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Santa Cruz adopts FY27 budget; council directs $20K for Homeless Garden permitting offsets and retains tenant sanctuary funding
Summary
The council adopted the FY27 operating and capital budgets. Council directed staff to allocate up to $20,000 to offset selected permitting fees for the Homeless Garden Project and confirmed a $75,000 line for tenant‑sanctuary support; the adopted budget also includes personnel adjustments across departments and planned transfers to capital programs.
The Santa Cruz City Council adopted the fiscal year 2027 operating and capital budgets after a public hearing and staff presentation. Finance Director Elizabeth Cabbell summarized changes since the proposed budget, including administrative updates to CIP transfers, modest general‑fund adjustments to account for vehicle leases, and a series of personnel additions and deletions allocated across departments.
Council approved the recommended FY27 budget package and related classification changes and added two specific directions during the meeting: (1) allocate up to $20,000 from available Community Development Department revenues to offset selected permit fees for the Homeless Garden Project (rather than a fee waiver), and (2) preserve the $75,000 tenant‑sanctuary appropriation included in the city manager’s office budget for FY27. The council also directed staff to return in September with a plan to establish the Office of Well‑Being and asked for improved departmental performance measures in the FY28 budget cycle.
Finance staff reported that total adopted resources across all funds are about $494 million with the general fund near $170 million; the increase in the adopted totals mainly adjusts transfers to the capital program. Personnel changes for FY27 include new or revised positions in the city manager’s office, finance, human resources, economic development, parks and recreation, public works and water, with offsetting deletions in several departments and some title/salary adjustments.
Council members thanked staff and highlighted that the budget reflects continued investment in infrastructure, water projects, housing programs, and public services. The council voted to adopt the budget by roll call. The adoption authorizes staff to implement the FY27 work plan and capital projects and to proceed with the directed permitting offset for the Homeless Garden Project.
Next steps: finance will finalize budget documents, implement the personnel complement changes after council approval, and staff will return with the Office of Well‑Being plan in September.
