SANTA CRUZ — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has agreed to open up the state’s purse strings and personnel to Santa Cruz County after it was slammed late last year by raging tides and heavy rainfall.
Newsom signed a proclamation Friday declaring that damages endured by the county during the Dec. 23-24 coastal storm last year created a state of emergency and, therefore, assistance from state entities for the recovery effort was warranted.
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“I find that the conditions caused by the December 2024 Coastal Storm, by reason of its magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to appropriately respond,” wrote Newsom.
The governor’s signature will open the county up to financial resources from the state, the expertise of its workforce, as well as equipment and facilities as the recovery effort moves along.
In all, the county suffered more than $44.6 million in damages from the storm, with Santa Cruz bearing the brunt of the impact, according to a county spokesperson.
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The city made headlines across the country when the relentless onslaught of wave action caused a 150-foot section at the tip of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to collapse into the Pacific Ocean. The undulating waters scattered the wooden debris — including approximately 300 wharf pilings — out across the bay before many of them eventually washed up on beaches several miles down the coast.
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Much of the debris also ended up in the Santa Cruz Harbor where the rolling tide also capsized boats and shredded docks in scenes that were reminiscent of the 2011 tsunami surges.
But the massive breaking waves from the Christmas week storm combined with high tides to inundate much of the county’s coastline. Flood waters and debris damaged areas along East Cliff Drive, the Capitola and Rio Del Mar esplanades as well as Beach Drive, which is also in Rio Del Mar.
Taken separately, the Santa Cruz Port District logged $26.3 million in damages while the city of Santa Cruz suffered $18.1 million. The county recorded $35,000 in damages and the city of Capitola reported $28,000.
“I want to thank Governor Newsom for recognizing the urgent need for state assistance in Santa Cruz County,” said state Sen. John Laird in a media release. “My office has been in close coordination with the Governor’s team in partnership with local and state officials to ensure this declaration moved forward, and I am grateful that help is on the way for impacted residents and businesses.”
The proclamation came more than a month after the county Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency on Dec. 27, which marked the beginning of the process for seeking state financial aid and recovery resources. As the designated lead for the local operational area, the county is responsible for requesting state and federal aid on behalf of local jurisdictions, including the cities and harbors.
