Joy Schendledecker
Joy, For All of Us
About Joy
Joy is an organizer, educator, artist, and service provider working on the front lines of Santa Cruz’s housing and public service systems. She works as an Operations Manager and Lead Monitor for local shelter programs, where she oversees clients, staff, safety, and daily operations.
In previous campaigns Joy earned endorsements from SEIU 521, the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, IBEW Local 234, and the California Nurses Association.
Her public service includes co-founding Santa Cruz Cares and Sanitation for the People, grassroots initiatives focused on compassionate, practical responses to homelessness and community health. She is a certified Community Mediator through the Conflict Resolution Center of Santa Cruz County.
Joy is running for Mayor to focus City Hall on the basics: keeping people housed, supporting good local jobs, protecting public services, and ensuring that Santa Cruz is affordable for the people who have roots here through family, community, and work.
She supports housing stability, responsible public investment, strong labor standards, and transparent, accountable local government that listens to residents and workers alike.
Joy believes everyone deserves a place at the table of democracy. From the bottom up, she’s working to build a more inclusive, livable Santa Cruz — with more joy for all of us.
About Joy's Campaign
Our Commitments
- No endorsements or contributions from Real Estate or Police organizations
- No PAC support funded by Real Estate or Police money
- No excessive fundraising or wasteful campaign spending
Top Issues:
Housing
- Strong renter protections
- More “Yes” locations for temporary and permanent housing
- Affordable homes near schools, parks, and transit
- Housing accessible for people with disabilities
- Progressive revenue tools like a Property Transfer Tax
Labor
- Unwavering support for workers and unions
- More city staff delivering public services
- Higher wages and safer working conditions
Environment
- Community-led climate action
- Protect and expand public ownership of land and assets
- Public infrastructure for public good
- Public transit as a foundation for equity
Democracy & Governance
- Publicly financed campaigns
- Ranked Choice Voting
- Fund neighborhood precinct assemblies
- Constituent-led planning and permitting
Joy is running as part of a working-class movement to expand participatory democracy in Santa Cruz.
We will hold City leaders accountable to their promises, challenge unjust policies, and push past political gridlock and special-interest influence.
Santa Cruz belongs to the people who live and work here — tenants, workers, teachers, nurses, students, young people, caregivers.
Let’s build real grassroots power.
Less astroturf. More community voice.
District Elections
The City of Santa Cruz transitioned to district elections in 2022 with 6 city districts and an at-large elected mayor. In 2024, City of Santa Cruz voters will complete the transition when they choose four new council members—one each from districts 1, 2, 3, and 5–for four-year terms.
This new way of doing things does not mean that Santa Cruz now has a ”strong mayor,” we still have a council-manager structure of governance. We believe that this new mayor should be working as an equal with other council members, as a team. The position is not one of authority over or mentorship of, but as a collaborator with peers to negotiate difficult decisions and lead city staff. The mayor can and should set the tone and structure for meetings and the community at large, but does not have a larger vote than anyone else.
Your district representative will be accountable to the approximately 10,000 residents in their precincts, but will continue to vote equally on city-wide issues.