Lookout Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Symphony Music Director Daniel Stewart is bringing together Dvořák and Nina Simone, Stravinsky and BTS, Rachmaninoff and virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier for the orchestra’s 69th season, “Music Unites Us.” Jana Marcus sat down with Stewart to find out how those unlikely musical pairings come together.

“Made in Santa Cruz: Why Art Matters” is a video series, published every other Sunday, exploring the artists who shape Santa Cruz County's creative landscape. Each episode offers a peek into an artist's practice, the places and experiences that inform their work, and the ways creativity helps us see our community differently. Today’s artist is I.B. Bayo.

Thursday was the deadline for candidates running for local office to file their first campaign finance disclosures ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Here’s what the numbers say.

Attendance at the Santa Cruz County Fair increased by 11% from last year. The growth in admissions follows fair officials’ initiative to lower ticket prices in response to community feedback. 

More than 53,000 people were on the county fairgrounds over its five-day run last week, which includes attendees, volunteers and staff, according to a media release. 

“We are incredibly grateful for the community’s response to this year’s Santa Cruz County Fair,” said County Fair CEO Dori Rose Inda in the release. “Attendance increased by 11%, and throughout the five days you could feel the energy and enthusiasm across the fairgrounds.” 

Following community feedback that the yearly event had become increasingly expensive to attend, Rose Inda previously told Lookout that the fair lowered its admission in hopes of making it more accessible and affordable for the community. 

On opening day, more than 10,800 people attended the fair, according to county fair officials. The massive attendance was due in part to admission costs being $2.50 to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary. 

County fair officials also added that the Junior Livestock Auction raised $785,323.50, and $12,478 of the funds raised will go toward the Heritage Hog, a youth program offered through the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation. 

Have news that should be in Lookout Briefs? Send your news releases, including contact information, to news@lookoutlocal.com.

MORE LOCAL COVERAGE

The post Santa Cruz County Fair saw increase in attendance after lowering admission prices appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

From national recognition and industry honors to awards chosen by local readers and community organizations. Bay Federal and the people behind it have been recognized for leadership, volunteerism, financial expertise, service, and the work they do every day to support members and the communities we call home.

Turns out, people notice when you do things differently.

Some of the recognition belongs to the Credit Union as a whole. Some celebrate the individual employees who bring that work to life every day. Together, these honors offer a pretty good snapshot of the people behind Bay Federal.

So, in case you need another reason to feel good about where you bank, here are a few recent honors we’re especially proud of. 

Forbes Best-In-State Credit Union

For the second year in a row, Bay Federal was named one of Forbes’ Best-In-State Credit Unions in California, an honor determined with input from the people who actually use these financial institutions every day.

Forbes partnered with Statista to develop the 2026 ranking, which was based on survey interviews with approximately 26,000 customers. Financial institutions were evaluated on people’s experiences with them, including trust, service, financial advice, digital tools, branch experiences, and more.

In other words, this is not an award you simply apply for or buy your way into. It reflects what real consumers say about where they bank and the experiences they have there. 

Being recognized once was exciting. Earning a place on the list two years in a row means even more.

For a credit union that has called the Central Coast home since 1957, it is a pretty great reminder that we’re doing right by our members, and that is worth celebrating.

Carrie Birkhofer: Silicon Valley Woman of Influence

Bay Federal President and CEO Carrie Birkhofer was named a 2026 Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence, an annual honor recognizing women across business, education, nonprofit, and community leadership for professional achievement and impact.

Carrie has led Bay Federal since 1995, growing the Credit Union from $70 million in assets to nearly $2 billion while expanding its reach across the region.

She was recognized for her long-standing leadership, and her deep involvement in the community through organizations including the Scotts Valley Rotary Club, Cabrillo College Foundation, and Salinas Valley Health Foundation.

Yesenia Alvarez: Rather Award Honoree

Home Loan Consultant Yesenia Alvarez was selected as a 2026 Rather Award Honoree by the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley.

The Rather Awards recognize people and organizations making a meaningful difference in the Pajaro Valley community.

A lifelong Santa Cruz County resident, Yesenia has built her career around helping local families navigate homeownership and reach their financial goals.

Alicia Flores: Be the Difference Award

Alicia Flores, Vice President of Member Services, was honored with a Be the Difference Award from the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County.

The annual awards recognize individuals, groups, and businesses making an extraordinary impact through volunteer service. Alicia has participated in nine community events so far this year alone! 

Alicia Flores, Vice President of Member Services and Peers at the Vounteer Center Awards.

For an organization built around the philosophy of “people helping people,” seeing one of our own recognized for giving back is especially meaningful.

Tyler Sanger-Boyett: Tomorrow’s Star Award

Tyler Sanger-Boyett, Assistant Vice President, Fraud and Card Operations, was recognized with California’s Credit Unions’ Tomorrow’s Star Award.

The honor recognizes emerging leaders making an impact within their organizations and the broader credit union movement.

It is recognition not only of what Tyler has already accomplished, but of the leadership helping shape what comes next for Bay Federal and the credit union industry.

Bay Federal Credit Union: Most Effective for Recognizing Employees

Recognition is a big part of Bay Federal’s culture, and that approach recently earned the Credit Union a win from Simpplr in the “Most Effective for Recognizing Employees” category.

Bay Federal was honored for its employee recognition program, which combines peer-to-peer recognition, monthly awards, and themed campaigns tied to the Credit Union’s PACIFIC values.

The honor highlights a culture where great work is noticed, appreciation is part of the everyday experience, and employees are celebrated for the impact they make.

Award-winning looks good on us. Serving our members looks even better. Home Loan Consultant Yesenia Alvarez and the Bay Federal Home Loans team.

Awards are worth celebrating, but they are really a reflection of something bigger.

They represent employees who care deeply about the people they serve, leaders who stay connected to their communities, financial professionals who help members plan for their futures, and a Credit Union that has been committed to the Central Coast since 1957.

So, yes, we are proud to be award-winning.

But we are even prouder of the people and work behind every recognition.

Did we also mention that we were recognized by this very website as Favorite Local Financial Institution, Favorite Mortgage Broker, and Favorite Place for Teens to Bank in the inaugural Lookout List last year? Don’t forget to vote for us and your favorite local businesses this year!

The post Six reasons to be proud of banking locally with Bay Federal Credit Union appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Three professional sumo wrestlers traded the ring for the sand Thursday, taking in the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and posing for photos ahead of Saturday’s World Elite Sumo event at Kaiser Permanente Arena.

October is almost here and it’s one of our favorite times of the year – the weather is nearly perfect and the sunsets couldn’t be dreamier. It’s the perfect scenario for the 41st annual Open Studios Art Tour where the public has the opportunity to explore the county discovering and connecting with artists, experiencing the creative process firsthand, and finding original work to take home.  

For three weekends, from Watsonville to Davenport, Arts Council Santa Cruz County presents the Open Studios Art Tour with more than 350 local artists opening their spaces this year!

DISCOVER · South County

Your Open Studios adventure begins in South County on October 3-4, where artists from Watsonville, Freedom, La Selva Beach, Aptos, Capitola, and Soquel working in over 22 mediums welcome visitors into their studios.

In downtown Watsonville, discover artist Hermalinda Vasquez, whose wood carvings are rich with tradition and character. Her colorful Alebrijes celebrate her Mexican heritage and represent the vibrant culture of Watsonville. Just around the corner, Rhia Hurt creates abstract works in her dreamy home studio. A high school art teacher, Rhia embraces the playful side of art, layering bright colors and textures that invite visitors to experience more whimsy.

Dee Hooker Credit: Ted Holladay

Driving into the Aptos hills you’ll notice the iconic green signs leading the way to a variety of artist’s studios, including the gorgeous property and studio of Dee Hooker. A long-time Open Studios artist, Dee’s abstract, mixed-media portraits of humans and animals bring together art and a little childhood nostalgia. Her interactive character “boxes” have been featured in galleries around the country.

Venturing into coastal Capitola brings you to the fiber arts studio of Lisa Rupp and a new artist on the tour, watercolorist Carolina Avalos. This creative duo offers beautiful watercolor landscapes framed in upcycled barnwood and wearable designs in leather and bright fabrics. Nearby, four metalsmiths group together to showcase their work along the cliffs – Marylou Forrest, Pablo Chubangbang, Wei Hwu, and Becky Thielbar. This stop is a must for jewelry lovers!

EXPERIENCE · North County

The second weekend of Open Studios on October 10-11 takes you into the heart of Santa Cruz; midtown neighborhoods, downtown, through the Westside, up along the North Coast, and into the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Eckerman Family Studio Credit: Michael Baba

In midtown the Eckerman family studio is a fun stop, where Michael, Ea, and Rosie Eckerman share their work in painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Their collaborative studio is rooted in artistic expression, decorated with stone sculptures and pathways, a gorgeous garden, and ocean inspired paintings in process. 

Eckerman Family Studio Credit: Michael Baba

Journey into Santa Cruz and discover the Tannery Arts Center, featuring 16 artists on the tour. The new cafe, Olio’s, at the Tannery is the perfect spot to get a coffee before taking the breath-taking drive up Highway 9 into the Redwoods where you’ll land in Felton, the gateway to discover 17 artists in the San Lorenzo Valley. A visit to the hot glass studio of Christy Aloysi and Scott Graham in downtown Boulder Creek is a great place to see artists in action. Hosting glass-blowing demonstrations throughout the day, this husband and wife duo craft colorful work for the garden and home. 

Mattie Leeds Credit: Crystal Birns Mattie Leeds Credit: Crystal Birns

Grab some lunch and head over the mountain into Bonny Doon where the eccentric world of ceramicist Mattie Leeds invites you in. His enormous ceramic pots are impossible to overlook, each one telling a story through patterns, words, and form. A prolific artist, Mattie’s studio is a work of art in and of itself, representing a life of creative inspiration.

Zip down into Davenport and the Westside where there is no shortage of artist’s studios. From the studio of photographer Frans Lanting to the always entertaining artist cohort at Santa Cruz Clay and throughout the beautiful Westside neighborhoods, discover the creative richness of our town. Experience clay transformed on the wheel, watch a painting evolve, engage with artists about what inspires them, see the techniques and materials they use, and take home a few special pieces to enjoy.

CONNECT · All County

On the final weekend of the tour, October 17-18, 250 studios across the county open once again. You’ll have one last chance to connect with artists like Darci Shea Bogdan in her lovely garden studio practicing the highly specialized craft of cloisonné enameling. Her handmade pieces combine glass enamel and precious metals into vibrant, wearable designs inspired by nature. 

“Open Studios is such a special event. It is truly an inspiring experience to see the studios and spaces where art is made, connect with artists, and find ar twork that inspires you.” says Bree Karpavage, Open Studios and Tannery Arts Center Program Manager. “The creative energy the artists bring to Open Studios is exciting and contagious. There’s always something new to discover when you’re out on the tour – new artists, new places…exploring our beautiful county is all a part of the experience!”

The weekends of Open Studios offer an unforgettable and unique experience, discovering creative spaces and connecting with the artists who make Santa Cruz rich with creativity.

Start planning your Open Studios adventure at santacruzopenstudios.com. Pick up the free Open Studios Artist Guide on newsstands or download the new mobile app that makes it easy to browse artists and get directions to studios while you’re out exploring. Add artist studios to your favorites but leave room for the unexpected! Bring a friend and follow the green signs along the way. 

Plan Your 2026 Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour

October 3-4 | South County
October 10-11 |  North County
October 17-18 | All County
11am–5pm

Website: santacruzopenstudios.com – Explore the Artist Directory, FAQ’s, marketing toolkit and more.

NEW Mobile App: Download the free app, search Santa Cruz Open Studios. 

Printed Artist Guide: Pick up the magazine at Good Times newspaper locations, preview exhibit galleries, and public libraries across the county, available while supplies last.

Digital Artist Guide: A digital version of the print magazine.

Green Signs: Follow the green signs to discover artists across Santa Cruz County.

Follow us on Social Media: @artscouncilsc IG | FB

Preview Exhibitions
M.K. Contemporary Art | Sept 25-Oct 25 | Main preview exhibition featuring artists from all participating artists

Pajaro Valley Arts | Sept 26-Oct18 | Preview exhibition featuring South County artists
Santa Cruz Art League | Oct 2-18 | Far Out, featuring North Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains artists

Special thanks to our 2026 sponsors: GoodTimes and West Coast Community Bank

The post Discover. Experience. Connect. Open Studios returns for it’s 41st year appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

Here’s what’s happening on Santa Cruz County roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 6 a.m. on September 25

• The on-ramp from Park Avenue to Highway 1 in Capitola is facing closures for paving work. The closure is expected to end on Nov. 19.
   
• Highway 9 at Pool Drive in the San Lorenzo Valley has alternating lane closures because of bridge work. This is expected to continue until April 30, 2027.

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Friday morning traffic: Roadwork along Highway 1, Highway 9 appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum will celebrate its 40th anniversary Saturday with music, Hawaiian cultural performances and the unveiling of a newly restored beacon at the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse. The restoration was made possible by more than $90,000 raised by the community.

One year in, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has delivered nearly 20,000 free books to young children across Santa Cruz County. More than 3,000 local children now receive a new, age-appropriate book in the mail every month — building home libraries and a love of reading from the earliest years. As communities celebrate Parton’s legacy through the first-ever “Give Like Dolly Day,” David Brody and Sheree Storm of First 5 Santa Cruz County say this is only the beginning of impact in our county. With community support, they say the next 20,000 books can reach even more young readers. Here, they explain how to sign kids up for the program and support Parton’s work locally.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters.

The California Legislature is forcing the city and county of Sacramento to try something unusual in their fight against homelessness, and both critics and supporters of the controversial plan say it could have broad implications for the rest of the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 802 on Sunday, which requires Sacramento, as well as all smaller cities within the county, to coordinate and form a joint powers authority that will lead the region’s homelessness response. 

“Homelessness does not stop at jurisdictional boundaries,” Newsom wrote in a signing message, “and no city or county can solve this crisis alone.”

A joint powers authority is a public partnership where two or more local governments or agencies team up to jointly manage something. In Sacramento, the idea is that this new framework will allow the cities and county to better communicate and work together on homelessness – hopefully leading to more people getting off the streets. 

Supporters say it’s a no-brainer, and they hope it will be an example to fix an age-old problem playing out in regions across the state: Cities and counties must work well together to effectively address homelessness, but they often don’t. On the other hand, opponents say forcing local governments to work together sets a bad precedent: Cooperation works best if it’s voluntary. 

Meanwhile, this new experiment in co-governance is highly atypical for a number of reasons.

For one thing, this appears to be the first time the California Legislature has forced anyone to form a joint powers authority. Typically, those agreements are voluntary. In Sacramento, local jurisdictions chafing under this new mandate worry the new law will embolden the Legislature to do this again in other regions.

“This would be unprecedented, so it could have ramifications in 57 other counties,” said Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, who opposes the legislation. The county is threatening to sue the state to stop its implementation. 

In addition, while it’s not uncommon for local governments to form joint powers authorities to manage other things that cross city boundaries — such as sewers or public transit — it’s very rare for this type of structure to govern a region’s homelessness response. In 2020, there were only three examples in all of California, according to Joe Colletti, chief executive officer of the nonprofit research organization HUB for Urban Initiatives. The best-known is the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which recently has been reduced to a shell of its former self as a result of one headline-making crisis after another. In the rest of the state, a region’s homelessness response usually is led by a county or nonprofit.

Squabbling between cities and counties

This legislation was controversial from the beginning. It took Sen. Angelique Ashby, a Democrat from Sacramento and former city councilmember, two years of tense negotiations and multiple amendments to get it across the finish line. The final version allows the county and participating cities to keep control of their own funds, rather than pooling everything together — a major sticking point for the local governments.

The Sacramento region needed this legislation, Ashby argued during a recent committee hearing, because its various agencies have eight boards and nearly 90 board members working separately on homelessness without coordinating. The result is duplicated and inconsistent services, leaving people who are homeless in Sacramento County with no idea where they should go for help, she said. 

It’s a problem the city and county have tried to fix for more than two decades. In 2010, the county board of supervisors and city council approved resolutions that supported creating a joint powers authority, but it didn’t happen. Two separate grand jury reports, one in 2019 and another in 2023, said the region’s homelessness response was dysfunctional and recommended better coordination. 

It’s hardly an issue unique to Sacramento. Across California, cities typically provide shelter beds, while counties are responsible for the other services homeless residents need, such as mental health and addiction treatment. That’s because counties receive state funding for social services, and cities don’t. So, neither can effectively address homelessness unless they work together. But, frequently, they don’t. Instead, they often squabble over who should pay for what, and who isn’t doing their fair share. 

Fighting between neighboring cities is common, too. As unhoused people move across city lines, local governments argue over who should have to provide shelter beds and other resources.

It was a major frustration for former Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg. His constituents saw people on the street in mental health crisis, suffering. Voters demanded he do something, but his hands were largely tied, he said, as he had no control over the county’s mental health services.

“There was just a major gulf between my accountability to the people and my authority to be able to actually make the difference that the people expected,” Steinberg said.

During his time in office, which ended in 2024, Steinberg negotiated a partnership between the city and the county. But it lacked a governance structure that would have forced them to make decisions together. That’s the missing piece that this law brings to the table, he said. 

Under the new law, the city and county of Sacramento, as well as Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights and Folsom, have until January 2028 to finalize their joint powers authority. They recently convened a joint task force of elected officials and have started working together on homelessness issues. 

But there’s some lingering tension. While the city of Sacramento is on board with the legislation, the county and the city of Folsom are opposed. Neither is against the idea of collaboration, but they don’t like that it’s being forced upon them.

“It’s an unnecessary cost,” county supervisor Kennedy said. “It’s an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, it’s an unnecessary burden that’s just going to slow down processes.”

Staffing and running the new joint powers authority is expected to have an annual price tag of anywhere between the mid-hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the low millions, according to a Senate analysis. 

Examples in Los Angeles and Solano counties

As the Sacramento region gears up to create this new power structure, it has two main examples it can turn to. 

One, in Los Angeles, is a cautionary tale. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, a joint powers authority between the city and county, was the target of recent audits criticizing its handling of homelessness funds. A downward spiral followed. L.A. County pulled its funding from the authority and the Trump administration now is prosecuting homeless services providers that it alleges misused money from the agency. 

Kennedy said the parallels between Los Angeles and Sacramento’s new agency worry him “very much,” and clearly show that a joint powers authority is hardly a panacea for homelessness. 

But Steinberg believes the new Sacramento agency can do better. The L.A. agency didn’t have enough authority, and as a result, the city and county weren’t governing effectively together, he said. He hopes that will be different in Sacramento.

The other example Sacramento leaders can turn to is in Solano County, which created the current version of its joint powers authority in 2022. Local leaders pushed for a collaborative agency after hearing reports that other cities were dropping off their homeless residents at parking lots in Fairfield, assuming that services would be available because it’s the county seat, said Doriss Panduro, a Fairfield city councilmember and chair of the joint powers authority.

Now, the authority is made up of two elected officials from each city and the county, and they meet once a month to discuss how to spend money and how many people are receiving services.

“It is a big undertaking,” Panduro said. “We started the work in 2021, 2022, and here we are four years later just getting paid staff on board. It’s been a big lift.”

But, she said, it’s been worth it. 

Recently, the county and all the cities involved in the joint powers authority applied together for state funding to clear one encampment along a flood control basin in Vallejo. Even though Vallejo would be the only city to get that money, it arguably would benefit everyone since it targets the largest encampment in the county, Panduro said. And Vallejo wouldn’t have had the resources to manage the state grant without the support of everyone else, she said. 

“Homelessness is such a big issue, and I think finding an out-of-the-box way to approach it, for me, I can only say it’s a positive,” she said. “Everyone felt like we had been doing the same things over and over and nothing was changing.”

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post Cities often squabble over homelessness. A new California law forces one community to try something different appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

California voters will soon decide whether to tax billionaires — but even if a majority says yes, the measure could still lose to either of two billionaire-funded measures designed to cancel it out. 

With the weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County, with a recommendation from Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout's BOLO events calendar.

Lookout’s Santa Cruz mayoral candidate forum saw Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty discuss a variety of city issues, including budgets and homelessness. However, between talking about the issues, the candidates also talked about the divisiveness of the campaign — and the issues they’ve had with each other.

This post is updated throughout the day to reflect the latest incidents. It was last updated at 7:01 a.m..

Here’s what’s happening on the roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 7 a.m. on September 24

• South Highway 1 at Park Avenue in Capitola / Soquel is facing closures for paving work. The closure is expected to end at 7:01 a.m. on Nov. 19.
   
• Highway 9 at Pool Drive in San Lorenzo Valley will have alternating lane closures because of bridge work. This will continue until April 30, 2027, at 6:59 a.m.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Thursday morning traffic: Hwy 1 closed at Park Ave.; Hwy 9 lane closures for bridge work appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

UC Santa Cruz welcomes about 6,300 new undergraduate and graduate students this week as the university begins another academic year with total enrollment expected to remain around 20,000. The new school year also brings expanding student housing, including a new two-year housing guarantee for incoming undergraduates.

Santa Cruz’s first Porchfest will bring 50 bands to 14 porches and other downtown locations on Saturday, Oct. 3. The free festival aims to showcase local musicians while creating new opportunities for neighbors to gather and enjoy live music.

As governor, Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host, would turn to voters, if necessary, for school vouchers, end teacher tenure and institute a cellphone ban for kids under age 14.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters.

Insurance companies are starting to write new policies in California again after years of holding back as wildfire risk climbed higher.

The state Insurance Department says that means outgoing Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s new regulations, intended to boost insurance availability, are working. Each time a company declares its plans to sell policies again, the department touts it as a win. But the state has not released the number of new policies the companies have written so far.

Enter Consumer Watchdog, the advocacy group that often butts heads with the department. It released an estimate of new policy commitments: 12,189 since January 2025, when Lara’s so-called sustainable insurance strategy went into effect. The strategy allows insurers to use catastrophe modeling, which they say more adequately takes risk into account because it includes forward-looking models, and to factor in reinsurance costs when setting their rates. 

Consumer Watchdog, whose numbers come from combing through insurance companies’ rate filings, says that number is low, considering insurers have requested or secured $571 million in rate increases under the new regulations. 

The insurance department disagrees with the group’s analysis, saying it intends to release its own data and analysis, and discounting the group’s numbers as “incomplete and premature.”    

Ben Armstrong, Consumer Watchdog’s actuary, is tracking voluminous but publicly available rate filings. He looked at insurers’ statements about the number of new policies they promise to write, and compared the new filings with each company’s previous rate filings. Armstrong told CalMatters it’s “not an exact science” because the filings mention commitments, not actual sales, and in some cases don’t include an exact timeline.

The new rules allow insurers to factor in catastrophe models and their reinsurance costs as long as they commit to increasing sales in high-risk areas. Of the 10 companies that requested rate increases under the new rules, only five have committed to selling more policies, the group’s analysis shows. 

The regulations call for insurance companies to choose one of these options: write 85% of their market share in high-risk areas; grow their policies 5% in such areas; or increase their number of policies 5% by taking customers out of the FAIR Plan. Some of the companies that have requested or secured rate increases claim they already meet the 85% threshold.

“What we’re looking at is the reality right now for Californians who have been saddled with rate hikes for the promise of more policies in the future,” said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog. 

The state has seen its deadliest and most destructive fires in the past decade. Several years ago, insurance companies started complaining that California, which has authority over premium increases, was not approving them quickly enough to allow insurers to match their rates to the growing risk of climate change and wildfires. Some companies stopped writing new policies, or decided not to renew existing ones. Lara’s new regulations — which include provisions championed by the insurance industry — aim to address the issue.

Balber said her group released its analysis to stress that the state needs to do more to ensure that fire-safe homes are getting insurance coverage. She said the number of new policies insurers committed to so far is “minuscule” compared with the number of policies in the last-resort FAIR Plan, which continues to grow, although at a slower pace. Property owners turn to the state-mandated, insurance-run alliance when they can’t buy policies elsewhere, so the higher the number of policies in the plan, the poorer the health of the main insurance market. As of June, the FAIR Plan still had about 697,000 active policies, up 157% since September 2022.

Michael Soller, spokesperson for the insurance department, said the department will release its analysis once it has looked at the overall market and the data it collects annually. He doesn’t know whether the department will release an analysis before Lara’s term expires in January. Californians will be voting for a new commissioner in November.

“Commissioner Lara has said the [sustainable insurance strategy] is not an overnight solution,” he said. “It’s a multiyear solution and recovery.”

David Russell, a professor of insurance and finance at Cal State Northridge, agreed with the department that Lara’s strategy will take time to work. 

“Insurers are tiptoeing back into the market,” Russell said. “They’re doing it selectively. Those are still high-risk properties.”

Former Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Lara could have required insurers to write more high-risk policies, especially considering the starting point was low because it was set after a period of non-renewals and no new policies. 

Jones also mentioned that surplus lines — policies from companies that are not licensed or regulated by the state, and not backed by the state if they go bankrupt — are growing in California because availability remains an issue.

A home in Magalia in Butte County. Credit: Manuel Orbegozo for CalMatters

Soller did not dispute any specific numbers in Consumer Watchdog’s analysis. But he pointed to Mercury saying that its eight-year goal is to shift about 6.5% of FAIR Plan residential policies, in line with its market share, to standard homeowners policies. “That alone represents tens of thousands of new policies,” Soller said.

But as of now, Mercury’s filing shows that it has committed to writing just 2,107 new policies in distressed areas — so that’s what’s included in Consumer Watchdog’s analysis. The state approved an $85 million rate increase for the company.

The company that has secured the highest rate increase of more than $150 million, Farmers, has committed to writing 5,596 new policies. 

“Availability is improving, but at a cost,” Russell said. “That was always going to be the case.”

California’s average home insurance costs have risen 5% so far this year, one of the biggest increases in the nation, according to insurance-comparison site Insurify. More than 8 million homeowners in the state have insurance policies, according to the insurance department.

Have something to say? Lookout welcomes letters to the editor, within our policies, from readers. Guidelines here.

The post Insurers say they’re starting to write new California homeowner policies, but how many? appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The `Rotary Club of Freedom` will host its annual Uncork Corralitos fundraiser Saturday, Oct. 17, bringing together local wine, food, music and community support for three Santa Cruz County nonprofit programs.

The event will run from 1 to 4 p.m. at Alladin Nursery, 2905 Freedom Blvd. in Watsonville, in the Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley area.

Guests can sample wines from local wineries, breweries and cideries while enjoying appetizers and live music from Ripatti & Rose. The event also will give attendees an opportunity to stroll through the nursery grounds and spend an afternoon supporting local organizations that serve children and families.

Organizers will direct all proceeds from the fundraiser to three programs:

• Youth Resource Bank, which provides vulnerable local children with essentials such as school supplies, clothing and medical needs that traditional funding does not cover.
• Camp Erin, a Hospice of Santa Cruz County program that gives children and teens who have lost someone significant a weekend space to grieve and connect with others experiencing similar losses.
• WCH Foundation’s “A Safe Start” program, which works to address inequities in maternal health and newborn care and support healthy beginnings for newborns and young families.

Sandy Petznick, president of the Rotary Club of Freedom, said the fundraiser gives residents a chance to enjoy an afternoon together while supporting organizations that help local youth.

“Uncork Corralitos is more than just a wonderful afternoon in a beautiful setting,” Petznick said. “It’s an opportunity for our community to come together and provide critical funding for organizations that act as a safety net for our youth. Every ticket purchased helps us make a direct, tangible difference in a child’s life right here in Santa Cruz County.”

Event details

What: Uncork Corralitos fundraiser
When: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Where: Alladin Nursery, 2905 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville
Features: Wine, beer and cider tastings, appetizers, live music and a community gathering

Tickets are limited, and organizers expect the event to sell out. Attendees can also learn about sponsorship opportunities through the event page.

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