A hospitality guide (in the yellow shirt) chatting in front of New Leaf.
| Location |
| Downtown Santa Cruz |
| Hours |
| Monday-Saturday: |
| 11:00am – 7:30pm (Memorial Day through Labor Day) |
| 10:00am – 6:30pm (Labor Day through Memorial Day) |
| Sunday: 11:00am – 5:00pm |
| Phone |
| Host Contact Numbers: 539-9405, 539-9474 |
| Website |
| http://www.downtownsantacruz.com/downtown-hospitality-guides-428-9548-428-9552/ |
| Service Group Incorporated Website |
| Established |
| 1994 |
The Hospitality Guide Program (HGP) is paid for by the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz, which is an organization that represents the interests of businesses downtown. It is the job of "Hosts" wearing blue and yellow uniforms to walk around Downtown Santa Cruz and warn people who are possibly breaking the law, or violating a city ordinance. The guides also report suspicious and illegal activities directly to the SCPD. For businesses, calling the guides can function as an alternative to calling the police. The host program is run by Service Group Incorporated.
The Hospitality Guide Program covers Pacific Avenue from Water Street to Laurel Street, plus all of the side streets for one block in each direction.
Many people resent the program because it is seen as unnecessarily costly, and it adds to a security presence downtown that already includes paid, private security guards in addition to regular patrols (foot, bicycle, and vehicular) by the SCPD.
In 2009 Service Group Incorporated was paid $130,000 for their services in running the Hospitality Guide Program.1
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References
- 1As We See It: Downtown hospitality, Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 24, 2009, retrieved on July 21, 2011.
