Los Gatos community briefs for the week of Feb. 18

Sierra Azul preserve expands

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District just closed a purchase of about 42 acres above Soda Spring Canyon, expanding the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. The purchase cost $168,000, an amount the board approved in January. Sierra Azul, in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the south of Los Gatos, is Midpen’s largest preserve at nearly 19,344 acres, including the most recent addition.

Located in the Mount Umunhum area of the preserve, the acquired property is surrounded by the Sierra Azul Preserve on three sides with private property to the south. The property is not accessible by existing roads, has no improvements or utilities and is closed to public access at this time.

Due to its size, Sierra Azul Preserve is divided into four areas, two of which are open to the public: Kennedy-Limekiln, the northwestern area of the preserve, is accessible from Lexington Reservoir, and Mount Umunhum, the southeastern area, is accessible from Hicks and Mount Umunhum roads.

Help with homeless count

Volunteers are needed for Santa Clara County’s Homeless Point in Time Count on Feb. 23-24. The count is a requirement for receiving federal homeless assistance funds and provides critical data used to understand homelessness locally and to support strategic decisions about county programs.

Volunteers will be asked to work in teams and walk or drive their assigned route from approximately 5-10 a.m. For health and safety reasons, team size will be limited to a maximum of four people.

To volunteer, visit bit.ly/SantaClaraPIT2022. For questions, email alex@appliedsurveyresearch.org or call 877-728-4545.