The Housing Authority wants to help bridge the digital divide for our participants and the whole community. Soon we will be mailing internet access information to all our participants receiving rental assistance. This information is from both AT&T and Comcast internet service providers. Both have special programs for connecting low-income households to the internet for a low monthly fee. AT&T and Comcast have slightly different ways of qualifying homes for the low cost internet service. AT&T qualifies homes with at least one person receiving CalFresh or SSI benefits. Comcast qualifies homes with persons receiving rental assistance through HUD/the Housing Authority. AT&T’s offer is $10 a month and Comcast’s is $9.95. Both companies prefer people apply online. Here are the company’s websites:

• Comcast – Xfinity: https://internetessentials.com/
• AT&T: att.com/access

If you need more information or help please contact the company directly:

• Comcast – Xfinity:1-(855)-847-3356
• AT&T: English 1-(855)-220-5211 or Spanish 1-(855)-220-5225

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz has opened a new site based waiting list for Project Based Voucher (PBV) rental assistance at Resetar Residential Apartments in downtown Watsonville.

The Resetar Residential Hotel is an 89 unit supportive and affordable housing project in the heart of downtown Watsonville. There are a total of 52 Project Based units at Resetar, of which 5 units are set aside for formerly homeless veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program. There are 3 one-bedroom units and 49 studio apartment in the Project Based Voucher Program. Residents of Resetar Residential Hotel establish a service plan and receive case-management provided by Abode Services or other service providers.

In most ways, the PBV program operates just like the regular Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program, with households paying roughly one third of their income towards housing, and the Housing Authority paying the remainder of the rent directly to the landlord on the tenant’s behalf. However, there are some key differences between the programs. For example, in the PBV program, assistance is tied to the unit, not the household. Therefore, you must reside in Resetar Residential Hotel for at least one year before potentially being eligible to transfer your assistance to another unit.

To be added to the Resetar waiting list, interested persons must submit a Pre-Application form to the Housing Authority. Pre-Application forms can be obtained on our website or from our lobby during office hours Monday-Thursday, or by calling (831) 454-5950. More information about the Project Based Voucher program can be found here.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz provides equal opportunity to all applicants for participation in the Housing Authority’s Programs, and is an equal opportunity employer. The Housing Authority does not discriminate based on race, ancestry, color, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, age, citizenship, handicap or familial status.

If you have any questions, please contact our Waiting List Information Line at 831-454-5950.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz has committed 39 project based vouchers towards the development of a new affordable housing complex called St. Stephens Senior Housing, which is being constructed on Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz. These vouchers were used to leverage additional funding to support the development, including funding from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.

Once constructed, St. Stephens Senior Housing will house 39 low-income seniors, with several units set aside for homeless veterans, and for frail elderly. For more information, please see the following article from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

To get on the interest list please visit the MidPen’s website at http://www.midpen-housing.org/.