The Watsonville City Council voted in December to allow workers to clear a homeless encampment on Airport Boulevard and to bill the property owner approximately $300,000 in cleanup costs — $150,000 already spent and another $150,000 estimated for further work.
But the encampment remains, home to several dozen people who have erected makeshift shelters, pitched tents and driven vehicles onto the property.
Now, after reportedly ignoring the city’s requests to address the encampment, the property owner — Fremont-based KDS Dhaliwal Investments — has agreed to conduct the cleanup, Watsonville city spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.
“He has agreed to do the cleanup, so he is going to do the outreach and seek out the resources,” she said.
The timeline remains unclear, though Pulido estimated the process could take a few weeks.
The City Council declared the parcel a public nuisance on Nov. 18, 2025.
The 2.75-acre wooded property along Corralitos Creek, across from the Freedom Centre shopping plaza, has been the focus of ongoing complaints and enforcement efforts. The site — identified as parcel 014-021-01 and lacking a formal street address — is home to as many as 40 people, according to city officials.
Over the past several years, neighbors and officials have raised concerns about accumulating garbage, makeshift shelters and vehicles leaking fluids onto the ground. City staff say activity at the encampment — including bathing, washing clothes and the discharge of bodily waste — has contributed to contamination of the creek.
Watsonville Senior Code Enforcement Officer Ruben Vargas previously described the situation as “untenable” and in need of abatement. Officials also report widespread alcohol and drug use at the site, with used needles found among the debris.
KDS Vice President of Operations Karam Singh has said the company delayed enforcing trespassing rules amid a dispute with the city over development plans for the site, which have included a car wash or retail use. Singh said the company intends to install fencing after the cleanup is completed.
City Attorney Samantha Zutler said the city will place a lien on the property if cleanup costs are not reimbursed.
Several people living at the encampment attended a recent City Council meeting, urging officials to pair any enforcement action with housing assistance. Residents said promises of services made during a previous sweep were never fulfilled. Many of those living at the site face mental health and substance use challenges, according to officials and advocates.
How disgusting of that city council to shift their job onto property owners… Why not go ahead and lock up all the homeless while their at it…Jesus Christ..
I have lived in watsonville for 14 years and it seems that area has always been a problem. I always assumed it was city property. If land is sold to out of city people it should be there responsibility to insure is maintained. In my opinion if land bought by out of city is not maintained it should revert back to city after 5 years
I use to go see a couple friends down there to see if they where ok . A few more people started staying there and made the situation worse cuz they were trash hoarders it made everyone look bad I haven’t went back down there since the last clean up. when I drive by there and see trash piles and vehicles parked in the field if its that messed up at the top I can only imagine what the bottom looks like. alot of those people came from the levee This next clean up is going to take a lot of work I lived in that area more then 10 yrs ago it has changed so much . what I don’t understand is why the cars are not towed a way put a 24 notice on them to remove the car from there or it will be towed and to put a fence around the property that’s not going to WORK
Go back to school and learn proper grammar. Do you want the government to interfere on private property? The city did what it needed to, and followed proper course. This out of town, property owner was held accountable for being a slum lord.
In response to the recent Paron article about Cordis Creek, I want to provide a fuller picture of our community that the story largely overlooked. While challenges certainly exist, the piece unfairly exaggerates the role of drugs and substance use, painting everyone here with the same negative brush. The truth is, not all of us are drug users—far from it. Many of us are hardworking people, including families and individuals just trying to get through tough times, who actively look out for one another and contribute positively where we can.
We have worked hard to keep the area clean despite having no official way to dispose of garbage and receiving zero help from authorities or outsiders. We’ve organized numerous dump runs ourselves and paid for everything out of our own pockets, including dumpsters when no one else would provide them. These self-funded efforts show our commitment to responsibility and dignity, yet the article ignores this resilience and the good people here. Balanced reporting should include these realities instead of focusing only on the most sensational aspects. We’re not asking for excuses—we’re asking for fairness and recognition of the full story.
Sorry correction “ pajaronian” ,” Corralitos“
In response to the recent pajaronian article about Coralitos Creek, I want to provide a fuller picture of our community that the story largely overlooked. While challenges certainly exist, the piece unfairly exaggerates the role of drugs and substance use, painting everyone here with the same negative brush. The truth is, not all of us are drug users—far from it. Many of us are hardworking people, including families and individuals just trying to get through tough times, who actively look out for one another and contribute positively where we can.
We have worked hard to keep the area clean despite having no official way to dispose of garbage and receiving zero help from authorities ok or outsiders. We’ve organized numerous dump runs ourselves and paid for everything out of our own pockets, including dumpsters when no one else would provide them. These self-funded efforts show our commitment to responsibility and dignity, yet the article ignores this resilience and the good people here. Balanced reporting should include these realities instead of focusing only on the most sensational aspects. We’re not asking for excuses—we’re asking for fairness and recognition of the full story.
At what point do people take responsibility for themselves instead of expecting someone else or the government to take care of them.
came out of a 12-year domestic violence relationship, and finding a safe place in this encampment has been a lifeline for me. For the first time in years, I feel protected and supported. The people here have accepted me like family—they look out for one another, offer kindness, and create a real sense of community where I don’t have to fear violence. While it’s true that some individuals struggle with drugs, the article paints an incomplete and overly negative picture by focusing only on that. Many of us are good, hardworking people simply trying to rebuild our lives in a peaceful environment.
We take responsibility for the space and have repeatedly done dump runs ourselves, paying for them out of our own limited funds. Despite these efforts, we regularly see people who don’t even live here coming in to dump their garbage, and additional trash floats down the creek from upstream areas. The real barrier keeping us from stable housing isn’t laziness or lack of effort—it’s the skyrocketing cost of rent these days. Saving for first and last month’s rent, security deposits, and basic moving expenses feels nearly impossible when wages haven’t kept pace with housing prices in our area. Stories like mine show why places like this exist: they’re often a last resort for survivors escaping dangerous situations or people facing impossible financial hurdles. I hope the Pajaronian will present a more balanced view that includes these realities instead of only highlighting the worst moments.
Regardless of who lives there, the fact remains that it is NOT A SUITABLE PLACE TO LIVE. Full stop. Bathing, washing clothing, and using the creek for a bathroom are unacceptable. Whether a camp is tidy and neatly kept, or whether it is a junkyard, that fact remains. On one hand, we spent money to build fish ladders further upstream on Corralitos Creek, while on the other hand, few salmon will survive to get to the ladders if this constant source of pollution is not halted.
Bottom line: This is private property. If you can no longer afford to live in Santa Cruz County, you need to relocate to an area you can afford. Period. It’s a desirable beach town area that comes with a high price. I was born and raised here, college-educated, and I saw this coming. People were going to get priced out if they didn’t buy when the market dipped in 2008–2011, and again in 2017–2019. It’s not the responsibility of hard-working homeowners and taxpayers to subsidize those who refuse to move to a place they can actually afford…even if that means leaving California. I did exactly that, left California so I could have a comfortable life. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay if I didn’t buy out of state when the iron was hot.
I remember when they called homeless encampments communes.