10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 3-9, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS When Monterey City Council held a workshop on Jan. 29 to set goals for the coming years, among those given top priority was bolstering economic development. This comes after impacts from Covid-19, which led to revenue losses, budget cuts and layoffs that totaled $32 million in just 18 months. That impact underscored the city’s outsized dependence on tourism to generate revenue. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, about 30 percent of the city’s revenue came from transient occupancy taxes (paid by hotel guests), and 15.4 percent came from sales taxes. On March 26, the council revisited the topic in a study session led by Assistant City Manager Nat Rojanasathira, who walked the councilmembers through a draft 2025 economic development strategy for the city, and asked both the public and the council for feedback. Rojanasathira said that while the hospitality industry is and would remain the “heartbeat” of the city’s economy, it was important to recognize Monterey’s hotels will soon be facing increased competition from new rooms in nearby Seaside and Sand City. Add to that, Rojanasathira emphasized, the city’s hotel stock is aging, and much of it is in need of a makeover. The plan—which will include strategies for financing, diversification and business retention— will be refined in the coming months and come back before the council in the fall, though its importance might be felt well before then. Rob O’Keefe, CEO of See Monterey, told the council there was fear of a “Trump slump” in the industry with a potential decrease in foreign visitors. “We’ve got real critical issues right now that we need to deal with,” he said. Trickle Down As it looks to the future, the City of Monterey’s cash cow—tourism—faces new challenges. By David Schmalz California’s CARE Court has come to Monterey County, with the hopes of offering help to those suffering from untreated psychotic disorders and ending cycles of incarceration and homelessness. The new civil court officially launched in Monterey County Superior Court in December, along with the rest of California’s counties, after an initial launch in eight counties in 2023. The court was proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2022 as one solution to chronic homelessness and other issues connected to those living with serious mental illness. The Legislature passed the CARE Act—for Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment—that same year. The first “graduate” of a CARE Court was in San Diego County on Aug. 7, 2024, according to a report by the California Department of Health Care Services. Monterey County’s CARE Court has a ways to go before it sees its first graduate. In the last four months only a handful of cases have come forward, with none yet making their way in front of a judge. “We haven’t had any hearings as of yet. It’s still pretty new,” says Monterey County Superior Court Judge Julie Culver, who was tasked with leading the preparations for launching CARE Court involving multiple departments, including Monterey County Behavioral Health and the Public Defender’s Office. One unique aspect of CARE Court is that family members, friends, roommates or others can petition for a loved one to be enrolled, as well as first responders and officials from other agencies. “It’s a new way to approach mental health,” Culver says. Another aspect is that the person in question, called a “respondent” in court, can choose anyone to act as their supporter throughout the process. This could be a family member, trusted friend or other person. In addition, respondents are assigned a public defender to ensure their rights are protected. Culver reviews the petitions to ensure a potential respondent qualifies for the program. They must be 18 or older and suffer from untreated schizophrenia or another state-approved psychotic disorder, among other requirements. (Information on how and where to petition is available at bit.ly/MoCoCareCourt.) Culver can approve or deny a petition. If approved, it’s sent to the staff at Behavioral Health, who, Culver says, have the heaviest lift. They are the ones who must find the respondent—not easy if they are without housing—and build a trusting relationship with them. The respondent’s participation is voluntary—if they agree, they are provided with wraparound services that include medication, housing and other interventions. In addition, there are four required evidentiary hearings with each case and Behavioral Health staff must prepare reports about respondents before each hearing, according to Melanie Rhodes, interim Behavioral Health bureau chief. “It’s definitely worthwhile if we can get folks in and get them help and get them stabilized without needing higher levels of care,” Rhodes says. Michelle Wouden, chief deputy public defender for Monterey County, says public defenders have advocated for years for a way to prevent the cycle people with serious mental health issues fall into. “We’re hopeful this will avoid criminalization and future incarceration,” she says. Monterey County Superior Court Judge Julie Culver, who presides over probate and conservatorship matters, was tasked with launching CARE Court locally. Now in Session CARE Court launches in Monterey County to extend help to those with a serious mental illness. By Pam Marino Tourism returned during the pandemic (masked visitors are shown on Fisherman’s Wharf in 2021) but the city implemented $32 million in budget cuts, reflecting a major reliance on the sector. “It’s a new way to approach mental health.” DANIEL DREIFUSS JOEL ANGEL JUAREZ
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