Santa Cruz (San Jose, Fresno, Sacramento: apartments, rentals, crime)

[blunotte]

The crime level seems sort of high in Santa Cruz, is it really? Like, is it dangerous to walk around alone? People have told me there is a homelessness problem, but isn't that usually harmless? Otherwise, it's seems so nice.

[Wisteria]

I noticed no one replied to your post -- don't know if you'll check on it. I work in a law enforcement agency in Santa Cruz, and,no there isn't a lot of crime here. There are homeless -- we have a big homeless shelter in town, which is why it draws so many here. I live in the mountains above Santa Cruz which even has much less crime -- not that Santa Cruz has a lot of crime, anyway. The typical crime in Santa Cruz is what is typical in many cities, drugs, and for California, some gang activity, although most of that is in the Southern part of the county (Watsonville area).
Hope this helps.

[Deserter]

I lived in Santa Cruz for 10 years and have friends there still. Wisteria's assessment seems pretty accurate. Most of Santa Cruz is safe to walk around day or night. It's a beautiful place with its only flaw being the cost of housing.

[Wisteria]

Maybe Blunotte was looking at Santa Cruz COUNTY stats -- that could be; because the City of Santa Cruz is quite safe. Yes, it is high-priced -- kind of hard to believe the housing market got so crazy all over the country. Even though prices are higher here, wages are higher. It's always give and take -- if you love the ocean, then Santa Cruz is definitely way up there on the list! But if safety is your criteria, move to Santa Cruz!

[jaada]

there are alot of homeless people there but i have been all over santa cruz and i love it , my kids walk down at the boardwalk by themselves they are 15-16 and they are fine. but i dont live there we only vacation there every year, so i could be wrong

[newportbeachsmostwanted]

The problem is 76% of homeless are coming from out of town-simply because it is a desirable place to live and see-roof or no roof your head. Most are good people, but there are alot of rotten apples. I think, a solution would be proof of past-residency (5-10 years)in Santa Cruz. If they fail to provide past residency proof-send them to different housing in say Fresno, or Sacramento. Then see how many homeless still want to be in Santa Cruz.

[Wisteria]

I'm with you on that! Build it and they will come -- and they do! I think Santa Cruz politics are TOO liberal (and that's coming from a liberal!).

[Sirenbliss]

Good God, Grits and Gravy!!!
What on earth has happened to Santa Cruz?
I lived there from 1981-2001, and I NEVER saw rents so high in my life!
I was just browsing around..thinking I might like to come back to Santa Cruz as its cold here where I am now in Pa-- and perhaps start teaching in S.Cruz but when I googled "apts. for rent" I nearly fell over!
Perhaps I've gotten spoiled-- I live in rural Pennsylvania (Perry County) and I enjoy a 2 bedroom newly built apartment overlooking the Susquehanna River at my breakfast table- for just 500 dollars a month -- (And I dont have to share it with gazillions of other people) and there are other nice apartments from Liverpool, Pa to Gettysburg, Carlisle and Shippensburg that run as cheap as 350 a month for a one bedroom.. so to see such ridiculous costs for rents for such small apts in Santa Cruz, makes me wonder whats happening to the middle and lower class people in your area now?
How do they support people in such jobs as Taco Bell.. Burger King etc on minimum wages with the added pressure of the price of gas-- MY GOD-- what are they thinking? Isn't there any kind of rent control down there? No wonder there is such a problem with homeless there-- I can guarantee you it is going to get MUCH WORSE given the added financial issues and the rich forget having their peon minions cook their food and clean their houses!

Someone needs to get their arse down there and CLEAN UP THE SITUATION .. I dont mean get rid of the homeless.. I mean set some decent standards so that everyone can live!

Im definately NOT returning to Santa Cruz under these current HORRID conditions-- knowing that Santa Cruz actually alllows the poor and middle class to suffer and live in such poverty!!!

Happy I'm in Pennsylvania, Melanie

[Petrala]

The homeless in Santa Cruz aren't really a violence problem, they are typically more a problem for homeowners near where homeless camps are.

Downtown is relatively safe, although nights on weekends and holidays there is an element that is coming in from San Jose, Salinas Watsonville (both gang and non-gang members) that cause trouble, particularly when drunk. If you look to see where the assault clusters are in the city of Santa Cruz, it's downtown, Beach flats and along the Mission corridor.

Santa Cruz does have a drug problem. It used to be mostly known for heroin users but now meth has overtaken it. It's not as bad as some communities down in Southern California, BUT it does contribute to the residential and car theft problems.

As for rents in Santa Cruz, both rents and the cost of vacation rentals for the area are out of control. I saw someone advertising a space to pitch a tent and they were charging $350 a month and a treehouse was being rented for $450 a month!!!!

[rubyskye]

Originally Posted by Sirenbliss

Good God, Grits and Gravy!!!
What on earth has happened to Santa Cruz?
I lived there from 1981-2001, and I NEVER saw rents so high in my life!
I was just browsing around..thinking I might like to come back to Santa Cruz as its cold here where I am now in Pa-- and perhaps start teaching in S.Cruz but when I googled "apts. for rent" I nearly fell over!
Perhaps I've gotten spoiled-- I live in rural Pennsylvania (Perry County) and I enjoy a 2 bedroom newly built apartment overlooking the Susquehanna River at my breakfast table- for just 500 dollars a month -- (And I dont have to share it with gazillions of other people) and there are other nice apartments from Liverpool, Pa to Gettysburg, Carlisle and Shippensburg that run as cheap as 350 a month for a one bedroom.. so to see such ridiculous costs for rents for such small apts in Santa Cruz, makes me wonder whats happening to the middle and lower class people in your area now?
How do they support people in such jobs as Taco Bell.. Burger King etc on minimum wages with the added pressure of the price of gas-- MY GOD-- what are they thinking? Isn't there any kind of rent control down there? No wonder there is such a problem with homeless there-- I can guarantee you it is going to get MUCH WORSE given the added financial issues and the rich forget having their peon minions cook their food and clean their houses!

Someone needs to get their arse down there and CLEAN UP THE SITUATION .. I dont mean get rid of the homeless.. I mean set some decent standards so that everyone can live!

Im definately NOT returning to Santa Cruz under these current HORRID conditions-- knowing that Santa Cruz actually alllows the poor and middle class to suffer and live in such poverty!!!

Happy I'm in Pennsylvania, Melanie

I posted a long piece about this last night and then deleted it because it was too much of a negative rant about rentals here.
But yeah, it's really awful. I've been here for quite a few years and have lived in various places in S.C. county and in the last couple of years it seems rents have really skyrocketed.
I have to, once again, find a place and i'm having a really difficult time. I have a dog and that makes even more of a challenge.
Us counter culture folks are getting pushed out. I don't wanna hate on the rich but it's difficult not to. They buy up magical places and it makes it nearly impossible for those of us who don't have money to stay here. It happens everywhere.
A 400 sq. ft. studio can cost up to $1200.00 and you're living on someone else's property in their trip and with very little privacy at times.
I'll stop now before i start ranting negative again.