CURRENT PROJECTS

Our research is carried out in partnership with community organizations working to advance economic justice. Our in-progress projects include:

Affordable Housing for Multi-Generational Economic Security

Over the past three decades, Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay has built more than 60 homes in Monterey and Santa Cruz County, the vast majority of which are still occupied by their original owners.

Blum is collaborating with Habitat for Humanity of Monterey Bay on a project to assess the impact of affordable housing on multi-generational economic security, civic engagement, well-being, and opportunity. read more

Developing a Transitional Employment Program Guide: Insights from Three Decades of Learning at the Homeless Garden Project

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) provides job training, transitional employment, and support services to people who are experiencing homelessness, conducts education and volunteer programming for the broader community, and operates a three-acre organic farm, workshop, and related enterprises.

Blum is collaborating with HGP and Everyone Village (an Oregon-based nonprofit organization) to document the operations and results of HGP’s innovative transitional employment program and produce a comprehensive manual that… read more

Pajaro Valley Guaranteed Income Coalition Pilot

Santa Cruz Ventures works to mobilize and strengthen the economic and political power of rural and Latino working-class families on the Central Coast through a network of programs

Blum is collaborating with Ventures and Monarch Services to conduct and evaluate a pilot guaranteed income/financial capability training program, focusing on Latina mothers and survivors of domestic violence. read more

Intersections of Food and Housing Insecurity in Santa Cruz County

*Second Harvest Food Bank provides food assistance and nutrition information to some 75,000 people each month through its network of partner organizations and direct distribution sites.*

Building on our previous work together, Blum is collaborating with Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County to examine intersections of housing and food insecurity. A team of trained community members and UCSC students held listening circles with farmworkers, low-income parents, people who are unhoused or precariously housed, and older adults about their experiences, how they make ends meet, and their recommendations for improving housing and food security in Santa Cruz. County. Analyses are underway. Check back for a full report of our findings.

Participating in the CalFresh Program: Benefits and Challenges for Student Applicants

UCSC Basic Needs coordinates and oversees the efforts of a wide range of campus programs and services designed to ensure equitable access for UCSC students to adequate food, housing, healthcare, and financial resources, assisting some 5,000 students a year.

In our most recent campus basic needs study, Blum is collaborating with UCSC Basic Needs to investigate UCSC students’ experiences with the state’s CalFresh nutritional assistance program, barriers to accessing the program, and benefits of participation. Ten focus groups, co-facilitated by undergraduate and graduate student researchers, were held with current program participations. Analyses are underway. The findings will be used to strengthen UCSC students awareness of and access to CalFresh. Check back for a full report of our findings.

COVID-19 Experiences, Impacts, and Responses among Low-Income Santa Cruz County Residents

The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County (CAB)coordinates and directs multiple programs to provide assistance, services, and training to low-income county residents.

The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County (CAB) assists more than 10,000 people each year. In the wake of the county’s 2020 wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, CAB was a lead agency in distributing emergency assistance to low-income individuals and families, including undocumented residents who cannot access other forms of assistance. Blum is collaborating with CAB to analyze information collected during the distribution of 2020 emergency aid. We are examining the needs and experiences of community members and the effectiveness of available services and assistance.

Assessment of Food Insecurity Need and Assistance Efforts in San Benito County

*The Community Foundation of San Benito County serves as a bridge between nonprofit organizations and philanthropic donors dedicated to improving community life and public well-being in the county.*

Blum collaborated with the Community Foundation of San Benito County to examine the food insecurity. Employing a food insecurity index refined by the Blum Center and used in Santa Cruz County, researchers assessed the number of meals missed by San Benito County residents in recent years, the role of government assistance and community food programs in filling this gap, and the extent of need remaining despite assistance efforts. Interviews with county food providers deepened our analysis and recommendations. Our report was recently shared at a public forum with community partners.