Santa Cruz County is committed to building resilience through proactive adaptation and mitigation strategies that reduce risks from natural hazards and climate-related threats.
What is Mitigation?
Mitigation refers to actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risks to people and property from natural hazards such as wildfires, floods, earthquake and sea-level rise. By implementing proactive mitigation strategies, we can enhance community safety, protect infrastructure, and improve disaster recovery efforts.
2025 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP)
In 2025, Santa Cruz County will develop a Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) to identify key risks from natural hazards and develop mitigation strategies to address them. The MJHMP ensures that local jurisdictions remain eligible for federal mitigation funding and provides a roadmap for reducing disaster impacts. This work is funded by FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) Climate Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment (CAVA)
The Climate Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment (CAVA) evaluates transportation infrastructure vulnerabilities due to climate-related hazards and prioritizes resilience actions. The interactive CAVA prioritization tool allows users to explore and analyze risks affecting key transportation assets. The final CAVA report will be presented to the Regional Transportation Commission in February 2025.
Mitigation at Home
Residents can take steps to mitigate hazards at home by preparing for wildfires, flooding, and earthquakes. Simple actions such as defensible space around homes, securing structures against seismic activity, and proper drainage systems can significantly reduce risks. Of course, the basis for your home mitigation plan starts with preparedness – don’t wait, make a plan, sign up for alerts, and build an emergency kit today: Explore these resources for more hazard-specific information.