Santa Monica City Council
April 14, 2026

Meeting: April 14, 2026
1 1 16 ITEM BY COUNCILMEMBERS NEGRETE
2 Request of Councilmember Negrete that the City Council consider directing the 3 City Manager to return within 15 days with an implementation plan to create a 4 centralized Business Crime Response & Recovery Portal and coordinated 5 response system that provides immediate, streamlined access to all available City 6 resources for businesses impacted by crime.
7 8 Background and Purpose
9 Santa Monica businesses impacted by crime are often left navigating a fragmented 10 system — police reporting, repair vendors, grant programs, and safety resources all 11 exist, but are not centralized or easily accessible in moments of need. The result is 12 delays in recovery, increased costs, and frustration for business owners already dealing 13 with disruption.This item is intended to simplify access, accelerate recovery, and 14 improve coordination, ensuring businesses can quickly connect to the resources that 15 already exist.
16 Staff is directed to develop a program with the following components:
17 1. Centralized “One-Click” Business Portal
18 • Create a dedicated, easy-to-find webpage that includes:
19 • Step-by-step guidance immediately following a crime 20 • Direct link to file or reference a police report
21 • Access to the Business Recovery Grant Program (if eligible) 22 • Link to request a free SMPD security assessment
23 • Contact information for rapid City support
24 25 2. Local Vendor Network
26 • Develop and maintain a pre-vetted list of Santa Monica-based vendors, including:
27 o Glass repair
28 o Locksmith services
29 o Graffiti removal
30 o General repairs
31 32 • Provide direct contact access through the portal 33 • Encourage use of local businesses to support the local economy 34 35 3. Rapid Coordination Trigger
36 Upon report of a qualifying business-related crime:
37 • Automatically provide the business with:
38 o Portal access link
39 o Grant application (if applicable)
40 o Security assessment scheduling
41 42 • Evaluate feasibility of a proactive outreach protocol (City or partner follow-up 43 within 24–48 hours)
44 4. Repeat Impact Flag (Optional Enhancement)
45 • Identify businesses experiencing multiple incidents within a defined timeframe 46 • Provide enhanced coordination, including:
47 o Priority access to resources
48 o Additional safety evaluation
49 50 5. Communication & Accessibility
51 • Ensure portal is:
52 o Mobile-friendly
53 o Available in multiple languages
54 o Promoted through business outreach and City communications 55 56 Policy Alignment
57 Public Safety
58 Improves coordination between businesses and law enforcement resources 59 Economic Recovery
60 Reduces downtime and financial burden on businesses
61 Community Support
62 Provides clear, accessible tools for local businesses to recover and stay open 63 Fiscal Impact
64 Minimal. Primarily staff coordination and web development, with potential 65 integration into existing systems and programs.