2024 Wrapped

In 2024, our team helped 480 people move into stable housing!

Watch our 2024 Wrapped Video Here!

JANUARY 2024
Demolition of River Street Shelter
Crews started demolition of the former River Street Shelter at Housing Matters in preparation for Harvey West Studios.

Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

JANUARY 2024
All-Staff Celebration
Housing Matters gathered for the annual all-staff celebration to celebrate the organizational accomplishments of 2023. A highlight was that our team helped 427 people to find stable and healthy housing in 2023, which was 110 more move-ins than in 2022.

JANUARY 2024
MLK March for the Dream
On Monday, January 15th, the Housing Matters team joined the NAACP of Santa Cruz County and many other community members for the MLK March for the Dream. Following the event, our team tabled in the Civic Auditorium and answered questions and provided resources about our programs and services.

JANUARY 2024
Congressman Jimmy Panetta visits Housing Matters
Housing Matters commemorated the federal investment grant of $3M which was facilitated by California congressman, Jimmy Panetta for the upcoming Harvey West Studios project. This project will provide 120 Permanent Supportive Housing units to vulnerable members of our community experiencing homelessness.

JANUARY 2024
Housing Support Retreat
All program staff gathered for an all-day seminar and everyone shared messages of gratitude.

JANUARY 2024
January Neighbors for Neighbors
The January Neighbors for Neighbors featured a discussion on the topic of the social safety nets that are crucial for people to stay safely housed.

JANUARY 2024
First Uplift Listening Session
Housing Matters held its first Uplift Central Coast listening session regarding economic development in our county.

FEBRUARY 2024
Housing Matters Board of Directors Retreat
Housing Matters hosted the annual retreat for the Board of Directors to discuss the strategic goals for the future.

MARCH 2024
Senior Advisor on Homelessness, Hafsa Kaka visit
Senator John Laird hosted Governor Gavin Newsom’s Senior Advisor on Homelessness, Hafsa Kaka for a campus tour.

MARCH 2024
NAEF Conference (SF)
Tom Stagg, Chief Initiatives Officer, spoke at the NAEH Conference in San Francisco with Housing Matters team members.

MARCH 2024
Housing California Conference
The Housing Matters Executive Team attended the Housing California Conference in Long Beach.

APRIL 2024
Picture This: Reimagining Home and Belonging
Picture This: Reimagining Home and Belonging was the first annual curated speaker event that spotlights unique perspectives on home, belonging, land, and place. It was the official launch of the Community Conversations Speakers Bureau.

Click here to view the photo gallery from the event.

APRIL 2024
Lunar Eclipse
Our campus staff watched the lunar eclipse together.

MAY 2024
Look Me in the Eyes
Look Me in the Eyes was an art exhibition curated by Artist-In-Residence, Abi Mustapha and was a collaboration between people with lived experience of homelessness and local artists. The exhibition challenged preconceived notions of unhoused identity, symbolically breaking down barriers of thought that separate us from each other. The artists and storytellers were in attendance at the show to discuss their work and augment the story behind each portrait.

Click here to view the photo gallery from the event.

MAY 2024
Casa Azul became a Historic Landmark
Casa Azul was designated as a Historical Landmark

MAY 2024
March to End Homelessness
The 2nd annual March to End Homelessness was organized by Housing Matters and was composed of a compassionate coalition of local businesses, non-profit organizations, and hundreds of supporters. This event is anchored in inspiring hope for actionable solutions to homelessness through the advancement of public policy.

Click here to view the photo gallery from the event.

MAY 2024
Preparations for HWS – RSS Demo and Paving
Preparations for the groundbreaking of Harvey West Studios continued with the paving of the staging site.

JUNE 2024
Santa Cruz Pride
We had a wonderful time celebrating Pride Month with our community. We extend our gratitude to the event organizers and to our awesome Housing Matters team for parading alongside us!

JUNE 2024
Housing Support Retreat
At the June Housing Support Retreat we built the tallest structure.

JUNE 2024
Longstock Festival
Each year, Santa Cruz locals put on the Longstock Music Festival, a summer solstice celebration with live music, delicious food and beer, tie dye and camping under the stars! Longstock attendees were encouraged to donate to Housing Matters in the spirit of resolving homelessness in Santa Cruz County.

JULY 2024
NAEH Conference
In July, we attended the National Alliance to End Homelessness conference in Washington D.C.

JULY 2024
Meeting with Congressman Panetta
We met with Congressman, Jimmy Panetta at his office in Washington D.C.

AUGUST 2024
We had an awesome time tabling and marching at this year’s Pajaro Valley Pride!

It is always a pleasure to celebrate and connect with our community. We extend our gratitude to the event organizers!

AUGUST 2024
August Neighbors for Neighbors
In August, our Neighbors for Neighbors library meetup boasted an incredible turn out from the community. The topic explored the critical issue of the criminalization of homelessness.

SEPTEMBER 2024
Harvey West Studios Groundbreaking Ceremony
We had such a great time with everyone who joined us on Tuesday, September 17th for the groundbreaking of Harvey West Studios. It was a joyful event on campus and included an amazing turnout of over 125 supporters from the community! One of the many highlights included the presentation of the Certificate of Recognition of Housing Matters from Senator John Laird.

SEPTEMBER 2024
All-staff picnic
We celebrated our team with an all-staff picnic.

OCTOBER 2024
Harvey West Studios Construction Update
We’ve been hard at work, drilling the first few feet for each pile before driving them up to 75 feet into the ground. With over 100 piles going in, this sturdy foundation will soon support a concrete slab—setting the stage for what’s to come at Harvey West Studios.

OCTOBER 2024
VOTE MOBILE
The Vote Mobile mobile voting center was at Coral Plaza in October. Voters were able to drop off a ballot, register to vote, get a replacement ballot, or vote on site. Spanish ballots were also available on a tablet.

OCTOBER 2024
Speakers Bureau Training Cohort
In October, the Community Conversations Speakers Bureau officially welcomed the third cohort of speakers into the Bureau!

NOVEMBER 2024
Equity Collab
Housing Matters team members joined Santa Cruz County employees and other community partners to participate in the Santa Cruz County Equity Engagement Expo.

DECEMBER 2024
New Breakroom – Staff Potluck
We officially opened the breakroom at the new HR offices on 117 Fern St, just around the corner from the Coral St campus. Staff gathered for a potluck to celebrate this new space, designed for relaxation, connection, and recharging.

DECEMBER 2024
Homeless Memorial
On or about the longest night of the year – the Winter Solstice – communities across the country gather to remember neighbors who have died unhoused in the past year. This year marks the 25th year for the remembrance gathering in Santa Cruz County.

Image Credits: Kevin Painchaud & Sheridan Smith