Supervisors approve purchase of Watsonville building to consolidate County services for residents

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION) The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has voted to approve the purchase of a building in Watsonville.

The building is located at 500 Westridge Drive, and Supervisors hope to use it to consolidate existing South County services into one location and support the addition of new services.

“Once fully operational, this new facility will serve as a one-stop center for South County residents accessing County services,” Supervisor Greg Caput said. “Not only will we be able to make existing services more accessible, but we will also be able to bring additional critical services to residents of the Fourth District.”

County services in and around Watsonville are currently spread across five buildings, but the county plans to consolidate them into one location as part of its Long-Range Facilities Plan. The hope is that it will improve the experience for residents and improve efficiency. The purchase is also expected to reduce the $2.8 million annual long-term lease payments the County currently makes.

“This purchase meets the county’s Strategic Plan objectives by making it easier for residents to access essential services, while assuring that those services are equitably distributed between North and South County,” County Administrative Office Carlos Palacios said. “It also assures we are providing our own workforce with an improved
and updated work environment, while saving taxpayer dollars in the long run.”

Current County leases are expected to last through 2023 as they make the transition. Medical and behavioral health services will stay at their location on Freedom Boulevard.