Faced with a study that highlights local vendors’ failure to abide by California law regarding the tobacco age requirement, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has voted to enact an annually renewed tobacco retail license. The program will fund education and enforcement programming targeted to reduce youth access to tobacco.

The Santa Cruz County Planning Commission has recommended regulation of unincorporated medical marijuana dispensaries. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the ordinance, which would include requiring dispensaries to be at least 800 feet from each other, on March 16.

The Superior Court of Santa Cruz County ruled homeless activist Becky Johnson to be in violation of the unreasonably disturbing noises clause of Santa Cruz’s noise ordinance. The judges defended the language of the ordinance against claims of vagueness and unconstitutionality.

A new city policy that attempts to keep landlords in check with increased requirements for rental home maintenance and registration fees is not sitting well with some Santa Cruz landlords, who say they are being unfairly targeted.

With both the law and limited shelter space stacked against them, Santa Cruz’s homeless have few options when it comes to sleep.