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Housing Matters to Close Public Drop-in Homeless Services at Coral Street Campus in March
Don Lane confirmed in an email to a concerned citizen on October 16 that Housing Matters has decided to close drop-in homeless day services at the Coral Street campus by March of 2026. Lane, who is the President of the Board of Directors of Housing Matters, the organization that operates the main homeless shelter in Santa Cruz, wrote that after March of 2026 the Hygiene Bay and the Nook will no longer be open to the public, and that mailroom services will end for the public, as well as for participants in the Loft and Rebele Family Shelter. Following Lane's email, Housing Matters published a press release on October 17 confirming the impending closures, which had been rumored for some time. See below for Lane's full email response to the concerned citizen, as well as the Housing Matters press release.
October 16, 2025
Dear [Name Redacted],
Housing Matters is deeply committed to our mission of partnering with individuals and families to create pathways out of homelessness into permanent housing. Every step we take as an organization is rooted in honoring the dignity of the people we serve, while ensuring that we make the greatest impact in the community by focusing on our core strengths: interim shelter and supportive housing.
As we transition our Coral Street campus to include a supportive housing development, the need to establish a calm, healing environment for our interim shelter guests and Harvey West Studios tenants is evident. The Board of Directors supports the CEO’s decision to close open to the public drop-in Day Services on the Coral Street campus at the end of March 2026. This was not an easy decision, but it reflects our responsibility to stay focused on the strategies that are proven to end homelessness: interim shelter and supportive housing.
Day Services remain essential to our unhoused neighbors and our community. Housing Matters, in partnership with the City and County of Santa Cruz, is working collaboratively to identify a sustainable approach to meet the ongoing community need for these necessary services.
The Day Services program will officially close to the public at the end of March 2026. After that date:
The Hygiene Bay and the Nook will no longer be open to the public, though they will remain available to interim shelter guests and Harvey West Studios residents
Mailroom services will end for the public, as well as for participants in the Loft and Rebele Family Shelter
The Welcome Area will be reserved for HWS residents, interim shelter guests, and those with scheduled appointments
Our Safety Kiosk staff will remain available to the public for urgent assistance, including emergency response, Narcan distribution, and connections to case management and Housing Matters programs
We recognize that this change is significant for our community and the daytime guests we have been serving, and we assure you that it was not made lightly. Together, we’re building a future where dignity, respect, and housing are at the center of our shared response to homelessness. Thank you for trusting us to lead this work with compassion, and for supporting us to realize our ultimate goal: ensuring that every person we serve finds their way into permanent housing.
For more information on the closure of Day Services, visit our webpage.
Sincerely,
Don Lane
Don Lane (he/him)
President
Board of Directors
Check out our new website!
Housingmatterssc.org
Resolving Homelessness Together since 1986
Dear [Name Redacted],
Housing Matters is deeply committed to our mission of partnering with individuals and families to create pathways out of homelessness into permanent housing. Every step we take as an organization is rooted in honoring the dignity of the people we serve, while ensuring that we make the greatest impact in the community by focusing on our core strengths: interim shelter and supportive housing.
As we transition our Coral Street campus to include a supportive housing development, the need to establish a calm, healing environment for our interim shelter guests and Harvey West Studios tenants is evident. The Board of Directors supports the CEO’s decision to close open to the public drop-in Day Services on the Coral Street campus at the end of March 2026. This was not an easy decision, but it reflects our responsibility to stay focused on the strategies that are proven to end homelessness: interim shelter and supportive housing.
Day Services remain essential to our unhoused neighbors and our community. Housing Matters, in partnership with the City and County of Santa Cruz, is working collaboratively to identify a sustainable approach to meet the ongoing community need for these necessary services.
The Day Services program will officially close to the public at the end of March 2026. After that date:
The Hygiene Bay and the Nook will no longer be open to the public, though they will remain available to interim shelter guests and Harvey West Studios residents
Mailroom services will end for the public, as well as for participants in the Loft and Rebele Family Shelter
The Welcome Area will be reserved for HWS residents, interim shelter guests, and those with scheduled appointments
Our Safety Kiosk staff will remain available to the public for urgent assistance, including emergency response, Narcan distribution, and connections to case management and Housing Matters programs
We recognize that this change is significant for our community and the daytime guests we have been serving, and we assure you that it was not made lightly. Together, we’re building a future where dignity, respect, and housing are at the center of our shared response to homelessness. Thank you for trusting us to lead this work with compassion, and for supporting us to realize our ultimate goal: ensuring that every person we serve finds their way into permanent housing.
For more information on the closure of Day Services, visit our webpage.
Sincerely,
Don Lane
Don Lane (he/him)
President
Board of Directors
Check out our new website!
Housingmatterssc.org
Resolving Homelessness Together since 1986
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