0lP

"Dear Dharma's Community,

This past April, we shared how challenging it had become to keep Dharma's doors open. Your outpouring of love and support showed us how special this community is, and it carried us until the summer. Since then business has declined significantly and we find ourselves at another crossroads.

This situation has been made more profound and poignant with the passing of our beloved owner and operator, Bernie Shapiro. Bern was the heart of Dharma's in many ways. His dedication, consistent presence, leadership and unique character were integral in every aspect of the restaurant. Without him Dharma's is just not the same and we are not able to carry it the way he did.

For these reasons we are now looking for someone to purchase Dharma's, in the hope that its purpose, spirit and legacy will continue forward. If we cannot find or be found by a buyer, we will have to close our doors most likely within the next few months. We wanted to share this news with you now, our loyal community, so as to keep you in the loop and give you a chance to spread the word and enjoy some meals before changes take place.

Until then, we would love nothing more than to see you, feed you and share some moments with you. If you know someone who might be interested in helping create Dharma's next chapter, please reach out to us at [dharmasrestaurant@gmail.com](mailto:dharmasrestaurant@gmail.com), or at (831) 295-8091."

As I was opening my puzzle, I realized it took me a long time to start it because then I wouldn't have any more puzzles to work on.
Are there people out there that would like to trade puzzles?? Maybe a monthly trade??

Puzzles are too expensive to keep buying. Let me know your ideas!

November 8th at the Golden State Theater.

Tickets https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/58669850

I remember seeing many tents on Coral St next to Costco every time I went there in the past.

But the past couple times everything was gone, as if the homeless camp never existed. Like there is no trace of it.

Did they get chased away or moved somewhere else? Whatever it was, I hope it was done humanely and those folks got the help they needed.

Allegheny County in Pennsylvania just passed a paid-parental-leave policy for employers in their county.

Bassist of Santa Cruz band Stellar Corpses if you didn’t know

Don’t really like penny ice and Marianna’s is an old favorite but the quality of Mission Hill is tops!!

I’m looking for a lawyer for a friend whose child is in elementary school and has special education needs. The family’s relationship with the school has become increasingly adversarial, and they feel they are being intimidated and pressured to leave through the IEP process and what they believe are exaggerated claims about their child’s behavior.

This is my first reddit post ever so if I'm doing it wrong sorry in advance 😳, but I’m looking for some free or almost free plants in Santa Cruz.

I am currently unemployed so I've got a tight budget but in between looking for work I just finished sheet mulching my yard, which was mostly weeds. I’d love to get some native plants in the ground before the next big rain so they can establish over the winter and smother out some of the itchy grasses. I'm going for a kind of coastal prairie/scrub meets redwood forest edge (I've already managed to get some ceanothus and huckleberry). I really want to encourage more birds and butterflies to come to the yard.

Does anyone know of free or very cheap sources around Santa Cruz?

Maybe plant swaps or giveaways,

native plant society sales or volunteer programs,

nurseries with a free/discount bin,

or forums/platforms where I can find neighbors or gardeners dividing and sharing cuttings, seedlings, or divisions?

I've already been perusing craigslist and Offerup. No Facebook so that's not an option.

I'd be down to volunteer or work trade for plants if there is somewhere where they have that arrangement. Thanks!

Retro arcade fun for the whole family! Come in costume to win a prize!
https://www.coindroparcade.rocks/

American Leisure Patio Furniture 1118 Ocean Street

This store is closing due to retirement. It's a really cute property with parking.
Behind the building is a patio area. I am thinking perhaps it could be used to
open a nice restaurant, enough room inside for tables and cook station and
the back area could be outdoor tables as well. Not sure what the plans are but
its to nice to sit on Ocean Street empty. Ocean Street has so many empty homes and
buildings it could really use a nice inviting spot.

Its been a tough year for the elephant seals and local marine mammals with the avian flu and domoic acid situation, come support the local marine steward organizations.

Summary of Candidate Responses to Key Issues

• Housing & Development:
  • Ryan Coonerty: Agrees that more housing is needed, but emphasizes that new projects must fit the scale and character of Santa Cruz. He opposes massive, dense builds directly adjacent to neighborhoods with minimal setbacks or parking, arguing for careful placement.
  • Ami Chen Mills: Favors neighborhood-appropriate housing and strongly criticizes private equity and market-rate real estate firms buying up local properties. She advocates for slowing down development cycles to ensure local infrastructure (such as water systems, roads, and medical care) can support the growth, alongside stronger renter protections.
• Homelessness:
  • Ryan Coonerty: Proposes a structured approach combining shelter options with mandatory treatment requirements for individuals struggling with severe mental illness or substance abuse, utilizing state programs (like care court or conservatorships), or a bus ticket out of town.
  • Ami Chen Mills: Focuses on expanding interim housing, tiny homes, and day services in partnership with local nonprofits, while arguing that simply cycling unhoused people out of areas via enforcement or moving laws is ineffective.
• City Revenue & Taxes:
  • Ryan Coonerty: Seeks economic development and storefront revitalization to generate revenue without piling additional tax burdens onto struggling local families.
  • Ami Chen Mills: Is open to evaluating targeted new revenue streams where money is concentrated, but firmly opposes broad parcel or homeowner-facing taxes.
• Surveillance & Flock Cameras:
  • Ryan Coonerty: Expresses caution regarding automated license plate reader cameras, stating he opposes renewing the city's Flock contract while the federal administration poses concerns regarding civil liberties, but supports the use of surveillance technology in the future.
  • Ami Chen Mills: Makes data privacy and surveillance limits a core priority (A founder of Get the Flock Out), pushing for a citywide private data broker ordinance to restrict data-sharing.

I'm planning a bonfire soon but just learned that the beach apparently closes at 10pm? I've seen so many groups and fires going late I'm just now learning this. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with how strictly this is enforced. Will I be auto cited at 10:30 or will I just be told to leave?