A former Watsonville hotel is set to be converted into a 120-bed residential treatment facility for men, significantly expanding substance use disorder treatment capacity in Santa Cruz County.
Janus of Santa Cruz officially received the keys on March 9 to the former Rodeway Inn property, which will be renovated into a residential treatment campus designed to serve individuals seeking recovery.
The project is funded through the state’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, which supports behavioral health treatment facilities across California.
Once renovations are complete, the Watsonville site will provide residential treatment services including clinical care, case management and peer support. The facility is expected to serve residents across Santa Cruz County, with a focus on increasing access to treatment in South County.
Janus officials said the campus will also be part of a broader “regional recovery health hub” intended to connect behavioral health services across Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Benito counties.
The site could also host a new sobering center operated in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
The planned modular-bed facility would provide a place for individuals experiencing acute intoxication, offering an alternative to jail or emergency department visits, with medical monitoring.
“Our deputies regularly encounter individuals whose primary need is treatment and stabilization rather than incarceration,” Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark. “The addition of a sobering center in South County, alongside expanded residential treatment at this facility, provides a critical new option for law enforcement.”
Janus leadership said the project reflects a broader shift toward building treatment infrastructure rather than relying solely on policy discussions.
“The time for talking is over,” said Board Chair Edison Jensen. “If we want to address those living on the streets, mental illness, and significant substance use disorders in Santa Cruz County, we need brick-and-mortar solutions.”
Janus CEO Amber Williams called the expansion a major step forward for the organization and the region.
“This is a transformational moment for our community,” Williams said. “With this new 120-bed residential campus in Watsonville—and the addition of a South County sobering center—we are dramatically expanding access to lifesaving treatment.”
The hotel property has a long history in Watsonville. Developed by local investors in the 1990s, the three-story, 95-room hotel opened in 1999 as a Red Roof Inn and employed about 20 local residents. It later operated as the Rodeway Inn and Pacific Coast Inn.
Former operator Chuck Allen said he supports the conversion and hopes it can eventually connect program graduates to job training opportunities.
“Recovery doesn’t end when someone completes treatment,” Allen said. “It continues with purpose, stability and meaningful work.”
Allen said he is exploring plans for nearby greenhouse and agricultural training programs that could provide workforce development opportunities for individuals completing treatment.
Former property owner Dhruv Patel also expressed support for the project.
“When I learned that Janus would be leading this transformation, I knew the property would be in the right hands,” Patel said. “This building will no longer just offer rooms — it will offer second chances.”
Renovations to the site are expected to begin immediately and will include upgrades needed to meet clinical, safety and licensing standards for residential treatment operations.
Founded nearly 50 years ago, Janus of Santa Cruz provides substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health services throughout the county. The Watsonville project represents one of the organization’s largest expansions and a significant addition to the region’s treatment infrastructure.
