Human Services

A: In January 2007, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority conducted a "point-in-time" count of the homeless in Los Angeles County. At that time they estimated approximately 73,700 homeless people resided in Los Angeles County, a 17% decrease from the number counted in January 2005. 1,500 were estimated to be homeless in Santa Monica in 2007, a 24% decrease from the 2005 number.

A: The City funds 10 agencies to provide a comprehensive range of services from outreach and emergency services, to emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, employment services, substance abuse programs and after-care services to assist people to transition off of the streets to self-sufficiency. Homeless clients in need can get showers, storage lockers, food and other such services at social service agencies where they will be engaged by a case manager. The case manager then guides the client through process of acquiring emergency shelter, substance abuse or mental health treatment if needed, transitional housing, employment, and finally permanent housing. Often the path to self-sufficiency is too confusing and overwhelming to try to accomplish alone, so the City’s network of resources offers respite and guidance through this process. This continuum was found to be very effective in a recent evaluation of services and programs.

Q: Given that the City has been working on this issue for so long, why are there still homeless people in Santa Monica?

A: While the continuum has successfully served 5,000 unduplicated adults over the past 5 years (placing 1,365 in permanent housing and 1,459 in transitional housing), there remains a subset of the homeless population which has very special needs. These individuals are the most vulnerable segment of the homeless population in that they are gravely disabled and/or chronically homeless. For this population, the traditional Continuum of Care has not been as effective as it has been for others. The City has worked hard to come up with some innovative approaches to meet their needs and link them to services and ultimately housing, including the Chronic Homeless Program, the Serial Inebriate Outreach Program, Project Homecoming and the Homeless Community Court.

The second reason is quite simply inflow. While our continuum works hard to move people off the streets, our capacity to do so in a region with approximately 73,700 homeless people is impossible. Until homelessness is addressed throughout the region, there will be homeless people on the streets of Santa Monica.

Santa Monica is a small community perched on the edge of the largest homeless population in the country. Over 73,700 people are homeless in Los Angeles County on any given night; almost a quarter of a million people are homeless in the County annually. Only about 20% of all of the homeless people directly counted during the January 2007 Homeless Count were in sheltered locations (in emergency shelters, transitional programs, or other types of programs). The rest were unsheltered. The Homeless Count showed that Santa Monica is heavily impacted, along with Skid Row and Venice, but that doesn’t mean we should do less. Others should do more. The City’s position is that homelessness is a regional issue. Santa Monica is doing its part but all of the jurisdictions in the County must do their “fair share”. We cannot solve homelessness alone.

A: Some people may come to Santa Monica because this is the place where the services they need are available. They can find safe shelter and connect to a case manager in order to begin the process of transitioning to self-sufficiency. In all likelihood, though, these aren’t the people you continue to see on the streets or in the parks year after year. If people are coming for case management, they are working within our continuum in order to move off the streets.

Homeless people choose to come to Santa Monica for the same reasons people from all over the world come here: Santa Monica is a relatively safe community with beautiful open spaces and year-round access to the ocean; the City is small and easy to navigate; the climate allows for outdoor living. But some of Santa Monica’s most desirable characteristics may enable people to remain on the streets: the local parks offer places for people to congregate and space for food distribution; a large tourist population means that panhandlers have a constant stream of people to appeal to; because this is a beach community, there are public restrooms and showers; and unlike many beach communities, we have open spaces (like parks and beaches) right near our commercial neighborhoods. These are often the “services” that attract homeless people to this community.

The City recognizes that the qualities that are our greatest assets for tourism and the infrastructure provided for residents and tourists make us attractive for homeless people. We are actively addressing a number of strategies to provide alternatives that are linked to services.

The City has banned camping in public spaces, enacted prohibitions on soliciting money, outlawed sitting or lying in specific doorways at night, required permits for certain public feedings and has posted rules for public restrooms and other public facilities.
OPCC, a City grantee, operates SHWASHLOCK, which stands for Showers, Washers and Lockers to alleviate some of the burden on public restrooms and link people with case management.
City staff, including the City Manager, are working with the local volunteer meal providers to move the outdoor meal programs from the parks to indoor locations where there is a link to case management services. Currently, two meal providers, Hand to Hand and H.O.P.E. have moved their food distribution activities indoors. As planned, community outreach teams and social service providers have been available whenever the food programs are operating. Additional sidewalk cleanings have enhanced the appearance of the immediate neighborhood and SMPD has continued its increased patrols in the vicinity to address concerns for safety and security. Find out more about volunteering your time to provide meals...

The City’s goal is to engage people in services, assist them to become stable, move them off the streets and parks into appropriate housing and help them maintain their housing.

Q: What are the new programs being implemented to address the special-needs population?

A: In conjunction with local service provider agencies, the City is working to develop innovative programs designed to respond to the needs of the long-term homeless population and help recent arrivals to the City return home quickly.
Homeless Community Court - linking the court system to services
Chronic Homeless Program - serving the long-term homeless
Serial Inebriate Outreach Program - linking the jail to services
Project Homecoming - reuniting families

Q: What can I, as a resident or visitor to Santa Monica, do to reduce the impact of homelessness in the community?

A: Get Involved While many of us wish to assist the homeless members of our community by dropping off food, clothing or blankets in local parks, these items often times go unused or are abandoned. Instead of giving handouts at our City parks, consider donating to a local social service agency or volunteering your time. Many local nonprofit agencies have volunteer opportunities available in Santa Monica. Find the one that inspires you! The Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition can help you get started. Visit their website at http://www.westsideshelter.org.