Request of Councilmember Torosis, Councilmember Zwick and Mayor Davis that the City Council support California Proposition 1.
The extreme housing shortage coupled with the exorbitant cost of living throughout the State of California has led to our prevailing crisis of homelessness and housing insecurity. California State Proposition 1 will transform our state’s mental health system.
This landmark proposition will reallocate billions of dollars to Californians with the most severe mental health needs, including those living in encampments and those with the highest problems with addiction and substance use. In fact, this investment would be the single largest expansion of California’s behavioral health treatment and residential settings in our state’s history – creating new, dedicated housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have behavioral health needs. Through a $6.38 billion bond, tens of thousands of Californians annually will receive mental health and addiction services, more than 11,000 housing settings will be created for residents with the most severe needs, and $1 billion will be allocated to veterans experiencing homelessness (Treatment not Tents, 2023).
The state funding granted by Proposition 1 will directly support Santa Monica’s work to solve our homeless and behavioral health crisis. Santa Monica has dedicated unprecedented City resources to combating homelessness and providing mental health services. However, Santa Monica must ensure our State likewise provides treatment and long-term housing for people with acute mental illness and substance use addiction if we are to reduce homelessness to functional zero.
Therefore, Councilmembers Torosis and Zwick and Mayor Davis request that the City Council support California Proposition 1 appearing on the March 5, 2024 California primary election ballot to continue working toward a sustainable solution to the homelessness crisis across the State of California, and direct the City Manager issue a press release indicating the City Council’s support for Proposition 1: Treatment not Tents, and send letters of support from the City to the Governor, Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Rick Zbur, and to the proponents of Proposition 1.