COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS
Congressman Panetta has submitted funding requests for important community projects in California's 20th Congressional Disitrict to the House Appropriations Committee.
Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative may request funding for up to 10 projects in their community for fiscal year 2023, although only a handful may actually be funded. Projects are restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. Additional information on the reforms governing Community Project Funding is available here.
In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Congressman Panetta has certified that he, his spouse, and his immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects he has requested. Requests below are listed in no particular order.
$3,055,000
115B Coral Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Harvey West Studios will be a five story building of 120 units. It will serve community members experiencing homelessness, including those that are medically vulnerable, living with disabilities, and veterans experiencing homelessness. It will be the largest permanent supportive housing project in Santa Cruz County, providing a dignified environment for residents to achieve long-term housing stability, health, and community integration. On-campus supportive services include comprehensive case management, and medical and dental clinics. Communal spaces include a community kitchen, a lounge, and outdoor space. Housing Matters works in partnership with the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, and non-profit partners to end homelessness. Harvey West Studios is part of a dedicated Housing First campus. The Housing First model recognizes that a stable, safe home is the first step. People in permanent housing can more effectively participate in job training, substance use disorder and behavioral health treatment, and more.Pacific North Redevelopment
$2,000,000
809 Center Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Pacific Station North (Pac North) is a LEED Platinum, Net-Zero Energy, all-electric, mixed-use 100% affordable transit-oriented development project. The 7-story Pacific Station North building will be the first of its kind multifamily housing project in the Central Coast to use mass timber (CLT) renewable construction materials with a 720kW solar array canopy efficiently tucked above the bus loading area while providing renewable energy to Pac North.
U.S. 101 Lane Widening—"South of Salinas Project"
$1,000,000
55-B Plaza Circle, Salinas, CA 93901
The US 101 Auxiliary Lane project provides near-term operational improvements and addresses safety issues along northbound US 101 south of Salinas by extending the existing northbound acceleration lane at Spence Road to Eckhardt Road creating an auxiliary lane to allow adequate space for trucks to accelerate from Spence Road and to provide a deceleration lane for traffic exiting to Eckhardt Road. Caltrans and the Transportation Agency for Monterey County identified this project as a near-term safety improvement along the US 101 – South of Salinas corridor while the long-term plans are being developed to convert this expressway to a freeway by eliminating uncontrolled intersections and railroad crossings. The current expressway design combined with the agricultural operations contribute to a much higher than average collision rate due to conflicts between high-speed through traffic and slow-moving vehicles entering or exiting the adjacent agricultural fields and related services.
Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST) Zero Emission Bus and Microgrid Project
$3,000,000
19 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Suite 200, Monterey, CA, 93940
Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST) is requesting $3,000,000 to implement the Zero Emission Bus and Microgrid Project which includes purchase of zero emission electric buses and charging infrastructure, as well as preconstruction activities to support a microgrid system.
Salinas Police Integrated Technology for Community Safety
$1,460,000
200 Lincoln Avenue, Salinas, CA 93901
The City of Salinas is seeking support for an integrated technology project to support community and officer safety. Over the last two years, the Salinas Police Department (SPD) budget has been reduced. Like other police departments, officer recruitment and retention are ongoing challenges. At present, SPD has 138 sworn police officers out of an authorized 174 positions and is severely understaffed. The SPD had 15 police officer positions frozen over the last four years, with an additional 21 vacancies, and funds for technology are scarce. With sworn police officer staffing more thinly stretched than ever before, SPD increasingly depends on technology to help prevent and solve crimes. SPD has been fortunate to deploy several innovations and knows that additional technology, such as those within the project being requested, will help keep our community safe.
Monterey County Family Justice Center
$500,000
168 West Alisal Street, 3rd Floor, Salinas, CA 93901
This project would fund the Monterey County Family Justice Center in King City. The Family Justice Center model is about providing the most effective, efficient, meaningful and compassionate services possible to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child abuse, and their children. No one agency or organization can possibly address all the needs of survivors. Family Justice Centers and other co-located, multidisciplinary models are providing the structure and the foundation to offer flexible, holistic services that can meet the needs of victims and survivors where they are. The Monterey County Family Justice Center (MCFJC) will bridge the gap in training needed by these agencies by cross-training MCFJC partners and developing protocols that provide a network of services for victims and will greatly improve access to services. The funds will be used to improve our current building in order to co-locate service providers and hire navigators and related personnel to staff the center.
$1,000,000
400 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
To address the inequities of wellness resources and access, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education is requesting funding support to establish a pilot Santa Cruz County Wellness Center based on the successful model of the south Santa Cruz County school services. Many current and additional community partners will be involved with establishing this pilot program with an emphasis on sustainability for many years to come. Funds will be used for Wellness Center startup costs (175K), coordination, administration and clerical support (275K), and to hire behavioral, physical and mental health care providers (300K) to offer direct services to students and families across the varied landscape of Santa Cruz County. Additionally, key consultants (250K) will be utilized to create a replicable, sustainable framework, enabling expansion of more wellness centers and services in post-funding years. The south county model, while not directly transferable, can act as a template of essential elements, and will be included in funding in the consultation and planning line items.
Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project
$900,000
1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas, California 93901
The funding would be used for the design, engineering, and construction of a supplemental well in Northern Monterey County. The supplemental well capacity provided by this project will reduce groundwater extraction within seawater intruded areas, increase the reliability of water delivery, and provide a more stable source of water, especially during periods of drought.
Wildfire Resilience for Santa Cruz
$400,000
809 Center Street, Santa Cruz, California 95060
The funding would be used for creating and supporting a five year vegetation management program, workforce development, and the procurement of heavy equipment specifically designed for large vegetation management projects. This proactive project will benefit global climate initiatives and limit community risk and exposure to the dangers of wildland fires.
Cybersecurity and SCADA Resilience Project
$1,252,000
5 Harris Court, Building D, Monterey, California 93940
The funding would be used to strengthen Monterey One Water's cyber defenses and upgrade critical assets to withstand challenges, including external digital threats. Specifically, the project will enhance cyber defenses and update key programmable logic controller (PLC) units that control the automated processes that keep wastewater flowing.
Moosehead Drive Water Reliability Improvement Project
$1,416,000
5180 Soquel Drive, Soquel, California 95060
The funding would be used for the replacement of aging and undersized water delivery pipe to improve reliability and resilience. The installation of this new pipe is designed to handle modern fire flow protection.
$3,500,000
420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, CA, 95010
The funding would be used to renovate the Capitola Wharf, a public pier, to improve its resiliency in the face of sea level rise and climate change. Funding will also be used to improve ADA-compliant visitor serving facilities, including two new public restrooms, improved lighting, expanded public seating areas, a water filling station, and viewing platforms with sightseeing binoculars. The project will serve to enhance and maintain coastal recreational opportunities for visitors of all abilities.
Santa Cruz Downtown Library Mixed Use Project
$2,000,000
809 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
The funding would be used for the reconstruction of the downtown Santa Cruz Public Library and help fund the addition of 125 units of affordable housing. Currently, the Downtown Library, located in a high-poverty census tract, has reached the end of its useful life and is seismically deficient. The project is expected to bring expanded public services and programming to the new public library while meeting strong community climate action goals by using green building standards. The affordable housing in a transit-friendly location will benefit a community that struggles to address the high cost of housing in the Monterey Bay region
Western Flyer Coast Guard Pier Repair and Classroom Design
$1,640,000
2726 Walnut Ave., Signal Hill, CA 90755
The funding would be used to repair of the existing City of Monterey Coast Guard pier to accommodate pedestrian public access and the installation of a new linear floating dock for the restored Western Flyer, an historic vessel which will provide an at-sea STEM experience. Funding will also be used to design a classroom-laboratory building to support Western Flyer programs. Many local entities will benefit from the proposed project and the STEM educational programs and scientific research that it will facilitate, including the marine biological community and teachers and students from the Monterey Bay area.
Cabrillo College Learning Labs and Student Success Spaces
$163,539
6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003
The funding would be used to improve learning spaces at the Aptos and Watsonville Cabrillo College campuses to promote student success and completion. Specifically, funds will be used for equipment for Cabrillo's Watsonville Science Center and furniture and equipment for its Aptos Multicultural Center. The project will improve math and STEM course completion among Latino students and first-generation college students at the Watsonville Science Center and improve overall course completion rates for diverse student populations supported by the college's renovated Multicultural Center in Aptos.