City of Santa Monica – Council Agenda Request
Recently, the community has engaged in substantive dialogue regarding behavioral-health bridge-housing projects being advanced by LA County in Santa Monica. Questions have been raised regarding possible neighborhood impacts, the lack of prior notice, and the inability to provide public input before funding was approved by LA County and site renovations began.
I want to be clear that I support the intent of establishing diverse housing choices throughout the City and want to ensure that proper engagement occurs with respect to these types of initiatives moving forward. I am therefore requesting the following:
1. Outreach Coordination
Direct the City Manager to coordinate with LA County, operators, and project developers for supportive, shelter, or transitional-housing projects to ensure broad communication and outreach to both residents and adjacent businesses.
2. Standards, Best Practices, and Inclusive Expertise
Direct the City Manager to work with the County of Los Angeles, relevant nonprofit partners, and project developers to ensure that all proposed supportive, shelter, or transitional-housing projects within Santa Monica follow established best practices for community engagement. The process should ensure that professional experts also include community stakeholders and local service providers who would help serve the population and manage property-related impacts, aligning design and operations with local service capacity and community priorities.
3. Entitlements, Notifications, and Housing & Human Services Integration
Direct the City Manager—working jointly with the Housing and Human Services Department—to clarify zoning classifications, use types, and building-code provisions applicable to each supportive-service, shelter, and transitional-housing use. This includes identifying whether such uses are permitted, conditionally permitted, or require discretionary review, and returning with recommendations that ensure appropriate public notification always occurs when such projects are proposed.
Further, whenever projects of this nature are first discussed or potential sites are under evaluation, City Council shall be notified and provided an official written briefing outlining the proposal, location considerations, and anticipated community impacts. This early notification requirement applies to both internal and external communications to guarantee transparency, alignment, and informed decision-making at all stages.
4A. Land-Use and Strategic Integration
Direct the City Manager to conduct a comprehensive review of land-use regulations as they relate to interim and supportive housing. Where applicable, align site planning with the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan and related housing and human-services policies that define ideal service models for these facilities. Comprehensive site-selection analyses should be completed in collaboration with the community to ensure site suitability, service compatibility, and long-term success. 4B. Communications Framework
Establish a communications framework that serves as the cornerstone of these projects from planning through operations, setting best practices and a clear process for collaboration among the state, county, city departments, council, and community. Community input should not be a check-the-box exercise but a meaningful, bi-directional dialogue leading to accountable outcomes. Communications should also address cost and workforce impacts on city-funded departments (police, fire, EMS) and include:
1. An accessible webpage with a comprehensive FAQ (purpose, population served, staffing, hours, oversight);
2. A designated hotline or contact for residents and businesses;
3. Clear response protocols and follow-up mechanisms.
5. Citywide Site Inventory & Transparent Vetting
Establish a process through which developers and building owners may submit properties for inclusion in a Citywide Site Inventory. This inventory will enable nonprofits and the County to vet multiple sites for suitability, service access, and neighborhood fit—bringing daylight to potential locations across the city and ensuring that site selection is informed by data and public review rather than developer initiative—while empowering the County and City to conduct best-site analyses.
6. Retrospective Review of Existing/Recent Projects
Direct the City Manager to conduct a retrospective review of similar existing or recently approved projects—including those located along Ocean Avenue, in Sunset Park, and in the Pico Neighborhood—to determine whether proper community engagement and communication occurred.
Where lacking, work with the County and other partners to implement corrective measures and ensure appropriate neighborhood contact and support systems are now in place.
7. Accountability Structure & Performance Review
Create a joint accountability framework among the state, county, city, nonprofit operators, developers, and community stakeholders. Establish transparent performance metrics, regular public reporting, and a review process allowing adjustments to use allowances, the imposition of fines or additional fees, and the ability to rescind operational approvals when facilities underperform or fail to meet agreed-upon goals. This framework should ensure that performance outcomes, fiscal impacts, and community feedback are continuously reviewed and acted upon to maintain public trust and uphold service quality standards.
Please place this item on the October 28 agenda for full City Council consideration.