Supervisor Manu Koenig

09/25/2026

The State is once again trying to place Sexually Violent Predator Michael Cheek in Santa Cruz County, this time at a home on Terrace Grove in the Summit area of our district. I oppose this placement, and on October 6 I’m asking the Board of Supervisors to formally oppose it too.

In 1980, Cheek abducted and r***d a woman he met at Seabright Beach. After escaping custody the following year, he drugged and r***d a 15-year-old girl. His own treatment team has reported he is more likely than not to reoffend. Terrace Grove is rural, wooded, and mountainous, and that raises serious questions about emergency response, cell coverage, and winter road access. When Cheek was proposed for Bonny Doon, the court record noted no cell service at the site and a 75-minute response time for supervising staff. Our mountain communities deserve better than a repeat of that.

My Board action for October 6 considers directing County staff, alongside the Sheriff, District Attorney, and County Counsel, to file formal opposition with the State and the court. It asks the State to withdraw the Terrace Grove site. And it also calls on our state legislators to give counties real authority over where these placements go.

The placement is scheduled to go before Santa Cruz County Judge Nancy De La Peña on October 30 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 6. If you want to weigh in, you can send written comments on or before October 8 to [email protected], or by mail to SVP Unit, c/o Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office, 701 Ocean St., Room 200, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

09/23/2026

09/23/2026

Join me and Capitola Vice Mayor Gerry Jensen this Saturday for our Community Counts Townhall on Development & Housing in Our Community.

We’ll share updates on Capitola city projects, the city manager vacancy, and county issues, with a focus on development and housing across our community. Come hear what’s planned for Capitola and Santa Cruz County, and bring your questions. We want to hear from you.

📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m.
📍 Capitola Branch Library, 2005 Wharf Road, Capitola

See you there!

09/22/2026

SOQUEL DRIVE INTERMITTENT LANE CLOSURE ALERT

I’ve heard the frustration many of you shared last week about the road closures around Soquel Drive and the traffic they caused. Several projects overlapped at once, and I know that made commutes and school runs even harder than usual.

With some of this work, my office wasn’t informed the closures were happening either. As soon as we learned that, I made clear to staff and the parties involved that failing to notify us like this isn’t acceptable. Going forward, we’re going to do everything we can to see these projects coordinated and to minimize the impact when work has to overlap.

Here’s what’s ahead:

Beginning Tuesday, September 22, the westbound lane of Soquel Drive in front of 3921 Soquel Drive (so at Soquel Drive/41st Ave.) will be closed from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays. The work is part of commercial building enhancements, including new fire, domestic water, and sewer service connections. Crews expect to finish by September 29.

Access to nearby driveways will stay open throughout. If you travel this stretch during the day, please allow extra time or consider an alternate route.

Full details are in Encroachment Permit 26-071 through the County Department of Public Works.

09/20/2026

Highway 1 in Aptos will have full overnight closures on September 20 and 21. Detours will be available via Soquel Drive. Please note the closure and detour directions have been updated, so plan your travels accordingly.

09/10/2026

📍 Park Haven Plaza update

When we last posted about this, crews were weatherproofing the exterior of Park Haven Plaza. That work is now done. The weather barrier, siding, and stucco are complete on all sides, the scaffolding is down, and the building is about 70% finished.

A refresher: Park Haven Plaza is a 36-unit permanent supportive housing community near Highway 1 and Park Avenue in Soquel. It's the county's first Homekey project and first modular multifamily building. Once complete, it will house veterans, transition-age youth, and families with children who are experiencing homelessness, with on-site services for residents.

The remaining funding is now in place. The state awarded tax-exempt bonds and federal housing tax credits to close the gap, and construction financing is set to close in early October. Crews return mid-October to finish interiors, building systems, community spaces, and landscaping over about twelve months. Occupancy is targeted for October 2027, with move-ins beginning late that year.

More information can be found at www.parkhavenplaza.com

09/02/2026

🚧 ROAD WORK UPDATE: 2026 Pavement Management Project 🚧

Crews are back at it improving roads across Santa Cruz County. Here’s what to know:

📅 When: Now through September 3

🌙 Hours: 8:30 PM – 5:30 AM (overnight work)

📍 Where this round of work is happening:

Porter Street, from Oneil Lane to Soquel Drive. Expect a single lane closure with alternating lanes and flashing lights at the Soquel Dr./Porter St. and Soquel San Jose Road/Oneil Lane intersections.

Traffic control and detour signage will be in place. Please use alternate routes when you can and plan a little extra time for your trip.

Have a public works question related to this project, or any other public works project? Reach the County Public Works Division at (831) 454-2160 or [email protected].

08/31/2026

Join me this week on Wednesday September 2 for Office Hours from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Sheriff’s Center at 5200 Soquel Ave, ground floor. First come, first served!

08/04/2026

Join me tomorrow, Wednesday August 5 for Office Hours from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Sheriff’s Center at 5200 Soquel Ave, ground floor. First come, first served!

07/29/2026

🚧 HEADS UP, DISTRICT 1 🚧

Starting overnight on August 2, the southbound Highway 1 off-ramp at Bay Ave will close for about four months while crews rebuild it as part of the new bus-on-shoulder project.

Here's the detour: Stay on southbound Highway 1 and exit at Park Ave. Turn left onto Park Ave, continue onto Soquel Dr, and follow the signs back toward Porter St / Bay Ave.

Message boards and directional signs will guide you through the area, but plan on a little extra travel time while this work is underway.

This is part of the larger $78M Highway 1 auxiliary lane and bus-on-shoulder project between Bay/Porter and State Park Drive, expected to wrap up by fall 2026.

Please slow down and drive carefully through the work zone. Our crews deserve to get home safely too. 💛

📍 Full project details and updates at sccrtc.org
🗺️ Real-time road conditions at quickmap.dot.ca.gov