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NA-25 Disproportionately Greater Need: Housing Cost Burdens – 91.205 (b)(2) Assess the need of any racial or ethnic group that has disproportionately greater need in comparison to the needs of that category of need as a whole.
Introduction:
According to HUD, disproportionate need refers to any need for a certain race/ethnicity that is more than ten (10) percentage points above the need demonstrated for the total households within the jurisdiction at a specific income level. The tables and analyses below identify the share of households by race/ethnicity and income level experiencing housing cost burdens as outlined by HUD guidelines.
Disproportionate need for each race/ethnicity is determined by calculating the share of the total number of cost burdened and severely cost burdened households from each race/ethnicity and comparing that figure to the share of all Santa Monica households.
Housing Cost Burden
Housing Cost Burden <=30% 30-50% >50% No / negative
income (not
computed)
Jurisdiction as a whole 26,755 8,355 9,125 1,470
White 19,065 5,955 6,445 1,065
Black / African American 700 565 525 15
Asian 2,380 490 830 270
American Indian, Alaska
Native 74 0 30 0
Pacific Islander 0 0 30 0
Hispanic 3,095 1,005 955 115
Table 21 – Greater Need: Housing Cost Burdens AMI
Data Source: 2016-2020 CHAS
Discussion:
In Santa Monica, there are 8,355 households spending between 30% and 50% of their income on housing, and 9,125 households that are severely cost burdened by spending more than 50% of their income on housing costs. A review of racial and ethnic disparities reveals disproportionate needs particularly among Hispanic, Black/African American, and Asian households.
Hispanic households make up 3,095 of those with no cost burden but also represent 1,005 moderately cost-burdened households and 955 severely cost-burdened
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households. Combined, these groups indicate a substantial housing cost strain relative to their overall population size in the city.
Black/African American households total 700 with no cost burden, but 565 are moderately cost burdened and 525 are severely cost burdened. This suggests a notable share of Black households are impacted by unaffordable housing. Asian households are similarly affected, with 490 moderately burdened and 830 severely burdened—despite 2,380 reporting no burden. This means nearly 1 in 3 Asian households included in this dataset are cost burdened or severely cost burdened. American Indian/Alaska Native and Pacific Islander households are smaller in number, but available data shows that 100% of Pacific Islander households are cost burdened (30 households), with 30 American Indian/Alaska Native households severely burdened.
In contrast, White households, while comprising the largest share of households with no cost burden (19,065), still represent a substantial number of those facing moderate (5,955) and severe (6,445) cost burdens. However, when viewed proportionally, White households tend to have a lower rate of cost burden compared to many minority households.
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NA-30 Disproportionately Greater Need: Discussion – 91.205(b)(2) Are there any Income categories in which a racial or ethnic group has disproportionately greater need than the needs of that income category as a whole? 0-30% AMI
Housing problems: American Indian and Alaska Native and Pacific Islander households in this income category are disproportionately affected by housing problems. Severe housing problems: American Indian and Alaska Native and Pacific Islander households in this income category are disproportionately affected by housing problems.
30-50% AMI
Housing problems: Pacific Islander households in this income category are disproportionately affected by housing problems.
Severe housing problems: Pacific Islander and Hispanic households in this income category are disproportionately affected by severe housing problems. 50-80% AMI
Housing problems: Asian households in this income category are disproportionately affected by housing problems.
Severe housing problems: Black or African American and Asian households in this income category are disproportionately affected by severe housing problems. If they have needs not identified above, what are those needs? No other needs are identified at this time.
Are any of those racial or ethnic groups located in specific areas or neighborhoods in your community?
Racial minority groups do face disproportionally greater need in several income categories as reported above in this section, but are not concentrated in any particular area of the City.
Households that identify ethnically as Hispanic are concentrated in census tracts along I-10 (tracts 06037701801, 06037701802, and 06037701702); however, Hispanic households do not have any disproportionate needs as compared to the jurisdiction as a whole for housing problems, severe housing problems, or housing cost burden.
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The map below shows the percentages of people of color living in Santa Monica by census tract. There are higher concentrations of people of color in the central eastern areas of the City, specifically in the Pico District and areas surrounding the Santa Monica Freeway. Two tracts have concentrations of over 70% - tract 060377018013 (78.1%) and tract 060377018014 (75.9%). Conversely, much of the western portion of Santa Monica—especially areas closer to the coast and north of Montana Avenue—has a significantly lower percentage of people of color, often less than 40%, indicating a east-west racial and ethnic divide. These areas tend to be more affluent and have higher concentrations of White, nonHispanic residents. The geographic concentration of communities of color in Santa Monica correlates with areas of older housing stock, higher renter occupancy, and elevated rates of housing problems and cost burden.
Map
Percent Population of Color
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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NA-35 Public Housing – 91.205(b)
Introduction
The Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA) was consulted during development of this Consolidated Plan. Although the SMHA does not own or operate any public housing, the SMHA does administer several rental housing voucher programs, and it is the intention of the Authority to continue to ensure that its participants in the Housing Choice Voucher, Continuum of Care voucher, Emergency Housing voucher, HOME voucher, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing voucher, and Stability Voucher programs are housed in safe and adequate affordable housing.
Totals in Use
Program Type
Certificate ModRehab Public
Housing
Vouchers
Total Project -
based
Tenant -
based
Special Purpose
Voucher
Veterans Affairs
Supportive
Housing
Family
Unification
Program
Disabled
*
# of units
vouchers in
use 0 0 0 1,725 410 1,291 34 0
Table 22 - Public Housing by Program Type
*includes Non-Elderly Disabled, Mainstream One-Year, Mainstream Five-year, and Nursing Home Transition Data Source: PIC (PIH Information Center)
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Characteristics of Residents
Program Type
Certificate ModRehab Public
Housing
Vouchers
Total Project -
based
Tenant -
based
Special Purpose Voucher
Veterans
Affairs
Supportive
Housing
Family
Unification
Program
Average Annual Income 0 0 0 14,590 11,787 14,611 14,322 21,740 Average length of stay 0 0 0 10 0 10 0 10
Average Household size 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 3
# Homeless at admission 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0
# of Elderly Program Participants
(>62) 0 0 0 518 2 508 7 1
# of Disabled Families 0 0 0 275 5 263 6 0
# of Families requesting accessibility
features 0 0 0 1,036 7 1,012 15 1
# of HIV/AIDS program participants 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
# of DV victims 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Table 23 – Characteristics of Public Housing Residents by Program Type Data Source: PIC (PIH Information Center)
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Race of Residents
Program Type
Race Certificate ModRehab Public
Housing
Vouchers
Total Project -
based
Tenant -
based
Special Purpose Voucher
Veterans
Affairs
Supportive
Housing
Family
Unification
Program
Disabled
*
White 0 0 0 766 7 746 12 0 1
Black/African American 0 0 0 258 0 254 3 1 0
Asian 0 0 0 10 0 10 0 0 0
American Indian/Alaska
Native 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Pacific Islander 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
*includes Non-Elderly Disabled, Mainstream One-Year, Mainstream Five-year, and Nursing Home Transition Table 24 – Race of Public Housing Residents by Program Type Data Source: PIC (PIH Information Center)
Ethnicity of Residents
Program Type
Ethnicity Certificate ModRehab Public
Housing
Vouchers
Total Project -
based
Tenant -
based
Special Purpose Voucher
Veterans
Affairs
Supportive
Housing
Family
Unification
Program
Disabled
*
Hispanic 0 0 0 201 0 198 2 0 1
Not Hispanic 0 0 0 835 7 814 13 1 0
*includes Non-Elderly Disabled, Mainstream One-Year, Mainstream Five-year, and Nursing Home Transition Table 25 – Ethnicity of Public Housing Residents by Program Type Data Source: PIC (PIH Information Center)
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Section 504 Needs Assessment: Describe the needs of public housing tenants and applicants on the waiting list for accessible units:
Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA) does not own any public housing development units.
SMHA administers the HCV program throughout the city and ensures that its programs and activities are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. The City also works closely with the Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA) to promote dialogue regarding the ongoing needs of the disabled. The Section 8 HCV waiting list is currently open and includes a list of more than 40,000 applicants. As evidenced by the large number of families on the waiting list, affordable housing is a major need.
Most immediate needs of residents of Public Housing and Housing Choice voucher holders The most immediate needs of residents of public housing and HCV holders are additional affordable housing and incomes that can support self-sustainability. The need for affordability is indicated by the number of households on the waiting list for the voucher program (more than 40,000 as mentioned immediately above).
How do these needs compare to the housing needs of the population at large There is a much greater and ongoing need for affordable housing for residents in assisted housing than in the general population. Residents in assisted housing are more likely to be very low-income, and therefore more severely cost burdened, than the general population. Further, approximately 75% of voucher holders are disabled or elderly. Elderly residents may require housing accommodations due to being more likely to be disabled than the general population.
They are also more likely to be living on fixed incomes, which means any change in housing costs affects affordability to them more than the general population.
Discussion
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NA-40 Homeless Needs Assessment – 91.205(c)
Introduction:
Homelessness is a particularly troublesome and complex issue for most communities across the United States, caused by many overlapping and interrelated variables. The cause of any single person’s homelessness often lies not in a single factor, but in the convergence of many events and conditions. From one perspective, homelessness is an economic problem caused by unemployment, lack of affordable housing options, or poverty. From another perspective, homelessness is a health issue rooted in mental illness, physical disabilities, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, or a combination of those health factors. A third perspective is to view homelessness as a social problem influenced by domestic violence, educational attainment, and race. In reality, homelessness can be caused by all of these issues, which are often interrelated, and addressing homelessness requires a collaborative and community-based approach.
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act defines the “homeless,” “homeless individual,” or “homeless person” as an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence and who has a primary night-time residence that is:
• A supervised publicly or privately-operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill);
• An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or
• A public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
Santa Monica is part of the Los Angeles Continuum of Care, the regional planning entity that coordinates housing and services for homeless families and individuals across the county. In December of 1993, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) was created by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles Mayor and City Council to be an independent, joint powers authority. LAHSA is the lead agency in the Los Angeles City and County Continuum of Care. The following data represents the homeless population count in the Continuum of Care as of April 2025. According to the 2024 Point In Time Count conducted by LAHSA, there were a total of 774 homeless persons in Santa Monica, which represents a 16 percent decrease from the prior year.
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The charts below are representative of the entire Continuum of Care’s Point In Time Count results.
Population Estimate the # of persons
experiencing
homelessness on a given
night
Estimate the #
experiencing
homelessness
each year
Estimate
the #
becoming
homeless
each year
Estimate the #
exiting
homelessness
each year
Estimate the #
of days
persons
experience
homelessness
Sheltered Unsheltered
Persons in
Households with
Adult(s) and
Child(ren) 7,862 2,845 0 0 0 0
Persons in
Households with
Only Children 37 72 0 0 0 0
Persons in
Households with
Only Adults 13,793 46,592 0 0 0 0
Chronically
Homeless
Individuals 4,480 23,721 0 0 0 0
Chronically
Homeless
Families 869 753 0 0 0 0
Veterans 957 2,034 0 0 0 0
Unaccompanied
Child 37 69 0 0 0 0
Persons with
HIV 381 882 0 0 0 0
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If data is not available for the categories "number of persons becoming and exiting homelessness each year," and "number of days that persons experience homelessness," describe these categories for each homeless population type (including chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth):
Chronically Homeless Individuals and Families: According to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count conducted by the Los Angeles City and County Continuum of Care, there were 29,823 chronically homeless individuals, representing nearly 42% of the total homeless population. The majority—82%—of chronically homeless individuals were unsheltered, compared to 69% of the overall homeless population. Chronic homelessness was far more prevalent among adults in households without children (47%) than among individuals in households with children (15%).
Additionally, unsheltered rates varied significantly by household type: 84% of chronically homeless adults in households without children were unsheltered, compared to 46% of those in chronically homeless families with children.
Families with Children: The 2024 Los Angeles City and County Continuum of Care Point-in-Time Count identified 10,707 individuals in households with at least one adult and one child. Notably, children under the age of 18 accounted for nearly 58% of this group. Although this household type represented only 5% of all homeless households, they were significantly more likely to be sheltered—74%—compared to just 23% of households without children.
Veterans: The 2024 Los Angeles City and County Continuum of Care Point-in-Time Count identified 2,991 individuals experiencing homelessness who were veterans, accounting for just 4% of the total homeless population. Veterans were sheltered at a slightly higher rate (32%) than the overall homeless population (30%).
Unaccompanied Youth: The 2024 Los Angeles City and County Continuum of Care Point-in-Time Count identified 2,406 unaccompanied youth up to age 24, comprising 3% of the total homeless population. Among them, 106 individuals (4%) were under the age of 18. Notably, 65% of unaccompanied minors were unsheltered, compared to 45% of youth ages 18 to 24.
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Nature and Extent of Homelessness: (Optional)
Race: Sheltered: Unsheltered (optional)
American Indian, Alaska
Native, or Indigenous
160 896
Asian or Asian American 283 644
Black, African American, or
African
8,693 12,467
Middle Eastern or North
African
11 84
Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander
93 195
White 3,320 11,585
Non-Hispanic and Multiple
Race
232 1,657
Ethnicity: Sheltered: Unsheltered (optional)
Hispanic/ Latina/e/o Only 3,175 19,928
Hispanic and One or More
Race
5,725 2,053
Estimate the number and type of families in need of housing assistance for families with children and the families of veterans.
See above.
Describe the Nature and Extent of Homelessness by Racial and Ethnic Group.
The 2024 Point-in-Time Count data reveal significant racial and ethnic disparities in the Los Angeles City and County homeless population. Black individuals account for nearly 30% of all persons experiencing homelessness, despite representing only about 9% of the general population according to 2023 ACS data. White individuals represent 21% of the homeless population but are more likely to be unsheltered (78%) than Black individuals (59%). Hispanic/Latino individuals are the largest ethnic group, comprising
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nearly one-third of the homeless population and facing disproportionately high unsheltered rates (86%).
American Indian, Middle Eastern/North African, and multiracial individuals also experience extremely high rates of unsheltered homelessness (above 85%), indicating the need for culturally specific outreach strategies.
Describe the Nature and Extent of Unsheltered and Sheltered Homelessness.
Unsheltered homeless make up over three-fourths of the persons experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica. Instead of residing in the shelter units in the city, unsheltered homeless individuals live on the street, the beach, or in their vehicles. According to the 2024 Point In Time Count data, the unsheltered population in Santa Monica decreased by 11 percent (from 676 to 601) since 2023. Of the 601 unsheltered, 479 individuals counted were not in a dwelling. The remaining 122 represents the number of observed dwellings, to include cars, vans, RVs, tents, and makeshift shelters that were visually observed during the 2024 PIT Count. These counts do not equate to participants staying in these dwellings. While the overall number of dwellings decreased by 17 percent (from 147 to 122) from the previous year, the number of tents increased by 75 percent (from 12 to 21). The sheltered population also increased by 15 percent (from 150 to 173).
When reviewing the previous 15 years of homeless data from Santa Monica, as displayed in Figure ? below, one can see that that the total homeless population has ebbed and flowed, but remained relatively stable over the years. In fact, Santa Monica has seen an overall 15% decrease in these numbers. However, unsheltered homelessness rates have increased more than 25% since 2009, while the number of individuals in shelter declined 60% during the same time period.
Figure ?- Santa Monica Homelessness Trends (2009- 2024) The Housing Commission Chair noted that many unsheltered individuals in Santa Monica have become deeply disconnected from systems of care. Long-term homelessness, compounded by untreated mental illness, substance use, and PTSD—particularly among veterans—has led to loss of trust and disengagement. SMHA is exploring the creation of a triage program to better assess and connect
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individuals with services based on need. However, stakeholders emphasized the importance of ensuring that homeless services are not diluted or redirected through budget reallocations and actually reach those they are intended to serve.
Discussion: Although Santa Monica has seen a 14% overall decline in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness since 2020—based on annual Point-in-Time Count data—residents and stakeholders report that homelessness has become increasingly visible and pervasive throughout the city. Notably, while the number of individuals in shelters dropped by 43% during this period, the number of unsheltered individuals remained unchanged. This means fewer people are accessing or staying in emergency shelters, which could be the result of reduced shelter availability, high eligibility barriers, or a mismatch between shelter services and client needs (e.g., lack of privacy, lack of storage space for personal belongings, pet restrictions, safety concerns).
The stagnant unsheltered population and reduced use of shelters suggest a need to reassess service delivery models, expand low-barrier and/or non-congregate shelter options, increase homeless prevention efforts, and invest in permanent housing solutions tailored to the needs of the chronically homeless. While the City has made important progress, recently opening its first permanent supportive housing development, the Laurel, and making commitments to two additional developments, the Housing Authority reports that demand for stable housing continues to outpace available supply.
Additionally, City representatives reported that the perception and visibility of homelessness remains one of the most frequently cited concerns among businesses deciding whether to locate in Santa Monica. While the City collaborates with police and service providers to support unhoused individuals, challenges persist in public perceptions. Transit-related dynamics also shape local needs. The Expo Line terminates in Santa Monica, and the suspension of fare enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increased arrivals of unhoused riders seeking food or shelter. These patterns underscore the need for coordinated regional approaches to homelessness and transit policy.
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NA-45 Non-Homeless Special Needs Assessment - 91.205 (b,d) Introduction:
The City of Santa Monica is home to several non-homeless special needs populations requiring housing and supportive services. These include the elderly and frail elderly, persons with disabilities (including those with mental illness and substance use disorders), persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families, and individuals with alcohol or drug addictions. Each of these groups faces unique barriers to housing stability, independence, and long-term well-being.
Describe the characteristics of special needs populations in your community:
Elderly and Frail Elderly: According to 2023 ACS estimates, 17,611 residents aged 65 and older live in Santa Monica, comprising 19.2% of the city’s population. Of these, 4,986 (29.4%) have a disability, and 17.9% live below the poverty line. Stakeholder interviews, particularly with Wise and Healthy Aging, confirmed that many seniors—especially renters—are cost burdened, live in inaccessible units, and face risks such as isolation, falls, and hoarding-related lease violations.
Over half of seniors are renters (55.2%), and many reside in upper-story units without elevators or in housing that lacks ADA-compliant features. Stakeholders emphasized that the mismatch between Santa Monica’s aging population and its housing stock will only widen as the senior population continues to grow. Case managers frequently assist seniors in relocating to safer units, but the supply of affordable, accessible senior housing remains limited. In-home support services, transportation, nutrition programs, and fall prevention strategies are essential to helping this population age in place.
Programs such as those operated by Wise and Healthy Aging—in collaboration with the Santa Monica Fire Department—offer decluttering support, home modifications, housing retention supportive services, and assistance with applications for in-home care. However, as the senior population grows, so will the demand for coordinated, proactive interventions.
Persons with Disabilities: Roughly 8,815 residents—9.7% of Santa Monica’s total population— are living with a disability. Among those aged 65 and older, nearly 30% report having at least one disabling condition. Individuals with physical or mental disabilities require accessible, affordable housing combined with supportive services such as in-home care, case management, mental health services, and life skills training.
Stakeholders reported that while some accessible units exist, they are not sufficient in number, and many people with disabilities—especially older adults—remain in housing that is unsafe or isolating. The City’s Aging and Disability Action Plan and stakeholder consultations with service providers underscored the importance of expanding housing options that accommodate physical needs and enable residents to live independently.
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Persons with HIV/AIDS and Their Families: Although Santa Monica-specific data is not available, the City is part of the Los Angeles County Westside Service Planning Area (SPA 5). As of 2023, there were 51,796 individuals living with HIV countywide. In 2022, 1,641 people aged 13 or older were newly diagnosed with HIV, with Black residents experiencing the highest diagnosis rates.
Individuals living with HIV/AIDS face pressing needs for permanent supportive housing, medical and behavioral health care, case management, and legal and financial counseling. These services support treatment adherence and long-term stability. Needs are identified through the Los Angeles County HIV Surveillance Report, HOPWA provider data, and community health assessments.
Persons with Alcohol or Drug Addictions: Stakeholders noted a significant lack of substance use treatment facilities, especially on the Westside of Los Angeles. There are limited detox facilities in Santa Monica, although city partner CLARE|Matrix opened 15 detox beds in early 2025 to supplement their long-term recovery housing options. Even so, the need for increased services to this population are glaring as individuals experiencing addiction require a continuum of services including supportive and recovery housing, clinical treatment, mental health support, and case management.
These needs are further compounded by co-occurring disorders, trauma histories, and justice involvement. The City’s Behavioral Health Strategy and multiple service providers cited in stakeholder interviews emphasized the need for a recovery-oriented, low-barrier approach to care.
Veterans: While veterans’ needs were historically more visible in the community, stakeholder interviews noted a decrease in the number of veterans accessing community-based housing services, likely due to increased services provided directly through the VA. Nonetheless, veterans with behavioral health conditions or disabilities still require coordinated housing and employment support. The City coordinates with the West LA VA to better meet the needs of veteran residents.
What are the housing and supportive service needs of these populations and how are these needs determined?
Stakeholder feedback across interviews emphasized that permanent housing for special needs populations must be paired with wraparound services to be effective. The Santa Monica Housing Authority reports that populations such as older adults, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence often face multiple barriers to stability. Legal services, case management, and consistent service coordination are crucial to maintaining housing and preventing institutionalization or eviction.
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Barriers to housing include a lack of accessible and ADA-compliant units, unaffordability, discrimination, and an insufficient supply of service-enriched housing. Needs are identified through census data, client-level data from providers, public health records, and planning initiatives such as the City’s Aging and Disability Action Plan and Behavioral Health Strategy.
Discuss the size and characteristics of the population with HIV/AIDS and their families within the Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area:
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health collects data and reports on HIV through the Annual HIV Surveillance Report. Specific figures for HIV/AIDS was not available for Santa Monica, however, the City is part of the Westside Service Planning Area (SPA5) in Los Angeles County. Some key data findings in the 2023 Annual HIV Surveillance Report include:
As of the end of 2023, 51,796 people living with HIV in Los Angeles County. Males are disproportionately impacted by HIV.
In 2022, 1,641 people aged 13 or older were newly diagnosed with HIV. Black or African American individuals had higher rates of HIV diagnoses compared to other racial and ethnic groups.
If the PJ will establish a preference for a HOME TBRA activity for persons with a specific category of disabilities (e.g., persons with HIV/AIDS or chronic mental illness), describe their unmet need for housing and services needed to narrow the gap in benefits and services received by such persons. (See 24 CFR 92.209(c)(2) (ii)) Discussion:
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The Santa Monica Housing Authority does have a disability preference for HOME TBRA waitlist, although it is not based on any specific disability category. Many people with disabilities rely on fixed income such as SSI or SSDI which makes them low-income or very-low income. As rents continue to rise it becomes increasingly difficult for disabled individuals to continue paying for their apartments and therefore many are at risk of homelessness. Receiving a subsidy through a HOME voucher allows these individuals to remain in their apartments in Santa Monica where many have lived for years, thus reducing homelessness in the city.NA-50 Non-Housing Community Development Needs – 91.215 (f) Describe the jurisdiction’s need for Public Facilities:
Stakeholders highlighted the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public facility access and operations. Many library branches have yet to return to pre-pandemic hours, limiting public access to technology, safe gathering space, and educational resources— especially for low-income, older adult, and unhoused residents. Reinvestment in library operations was cited as a top priority by multiple stakeholders.
Stakeholders also noted ongoing maintenance needs in parks and community facilities. While the City has implemented creative programming—such as a low-cost permit program for fitness classes in parks—to activate underused space, deferred maintenance from the pandemic has created a backlog of capital needs. The Park and Recreation Master Plan, currently being updated after a pandemic-related delay, will provide a framework for addressing upgrades across gyms, restrooms, and other public spaces. Virginia Avenue Park continues to serve as a critical resource for low-income families.
Santa Monica's limited park acreage per capita was noted as a long-standing issue.
Stakeholders emphasized the opportunity presented by the planned closure of the Santa Monica Airport in 2028, which could significantly expand access to recreation, housing, and community facilities. Early planning for the site’s redevelopment should emphasize accessibility, and mixed-use solutions to address overlapping public health and housing needs.
How were these needs determined?
These needs were determined by feedback gathered during stakeholder interviews.
Describe the jurisdiction’s need for Public Improvements:
Santa Monica faces a growing backlog of unfunded capital improvement projects, including aging mechanical systems, elevator repairs, and seismic upgrades in public buildings.
Stakeholders from the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) noted that recent budget
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limitations and deferred maintenance have increased long-term hazard risk, especially where preventive infrastructure work has been postponed.
Basic infrastructure—including street lighting, sidewalks, pavement, and utilities—requires substantial investment. Stakeholders raised concerns about broken streetlights, uneven sidewalks caused by tree roots, and obstructed curbs, all of which present safety hazards for older adults and people with disabilities. Wise and Healthy Aging collaborated with the City to conduct a walking tour of problem areas downtown. Recommendations included improving walkability and lighting in areas frequented by vulnerable populations.
Several stakeholders emphasized that the Santa Monica Pier, a major economic and cultural landmark, is aging and in need of structural repair. A federally funded bridge reconstruction project was highlighted as both a top infrastructure priority and an at-risk investment due to funding delays.
Stakeholders also cited school crossing safety as an urgent concern. The reduction in funding for crossing guards in recent years has left students without consistent protections, undermining walkability and safety for children and families. Improving pedestrian infrastructure near schools, parks, and childcare facilities was described as a high-impact priority.
The City was recognized for its forward-thinking work on sustainability infrastructure, including the Swift water treatment plant, which supports long-term water resilience. However, a recycled water system intended to reduce utility costs for affordable housing has not yet been activated. Stakeholders recommended that this infrastructure be prioritized to promote environmental sustainability and support operating cost reductions in income-restricted housing.
Transportation access remains a challenge for youth and workforce program participants.
Stakeholders reported that low-income and single-parent households often rely on walking or biking to reach training programs and job sites. Some resources are located outside Santa Monica (e.g., Culver City), creating additional barriers. Recommendations included publicly supported shuttle services, van pools, or transit partnerships to better connect residents with economic opportunities.
How were these needs determined?
These needs were determined by feedback gathered during stakeholder interviews.
Describe the jurisdiction’s need for Public Services:
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Stakeholders consistently emphasized the need to restore community programming that was lost or reduced during the pandemic. Job fairs, resource events, and after-school programs were described as critical entry points for supportive services. Many called for the establishment of access centers and day centers where unhoused residents can connect with referrals, basic needs assistance, and housing navigation.
Santa Monica has also taken a unique role in crisis response and recovery, helping relocate one high school and five elementary schools displaced by the Palisades fires into vacant office buildings. This model of adaptive reuse highlights how the City can meet educational and emergency response needs through creative facility partnerships.
A range of stakeholders, particularly those working with families in affordable housing, reported persistent barriers to accessing early childhood education, after-school programs, and healthy food. Even when developments are located near high-resource schools or transit, residents may lack access to affordable, high-quality services. Needs were identified in areas including tutoring, college prep, early learning, and family wellness programs.
Childcare was identified as a persistent barrier to employment—particularly for mothers and single parents. Stakeholders reported that rising costs, insufficient subsidy access, and limited supply are forcing some families to leave Santa Monica entirely. Programs like “Family Time,” a bi-monthly early learning playgroup at Virginia Avenue Park, were praised but described as under-resourced relative to community need.
Several providers working with opportunity youth (ages 14–24) stressed that mental health, employment, and housing are deeply interconnected. These youth often experience difficult home environments, economic instability, and lack of supportive adults. Paid work experience programs, job coaching, and integrated family supports were cited as essential tools to keep youth on a stable trajectory.
Barriers to employment were noted for undocumented residents and DACA recipients, especially those displaced by recent wildfires. Many are excluded from federal programs but still seek to re-enter the workforce. Stakeholders suggested the City pursue flexible, unrestricted funding or local partnerships to expand services for excluded populations— particularly in hospitality and service sectors.
Public transit services were cited as a mixed asset. While Big Blue Bus and rideshare platforms offer coverage, stakeholders reported inconsistent ADA accommodations, including missed stops for disabled riders and poor handling of assistive devices. Calls were made for sensitivity training and expansion of wheelchair-accessible vehicles to address unmet demand.
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Finally, stakeholders highlighted a lack of free or low-cost after-school programs for elementary and middle school students. These programs are critical to youth development, especially for English language learners and children of color. They also serve as early detection points for behavioral or academic challenges. The City’s mental health partners recommended scaling these programs and equipping staff with training in youth engagement and trauma response.
How were these needs determined?
These needs were determined by feedback gathered during stakeholder interviews.
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Housing Market Analysis
MA-05 Overview
Housing Market Analysis Overview:
This section evaluates the housing market and supply in Santa Monica, CA by analyzing housing indicators. An analysis of the current housing stock in the community is based on trends in structure, age, price, and tenure. Furthermore, this analysis should consider the supply of homeless shelter facilities, special needs services and housing, and non-housing community development resources. The analysis is also supplemented by GIS maps to provide geographical visualization of the data.
Santa Monica’s housing market is defined by high costs, a shortage of affordable rental units— particularly for extremely low-income households—and a heavy reliance on older, renteroccupied housing stock. With 71.2% of residents renting, affordability and availability challenges especially y by lower-income renters, multigenerational families, and seniors.
According to 2019–2023 ACS data, Santa Monica has approximately 52,381 housing units, a slight increase from prior estimates. However, roughly 44% of renter households are cost burdened and 22% are severely cost burdened. Among owner households, 35.4% are cost burdened. CHAS data highlights that 8,270 renter households earn below 30% of AMI, but only 1,715 units are affordable to them—indicating a deficit of over 6,500 affordable units.
The City’s housing stock is predominantly multifamily and aging: over 75% of all housing units were built before 1980, raising concerns about lead-based paint, outdated systems, and accessibility limitations. Nearly half of renter households report at least one housing problem, driven largely by high costs and older unit conditions. Meanwhile, newer development trends have largely focused on market-rate or moderate-income housing, with limited inclusion of extremely low-income units.
Santa Monica has a mix of federally subsidized and locally supported affordable housing, including units financed through LIHTC, HOME, Section 8, and the City’s Below Market Housing (BMH) program. Yet many of these programs face funding constraints, long waitlists, or are at risk of contract expirations. Preservation of existing affordable units and production of new family-sized and accessible units remain top priorities.
Market trends reveal rapidly increasing home values and rents. The median home value reached $1.81 million by 2023, a 45.7% increase since 2018. Median gross rent rose to $2,338, up nearly 35% over the same period. HOME and FMR rent limits fall significantly below market
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levels—posing a serious challenge to affordable housing developers, who must layer additional subsidies to close financing gaps.
Overall, the housing market in Santa Monica reflects a widening affordability gap, significant cost burdens for low-income renters, and a mismatch between unit availability and household size or income. Addressing these challenges will require sustained investment in affordable housing production, tenant protections, targeted preservation strategies, and increased coordination across local and federal programs.
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MA-10 Number of Housing Units – 91.210(a)&(b)(2)
Introduction
Table 31 shows that between 2016 and 2020, the City of Santa Monica had 51,455 housing units, of which 22% were single-family households. 51% were duplexes, quadruplexes, or smaller multifamily buildings (less than 20 units), 27% were multifamily buildings (20+ units), and 1% were mobile homes, boats, RV’s, vans, etc. 2019-2023 Census data estimates that out of 52,381 housing units, about 48% of the City’s housing units are small multifamily buildings (3-19 units), 15.7% are medium multifamily buildings (20-49 units), and 12.3% are large multifamily units (50+ units).
Table 32 shows that between 2016 and 2020, 12,760 housing units were occupied by homeowners and 32,935 were occupied by renters. Over 50% of homeowner households had 3 or more bedrooms, while only 10% of renter households had 3 or more bedrooms. 35% of renter households had 2 bedrooms, 43% had 1 bedroom, and 12% had no bedroom. 2019-2023 Census data estimates that 28.8% of Santa Monica residents are homeowners and 71.2% are renters. The maps below show the concentrations of both homeowner and renter households. The outer areas of the city have higher concentrations of homeowner households, while the central areas of the City have higher concentrations of renter households.
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Map 4.1
Homeowner Households
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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Map 4.2
Renter Households
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
All residential properties by number of units
Property Type Number %
1-unit detached structure 9,210 18%
1-unit, attached structure 1,935 4%
2-4 units 5,410 11%
5-19 units 20,770 40%
20 or more units 14,045 27%
Mobile Home, boat, RV, van, etc 75 0%
Total 51,445 100%
Table 31 – Residential Properties by Unit Number
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
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Unit Size by Tenure
Owners Renters
Number % Number %
No bedroom 105 1% 3,965 12%
1 bedroom 1,140 9% 14,115 43%
2 bedrooms 4,920 39% 11,415 35%
3 or more bedrooms 6,595 52% 3,440 10%
Total 12,760 101% 32,935 100%
Table 32 – Unit Size by Tenure
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
Describe the number and targeting (income level/type of family served) of units assisted with federal, state, and local programs.
National Housing Preservation Database: According to the National Housing Preservation Database, as of December 2024, the City of Santa Monica had 39 publicly supported rental housing properties that were subsidized with one or more federal programs, including the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC), project-based Section 8, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and public housing. The chart below visualizes the sum of assisted units by funding stream for publicly supported properties in the City.
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Picture of Subsidized Housing: Through the Picture of Subsidized Housing query tool, the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development captures demographic information for residents living in public housing, Section 202/811, Project-based Section 8, as well as residents with a housing choice voucher. This data omits key funding sources – low-income tax credits, CDBG, HOME, or local funds.
Units in projects that exclusively use these resources are not captured in this information. Below are some key statistics from this data set, which is based on 2024 data from the Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA):
About 1,432 residents live in public housing, Section 202/811 projects, project-based Section 8, or they have a Housing Choice Voucher.
Approximately 88% of residents are extremely low-income and the average household income is $19,111
42% of households are minority households. 21% of households are Black and 17% are Hispanic. Nearly three quarters of these publicly subsidized units are studios or one-bedroom apartments (71%), 24% are two-bedroom apartments, and 5% are three or more-bedroom apartments. 46% of people in these units have a disability.
65% of the head of households are at least 62 years old.
City of Santa Monica’s Below Market Housing (BMH) Program: The City of Santa Monica's Below Market Housing (BMH) program offers affordable rental opportunities to households meeting specific income criteria. Eligibility is determined by household size and income and offers apartments in the private sector at a rent that is lower than market rate
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Provide an assessment of units expected to be lost from the affordable housing inventory for any reason, such as expiration of Section 8 contracts.
No HCV housing vouchers are expected to be lost in the next five years. Those individuals or families whose vouchers expire or are terminated would be replaced by those on the existing waiting list. The HCV waiting list is currently closed and the latest online application period ended on April 21st, 2025.
According to HUD’s Multifamily and Section 8 Housing Report (06/02/2025), there are 12 contracts with 12 properties in the City of Santa Monica These contracts provide 1,019 units for the City.
Does the availability of housing units meet the needs of the population? The available housing units do not currently meet the needs of low-income residents. Multiple factors impact the availability of decent and affordable housing throughout the City. These data points are based on 2019-2023 Census data:
Cost burden (paying more than 30% of income towards housing costs) and severe cost burden (paying more than 50% of income towards housing costs). o 44.1% of renter households are cost burdened and 22.2% are severely cost burdened. o 35.4% of owner households are cost burdened and 22.3% are severely cost burdened. Housing Problems – includes lack of complete plumbing or kitchen facilities, having more than 1 occupant per room, or experiencing cost burden.
o 35.9% of owner households and 46.0% of renter households experience at least one selected housing problem.
2019-2023 Census data shows that there are 52,381 housing units available for 46,457 households, indicating that there are enough housing units available. However, there are not enough affordable housing units available, especially for extremely low-income households. Some units may also be located further away from grocery stores, employment opportunities, schools, medical offices, and other amenities.
Describe the need for specific types of housing:
According to the Housing Authority, the availability of affordable 2- and 3-bedroom units remains critically low, particularly for families with children who are at risk of displacement. Recent trends indicate that long-term Santa Monica residents—many with children—are increasingly unable to remain in the city due to the rising cost of housing and insufficient availability of larger, affordable rental units.
This underscores the need to prioritize family-sized housing in future development and preservation strategies.
Discussion
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MA-15 Housing Market Analysis: Cost of Housing - 91.210(a) Introduction
Santa Monica continues to face intensifying housing affordability challenges. Between 2009 and 2020, the median home value rose by 41%, reaching $1,452,100 (Table 33). More recent data from the 2018– 2023 ACS shows a further increase of 45.7%, with the median home value reaching $1,810,200 by 2023.
Map 4.3 reveals that outer areas of the city have home values exceeding $2 million, with Census Tract 06037701801 experiencing the sharpest increase—68.5%—over the last five years.
Median contract rent also increased significantly. From 2009 to 2020, it rose 18% to $1,829; between 2018 and 2023, it rose another 34.8%, reaching $2,338. Some neighborhoods—especially those near the beach—saw increases of over 70%, with the highest median rents found in tracts with the densest renter populations (shown in Map 4.5). These increases place substantial pressure on low- and moderate-income households, many of whom already face cost burdens.
Cost of Housing
Table 33 and Table 34 illustrate the upward pressure on both home values and rents. Nearly 43% of renters now pay $2,000 or more per month. This is consistent with stakeholder reports that rents have increased faster than wages and public assistance, especially for extremely low-income households and seniors.
Stakeholders noted that despite rent control protections, market forces and investor activity continue to erode affordability, particularly in areas with newly constructed or renovated buildings. The pressure from high land values and limited housing stock continues to drive up rents citywide.
Base Year: 2009 Most Recent Year: 2020 % Change
Median Home Value 1,030,500 1,452,100 41%
Median Contract Rent 1,546 1,829 18%
Table 33 – Cost of Housing
Data Source: 2000 Census (Base Year), 2016-2020 ACS (Most Recent Year) Rent Paid Number %
Less than $500 2,335 7.1%
$500-999 3,890 11.8%
$1,000-1,499 6,445 19.6%
$1,500-1,999 6,180 18.8%
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$2,000 or more 14,085 42.8%
Total 32,935 100.0%
Table 34 - Rent Paid
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
Housing Affordability
According to Table 35, there are:
Only 1,715 units affordable to renters at 30% AMI
4,560 units affordable to renters at 50% AMI
9,490 units affordable to renters at 80% AMI
This demonstrates a steep drop-off in affordability as income levels decrease, especially for households at or below 30% of AMI. The situation is especially critical for families, as the affordability gap widens with unit size.
Table 36 further illustrates the growing gap between market rents and what is considered affordable under HUD's Fair Market Rent (FMR) and HOME rent guidelines. For example:
The difference between FMR and Low HOME Rent for a 4-bedroom unit exceeds $1,650, making larger units unattainable for very low-income families without additional subsidies. Stakeholders emphasized the shortage of family-sized units, particularly for households with children, multigenerational families, and those needing ADA-compliant or accessible housing.
Number of Units affordable to
Households earning
Renter Owner
30% HAMFI 1,715 No Data
50% HAMFI 4,560 55
80% HAMFI 9,490 135
100% HAMFI No Data 160
Total 15,765 350
Table 35 – Housing Affordability
Data
Source:
2016-2020 CHAS
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Monthly Rent
Monthly Rent ($) Efficiency (no
bedroom)
1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4 Bedroom
Fair Market Rent 1,534 1,747 2,222 2,888 3,170
High HOME Rent 1,158 1,253 1,506 1,730 1,911
Low HOME Rent 913 979 1,175 1,357 1,515
Table 36 – Monthly Rent
Data
Source:
HUD FMR and HOME Rents
Map 4.3
Median Home Value
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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Map 4.4
Percent Home Value Change
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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Map 4.5
Median Gross Rent
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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Map 4.6
Percent Median Gross Rent Change
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
Is there sufficient housing for households at all income levels?
No, there is a clear mismatch between supply and need, particularly for extremely low-income renters.
Table 6 shows 8,270 households earning less than 30% of AMI, yet only 1,715 units are affordable to them—a shortfall of over 6,500 units.
Stakeholders noted that most new housing production targets moderate-income or workforce-level households, and very few units are affordable to those at 0–30% AMI. Though city code allows for up to 30% affordable units in new construction, in practice, developments often yield only 5–10% affordability, frequently oriented toward moderate-income tiers.
In addition:
The Housing Authority’s voucher waitlist exceeds 40,000 applicants.
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The Below Market Housing (BMH) program has over 4,000 applicants in the live/work priority category.
New projects like Bourbon Lot Station and 14th Street are encouraged to maximize affordability allocations, particularly for extremely low-income households.
Further analysis of 2019–2023 ACS data (see table below) highlights the disparity in affordable rental units by unit size and household income. This data illustrates a significant mismatch between need and availability, particularly for households earning at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI). Just 5.6% of two-bedroom units and 8.4% of one-bedroom or studio units are affordable to extremely low-income families. For larger households needing three or more bedrooms, only 9.9% of units are affordable at 30% AMI.
While affordability improves somewhat for those at 50% AMI, the availability still falls far short of demand. Notably, fewer than one in five two-bedroom or larger units are affordable to a four- or sixperson household at 50% AMI—indicating that even moderate-income families struggle to find housing that fits both their size and budget.
Stakeholders emphasized that this shortage is particularly acute for families with children, multigenerational households, and individuals with disabilities who require space for caretaking or accommodations. The gap underscores the need for family-sized, deeply affordable rental units to be prioritized in new development and preservation efforts.
Table: Renter Housing Affordability
30% AMI 50% AMI
One-bedroom or studio rental units
affordable for a 2-person family 8.4% 14.4%
Two-bedroom rental units
affordable for a 4-person family 5.6% 18.9%
Three or more-bedroom rental units
affordable for a 6-person family 9.9% 20%
Source: 2019-2023 ACS
How is affordability of housing likely to change considering changes to home values and/or rents?
Housing affordability in Santa Monica is expected to worsen if current trends continue. Rising land and construction costs, slowed production of affordable housing, and budget redirection away from the Housing Trust Fund are limiting new unit delivery. Stakeholders also pointed to uncertainty at the federal level—including threats to Section 8 funding and immigrant protections—as contributing to stalled investments and developer hesitation.
Stakeholders emphasized the need for:
Legal assistance for renters to preserve housing stability.
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Expanded affordable housing preservation strategies, especially for long-term renters in rentcontrolled units. Support for the “missing middle”—households earning too much to qualify for subsidies but unable to afford market-rate housing.
Additionally, natural disasters like the Palisades Fire have tightened inventory. Households displaced by the fire have sought housing in Santa Monica, pushing rents and sale prices even higher. This secondary demand shock further strains affordability and availability.
How do HOME rents / Fair Market Rent compare to Area Median Rent? How might this impact your strategy to produce or preserve affordable housing?
Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set by HUD and are used to determine payment standard amounts for HUD Programs. HUD annually estimates FMRs for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defined metropolitan areas, some HUD defined subdivisions of OMB metropolitan areas and each nonmetropolitan county.
HOME Rents Limits are based on FMRs published by HUD. HOME Rent Limits are the maximum amount that may be charged for rent in HOME-assisted rental units and are applicable to new HOME leases.
According to 2023 ACS data, the median gross rent in Santa Monica was $2,338. As shown in the table below, 2023 Fair Market Rents in Los Angeles County fall below this median for most unit sizes. Median rents in the city tend to fall between the FMR for two-bedroom and three-bedroom units, highlighting the affordability gap in the local rental market.
The table below lists the HOME rent limits in Santa Monica as of June 1, 2024. Across all unit sizes, median market rents exceed HOME rent limits by $500–$1,500+ per month. For example, a typical 2- bedroom unit renting for $3,000/month in the private market costs over $750 more than the High HOME rent limit ($2,222). These differences underscore how far below market rate HOME rents are, making it financially infeasible to provide HOME-compliant units without additional subsidies or assistance provided. Low HOME rent units are even further below market rates. For example, the Low HOME rent limit for a 3-bedroom unit is just $1,357, which is less than half the market rate for such units. These units are typically reserved for households earning at or below 50% of AMI.
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Below is a visual comparison of Santa Monica’s median gross rents with both High and Low HOME Rent Limits for 2023–2024. The chart clearly illustrates the significant gap between market-rate rents and what is considered affordable under federal HOME guidelines—especially for lower-income households.
Discussion
Santa Monica’s housing market reflects a widening affordability gap, limited housing supply for extremely low-income residents, and growing displacement risk for long-term tenants. Market pressures
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continue to outpace wages, subsidies, and tenant protections—particularly for larger families, older adults, and disabled residents. Without substantial investment in deeply affordable and supportive housing, especially family-sized units, Santa Monica risks further inequity and population loss among essential community members.
Stakeholders consistently recommended:
Prioritizing deeply affordable units in new development. Expanding tenant protections and legal aid.
Exploring subsidies for the “missing middle.”
Investing in accessible, ADA-compliant housing stock. Reinstating and fully funding the Housing Trust Fund. Pursuing flexible, local funding sources to fill subsidy gaps.
MA-20 Housing Market Analysis: Condition of Housing – 91.210(a) Introduction
The tables and maps in this section provide details on the condition of housing units throughout the City by looking at factors such as age, vacancy, and the prevalence of housing problems.
As defined by HUD, the 4 housing problems are:
1. a home which lacks complete or adequate kitchen facilities
2. a home which lacks complete or adequate plumbing facilities
3. a home which is overcrowded (having more than one person per room)
4. a household that is cost burdened (paying 30% or more of their income towards housing costs)
According to 2023 ACS data, 46.0% of renter-occupied units in Santa Monica report at least one of these housing problems, compared to 35.9% of owner-occupied units—an increase from 2020 figures shown in Table 37. This disparity is largely driven by cost burden, especially among renters, who comprise more than 70% of households in the city.
Santa Monica’s housing stock is also aging: 75% of all units were built before 1980, making them more likely to contain outdated systems, accessibility barriers, and environmental hazards such as lead-based paint. These challenges are particularly acute for low-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Describe the jurisdiction's definition of "standard condition" and "substandard condition but suitable for rehabilitation":
Standard Condition: A unit is considered to be in "standard condition" when it complies with the local building code, which is based on the International Building Code.
Substandard Condition but Suitable for Rehabilitation: A unit falls into this category when it has one or more code violations but is both financially and structurally feasible to rehabilitate. This definition excludes units requiring only minor cosmetic or maintenance work.
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Condition of Units
Table 37 shows that 41% of renter-occupied units and 35% of owner-occupied units report at least one selected housing condition. An additional 3% of renter households report two conditions. This suggests that nearly half of renters experience at least one problem affecting habitability, safety, or affordability.
Stakeholders noted that these problems disproportionately affect vulnerable renters, especially seniors and low-income households who may lack the means to address repairs. The burden of poor housing conditions is not evenly distributed and tends to concentrate in older, renter-heavy neighborhoods.
Condition of Units Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied
Number % Number %
With one selected Condition 4,405 35% 13,480 41%
With two selected Conditions 10 0% 1,095 3%
With three selected Conditions 0 0% 0 0%
With four selected Conditions 0 0% 0 0%
No selected Conditions 8,345 65% 18,365 56%
Total 12,760 100% 32,940 100%
Table 37 - Condition of Units
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
Year Unit Built
Table 38 shows that the majority of units were built prior to 1980, with 58% of renter-occupied and 41% of owner-occupied units constructed between 1950 and 1979. An additional 20% of renter units were built before 1950.
The age of the housing stock affects energy efficiency, accessibility, and safety. Older buildings are more likely to lack elevators, feature narrow hallways or steep staircases, and contain outdated mechanical systems—all of which may contribute to housing instability or health issues for vulnerable residents.
Year Unit Built Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied
Number % Number %
2000 or later 965 8% 2,885 9%
1980-1999 2,460 19% 4,370 13%
1950-1979 5,190 41% 19,055 58%
Before 1950 4,155 33% 6,640 20%
Total 12,770 101% 32,950 100%
Table 38 – Year Unit Built
Data
Source:
2016-2020 CHAS
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Risk of Lead-Based Paint Hazard
According to Table 39, 73% of owner units and 78% of renter units were built before 1980—making them potentially subject to lead-based paint hazards. Although federal law requires disclosure and mitigation in certain rental and sale transactions, enforcement and remediation vary.
Lead exposure is especially dangerous for children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.
Testing and abatement remain costly, and stakeholders emphasized that rehabilitation funding should integrate lead hazard remediation, especially for affordable housing preservation.
Risk of Lead-Based Paint Hazard Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied Number % Number %
Total Number of Units Built Before 1980 9,345 73% 25,695 78% Housing Units build before 1980 with children present 1,190 9% 690 2% Table 39 – Risk of Lead-Based Paint
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS (Total Units) 2016-2020 CHAS (Units with Children present) Vacant Units
According to 2023 ACS estimates, 11.3% of residential units in Santa Monica were vacant, with some tracts showing vacancy rates exceeding 22% (Map 4.7). Valassis Lists estimates that as of the third quarter of 2024, 9% of all business addresses in the City were vacant.
Stakeholders noted that vacant units suitable for rehabilitation could represent a meaningful, though limited, opportunity to expand affordable housing stock—particularly if paired with public subsidies or inclusionary requirements.
Note: HUD’s eConPlan Suite is not currently able to populate the standard table below. The City and its consultants are working to populate the table prior to the HUD submission deadline of July 12, 2025.
Suitable for
Rehabilitation
Not Suitable for
Rehabilitation
Total
Vacant Units
Abandoned Vacant Units
REO Properties
Abandoned REO Properties
Table 40 - Vacant Units
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Map 4.7
Percent Vacant Housing Units
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
Need for Owner and Rental Rehabilitation
Older housing—especially units built before 1980—is more likely to require substantial maintenance. In addition to addressing lead-based paint, homes in this age range often need system upgrades, accessibility retrofits, and structural repairs. Table 38 and Map 4.8 show that multiple census tracts have over 80% of units built before 1980. The table below shows the percentages of housing units built before 1980 by tract.
Stakeholders emphasized that costs for rehabilitation have increased, driven by labor shortages, inflation, and supply chain issues. Seniors and households on fixed incomes are especially vulnerable, as they often cannot afford to make necessary repairs or improvements.
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Aging renters face similar issues. According to stakeholders, insurance premiums for affordable housing developments have risen by over 300%, threatening the sustainability of existing units. One nonprofit provider reported a $3 million annual increase in insurance costs. Without intervention, these financial pressures could force landlords to raise rents, defer maintenance, or sell off affordable assets.
Map 4.8
Housing Units Built Before 1980
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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Table: Units Built Before 1980,
by Census Tract
Census Tract
Percent of Units
Built in 1979 or
Before
06037701201 67.8%
06037701202 80.9%
06037701302 84.5%
06037701304 82.0%
06037701402 85.4%
06037701501 79.5%
06037701502 85.6%
06037701601 75.9%
06037701602 74.1%
06037701701 70.5%
06037701702 68.5%
06037701801 72.2%
06037701802 68.9%
06037701902 28.1%
06037702002 81.0%
06037702102 83.7%
06037702201 78.5%
06037702202 82.2%
06037702300 78.5%
Source: 2019-2023 ACS,
PolicyMap
In Santa Monica, 46% of renter-occupied housing units report at least one housing problem, compared to 35.9% of owner-occupied units. With 71.2% of households in the City being renters and only 28.8% being homeowners, the burden of housing issues falls disproportionately on renters. The maps below illustrate the geographic distribution of housing problems among both renter and homeowner households. Darker purple areas indicate a higher percentage of households experiencing at least one housing problem. Among homeowners, one census tract stands out 75.7% of homeowner households in tract 06037701902 report at least one housing problem, significantly higher than the citywide average.
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Map 4.9
Renter Households with Housing Problems
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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Map 4.10
Homeowner Households with Housing Problems
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
Estimated Number of Housing Units Occupied by Low or Moderate Income Families with LBP Hazards 2019–2023 ACS data estimates that 39,264 housing units in Santa Monica (75% of all units) were built before 1980. These units may pose a lead-based paint hazard, particularly if occupied by low-income families who are least likely to afford remediation.
Stakeholders stressed that HUD-mandated lead hazard testing and abatement should be prioritized in any rehabilitation program targeting low- or moderate-income households—particularly in areas with a high percentage of children or elderly residents.
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Discussion
Santa Monica’s housing stock faces several structural and environmental challenges:
Nearly half of renters experience at least one housing problem, with cost burden, overcrowding, and building age as major contributors.
Three out of four homes were built before 1980, increasing the risk of lead exposure, deferred maintenance, and physical barriers for seniors and persons with disabilities. Rising insurance and rehabilitation costs jeopardize the long-term viability of affordable housing portfolios.
There is a clear need for targeted preservation strategies, including accessibility improvements, seismic upgrades, and energy efficiency retrofits.
Stakeholders identified the use of HOME funds for renter preservation as one of the most effective current strategies—particularly for long-standing tenants at risk of displacement. With limited affordable new construction, rehabilitation of existing units will be critical to maintaining Santa Monica’s housing affordability, livability, and safety.
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MA-25 Public and Assisted Housing – 91.210(b)
Introduction
The Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA) administers the Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) program in the city and does not operate public housing units.
Totals Number of Units
Program Type
Certif
icate
ModRehabPublic
Housing
Vouchers
Total Project -
based
Tenant -
based
Special Purpose Voucher
Veterans
Affairs
Supportive
Housing
Family
Unification
Program
Disabled
*
# of units
vouchers
available 1,1,725 410 1,291 34 0 0
# of
accessible
units
*includes Non-Elderly Disabled, Mainstream One-Year, Mainstream Five-year, and Nursing Home Transition Table 41 – Total Number of Units by Program Type
Data
Source:
PIC (PIH Information Center)
Describe the supply of public housing developments:
SMHA does not operate public housing units.
Describe the number and physical condition of public housing units in the jurisdiction, including those that are participating in an approved Public Housing Agency Plan:
SMHA does not operate public housing units.
Public Housing Condition
Public Housing Development Average Inspection Score
N/A N/A
Table 42 - Public Housing Condition
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Describe the restoration and revitalization needs of public housing units in the jurisdiction:
N/A. SMHA does not operate public housing units.
Describe the public housing agency's strategy for improving the living environment of low- and moderate-income families residing in public housing:
N/A. SMHA does not operate public housing units.
Discussion:
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MA-30 Homeless Facilities and Services – 91.210(c)
Introduction
Individuals or families experiencing homelessness require numerous special needs, including emergency shelter, medical and behavioral healthcare, job training, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. The City is focusing its efforts on priority populations: the most chronic and vulnerable of the homeless population living on the streets of Santa Monica; persons who were last permanently housed in Santa Monica; and vulnerable members of Santa Monica’s workforce. Santa Monica is one of 88 cities within a large and populous county. While homelessness is an issue throughout the county, not all areas provide the services needed to address homelessness. Santa Monica is committed to providing essential and effective services to people experiencing homelessness in its community by working with neighboring communities and partners to form collaborations that address the regional nature of homelessness and promote the development of housing and services throughout Los Angeles County.
The data included in the table below is based on regional data from the Los Angeles City and County Continuum of Care’s 2024 Housing Inventory Count.
Facilities and Housing Targeted to Homeless Households
Emergency Shelter Beds Transitiona
l Housing
Beds
Permanent Supportive
Housing Beds
Year Round
Beds (Current
& New)
Voucher /
Seasonal /
Overflow
Beds
Current &
New
Current &
New
Under
Developme
nt
Households with Adult(s)
and Child(ren)
8,402 0 938 5.890
Households with Only
Adults
14,801 388 2,049 20,531
Chronically Homeless
Households
0 0 0 4,138
Veterans 256 0 653 6,242
Unaccompanied Youth 533 0 867 407
Table 43 - Facilities and Housing Targeted to Homeless Households Describe mainstream services, such as health, mental health, and employment services to the extent those services are use to complement services targeted to homeless persons The City promotes “best practice” approaches to addressing homelessness, including Housing First, helping service providers to prioritize finite resources and find appropriate housing solutions, collaboration with hospitals to strengthen discharge planning, the Santa Monica Homeless Community Court, Project Homecoming (permanent housing plus support via family reunification), and coordinated assessment using the Vulnerability Index to create a Service Registry (a by-name list that identifies the City’s most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals). This approach also involves coordination with
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the Santa Monica Police Department, Santa Monica Fire Department, the City Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Santa Monica Housing Authority, and Los Angeles Superior Court. Additional City departments including the Santa Monica Public Library, Big Blue Bus, and Public Works Department have also joined interdepartmental efforts to address homelessness.
These efforts are supported through a range of non-CDBG funds, including City of Santa Monica General Funds, and HUD Continuum of Care funds, County Measure H funds and County Measure A funds, which will be allocated in FY25/26, that provide a wide variety of both housing and non-housing supportive services such as: outreach, emergency services, intake and assessment, emergency shelter, case management and supportive services, employment assistance, primary and behavioral health services, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and aftercare.
Access to homeless services and supportive housing is coordinated through the LA County Coordinated Entry System (CES). Santa Monica and locally-funded agencies participate in CES through outreach and service coordination, prioritization for the most vulnerable, and utilization of the county’s universal assessment tool (the VI-SPDAT). People experiencing homelessness who are prioritized for locally funded services are co-enrolled in the regional CES to ensure access to a wide-range of County resources. Santa Monica does not maintain local public health, mental health, or workforce development departments, and utilizes the LA County Departments of Public Health, Mental Health, Health Services, and Employment Development to supplement locally available social services:
LA DPH – free preventative health care; substance use disorder treatment; health and safety monitoring of local facilities;
LA DMH – mental health services for indigent/publicly insured households; street outreach; public guardianship;
LA DHS – housing subsidies/rental assistance; jail in-reach; street outreach and multidisciplinary teams; and
LA EDD – work source centers for job seekers.
A key component of service coordination is aligning resources towards shared goals. To this end, the Santa Monica City Council received a comprehensive five-year Homelessness Strategic Plan, or HSP, presented by the city’s Housing and Human Services Department in March 2025.
The city’s HSP for 2025-2030 aligns all city departments with a shared vision, measurable goals, and resource investment for addressing homelessness. With the HSP in place, the City will create an implementation plan to translate the strategic pillars, goals, and objectives into actionable steps with assigned responsibilities, established timelines, defined prioritization, metrics, and estimated funding and staff resources it will take to put the plan into action.
List and describe services and facilities that meet the needs of homeless persons, particularly chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth. If the services and facilities are listed on screen SP-40 Institutional Delivery
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Structure or screen MA-35 Special Needs Facilities and Services, describe how these facilities and services specifically address the needs of these populations.
The City of Santa Monica works collaboratively with all local community and regional public agencies, nonprofits, private organizations, and community service organizations to achieve the goals of the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan. The City’s homeless population consists primarily of single adult individuals, the majority of whom are chronically homeless; however, community service organizations also maintain services for families, veterans, and unaccompanied youth. Prominent programs and organizations that work to meet the needs of the homeless in Santa Monica are detailed below.
• The People Concern, which was formerly OPCC and Lamp Community, is the leading provider for people experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence. The agency provides a fully integrated system of care including outreach, interim housing, mental and medical health care, substance abuse services, domestic violence services, life skills, pet care support and wellness programs, and permanent supportive housing. To permanently end homelessness for program participants, the organization’s Permanent Housing Services Department works closely with case managers to match them with housing meeting their specific needs. Staff throughout the agency receive training in best practices, including trauma-informed care and harm reduction, to more effectively engage with participants. • Upward Bound House (UBH) is a nonprofit located in Santa Monica serving the county. Its mission is to eliminate homelessness among families with children by providing housing, individualized services and advocacy. UBH does this by helping families access basic resources and successfully transition them into their own homes with the capacity to remain there permanently. UBH ensures that each adult family member engages in job training, professional development, and life skills enrichment, and works towards achieving financial and employment sustainability. Families are primarily referred to UBH through the Coordinated Entry System for Families. UBH also provides families in crisis with short-term emergency shelter on the Westside and in South Los Angeles.
• St. Joseph Center’s (SJC) mission is to provide low-income working families, as well as homeless men, women, and children of all ages with the inner resources and tools to become productive, stable and self-supporting members of the community. SJC is the lead agency for the Coordinated Entry System for Families on the Westside and works closely with partners to provide seamless services for homeless and at-risk families with children. SJC offers outreach and engagement programs, mental health services, educational and vocational training, and rapid-rehousing and permanent supportive housing.
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• Step Up is a local provider of homeless and mental health services and works to help individuals reintegrate their daily lives as productive members of their communities. Some programs and services provided are workforce development and youth development programs.
Step Up also provides permanent supportive housing and housing for veterans through VASH, and specific programming for transition-aged youth (TAY) through Daniel’s Place. Step Up on Second is Step Up’s first permanent supportive housing development. Located in Santa Monica, it provides 36 units of single room occupancy (SRO) permanent housing for adults experiencing serious mental health conditions and chronic homelessness. • The Laurel, developed by EAH Housing in 2024, is an apartment complex comprised of 57 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing (PSH) for individuals experiencing homelessness. Project-based rental vouchers support all PSH units via the City of Santa Monica.
The Laurel partners with The People Concern to provide comprehensive resident services, including case management, mental health support, and assistance with daily living activities, ensuring a holistic approach to supportive housing.
• The Santa Monica Therapeutic Transport Team is a program launched in collaboration with LA County’s Department of Mental Health. It provides a specialized team, available five days a week, to assist Santa Monica Police and Fire personnel with 911 and non-emergency calls for service involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. • STEP Court is a monthly Shelter, Treatment, and Empowerment Program for qualifying individuals experiencing homelessness and mental health or substance abuse issues who commit a misdemeanor in Santa Monica. STEP Court is a community-based, prosecutor-led collaborative diversion court that focuses on resources rather than criminalization, aiming to streamline connection to social services, address recidivism, and ultimately reduce the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica. • The SaMo Bridge program seeks to reduce criminal behavior by addressing its root causes, such as homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health challenges, by offering an alternative to incarceration focused on rehabilitation and supportive services. SaMo Bridge offers a “respite hub,” consisting of two temporary trailers with 24-hour onsite security and video monitoring, for referrals from law enforcement. Rather than taking an individual committing a low-level infraction such as loitering in front of a business to jail, the Santa Monica Police Department can offer the alternative of the respite hub where they can eat a meal, take a shower, rest, and meet with an onsite case manager.
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• A new Renters’ Protection Program was approved by Santa Monica City Council in March 2025. The program will help prevent homelessness and keep vulnerable Santa Monicans housed. It will expand the City’s Right to Counsel Program, which offers participants access to either full scope legal representation in eviction cases or limited legal services, and it will create a new Flexible Financial Assistance Program for participants at risk of eviction.
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MA-35 Special Needs Facilities and Services – 91.210(d) Introduction:
Santa Monica serves a diverse population with non-homeless special needs, including:
Elderly and frail elderly individuals
Persons with physical and mental disabilities
Persons with HIV/AIDS and their families
Individuals with substance use disorders
This section outlines the housing and supportive service needs of these groups and how the City and its community partners work to address them. While Santa Monica benefits from a strong network of nonprofit service providers, stakeholders emphasized that the availability of wraparound services falls short of demand—especially as the community ages and behavioral health needs grow more complex.
Stakeholders also reported increasing tension in some racially and ethnically diverse housing communities, underscoring the need for investments in mediation, education, and community-building programming. These supports are essential to fostering inclusion, reducing turnover, and preserving housing stability—particularly in high-density and multigenerational environments.
Including the elderly, frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), persons with alcohol or other drug addictions, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, public housing residents and any other categories the jurisdiction may specify, and describe their supportive housing needs
Elderly and Frail Elderly: As individuals age, they are more likely to experience physical and cognitive impairments that require housing with accessibility features and supportive services. Many older adults in Santa Monica live on fixed incomes and face food insecurity, limited mobility, and the inability to age in place due to inaccessible homes or unaffordable care options.
Key programs addressing elderly housing needs include:
Preserving Our Diversity (POD): Monthly cash assistance for low-income seniors in rentcontrolled housing. Below Market Housing (BMH): Waitlists for senior-only and accessible units. Project-Based Section 8 for Seniors: Three affordable senior housing buildings are maintained by the City.
Community Partners: Wise & Healthy Aging, Affordable Living for the Aging (ALA), and the LA County Housing Resource Center provide targeted support.
Despite these programs, stakeholders emphasized the absence of SSI-compatible assisted living facilities. As a result, seniors with declining health who cannot afford private care are often forced to leave the city—separated from family, community, and healthcare providers. Interviewees recommended that the City consider tax incentives or subsidies to support the development of affordable assisted living options.
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Food insecurity is another pressing issue. While Meals on Wheels and congregate dining sites provide critical services, demand is outpacing capacity. Access challenges—including transportation limitations, stigma, and mobility impairments—further restrict use. Stakeholders warned of potential federal cuts to nutrition programs and urged the City to expand local food assistance as part of its broader housing and health strategies for seniors.
Persons with Disabilities: People with disabilities—including physical, mental, and developmental disabilities—require integrated housing options that pair affordable, accessible units with supportive services. These may include in-home care, mental health services, case management, and mobility modifications.
Santa Monica partners with organizations like the Disability Community Resource Center (DCRC) and New Hope to expand access. Although the City no longer operates a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, two voucher holders serve on the Housing Authority Board, and staff regularly solicit input from residents and the Housing Commission.
Stakeholders highlighted that legal assistance and intensive case management are among the most urgent needs for disabled residents. These supports help prevent eviction, resolve landlord-tenant disputes, and ensure ongoing access to services. Supportive housing for people with disabilities must also be located near transportation and essential services to ensure true accessibility.
Persons with Alcohol or Drug Addictions: Residents with substance use disorders need low-barrier housing options paired with addiction recovery services, including detox, outpatient and inpatient treatment, peer support, and mental health care. However, stakeholders cited a severe lack of inpatient treatment facilities in Santa Monica and the Westside.
While outpatient behavioral health support exists, the absence of detox and crisis stabilization beds hinders effective intervention and often leads to emergency room use, arrest, or repeated shelter entry.
This service gap undermines progress in both homelessness response and public safety.
Stakeholders called for the creation of integrated recovery housing models and noted that regional coordination is needed to fill service gaps. The City's upcoming behavioral health facility (anticipated to open in late 2025) was seen as a critical investment.
Persons with HIV/AIDS and Their Families: This population requires stable, affordable housing paired with medical and supportive services to manage treatment adherence and long-term health. While specific Santa Monica-level data is limited, residents living with HIV/AIDS often face compounded challenges including stigma, high medical expenses, and unstable employment.
Stakeholders supported ongoing partnerships with HOPWA providers and public health agencies and emphasized the importance of coordination with behavioral health and housing programs to support individuals with co-occurring conditions.
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Describe programs for ensuring that persons returning from mental and physical health institutions receive appropriate supportive housing
Santa Monica employs a mix of local initiatives and regional partnerships to support residents exiting mental health institutions, hospitals, or correctional facilities. These include housing-first models, rental assistance, and supportive case management.
However, access to these services is limited by high commercial real estate costs, which prevent many nonprofits from securing permanent office space. In response, the City has creatively repurposed underutilized public assets, such as transforming a decommissioned fire station into a mental health service center. Expanding such partnerships—especially in areas near transit—is key to making supportive services more geographically accessible.
Service navigation also remains a barrier. Although street outreach and therapeutic transport teams now operate daily and cover a broader area, stakeholders stressed the need for clearer intake systems and more robust referral networks to connect individuals leaving institutions with appropriate housing and care.
Specify the activities that the jurisdiction plans to undertake during the next year to address the housing and supportive services needs identified in accordance with 91.215(e) with respect to persons who are not homeless but have other special needs. Link to one-year goals. 91.315(e) Senior & Disability Task Force: The City leads a monthly care coordination meeting that identifies older adults and people with disabilities that are at imminent risk of eviction due to tenant harassment, economic, health or behavioral health issues. The group, led by the City’s Homeless Prevention & Intervention Division and comprised of representatives from Code Enforcement, Rent Control, City Attorney’s Office, as well as St. Joseph Center, Disability Community Resource Center, WISE & Health Aging and Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, work to develop both short- and long-term action plans to prevent eviction, address any life/safety concerns and improve the overall health and stability of the tenant.
Flexible Funds: The City’s Human Services Division maintains a “Flex Fund” of general fund dollars that is available for emergency rental assistance and other interventions to support vulnerable residents, many of whom are elderly or disabled.
For entitlement/consortia grantees: Specify the activities that the jurisdiction plans to undertake during the next year to address the housing and supportive services needs identified in accordance with 91.215(e) with respect to persons who are not homeless but have other special needs. Link to one-year goals. (91.220(2))
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MA-40 Barriers to Affordable Housing – 91.210(e)
Negative Effects of Public Policies on Affordable Housing and Residential Investment The Housing Element of the City’s General Plan recognizes concerns about affordable housing and addresses them through several goals, specifically: identifying programs to assist in the production of affordable units, protecting and rehabilitating affordable units, and providing assistance to low- and moderate-income households and households with special needs. The City continues to monitor, analyze, and address market conditions and governmental factors that may act as barriers to affordable housing.
Though public policies are meant to address the overall needs of citizens, they may cause inadvertent negative effects on certain aspects of the community, which in this case are affordable housing and residential investment. Affordable housing and public and private residential investments are key components to furthering fair housing in any community. In part, to identify these negative effects and further the purposes of the Fair Housing Act, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established a legal requirement that entitlement grantees, such as the City of Santa Monica, shall affirmatively further fair housing. The primary tool for communities to identify contributing factors for these barriers to fair housing is the HUD Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH).
In 2020, the City of Santa Monica completed an AFH, which outlined contributing factors to fair housing issues in the City. The 2020 AFH prioritized the identified contributing factors, of which these were the leading priorities within the City:
1. Displacement of residents due to economic pressures
2. Impediments to mobility
3. Lack of access to opportunity due to high housing costs
4. Lack of affordable, accessible housing in a range of unit sizes
5. Land use and zoning laws
6. Private discrimination
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MA-45 Non-Housing Community Development Assets – 91.215 (f) Introduction
This section provides insight into the economic development landscape of Santa Monica. The table below details the extent of business sector employment throughout the City. Unemployment, commuting times, and education are also analyzed in this section.
Economic Development Market Analysis
According to 2023 BLS data, Santa Monica’s unemployment rate was 5.2%, and rose to 5.9% by October of 2024. Santa Monica’s job market is heavily weighted toward high-skill, white-collar industries such as tech, media, professional services, and education. Santa Monica has a high concentration of jobs in professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services, which account for 24.4% of local employment—significantly higher than the 13.8% share in Los Angeles County.
Similarly, the information sector, including media, entertainment, and technology, represents 11.2% of employment in Santa Monica, more than double the 4.5% countywide rate. Overall, the city's employment structure supports its character as a dense, economically diverse, service-oriented community with a strong focus on sectors that require higher educational attainment and professional skillsets.
Business Activity
Business by Sector Number of
Workers
Number of
Jobs
Share of
Workers
%
Share of Jobs
%
Jobs less
workers
%
Agriculture, Mining, Oil & Gas Extraction
Arts, Entertainment, Accommodations
Construction
Education and Health Care Services
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
Information
Manufacturing
Other Services
Professional, Scientific, Management
Services
Public Administration
Retail Trade
Transportation & Warehousing
Wholesale Trade
Grand Total
Table 45 - Business Activity
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS (Workers), 2020 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (Jobs)
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Note: HUD’s eConPlan Suite is not currently able to populate the standard table below. The City and its consultants are working to populate the table prior to the HUD submission deadline of July 12, 2025.
Table: Jobs by Industry
Industry Santa Monica Los Angeles County
Estimate Percent Estimate Percent
Agriculture, forestry, fishing
and hunting, and mining 165 0.3% 22,188 0.5%
Construction 1,090 2.1% 301,866 6.2%
Manufacturing 2,516 5.0% 415,083 8.6%
Wholesale trade 825 1.6% 144,816 3.0%
Retail trade 3,293 6.5% 473,018 9.8%
Transportation and
warehousing, and utilities 1,555 3.1% 318,349 6.6%
Information 5,674 11.2% 217,955 4.5%
Finance and insurance, and
real estate and rental and
leasing 4,641 9.1% 279,253 5.8%
Professional, scientific,
management, administration,
waste management 12,361 24.4% 665,771 13.8%
Educational services, health
care, social assistance 10,346 20.4% 1,051,138 21.7%
Arts, entertainment,
recreation, accommodation,
and food services 5,177 10.2% 510,653 10.6%
Other services 1,825 3.6% 261,126 5.4%
Public administration 1,273 2.5% 176,481 3.6%
Source: 2019-2023 ACS (DP03)
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Labor Force
Note: HUD’s eConPlan Suite is not currently able to populate the standard tables below. The City and its consultants are working to populate the table prior to the HUD submission deadline of July 12, 2025.
Total Population in the Civilian Labor Force
Civilian Employed Population 16 years and
over
Unemployment Rate
Unemployment Rate for Ages 16-24
Unemployment Rate for Ages 25-65
Table 46 - Labor Force
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
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Occupations by Sector Number of People Median Income
Management, business and financial
Farming, fisheries and forestry occupations
Service
Sales and office
Construction, extraction, maintenance and
repair
Production, transportation and material
moving
Table 47 – Occupations by Sector
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
The map below shows the estimated unemployment rate for people age 16 and older in Santa Monica based on Census data from 2019–2023. The darkest shaded areas indicate tracts with the highest unemployment rates (between 9% and 10%). Central and southern tracts have higher unemployment rates
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Map 4.11
Unemployment
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
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The chart below shows unemployment rates by race and ethnicity based on 2019–2023 American Community Survey (ACS) data. Black or African American individuals face the highest unemployment rate at 17.8%, nearly 3 times the rate of White individuals and 8 times that of Asian individuals. Asian individuals report the lowest unemployment rate at 2.3%.
Travel Time
Note: HUD’s eConPlan Suite is not currently able to populate the standard table below. The City and its consultants are working to populate the table prior to the HUD submission deadline of July 12, 2025.
Travel Time Number Percentage
< 30 Minutes
30-59 Minutes
60 or More Minutes
Total
Table 48 - Travel Time
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
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Transportation
Housing and Transportation Costs
The Center for Neighborhood Technology’s Housing and Transportation Affordability Index (H+T Index) measures both the cost of housing the cost of transportation in a specific area to better understand affordability. The pie chart below illustrates the proportion of income spent on housing and transportation costs in Santa Monica for a typical household, with the other portion representing the remaining income. Housing expenses - including rent or mortgage payments, property taxes, utilities, and maintenance costs - make up 35% of the average income expenses. Transportation expenses – including costs for gas, public transit, vehicle maintenance, insurance, and other commuting expenses - account for 17% of income. After housing and transportation expenses, residents are left with an estimated 50% of their income for all other expenses – including food, healthcare, education, entertainment, and savings. It should be noted that for households earning 60% of the area median income – or those in moderate income groups – the average amounts spent on housing and transportation as a portion of their income increases.
For moderate-income households, or those earning 60% of the area median income, housing and transportation costs take up a larger share of their income compared to the City average.
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While these expenses account for approximately 50% of total income in Santa Monica, they rise to 60% for moderate-income households. Among these households:
16.1% allocate 45-54% of their income on housing and transportation, 42.7% allocate 54-66%, and
19% dedicate 66-78% of their income to these expenses.
This data highlights the financial strain faced by moderate-income households and the varying cost burdens across different areas in Santa Monica.
Commute
The chart below illustrates how workers in Santa Monica commute to work. A majority of workers (58.4%) commute by driving alone and 25% work from home. Public transportation (5.3%), walking (3.8%), and carpooling (6.6%) together account for just over 15% of commuters.
The mean travel time to work is 26.8 minutes.
OnTheMap Census is an online tool provided by the U.S. Census Bureau to offer insights into commuting patterns in an area. It uses data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program to help understand the relation between where people work and where they live. In 2022, 92% of individuals employed in Santa Monica commuted from outside the city, while only 8% both lived and worked within Santa Monica. Conversely, 84.6% of city
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residents commuted elsewhere for employment. Overall, more workers commuted into the City (82,004) for work than commuted out (39,465). With 92% of people working in Santa Monica commuting from outside the city, it’s clear that local jobs heavily rely on non-resident workers. Stakeholder interviews consistently emphasized the lack of affordable housing within the city, noting that many individuals are priced out and forced to seek housing outside the area.
Graphic: Inflow/Outflow Analysis
Education:
Note: HUD’s eConPlan Suite is not currently able to populate the standard table below. The City and its consultants are working to populate the table prior to the HUD submission deadline of July 12, 2025.
Educational Attainment by Employment Status (Population 16 and Older) Educational Attainment In Labor Force
Civilian Employed Unemployed Not in Labor Force
Less than high school graduate
High school graduate (includes
equivalency)
Some college or Associate’s
degree
Bachelor’s degree or higher
Table 49 - Educational Attainment by Employment Status
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
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Educational Attainment by Age
Age
18–24 yrs 25–34 yrs 35–44 yrs 45–65 yrs 65+ yrs
Less than 9th grade 0 145 115 970 1,050
9th to 12th grade, no
diploma 295 50 130 910 910
High school graduate,
GED, or alternative 1,015 870 705 2,290 2,020
Some college, no degree 1,695 1,710 1,475 3,680 2,315
Associate's degree 240 595 555 2,055 735
Bachelor's degree 1,740 10,785 5,935 7,390 4,000
Graduate or professional
degree 65 4,555 4,510 6,885 5,380
Table 50 - Educational Attainment by Age
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
Educational Attainment – Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months Educational Attainment Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months Less than high school graduate 28,684
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 33,635
Some college or Associate's degree 40,472
Bachelor's degree 77,415
Graduate or professional degree 97,936
Table 51 – Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months
Data
Source:
2016-2020 ACS
Table 50 breaks down the number of individuals with various education levels across five age groups, based on 2016-2020 ACS data. The 25–34 and 45–65 age groups have the highest counts of individuals with a Bachelor's or Graduate/Professional degree. Individuals aged 65+ have the highest numbers with less than a high school education. Table 51 shows the link between education levels with median annual earnings using 2016-2020 ACS data. Each increase in educational attainment correlates with higher earnings. The jump from an Associate’s/some college to a Bachelor’s degree leads to an increase of nearly $37,000/year.
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Earning a Graduate or Professional degree adds an additional $20,500/year on average beyond a Bachelor’s degree. Workers without a college degree (even with high school or some college) earn significantly less than those with a 4-year or advanced degree. Higher educational attainment strongly correlates with median earnings.
The chart below provides educational attainment data for the population aged 25 and older in Santa Monica using 2019-2023 ACS data. 71.9% of Santa Monica’s adult population holds a Bachelor’s degree or higher, which is significantly above state and national averages. This level of educational attainment reflects the city’s strong alignment with high-income, professional employment sectors, particularly in tech, entertainment, education, and healthcare. Just 3.6% of adults (2.1% with less than 9th grade and 1.5% with 9th–12th grade but no diploma) did not complete high school.
The map below illustrates the percentage of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree across Santa Monica. While the citywide rate is high—71.9% of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher—educational attainment varies by neighborhood. Notably, eastern tracts reflect lower levels of degree completion, with Census Tract 06037701802 reporting the lowest rate at just
47.4%.
Map 4.12
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Percent with Bachelor’s Degree
City of Santa Monica
2019-2023 ACS, PolicyMap
Based on the Business Activity table above, what are the major employment sectors within your jurisdiction?
An analysis of business activity in Santa Monica reveals a local economy that is heavily oriented toward high-skill, service-based employment sectors. According to the 2019–2023 American Community Survey (ACS), the following are the primary employment sectors within the jurisdiction:
Professional, Scientific, Management, Administrative, and Waste Management Services account for 24.4% of all jobs in Santa Monica, the largest sector in the city. This reflects the city's role as a hub for professional services, tech startups, environmental design firms, and consulting businesses. The presence of "Silicon Beach" companies contributes to the city’s strong economic base in this sector.
Educational Services, Health Care, and Social Assistance comprise 20.4% of local employment.
This includes a wide range of institutions, from public and private schools to hospitals, medical
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clinics, and community-based service organizations. These jobs provide critical health and social infrastructure to the community.
The Information sector, which includes media, telecommunications, and digital content creation, makes up 11.2% of jobs—more than double the county average. This underscores Santa Monica’s competitive advantage in the creative and digital economy. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation, and Food Services make up 10.2% of local jobs. As a premier tourist destination with a thriving hospitality and cultural sector, this industry remains a vital component of the city’s economic vitality. Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, and Rental and Leasing represent 9.1% of employment, supporting both residential and commercial real estate markets and providing key financial services to residents and businesses.
Describe the workforce and infrastructure needs of the business community:
Santa Monica’s business community is concentrated in high-skill, white-collar sectors— particularly professional services, information technology, education, and healthcare. While these sectors benefit from a highly educated local workforce—71.9% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree—there are workforce and infrastructure challenges that limit inclusive economic growth.
Stakeholders pointed to barriers faced by older adults seeking employment, noting that ageism is a persistent and growing challenge as retirement ages extend. Despite workforce readiness, many older job seekers struggle to gain traction in a labor market that favors younger candidates. There is also a need for more targeted education for employers on the value of hiring older workers. Additionally, stakeholders cited a lack of pathways into skilled trades and green jobs, with a notable decline in referrals to these sectors. While interest exists, stakeholders explained that most clients need immediate employment and are unable to wait through long apprenticeship processes. They stressed the need for short-term, sector-specific training programs focused on plumbing, welding, and green infrastructure to bridge this gap.
Stakeholders raised concerns about the ability of early childhood educators and childcare providers to live in or near Santa Monica. Many providers leave the field or seek jobs closer to home due to the lack of affordable housing near their place of employment. This has created staffing shortages in local childcare centers, which then limit access to care for families. Housing support strategies for the childcare workforce—including subsidized units or rent supports— could play a significant role in workforce retention and overall child and family stability.
Santa Monica’s small business community faces significant pressures due to rising commercial rents and concerns about public safety. Stakeholders reported that some national retailers have left the area due to perceived or actual safety issues, which are closely tied to the visibility of unsheltered homelessness and behavioral health crises. The environment has become increasingly difficult for small business owners to operate without sustained municipal support.
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Stakeholders emphasized the need to invest in both economic revitalization and the stabilization of the public realm to support business retention and community confidence.
Transportation was identified as a major post-placement barrier, particularly for residents commuting into Santa Monica for work. While employment programs provide job readiness training and placement support, many participants struggle to afford commuting costs or lack access to reliable transportation. Stakeholders suggested the City explore commuter subsidies or transportation partnerships to support workforce retention, especially in lower-wage sectors like hospitality.
Stakeholders noted that employment barriers go beyond job availability—they include confusion about application processes, fingerprinting requirements, and professional expectations. Many individuals, particularly young adults, need mentoring and job coaching to navigate these steps. The Pico Partnership Program and Virginia Ave. Park have seen success in placing youth into jobs, but these successes are limited by available staff and funding. A Cityrun employment navigation program—offering coaching, follow-up, and help with applications—was recommended to fill this gap.
Workforce Needs:
Despite a strong professional labor base, there are significant mismatches between where jobs are located and where workers live. Stakeholder feedback emphasized a lack of affordable housing, which prevents many workers from residing in the city and contributes to a heavily commuter-based workforce. In 2022, 92% of individuals employed in Santa Monica commuted from outside the city, while 84.6% of city residents commuted elsewhere for work. This pattern indicates that many jobs—especially those in retail, hospitality, and service sectors—are filled by non-residents, creating challenges in workforce stability and local job accessibility.
Additionally, there are persistent racial disparities in employment access. According to 2019– 2023 ACS data, the unemployment rate for Black or African American residents is 17.8%, compared to 6.2% for White residents and 2.3% for Asian residents, highlighting the need for equitable workforce development strategies that reduce systemic barriers to employment.
The City recently launched a small business matching grant program to support storefront improvements and enhanced security, particularly in the Pico neighborhood. Many of Santa Monica’s businesses are micro-enterprises with fewer than five employees, and stakeholders reported that navigating procurement processes—such as obtaining multiple contractor quotes—can be challenging for these small firms. Aging building stock and the cost of physical improvements remain a barrier to revitalization.
Workforce development efforts are largely handled through partnerships with Santa Monica College and regional workforce boards. Despite the presence of high-growth and high-wage
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sectors—including healthcare, hospitality, and construction—stakeholders noted a skills mismatch between local residents and available jobs. The City is also working to create pathways for residents interested in food entrepreneurship through partnerships with local farmers markets and incubator-style support for micro-enterprises.
Infrastructure Needs:
Housing affordability is a central concern for the business community. According to the Center for Neighborhood Technology’s H+T Index, housing and transportation costs account for up to 78% of income for moderate-income households (60% AMI), compared to 50% for the average household. This financial burden limits the ability of essential workers to live in proximity to employment centers and undermines long-term workforce sustainability. Transportation infrastructure also presents a barrier. A majority of workers (58.4%) drive alone to work, with only 5.3% relying on public transit. The average commute time is 26.8 minutes, and transportation costs make up 17% of household income. Despite the availability of multiple public transit options in the city, utilization remains low among the workforce—indicating potential barriers related to convenience, connectivity, or perceived accessibility.
The Information Services Division also partners closely with the City’s economic development staff to retain and attract commercial tenants through competitive broadband services. The City provides dark fiber to local businesses and facilitates high-speed connections across multilocation operations. While demand dipped during the pandemic—when office occupancy declined—new opportunities have emerged as displaced schools and businesses consider relocating to Santa Monica, especially in the Midtown and Colorado Center areas. The City continues to monitor rates to ensure competitiveness, particularly against legacy carriers known for high prices and limited bandwidth. Current broadband service relationships have helped retain existing customers, even if net new commercial uptake has slowed.
Describe any major changes that may have an economic impact, such as planned local or regional public or private sector investments or initiatives that have affected or may affect job and business growth opportunities during the planning period. Describe any needs for workforce development, business support or infrastructure these changes may create.
The Information Services team noted increased demand for wireless infrastructure in preparation for global events, including the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. As part of this effort, Santa Monica has worked with carriers to install small cell nodes throughout the city, with a focus on coastal areas such as the pier and bike path. These enhancements will be essential if the city is selected as a venue for beach volleyball or other high-traffic events and are expected to yield long-term benefits for residents and tourists alike.
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How do the skills and education of the current workforce correspond to employment opportunities in the jurisdiction?
Santa Monica’s workforce is highly educated, with 71.9% of residents aged 25 and older holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, a rate significantly above state and national averages (2019–2023 ACS). The city’s employment structure aligns closely with this level of educational attainment, as many of Santa Monica’s leading industries require advanced education and specialized skillsets.
Key sectors such as professional, scientific, and technical services (24.4%), information and media (11.2%), finance and real estate (9.1%), and education and health services (20.4%) dominate the local job market. These industries rely heavily on workers with postsecondary and graduate-level education, which corresponds well with the city’s concentration of degreeholders. Additionally, median earnings increase substantially with education—rising from $28,684 for those without a high school diploma to $97,936 for those with a graduate or professional degree—underscoring the economic value of educational alignment with high-skill industries. However, gaps remain for segments of the population who have not completed higher education. These individuals may face challenges accessing employment in Santa Monica’s dominant high-skill sectors and may be more likely to commute out of the city or work in lower-wage service positions.
Moreover, stakeholder feedback indicates that affordable housing constraints are forcing many workers—especially in essential service industries—to live outside the city, disconnecting the available workforce from local employment opportunities. There is a growing need to support pathways to employment for residents without advanced degrees and to ensure that lowerwage workers can live and work in Santa Monica.
A significant digital literacy gap exists among program participants, many of whom lack the computer and online navigation skills needed to apply for jobs, submit resumes, or access workforce systems. Stakeholders recommended expanding digital literacy and basic technology training as a foundational step for all employment programming. This includes workshops on resume development, online applications, and virtual interview preparation.
Describe any current workforce training initiatives, including those supported by Workforce Investment Boards, community colleges and other organizations. Describe how these efforts will support the jurisdiction's Consolidated Plan.
Santa Monica's workforce training is driven by a number of initiatives led by Santa Monica College (SMC). These programs aim to bridge skill gaps and align educational offerings with the evolving demands of the local and regional economy.
SMC's Office of Workforce & Economic Development offers short-term "bridge" programs designed to connect job seekers to living-wage careers.
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Industry Partnerships: SMC collaborates with local businesses and industry professionals to develop programs that meet current workforce needs.
Training Opportunities: Through contract education, SMC provides tailored training solutions for businesses, enhancing employee skills and productivity.
Community Corporation has developed programs to support resident entrepreneurship and workforce training. They previously partnered with a solar installation training initiative and now operate a resident-centered small business marketplace that offers affordable entry points for tenants to market and sell their products. Additional funding and technical assistance could expand this model and help support economic mobility for low-income residents through microenterprise development.
The Hospitality Training Academy (HTA) partners with the City of Santa Monica to provide employment training and job placement for vulnerable populations including homeless individuals, justice-involved persons, English language learners, and parenting youth. Through employer-driven training and registered apprenticeship programs for line cooks, baristas, bartenders, and hotel room attendants, HTA has maintained a 100% job placement rate at graduation. These programs are tailored to meet local labor market needs, especially in the hospitality sector, which is expected to expand with upcoming international events like the 2028 Olympics.
Does your jurisdiction participate in a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS)? No
If so, what economic development initiatives are you undertaking that may be coordinated with the Consolidated Plan? If not, describe other local/regional plans or initiatives that impact economic growth.
N/A
Discussion
MA-50 Needs and Market Analysis Discussion
Are there areas where households with multiple housing problems are concentrated? (include a definition of "concentration")
HUD identifies four primary housing challenges—collectively known as “housing problems”— which include:
Cost burden (households spending more than 30% of income on housing) Overcrowding (more than 1.0 person per room)
Lack of complete plumbing facilities
Lack of complete kitchen facilities
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In Santa Monica, these housing problems are relatively uncommon, with the exception of cost burden, which affects a significant portion of the population. According to the 2019–2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates, citywide rates are as follows:
Cost Burden:
o Homeowners: 35.4%
o Renters: 44.1%
Overcrowding:
o Homeowners: 1.2%
o Renters: 6.2%
Lack of Complete Plumbing Facilities: 0.1%
Lack of Complete Kitchen Facilities: 1.8%
To determine whether an area is “concentrated” with housing problems, HUD’s standard for identifying “disproportionate housing needs” is used—defined as rates 10 percentage points or more above the citywide average. Based on this standard, thresholds for Santa Monica are:
Cost burden (disproportionate):
o Homeowners: >45.4%
o Renters: >54.1%
Overcrowding (disproportionate):
o Homeowners: >11.2%
o Renters: >16.2%
Lack of plumbing facilities: >10.1%
Lack of kitchen facilities: >11.8%
Tracts Exceeding Disproportionate Thresholds:
Cost Burden – Homeowners:
o Tract 06037701801: 48.7%
o Tract 06037702102: 48.7%
o Tract 06037701304: 53.3%
o Tract 06037701802: 53.4%
o Tract 06037701902: 75.7%
Lack of Complete Plumbing Facilities:
o Tract 060377022013: 11.5%
Are there any areas in the jurisdiction where racial or ethnic minorities or low-income families are concentrated? (include a definition of "concentration") For the purposes of this analysis, a “racial or ethnic concentration” will be defined as any census tract where a racial or ethnic minority group makes up 10 percent or more of the population than the City as
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a whole. According to the 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 38.2% of the City’s population is Non-White. The racial and ethnic breakdown of Santa Monica’s population is:
White: 66.9 %
Black or African American: 4.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.6%
Asian: 9.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
Other Race: 4.7%
Two or More Races: 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino: 16.4%
Non-White Population: 38.2%
Below are tracts in each category that are at least 10% or more than the City-wide averages:
Black or African American:
o Tract 06037701802: 14.2%
Other Race:
o Tract 06037701801: 16.9%
Hispanic or Latino:
o Tract 06037701802: 27.3%
o Tract 06037701801: 41.8%
Non-White Population:
o Tract 06037701602: 49.6%
o Tract 06037701802: 58.3%
o Tract 06037701801: 69.8%
A “low-income concentration” is any census tract where the median household income for the tract is 80% or less than the median household income for the City. According to the 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the Median Household Income in Santa Monica is $109,739, and a tract is considered to have a low-income concentration if the MHI is $68,867 or less.
What are the characteristics of the market in these areas/neighborhoods? Are there any community assets in these areas/neighborhoods? Are there other strategic opportunities in any of these areas? Santa Monica’s Architecture Services Division is currently updating its ADA Transition Plan, which will assess and prioritize accessibility improvements across city-owned facilities. The City has reinstated a full-time ADA Coordinator position housed in Architecture Services and launched a citywide survey of programs and operations to identify barriers. These improvements—including facility retrofits and right12.A.b Packet Pg. 1031 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 130
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of-way upgrades such as sidewalk access and curb ramps—will be incorporated into the 2026–2028 Capital Improvement Program budget. Accessibility upgrades are being aligned with broader park and building improvements to meet compliance and enhance inclusive access to public spaces.
MA-60 Broadband Needs of Housing occupied by Low- and Moderate-Income Households - 91.210(a)(4), 91.310(a)(2)
Describe the need for broadband wiring and connections for households, including low- and moderate-income households and neighborhoods.
Stakeholders emphasized the persistence of the digital divide, particularly among older adults, individuals exiting incarceration, and low-income job seekers. Most clients rely on smartphones as their primary device, limiting their ability to access resources or complete job-related tasks. Providers like Chrysalis have implemented solutions including staffed computer labs and digital literacy training through partnerships with Tech Up/Tech LA and Human IT. However, challenges remain: internet service through providers like T-Mobile is not always reliable or available, and most essential employment functions—like clocking in and out—require technical proficiency. Stakeholders recommended continued investment in digital training and subsidized technology for low-income users.
Santa Monica’s Information Services Division noted that while the City has laid foundational broadband infrastructure using past CDBG funding, most of that fiber only reaches the sidewalk and does not connect directly into low-income households. The fiber network currently passes in front of several affordable housing developments, but additional funding and staffing would be required to complete inunit connections. Stakeholders reported that most LMI residents rely on smartphones and hotspot functionality for internet access, as many units do not have dedicated internet service. Utilization of pilot broadband service within affordable housing buildings has been lower than expected, in part due to high infrastructure costs and the challenges of retrofitting older buildings for fiber installation.
Describe the need for increased competition by having more than one broadband Internet service provider serve the jurisdiction.
Stakeholders highlighted limited competition in Santa Monica’s broadband market, particularly for lowand moderate-income residents. While the City benefits from providers like Spectrum, Verizon, AT&T, and a few startups such as Starry, affordable high-speed options are limited. Programs offering free or subsidized broadband—such as the federal Emergency Broadband Benefit—helped bridge access temporarily but have since lapsed or scaled back. There is strong support for increased provider competition to reduce costs and improve service quality, especially in underserved neighborhoods.
Santa Monica launched a small-scale pilot program to deliver broadband directly to affordable housing developments. While the service was offered at a reduced rate of $48/month, the cost to connect older buildings—some of which lacked a viable in-unit installation path—proved prohibitively expensive.
Expansion of the pilot to all residents could improve uptake and access, but would require significant operational resources or a public-private partnership to manage customer relationships and technical
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support. The City continues to seek sustainable models to expand residential service while maintaining affordability and feasibility.
MA-65 Hazard Mitigation - 91.210(a)(5), 91.310(a)(3)
Describe the jurisdiction’s increased natural hazard risks associated with climate change.
The City of Santa Monica is nearing completion of its updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), which includes a dedicated chapter on climate change. Stakeholders from OEM noted an increase in the frequency and severity of disasters, including atmospheric river storms, heat waves, and wildfires. The 2023 Palisades Fire exemplified a compound disaster scenario in which high winds, dry vegetation, and extreme heat combined to create a fast-moving urban wildfire. Events like these stress the City’s emergency capacity and limit its ability to conduct proactive community preparedness while simultaneously responding to active events or navigating lengthy FEMA reimbursement processes.
Describe the vulnerability to these risks of housing occupied by low- and moderate-income households based on an analysis of data, findings, and methods.
Stakeholders emphasized that low- and moderate-income (LMI) households are disproportionately affected by post-disaster recovery barriers. These residents may face challenges navigating insurance claims, FEMA assistance, or recovery processes due to language access, lack of internet, limited transportation, or inflexible work schedules. In recent heat events, many residents without air conditioning have relied on cooling centers, prompting the City to explore resilience hub models with backup power and water. OEM also noted that a growing number of multifamily buildings—especially soft-story structures concentrated near the Santa Monica Fault—face high seismic risk. Without local funding for seismic retrofits, these properties remain vulnerable in an earthquake event.
A major earthquake on the Santa Monica Fault would be the most catastrophic scenario for the city, with widespread damage to multifamily housing and infrastructure. OEM officials noted that failure of utilities, access to pharmacies, and transportation infrastructure could create a “second wave” of injuries or deaths following the initial event. Soft-story apartment buildings are especially at risk, and the ability to retrofit them remains one of the most important preventative strategies available. The City’s seismic hazard zones also overlap with economically diverse neighborhoods, making equitable mitigation planning essential.
While many high-risk zones in Santa Monica are in higher-income neighborhoods—such as beachfront areas prone to tsunami—low- and moderate-income populations face distinct vulnerabilities. For example, areas near the Stone Canyon Reservoir include a mobile home park and other incomerestricted housing at risk of flooding. Residents with underlying health conditions or lacking cooling systems are increasingly affected by prolonged heat events. Climate events layered on top of traditional seismic or fire risks disproportionately burden those least able to recover, reinforcing the need for resilience planning that accounts for both physical and social vulnerability.
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Strategic Plan
SP-05 Overview
Strategic Plan Overview
The City’s needs are numerous and varied. As will be shown in the following sections, the principal needs are: 1) affordable housing through production, rehabilitation/repair, home modifications, and financial assistance, public improvements to improve neighborhoods; 2) housing for special needs populations; 3) assistance for the homeless, including housing, services and homelessness prevention; 4) community and public services especially for youth, the elderly, the homeless, and persons with disabilities; 5) economic development and anti-poverty programs focused primarily upon job training and support for low-moderate income business owners; and 6) public facility and infrastructure improvements. While it is not possible to address all of these needs with HUD resources alone, the goals of this plan were established to use HUD funds for the best and most effective use.
The latest HUD data indicate that there are 18 low-/moderate-income block groups in Santa Monica, distributed among 10 of the City’s Census Tracts. A map in the appendix to this Plan shows the location of these Block Groups. These areas have been areas of concern in the past and emerged in the course of examining the data. They were also mentioned in the course of discussions. These discussions confirmed the already known needs of these areas, complementing or corroborating the data.
The City will seek to develop additional affordable housing despite the limited resources available, and will continue to provide rental assistance through the HOME program, Section 8, and Continuum of Care.
There are several groups that have a higher need for affordable housing and have special housing needs.
These groups have been identified as: the elderly and frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), victims of domestic violence, youth, and members of the Santa Monica Service Registry, which is a list of the most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals as determined by length of time on the streets, age, and physical and mental health conditions.
Seniors, people with disabilities, and chronically homeless Service Registry participants are more likely to face housing problems and have difficulty affording housing. Seniors and people with disabilities also have a need for accessible housing, whether for new housing, rehabilitated existing housing, or the modification of the housing they currently occupy. In addition to general challenges, seniors may have supportive needs resulting from physical and cognitive conditions.
Homeless activities, ranging from providing emergency shelter to preventing homelessness receive a high priority. Thus, the City will focus on multiple efforts to provide affordable housing and in many instances prevent homelessness. The provision of Public Service Programs receives a high priority rank;
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the need for a wide range of services, including programs for seniors, people with disabilities, youth, and child care, is very much present in the low/mod areas.
Economic Development receives a high ranking, but in the face of other pressing needs, the focus of the spending in this area will center assistance for business owners serving majority low-moderate income areas.
Public Facilities are important to the City and receives a high ranking with efforts to improve accessibility to public facilities, most especially in the City’s parks serving low-moderate income neighborhoods.
The City leverages these CDBG funds and addresses these priorities through the City’s Human Services Grants Program (HSGP), the objective of which is to develop, fund, and sustain human service programs and increase the impact of organizations by cultivating an effective safety net or system of services, building on the unique assets and strengths of neighborhoods, community organizations, and public institutions.
Funding awarded through the HSGP comes from multiple sources both locally and nationally, including the City’s General Fund, City development agreements (community benefit resources), and federal entitlement (CDBG) and federal competitive grants. Further, it is required that all grantees provide a minimum of 30% cash match to the delivery of services for Santa Monica residents and most agencies leverage considerably more non-City dollars and significant volunteer and other in-kind resources to augment City funding.
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SP-10 Geographic Priorities – 91.215 (a)(1)
Geographic Area
Table 26 - Geographic Priority Areas
1 Area Name: Low/Mod Areas
Area Type: Local Target area
Other Target Area Description:
HUD Approval Date:
% of Low/ Mod:
Revital Type: Comprehensive
Other Revital Description:
Identify the neighborhood boundaries
for this target area.
The latest HUD data indicate that there are 18 low/mod
Block Groups in Santa Monica, distributed among 10 of
the City’s Census Tracts. A map in the appendix to this Plan shows the location of these Block Groups.
All are HUD defined low/mod areas see Map: Low &
Moderate Income Census Tract Areas.
Include specific housing and
commercial characteristics of this target
area.
In each of these neighborhoods the housing stock is
typically older, and often smaller. Streets may need
repair and other infrastructure is older.
How did your consultation and citizen
participation process help you to
identify this neighborhood as a target
area?
These areas have been areas of concern in the past and
emerged in the course of examining the data. They were
also mentioned in the course of discussions. These
discussions confirmed the already known needs of these
areas, complementing or corroborating the data.
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Identify the needs in this target area. The City’s needs are numerous and varied. As will be shown in the following sections, the principal needs are:
1) affordable housing through production,
rehabilitation/repair, home modifications, and financial assistance, public improvements to improve
neighborhoods, 2) housing for special needs populations, 3) assistance for the homeless, including housing,
services and homelessness prevention, 4) community
and public services especially for youth, the elderly, the homeless, and persons with disabilities, 5) economic
development and anti-poverty programs focused
primarily upon job training and career preparation, 6)
public facility and infrastructure improvements centered upon accessibility improvements
What are the opportunities for
improvement in this target area?
The opportunities are significant. First, the City can keep residents in safe, affordable housing and prevent
additional persons and families from becoming
homeless. Second, the City can improve the quality of life by providing needed services and improving conditions in these areas. Third, the City can support programs to
assist the residents of these areas in obtaining good jobs.
Are there barriers to improvement in
this target area?
The barriers are significant because of the amount of
effort and resources needed to provide the necessary
assistance.
General Allocation Priorities
Describe the basis for allocating investments geographically within the jurisdiction (or within the EMSA for HOPWA)
As noted above, these topics emerged in the course of examining the data, but were also frequently mentioned in the course of consultation discussions. These discussions confirmed the already known needs of these areas, complementing or corroborating the data.
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2023 Low-Mod Block Group Tracts
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SP-25 Priority Needs - 91.215(a)(2)
Priority Needs
Table 27 – Priority Needs Summary
1 Priority Need Name Public Infrastructure & Facilities Enhancements Priority Level High
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Non-housing Community Development
Geographic Areas Affected Low/Mod Areas
Associated Goals 1. Expand/Improve Public Infrastructure/Facilities Description Expand and improve public infrastructure through activities for LMI persons and households. Improve access to public facilities that will benefit LMI persons and households.
Basis for Relative Priority Through community participation and consultation of local stakeholder partners and organizations the need to Expand/Improve Public Infrastructure & Facilities was identified. Adequate public facilities and infrastructure improvements are essential to addressing the needs of the LMI population, including the homeless, elderly and disabled. Facilities and improvements include parks, neighborhood/community centers, improved road infrastructure, and the installation of ADA curb cuts and sidewalks for safety in LMI areas.
2 Priority Need Name Affordable Housing Opportunities
Priority Level High
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Geographic Areas Affected Low/Mod Areas
Associated Goals 2. Provide Safe, Affordable Housing Opportunities Description Providing safe, affordable housing opportunities through rental assistance remains one of the highest priorities in the jurisdiction.
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Basis for Relative Priority Through community participation and consultation of local stakeholder partners and organizations the need to foster Affordable Housing Opportunities was identified. Through the needs assessment housing cost burden is by far the largest housing problem in the jurisdiction.
3 Priority Need Name Services for Low Income Community Members Priority Level High
Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Families with Children
Elderly
Persons with Mental Disabilities
Persons with Physical Disabilities
Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Persons with Alcohol or Other Addictions
Victims of Domestic Violence
Non-housing Community Development
Geographic Areas Affected Low/Mod Areas
Associated Goals 3. Provide Vital Services for LMI & Special Needs Description Provide supportive services for LMI households and also the special needs populations in the jurisdiction. Public services will target LMI citizens and may include services to address homelessness, substance abuse, legal services, eviction prevention, persons with physical and mental health disabilities, seniors, and youth.
Basis for Relative Priority Through community participation and consultation of local stakeholder partners and organizations, the need for Public Services for LMI and Special Needs was identified. Public Services offered by the city and partner non-profit organizations provide for vital and essential services for LMI households and families throughout the jurisdiction. Public services will also help to enhance education and improve living situations of LMI individuals and households in the jurisdiction.
4 Priority Need Name Support for Low-Moderate Income Workers and Business Owners Priority Level High
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Population Extremely Low
Low
Moderate
Non-housing Community Development
Geographic Areas Affected Low/Mod Areas
Associated Goals 4. Economic Development Opportunities
Description Provide for economic development opportunities including development initiatives for local small businesses serving majority LMI neighborhoods.
Basis for Relative Priority Through community participation and consultation of local stakeholder partners and organizations the need for economic development opportunities was identified. Needs vary throughout the jurisdiction and the city will work to assist LMI areas with economic development opportunities.
5 Priority Need Name Services for People Experiencing Homelessness Priority Level High
Population Extremely Low
Low
Chronic Homelessness
Individuals
Families with Children
Mentally Ill
Chronic Substance Abuse
veterans
Persons with HIV/AIDS
Victims of Domestic Violence
Unaccompanied Youth
Geographic Areas Affected Low/Mod Areas
Associated Goals 3. Provide Vital Services for LMI & Special Needs Populations Description Provide for homeless activities and services, including Homeless Prevention, Shelter Services, and Rapid Re-Housing.
Basis for Relative Priority Through community participation and consultation of local stakeholder partners and organizations the need for homeless activities such as shelter operations and homeless prevention services was identified. The local PIT count has also identified homeless adults and families as homeless that require assistance.
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Narrative (Optional)
The City’s needs are numerous and varied. As will be shown in the following sections, the principal needs are: 1) public infrastructure & facilities enhancements, 2) affordable housing opportunities, 3) provide vital services for LMI and special needs populations, 4) support for low-moderate income workers and business Owners, and 5) services for people experiencing homelessness The City believes the preservation and production of affordable rental housing is a high priority, as these efforts represent preserving existing affordable housing as well as increasing the supply of affordable housing, to create opportunities for lower income and special needs households, which will serve to prevent homelessness. The City will continue to provide rental assistance through the HOME program, Section 8, and Continuum of Care.
There are several groups that have a higher need for affordable housing and have special housing needs.
These groups have been identified as: the elderly and frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), victims of domestic violence, youth, and members of the Santa Monica Service Registry, which is a list of the most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals as determined by length of time on the streets, age, and physical and mental health conditions.
Seniors, people with disabilities, and chronically homeless Service Registry participants are more likely to face housing problems and have difficulty affording housing. Seniors and people with disabilities also have a need for accessible housing, whether for new housing, rehabilitated existing housing, or the adaptation of the housing they currently occupy. In addition to general challenges, seniors may have supportive needs due to physical and cognitive conditions.
Homeless activities, ranging from providing emergency shelter to preventing homelessness, receive a high priority ranking. Thus, the City will focus on multiple efforts including rental assistance which prioritizes cost-burdened households, as well as provision of supportive services.
The provision of Public Service Programs receives a high priority rank; the need for a wide range of services, including programs for seniors, people with disabilities, youth, and child care, is very much present in the low/mod areas.
Economic Development receives a high ranking, but in the face of other pressing needs, the focus of the spending in this area will center upon support for businesses serving low to moderate income neighborhoods.
Public Facilities and Public Improvements in low-income areas are important to the City, and receive a high rating with efforts to improve accessibility to public facilities.
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SP-30 Influence of Market Conditions – 91.215 (b)
Influence of Market Conditions
Affordable Housing
Type
Market Characteristics that will influence
the use of funds available for housing type
Tenant Based
Rental Assistance
(TBRA)
Rising housing costs for rental units continues to be a problem for all households. Thus the City will continue to use HOME funds for the TBRA program.
TBRA for NonHomeless Special
Needs
Again, in the face of rising housing costs, the HOME TBRA program provides rental subsidies for senior/disabled homeless persons, victims of domestic violence, and persons at risk of homelessness. Qualified applicants are referred by local service agencies and final eligibility for the HOME program is determined by the Santa Monica Housing Authority.
New Unit
Production
Using local, non-federal sources of funding, the City will finance the development of new affordable housing through the construction of new residences, though resources are limited and costs are high.
Rehabilitation The City will attempt to assist in the maintenance of affordable units through the rehabilitation of existing housing units, particularly as housing costs rise.
However, this program has very limited reach as apartment buildings must be primarily occupied by low-income households to qualify for use of federal funds.
Acquisition,
including
preservation
Rising housing costs and limited opportunities for new construction will cause the City to continue to loan available funds to acquire and rehabilitate properties to support the creation of affordable housing, especially for special needs households.
Table 28 – Influence of Market Conditions
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SP-35 Anticipated Resources - 91.215(a)(4), 91.220(c)(1,2) Introduction
Santa Monica, like many jurisdictions, is faced with the challenging task of meeting increasing needs with fluctuating federal and state resources.
The figures shown in the table below reflect HUD's current allocations. The figure for “Expected Amount Available Remainder of ConPlan” anticipates level funding using the 2025 allocation amounts projected over the four remaining years covered by the Consolidated Plan. If there are funding cuts or increases to CDBG or HOME over the coming years, the City will adjust accordingly and craft Annual Action Plans to include contingency plans reflective of funding realities.
The following contingencies apply to 2025-26 activities proposed for funding: HUD has intermittently waived the requirement that entitlement jurisdictions set aside 15% of their annual HOME allocation for Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) activities. Should the waiver be announced for the 2025-26 program year, these funds would be used to increase funding for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and/or HOME Administration.
Anticipated Resources
Program Source of
Funds
Uses of Funds Expected Amount Available Year 1 Expected Amount
Available
Remainder of
ConPlan
$
Narrative Description
Annual
Allocation: $
Program
Income:
$
Prior Year
Resources:
$
Total:
$
CDBG public -
federal
Acquisition
Admin and Planning
Economic
Development
Housing
Public Improvements
Public Services $1,114,932 $50,000 0 $1,164,932 $4,659,728 Program Income from MERL
loan repayments and interest
earned.
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Program Source of
Funds
Uses of Funds Expected Amount Available Year 1 Expected Amount
Available
Remainder of
ConPlan
$
Narrative Description
Annual
Allocation: $
Program
Income:
$
Prior Year
Resources:
$
Total:
$
HOME public -
federal
Acquisition
Homebuyer assistance
Homeowner rehab
Multifamily rental new
construction
Multifamily rental
rehab
New construction for
ownership
TBRA $502,427.92 $40,000 0 $542,427.92
$2,169,711.68
Program Income from MERL
loan repayments and interest
earned..
Table 29 - Anticipated Resources
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Explain how federal funds will leverage those additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements will be satisfied City administration recognizes that the City's annual entitlement and formula allocations are not sufficient to meet all of its needs, and that leveraging resources is critical to achieving the City’s goals.
The City continues to cultivate funding partners who can match the City's investment of CDBG and HOME funds. Even with $10+ million in funding for the City’s Human Services Grants Program and local funding committed to the production and preservation of affordable housing, the need remains great, and additional funds are sought to ensure that more affordable housing and important programs and activities are available for those in need. To that end, the City seeks funds from the State and grants from other entities, both public and private. Matching requirements have been satisfied with other eligible financial resources and/or in-kind services, and the City will continue to seek this type of matching as well as financial matches.
If appropriate, describe publicly owned land or property located within the jurisdiction that may be used to address the needs identified in the plan The City owns two properties that are leased to a local non-profit at below-market rates for the operations of homeless services at the Access Center and the SAMOSHEL emergency shelter. Funds from Measure CS, passed in November 2022, were used to redesign SAMOSHEL. Redesign was completed in March 2024 and first responders are able to refer clients to emergency shelter beds 24/7. Additionally, as of 022, the City executed a long-term lease for Ken Edwards Center, a City-owned facility, to a nonprofit providing services to seniors, including those who are disabled, at-risk of homelessness, or lowincome.
Prior to the adoption of the October 2022 Housing Element discussed in more detail below, the City reviewed various City-owned properties and evaluated the sites for potential affordable housing development. The sites represented a range of development potential involving near-term and longterm opportunities, as well as housing production ‘yield’. One particular site was ready for redevelopment, and in January 2022, the City Council selected a developer for the property at 1318 4th Street to be developed as 100% affordable housing, including a requirement that 50 apartments of the future affordable housing be targeted to persons experiencing homelessness. During 2022 and 2023, the developer met with stakeholders and members of the community to receive input about the potential design of the affordable housing and associated services for the supportive housing component. The developer has also begun the process of applying for state funding, and is hoping to break ground in early 2027.
On October 11, 2022, the City Council adopted the 2021-2029 Housing Element, a State-mandated plan to demonstrate the City’s capacity to accommodate its share of regional housing need at all income levels. In the Housing Element, the City demonstrated capacity for 1,880 homes affordable to lower income households on specific City-owned sites. The sites will be developed with 100% affordable housing through issuance of requests for proposals (RFPs) or Surplus Land Act (SLA) Notices of
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Availability (NOA) during the Housing Element planning period. The City issued an RFP on June 22, 2023, for development of affordable housing on three City-owned public surface parking lots located at 1217 Euclid Street, 1211-17 14th Street, and 1146 16th Street. The sites were collectively projected to accommodate 130 homes. The City Council selected a development team for the three sites on March 19, 2024. On December 17, 2024, the City Council approved a proposal to accommodate the 130 homes on the sites located at 1217 Euclid Street and 1211-17 14th Street, as well as a Housing Trust Fund loan for the developer to acquire a site adjacent to 1211-17 14th Street for future conveyance to the City as a combined development site. As part of Housing Element implementation, the City will issue its next NOA for a City-owned site no later than June 30, 2025.
Discussion
N/A
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SP-40 Institutional Delivery Structure – 91.215(k)
Explain the institutional structure through which the jurisdiction will carry out its consolidated plan including private industry, non-profit organizations, and public institutions.
Responsible Entity Responsible Entity
Type
Role Geographic Area Served
Non-Profit Grantees Non-Profit Addressing
Homelessness
Non-homeless special
needs
Jurisdiction
Housing Commission Other Ownership
Rental
Jurisdiction
Human Services
Commission
Other Non-homeless special
needs
public services
Jurisdiction
Disabilities Commission Other Non-homeless special
needs
Jurisdiction
Recreation and Parks
Commission
Other neighborhood
improvements
public facilities
Jurisdiction
Early Education Child
Care Task Force
Other Non-homeless special
needs
Jurisdiction
Virginia Avenue Park
Advisory Board
Other neighborhood
improvements
Jurisdiction
Planning Commission Other Planning Jurisdiction
C2C Committee Other Planning Jurisdiction
Table 30 - Institutional Delivery Structure
Assess of Strengths and Gaps in the Institutional Delivery System One of the strengths of the delivery system is the City’s outreach and information efforts. The City works diligently to involve and inform as many agencies, organizations and institutions of the HUD programs, and has been successful in this regard. The program information that is disseminated is detailed and identifies the City’s priority areas and priority needs. The types of programs and activities that can be funded under each of HUD’s programs and those activities that are not eligible for funding are clearly defined and the City helps grant applicants understand program requirements, the application and selection process, and the City’s expectations for program reporting. The staff also sits on many local boards/commissions and hold leadership positions in a number of organizations because of their knowledge and expertise.
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An additional strength is the wide range of services available to support low- and moderate-income households across the City. This is in part because many persons in the City have recognized the many needs and formed not-for-profit groups to address these needs. Further, the City has observed, and to some degree facilitated, the coordination and cooperation among these groups in identifying new ways to meet needs. The City takes a proactive role in supporting coordination across providers and county systems. HSD convenes two monthly care coordination meetings, one for homeless individuals and one for housed seniors at risk of eviction. These meetings bring together interdepartmental partners, local nonprofit staff and county representatives to collectively problem solve around difficult cases, sharing knowledge and resources.
Despite the activities described above, lack of awareness of the availability of services by those in need and a lack of knowledge about how to access services are significant obstacles to the provision of services. Outreach to those in need should be significant and culturally appropriate. To avoid duplication of efforts and improve the effectiveness of limited funding, the City will continue to work in collaboration with surrounding jurisdictions, non-profit organizations, and other community groups to coordinate and monitor the delivery of social services. This entails working with groups to identify and meet critical gaps in services. Fund leveraging, resource development, and coordination of services are critical activities that will be undertaken to address significant budget and programmatic constraints.
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Availability of services targeted to homeless persons and persons with HIV and mainstream services
Homelessness Prevention
Services
Available in the
Community
Targeted to
Homeless
Targeted to People
with HIV
Homelessness Prevention Services
Counseling/Advocacy X X X
Legal Assistance X X X
Mortgage Assistance
Rental Assistance X X X
Utilities Assistance X X X
Street Outreach Services
Law Enforcement X X X
Mobile Clinics
Other Street Outreach Services X X X
Supportive Services
Alcohol & Drug Abuse X X X
Child Care X X X
Education X X X
Employment and Employment
Training X X X
Healthcare X X X
HIV/AIDS X X X
Life Skills X X X
Mental Health Counseling X X X
Transportation X X X
Other
Table 31 - Homeless Prevention Services Summary
Describe how the service delivery system including, but not limited to, the services listed above meet the needs of homeless persons (particularly chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) The City uses a variety of programs and partners (noted above) to first prevent low-income persons from becoming homeless and, second, to support homeless persons and families in obtaining safe, affordable and sustainable housing. These efforts include a continuum of programs ranging from emergency shelters to transitional housing to permanent supportive housing services.
In 2008, the City adopted the use of the Vulnerability Index as a means of identifying and prioritizing services for those individuals in the community that are the most frail in health. The Vulnerability Index
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is administered as a detailed survey, completed voluntarily by participants, which captures their history of health issues, homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse. It also captures demographic information, such as age, gender, race, and veteran status. In March 2014 the City transitioned to using the Vulnerability Index & Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT). The VI-SPDAT is a tool for assessing the needs of homeless individuals and deciding the appropriate level of services needed. The survey is entered into the City’s HMIS database, which has been specially configured to calculate an individual’s acuity and ranks individuals from non-vulnerable to most vulnerable. This system, also referred to as the Service Registry, allows the City and service providers to direct resources to the most vulnerable members of Santa Monica’s homeless population. The system is constantly updated by providers as they encounter participants who meet the City’s priority definition.
Describe the strengths and gaps of the service delivery system for special needs population and persons experiencing homelessness, including, but not limited to, the services listed above
This delivery system includes a wide range of services for special needs populations and persons experiencing homelessness, and these programs are coordinated into a City-wide strategy to prevent homelessness and address it in a comprehensive manner. The primary strength of addressing homelessness through participation in the City’s coordinated homeless effort is that it allows partners to focus resources on specific issues in order to avoid duplication of services. The City’s efforts also allow for a wider array of voices to be heard on what is a wide ranging issue. Still, the need exists to provide better and more information among housing providers, social service providers and case management agencies.
The City and its partner agencies have refined their approach to service delivery through the adoption of best practice models – many derived from new initiatives promoted by the City. Examples include Housing First in the area of homelessness, and the Santa Monica Cradle to Career (SMC2C) collective impact model for youth and families. These new approaches involve collaborative, on-going, one-on-one interventions that are often resource intensive, and yield high-impact outcomes that have a positive and measurable impact on individuals, families and the community as a whole. They promote a “whatever it takes” approach which often involves using assertive case management, clinically-trained staff, and interdisciplinary teams.
Provide a summary of the strategy for overcoming gaps in the institutional structure and service delivery system for carrying out a strategy to address priority needs The gap identified in the institutional structure and service delivery system in Santa Monica is the need for more and better information dissemination and sharing among agencies and organizations that provide services. The City continues to seek new partners and to enhance the relationship with existing partners in City departments and social service agencies to improve and better coordinate the dissemination of information about and the delivery of programs and services. Moving forward, the City seeks to continue to invest in programs that demonstrate effectiveness through high-impact,
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measurable outcomes achieved through collaboration. Collaborative efforts should also explore and include new partnerships and networking opportunities with all members of this community, as well as key county partners. Also the City seeks opportunities to leverage the limited available resources.
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SP-45 Goals Summary – 91.215(a)(4)
Goals Summary Information
Sort
Order
Goal Name Start
Year
End
Year
Category Geographic
Area
Needs Addressed Funding Goal Outcome Indicator
1 Expand/Improved Public
Infrastructure/Facilities
2025 2029 Non-Housing
Community
Development
Low/Mod
Areas
Public Infrastructure
& Facilities
Enhancements
CDBG:
$4,424,660
Public Facility or
Infrastructure Activities
other than Low/Moderate
Income Housing Benefit:
5000 Persons Assisted
2 Provide Safe, Affordable
Housing Opportunities
2025 2029 Affordable
Housing
Non-Homeless
Special Needs
Low/Mod
Areas
Affordable Housing
Opportunities HOME:
$2,712,140
Tenant-based rental
assistance / Rapid
Rehousing: 125
Households Assisted
3 Provide Vital Services for
LMI & Special Needs
2025 2029 Non-Housing
Community
Development
Low/Mod
Areas
Services for Low
Income Community
Members
Services for People
Experiencing
Homelessness
CDBG:
$1,087,500
Public service activities
other than Low/Moderate
Income Housing Benefit:
600 Persons Assisted
4 Economic Development
Opportunities
2025 2029 Non-Housing
Community
Development
Low/Mod
Areas
Support for LowModerate Income
Workers and Business
Owners
CDBG:
$312,500
Public service activities
other than Low/Moderate
Income Housing Benefit: 25
Persons Assisted
Table 32 – Goals Summary
Goal Descriptions
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1 Goal Name 1. Expand/Improve Public Infrastructure/Facilities Goal
Description
Improve access to public infrastructure through development activities for LMI persons and households. Public infrastructure activities include improvements to infrastructure in the jurisdiction such as parks and park facilities, roadway resurfacing and improvements to curbs and ramps on sidewalks for ADA compliance. Expand and improve access to public facilities through development activities for LMI persons and households and for special needs population (elderly, persons with a disability, victims of domestic abuse, etc.). Public facilities may include neighborhood facilities, homeless shelters, community centers and parks, and recreation facilities.
2 Goal Name 2. Provide Safe, Affordable Housing Opportunities Goal
Description
Increase affordable rental housing opportunities for LMI households. Activities include ongoing Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA). While the City will typically dedicate its CDBG resources for low to moderate income clients, in the event of a natural disaster or other declared emergency, the City may direct funds to serve individuals and households with a particular urgent need. By definition urgent need clients are those that have a particular emergency situation but are over 80% AMI
3 Goal Name 3. Provide Vital Services for LMI & Special Needs Goal
Description
Provide supportive services for low income and special needs populations in the jurisdiction. Public services will target LMI citizens and may include services to address homelessness, persons with physical and mental health disabilities, the elderly, and the youth. Services may also include recreational programs for special needs populations, education and health programs for special needs households, substance abuse services, legal services, fair housing awareness, eviction prevention, crime prevention programs, case management for emergency assistance, employment programs, and health programs. 4 Goal Name 4. Economic Development Opportunities
Goal
Description
Provide support to small businesses, including funding the City’s Small Business Assistance and Tenant Improvement Program to continue cultivating economic growth for eligible Santa Monica small businesses serving low-mod income areas.
Estimate the number of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income families to whom the jurisdiction will provide affordable housing as defined by HOME 91.315(b)(2)
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Tenant-based Rental Assistance: 125 Households Assisted
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SP-50 Public Housing Accessibility and Involvement – 91.215(c) Need to Increase the Number of Accessible Units (if Required by a Section 504 Voluntary Compliance Agreement)
Not Applicable, no public housing.
Activities to Increase Resident Involvements
Not Applicable
Is the public housing agency designated as troubled under 24 CFR part 902? N/A
Plan to remove the ‘troubled’ designation
Not Applicable
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SP-55 Barriers to affordable housing – 91.215(h)
Barriers to Affordable Housing
The Housing Element of the City’s General Plan recognizes concerns about affordable housing and addresses them through several goals, specifically: identifying programs to assist in the production of affordable units, protecting and rehabilitating affordable units, and providing assistance to low- and moderate-income households and households with special needs. The City continues to monitor, analyze, and address market conditions and governmental factors that may act as barriers to affordable housing.
Though public policies are meant to address the overall needs of citizens, they may cause inadvertent negative effects on certain aspects of the community, which in this case are affordable housing and residential investment. Affordable housing and public and private residential investments are key components to furthering fair housing in any community. In part, to identify these negative effects and further the purposes of the Fair Housing Act, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established a legal requirement that entitlement grantees, such as the City of Santa Monica, shall affirmatively further fair housing. The primary tool for communities to identify contributing factors for these barriers to fair housing is the HUD Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH).
In 2020, the City of Santa Monica completed an AFH, which outlined contributing factors to fair housing issues in the City. The 2020 AFH prioritized the identified contributing factors, of which these were the leading priorities within the City:
1. Displacement of residents due to economic pressures
2. Impediments to mobility
3. Lack of access to opportunity due to high housing costs
4. Lack of affordable, accessible housing in a range of unit sizes
5. Land use and zoning laws
6. Private discrimination
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A list of Medium and Low Priority Contributing Factors to Fair Housing Issues can be viewed in the AFH.
Through the identification, evaluation, and ranking of Contributing Factors to Fair Housing, the City was able to propose four (4) goals with associated strategies to affirmatively further fair housing in Santa Monica. Below is a list of proposed goals (a list of strategies for each goal can be viewed in the 2020 AFH).
Goal 1: Increase the supply of affordable housing
Goal 2: Preserve the existing stock of affordable rental housing and rent stabilized housing Goal 3: Prevent displacement of low- and moderate-income residents Goal 4: Increase community integration for persons with disabilities Strategy to Remove or Ameliorate the Barriers to Affordable Housing Governmental restrictions may constrain the production of affordable housing. The City of Santa Monica continues to monitor, analyze and address as necessary, governmental regulations, land use controls and residential development standards that affect the production and preservation of affordable housing.
Fair housing is crucial to ensuring that persons of all income levels have equal access to housing. HUD requires that jurisdictions receiving federal funds commit to affirmatively further fair housing. According to HUD, a fair housing impediment is considered to be “any action, omission, or decision which has the effect of restricting housing choice or its availability because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.” A key part to affirmatively furthering fair housing is the preparation of an Assessment of Fair Housing Plan, approved by the City Council on April 28, 2020. The Assessment of Fair Housing Plan is available at www.santamonica.gov/housing-policy-and-reports.
The City of Santa Monica’s Public Rights Division (formerly Consumer Protection Unit) in the City Attorney’s Office takes an active role to ensure fair housing opportunities are enforced. The Public Rights Division has two primary responsibilities: Enforcing local, state, and federal laws to assure that consumers are treated fairly and lawfully; and investigating complaints involving charges of discrimination based on race, age, children, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, religion, or infection with HIV. The Public Rights Division also educates tenants, landlords and the real estate community on fair housing laws, provides referrals to mediation services, and conducts community outreach throughout the year.
The City’s Rent Control Board also monitors evictions and advises Santa Monica tenants of their rights.
Santa Monica’s Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Harassment laws, among others, help to assure that tenants are not discriminated against by building owners. Other agencies, such as the Santa Monica Housing Authority, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, California Department of Fair and Equal
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Housing, and HUD also offer assistance to persons with fair housing issues.
New housing developments subsidized by federal funding must have an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan, which sets the steps that developers or property managers must take to reach out to various populations during property rental or sale. The Marketing Plan specifically targets potential tenants, underrepresented minorities, economically-disadvantaged populations, and low-income homebuyers to better integrate them into the community. Market factors that tend to restrict affordable housing production are high land costs, high construction costs, and the availability of financing. To help mitigate the high cost of housing development in Santa Monica, the City has historically provided a program to make “gap” financing available for affordable housing projects. In November 2016, Santa Monica voters adopted Measures GSH and GS to provide a local, ongoing revenue source through a transaction and use tax, to fund nonprofit affordable housing preservation and development. In November 2022, Santa Monica voters adopted Measure GS to provide another local, ongoing revenue source through a property transfer tax, to fund homelessness prevention and affordable housing programs. The City's Housing Element recognizes the role of land use regulations in housing development and has reduced regulatory barriers and streamlined development approval processes to facilitate the production of affordable units, protection and rehabilitation of affordable units, and the provision of assistance to low and moderate income households and households with special needs.
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SP-60 Homelessness Strategy – 91.215(d)
Reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their individual needs
The needs of homeless persons and of persons with special needs are complex and require a wide range of specialized services. Numerous agencies, including City-funded agencies, are involved in the care of people experiencing homelessness, providing distinct services such as housing, mental health counseling, employment training, and case management services. A number of activities and services are funded to help the needs of the homeless and other special needs populations. Overall, these services address the high priority of reducing homelessness and the threat of becoming homeless, as well as providing necessary services.
There are several groups that have a higher need for affordable housing and have special housing needs.
These groups have been identified as: the elderly and frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), victims of domestic violence, youth (in general and aging-out foster youth), and members of the Santa Monica Service Registry, which is a by-name list of the most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals as determined by length of time on the streets, age, and physical and mental health conditions. City-funded multidisciplinary teams combine street outreach, medical provision and behavioral healthcare with case management support and housing navigation services, with the goal of meeting immediate needs while connecting participants experiencing homelessness to long-term housing resources. Seniors and people with disabilities are more likely to face housing instability and have difficulty affording housing due to often living on fixed incomes that does not keep pace with cost of living. Seniors and people with disabilities also have a need for accessible housing to support aging in place and independent living, whether for new housing, rehabilitated existing housing, or the adaptation of the housing they currently occupy. In addition to general challenges, seniors may have additional supportive needs resulting from increasing physical and/or cognitive conditions.
As part of the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for Los Angeles County, Santa Monica homeless service agencies use the VI-SPDAT triage pre-assessment tool to assess an individual’s strengths and challenges in areas of housing, risky behavior, socialization, and wellness (health and behavioral health). The VISPDAT indicates the most appropriate intervention, with low scores indicating a need for light services and high scores indicating a need for more intensive services up to and including permanent supportive housing.
The City also funds two types of street engagement teams: one HMST (Homeless Multidisciplinary Street Team) and three C3 (City, County, Community), both of which are operated by the local nonprofit The People Concern. HMST is dedicated to working with the highest utilizers of fire and police services, while the C3 team focuses on the geographic areas most impacted by homelessness, including the downtown area and the beach. These teams engage individuals with street-based medical and behavioral health interventions to help stabilize behaviors while linking people to resources and housing. In support of these efforts, City Council approved use of Measure CS funds to add a third C3 Team to cover the
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remainder of the city on July 1, 2023. In calendar year 2023, the multidisciplinary teams made 8,193 contacts with people experiencing homelessness and provided direct medical or psychiatric services to 1,012 participants. In 2023, these teams placed 45 people into interim housing and 13 into permanent housing. As part of the CES for Los Angeles County, the teams utilize the VI-SPDAT to prioritize highly vulnerable households for housing placement. Using the City’s HMIS and monthly coordination meetings, the City works closely with local and regional providers to track the progress of these individuals, providing advocacy and resources in order to shorten the length of homelessness. The Downtown Santa Monica Ambassadors also support the multidisciplinary teams, providing outreach and referrals to individuals wherever they may be.
In addition, the City utilizes first responders to engage and assess the needs of homeless individuals. The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) maintains a specialized Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) Team of nine officers and a sergeant who work in conjunction with local nonprofits and City departments to identify vulnerable individuals and coordinate services. SMPD also provides training to all patrol officers on safe and appropriate methods for engaging and de-escalating people with mental illness. SMPD has developed the first POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training)-approved homeless curriculum in the state, which has been offered to sworn and civilian personnel from across the country.
Addressing the emergency and transitional housing needs of homeless persons While the City continues to support over 240 year-round interim housing beds in the community through direct funding, leases, and regional partnerships, shelter capacity has fluctuated due to COVID outbreaks at interim housing facilities and subsequent reduced capacity. The City continues to support efforts to increase regional bed capacity through its participation in the Westside Cities Council of Government (WSCCOG). The WSCCOG is a vehicle through which the City champions regional solutions and problem solving in tandem with the leadership of neighboring communities. City Council has identified the redesign of the SAMOSHEL interim housing program as a priority, and has supported the use of Measure CS funds for this initiative. The redesign will accommodate 24/7 intakes, giving additional options for after-hours intake and facilitating first responder transports for people experiencing homelessness and non-urgent behavioral health issues. In 2023, the City partnered with the LA County Homeless Initiative to start a Pathway Home project which is a collaboration between a local motel operator, social service provider, LA County DHS, and LAHSA to move people from encampments into motel rooms and provide case management, housing navigation, and time limited subsidies for permanent housing. The program launched in 2024 and so far has served 45 individuals who were living on the streets of Santa Monica. Of the 28 individuals who exited the program, 16 (57%) exited to permanent housing.
Helping homeless persons (especially chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living, including shortening the period of time that individuals and families experience homelessness, facilitating access for homeless individuals
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and families to affordable housing units, and preventing individuals and families who were recently homeless from becoming homeless again.
Many households who become homeless experience episodes of homelessness perhaps once or twice in a lifetime and for periods of less than a year. They are often families, including families with children, and are often homeless because of a particular crisis such as loss of income, eviction, foreclosure, illness, disaster, or calamity (fire, flood, condemnation of unsafe housing). The greatest challenge for this segment is finding affordable housing.
The City uses the county’s vulnerability assessment tool to prioritize highly vulnerable households for permanent housing. Using the City’s HMIS and monthly care coordination meetings, the City works closely with local and regional providers to track the progress of these individuals into housing, assisting with advocacy and resources to remove system and process barriers in order to shorten the length of homelessness. Care coordination meetings are conducted virtually via teleconference. The City also maintains a variety of resources to help transition homeless individuals and families into permanent housing, and support them over time. Direct financial assistance is provided to support the moving process, including move-in costs (security deposits, moving expenses), basic furniture, and rental application fees. Once housed, the care coordination efforts continue to ensure that households do not return to homelessness. City-funded housing programs are required, as part of their contract agreement, to notify the Housing and Human Services Department if tenants are at risk for eviction. The City also funds legal services to prevent eviction, address tenant harassment and discrimination against people who are disabled or have a history of homelessness, and offers emergency rental assistance to prevent eviction.
In 2021, under the American Rescue Plan, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated 104 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) to the City to be issued to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The City prioritized its allocation of EHVs to exit people in local shelter programs and unsheltered individuals referred by City-funded street engagement teams into permanent housing with supportive services. Households with EHVs are prioritized for permanent housing through the City’s Below Market Housing waitlist. As interim housing beds become available, City staff are working closely with SMPD, SMFD and the City’s multidisciplinary street teams to refer vulnerable individuals from our streets, parks, and open spaces to available shelters, housing navigation resources, and/or permanent housing opportunities. EHV participants began moving into their own apartments in February 2022. To date, 82 people experiencing homelessness have ended their experience of homelessness in Santa Monica using EHVs. In 2023, the City received an allocation of 15 Housing Stability (HS) vouchers from LAHSA and is working with the local outreach teams and interim housing programs to match eligible people experiencing homelessness to these resources.
Help low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-income individuals and families who are likely to become homeless after being discharged from a publicly funded institution or system of care, or who are receiving
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assistance from public and private agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education or youth needs
Actions to address the issues noted in this Consolidated Plan include:
Increase the supply of and access to supportive housing and supportive services for special needs populations
Assist the homeless and those at risk of homelessness with access to permanent affordable housing and supportive services that promote housing stability Coordinate homeless services, including services for those at-risk of homelessness, and encourage collaboration among providers
As part of the City’s Human Services Grants Program, homeless services agencies and other non-profits are funded to provide housing retention services, supportive services to build income, health and behavioral health services, legal services, and benefits assistance that enable people to retain their housing. The City's Senior & Disability Housing Task Force meets to identify older adults and people with disabilities at imminent risk of losing housing and collaborate on solutions to keep them housed in the appropriate level of care. In 2024, the City is embarking on a strategic planning process to meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities in Santa Monica, including strategies to prevent homelessness and promote housing stability.
As pandemic-era restrictions on evictions lifted in 2022 and 2023, landlords began pursuing evictions much more frequently. As of August 2023, eviction filings had increased above pre-pandemic levels, reversing a years long downward trend in the total number of eviction filings. In the face of this data, City Council approved new tenant protection laws. The City also hosts regular tenant/landlord forums.
The City also funds Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) to investigate harassment claims and provide representation to low-income tenants to prevent unlawful evictions. In 2021, City Council approved additional funding to LAFLA to launch a Right to Counsel program to provide additional representation for tenants facing eviction, as well as new and expanded case management and paralegal services in 2022 to help support vulnerable tenants.
The City also continued its Preserving Our Diversity (POD) program, which provides cash-based assistance to low-income, long-term rent control senior households to help them achieve a minimum monthly after-rent income for basic needs. As of June 2025, 223 low-income senior households had enrolled in POD. In 2025, program eligibility is being expanded, and additional budget is being allocated for targeted outreach, with the long-term goal of enrolling 300 low-income seniors in the program.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City implemented a number of strategies to help prevent evictions. In March 2020, the City enacted a local eviction moratorium to keep renters impacted by COVID in their homes. The City also implemented the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) using CDBG and General Funds to provide 638 households economically impacted by COVID with three months’ rent up to $5,000. In summer 2021, staff created an enhanced outreach campaign to
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inform renter residents and property owners about the State COVID-19 Rental Assistance program, Housing is Key. Since outreach began in August, an estimated 1,400 additional applications were submitted by Santa Monica residents. Approximately 1,800 Santa Monica households were served with an average assistance of $15,000 and $28,150,675 total funds paid.
The 2022 General Adjustment (GA) of 6% increase for rent-controlled units was the highest increase since 1990. An increase of this magnitude was expected to lead to greater housing instability in the community. In response, the City of Santa Monica developed the Rent Control Adjustment Relief (RCAR) Program, and an Eviction Protection Ordinance for qualifying tenants who need more time to pay the increased rent. The RCAR Program provides relief equivalent to a 3% rent increase over a 12-month period to be paid directly to the property owner/manager in a single lump sum. Over the course of the RCAR program, the City issued 502 payments at a total sum of $329,612 .
The City also works with the Westside Coalition, which meets monthly to discuss advocacy and to coordinate with publicly-funded institutions that may discharge persons into homelessness. City staff coordinates with SMPD and the City Attorney’s Office (CAO) to divert individuals from local jail to available social services and court-based alternative justice options. In 2023, the City approved utilizing HOME-ARP funding for a diversion program called Shelter, Treatment and Empowerment Program (STEP) Court which is a redesign of the Homeless Community Court and will launch in 2024.
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SP-65 Lead based paint Hazards – 91.215(i)
Actions to address LBP hazards and increase access to housing without LBP hazards Since inception of the CDBG program, all homes older than 1978 scheduled for rehabilitation activities receive lead-based paint testing to determine the extent of lead hazards, and where appropriate, remediated in conjunction with the rehabilitation. Any lead found was addressed by interim controls and abatement through covering and/or painting.
The City will also continue to take the following actions this program year to meet lead-based paint requirements:
Report incidents of lead-poisoning to the Los Angeles County Health Department Incorporate lead-based paint hazard reduction procedures into rehabilitation guidelines Develop and distribute lead-based paint reduction and abatement information to all landlords, managers, tenants, or owner-occupants of rehabilitation properties, as well as to community groups
Work cooperatively with its nonprofit housing providers and community health organizations to provide educational material and identify potential sources of lead poisoning in City-assisted affordable housing projects
Apply housing quality standards to inspections of Section 8 units and assess risks of exposure to lead based paint for households with children six years of age and under and report any findings to HUD on a quarterly basis
Address blight in individual buildings by eliminating specific conditions that present health and safety hazards to the public
Provide lead-based paint testing and remediation to existing single- and multi-family units, targeting low and moderate income households. While the health department formerly provided reports on lead-based hazards to the City, that data is no longer made available to housing authorities
How are the actions listed above related to the extent of lead poisoning and hazards? The City has a limited number of structures with lead-based paint and the presence of children as noted above. However, the City does ensure that this matter is addressed in all instances involving older housing, as described in the next response.
How are the actions listed above integrated into housing policies and procedures? The City inspects for lead-based paint risks in all units that federally-assisted participants occupy.
Additionally, the City tracks and reports to Los Angeles County Health Department regarding lead-based paint in housing involving children six years of age and under. Furthermore, when using CDBG and
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HOME funds for housing rehabilitation, structures are tested for lead-based paint and if found, hazards are remediated.
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SP-70 Anti-Poverty Strategy – 91.215(j)
Jurisdiction Goals, Programs and Policies for reducing the number of Poverty-Level Families The objectives and strategies of this Plan are focused on reducing the number of families in poverty, improving the quality of life for the poorest of families, and lessening the impacts of poverty. Strategies include those addressing affordable housing, special needs housing, homelessness, public facilities, public improvements, and economic development.
However, pressing needs in other areas limits the amount of resource that the City can allocate to economic development initiatives. The City does have a Human Services Grant Program, which, as noted below, funds programs that support training, workforce development, and other economic development related efforts and programs.
The movement of people above the poverty line involves a variety of policies and programs that extend beyond providing opportunities for employment at a living wage. Access to education, transportation, childcare, and affordable housing are key components that can assist persons to secure and retain economically self-sustaining employment.
The City will employ a variety of strategies to help alleviate poverty, including efforts to stimulate economic growth and job opportunities, and to provide Santa Monica residents with the skills and abilities required to take advantage of those opportunities. Responsive programs will foster greater economic independence and income stability through supportive services, financial literacy and educational and job opportunities.
How are the Jurisdiction poverty reducing goals, programs, and policies coordinated with this affordable housing plan
The City’s anti-poverty strategy is part of a coordinated effort to create jobs and improve the local economy. CDBG provides core funding for critical basic needs including health, housing, and employment because the creation of economic opportunities is not an isolated solution to alleviating poverty. The City works with community partners to identify educational, life skills and training needs and provide opportunities for self-empowerment that will enable low- and moderate-income residents to become and continue to be self-sufficient and economically independent. These programs have an immediate impact on primary needs of the low-income population and the causes of poverty. The City will continue to implement the anti-poverty strategy outlined in the Consolidated Plan. This includes continued prioritization of housing and homeless programs per HUD requirements, as well as other programs that address the following:
Pre-vocational and job readiness skills training including assessment and assistance with applications, resumes, job-seeking skills, and work performance standards Job development and placement for temporary and permanent employment opportunities with
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businesses, industry, and government
Apprenticeships and training linkages with skills center and other vocational resources Educational enrichment, skill-building, and parental support to encourage children and youth to be healthy, succeed in school, avoid gang activity, and prepare for productive adulthoods Youth skill-building and development to design innovative and creative alternatives to criminal involvement, youth violence, isolation, and loss of opportunities for growth Legal services to include brief service and full representation in landlord/tenant matters, public benefits assistance, discrimination, consumer affairs, and other critical legal aid Domestic violence intervention and prevention that offers counsel and advice, immediate assistance in obtaining restraining, stay-away and other protective orders, and critical support services to victims of domestic violence
Independent living skills and assistance and peer counseling to ensure full self-sufficiency and independence among the elderly and people with disabilities Childcare subsidies (infant, preschool and elementary) and assistance to working parents Free health care and supportive service assistance to extremely low, very low, and low- income Santa Monica residents including vital assistance to those with HIV/AIDS Wrap-around assertive case management for vulnerable youth and their families, including access to flexible funds for emergency situations and homelessness prevention The City continues to implement its Living Wage Ordinance, which requires all contractors with service contracts greater than $54,200 to pay their employees a living wage. The living wage is updated annually. For FY 2025-26 the living wage is set at $22.50 per hour.
Additionally, the City continues to leverage other federal, state, and local funds to assist homeless and near homeless households with rental assistance, housing search and placement, and legal and credit repair services.
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SP-80 Monitoring – 91.230
Describe the standards and procedures that the jurisdiction will use to monitor activities carried out in furtherance of the plan and will use to ensure long-term compliance with requirements of the programs involved, including minority business outreach and the comprehensive planning requirements
Plan-related programs and activities are carried out in a timely manner in accordance with federal regulations and other statutory or regulatory requirements. The primary monitoring goals of the City are to provide technical assistance to grant administrators and staff; to ensure activities are carried out in compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory requirements; and to identify deficiencies and promote corrections in order to improve, reinforce, or augment the City’s ability to adhere to Consolidated Plan objectives and annual goals.
To ensure the accomplishment of goals and objectives, the City is involved with administration and coordination of all City-funded programs and related activities. The CDBG Coordinator, project managers, and other supporting City staff meet as-needed throughout the program year to monitor the progress of CDBG- and HOME-funded projects. City staff in a number of departments and divisions, including Housing and Human Services, Community Development, and Public Works provide technical assistance as needed to contractors and subrecipients.
All Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and contracts are reviewed carefully to ensure compliance with HUD and local requirements for program delivery, financial management, procurement, personnel matters, and other such requirements. Subrecipient contracts require verification of eligibility and substantiation of all pertinent information and activities and include language requiring periodic and annual monitoring of activities for financial and programmatic compliance.
During project implementation, subrecipients are required to submit periodic progress reports detailing progress toward objectives, problems and/or resolution to meeting goals, and quantitative participation data by ethnicity, income, and household status. Periodic reports and payment requests are reviewed for compliance with the project agreement, budget consistency, and documentation of expenditures.
Subrecipients are advised of any procedural errors and/or ineligible activities, and provided with technical assistance as needed.
Upon project completion, project sponsors are required to submit completion reports identifying program/project accomplishments, including persons or households served, ethnicity, and income level.
Projects are subject to an on-site performance and financial audit review on a selective basis during project implementation or upon completion of a project. Priority for on-site performance and/or audit review is given to high-risk programs.
Affordable housing development projects must submit annual compliance reports throughout the period of required affordability. These reports are designed to ensure continued compliance with federal regulations, affordability and use restrictions, and other requirements as specified in project
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loan documents. In addition, all HOME and CDBG-assisted projects will be subject to periodic site visits to ensure continued compliance with federal housing quality standards. The City conducts program and fiscal monitoring of nonprofit agencies to review program participant information and to confirm the agencies are properly accounting for grant funds. Affordable housing developments are also required to submit rent revenues and conduct annual tenant recertification of eligibility.
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Expected Resources
AP-15 Expected Resources – 91.220(c)(1,2)
Introduction
Santa Monica, like many jurisdictions, is faced with the challenging task of meeting increasing needs with fluctuating federal and state resources.
The figures shown in the table below show actual CDBG and HOME allocations for FY 2025-26. CDBG shows a modest decrease of -3.2% under 2024-25 funding levels, while HOME funds also receive a small decrease of -1.5%. The reductions in HOME will most directly impact the resources available for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA). However, even with decreased funding, the City is making adjustments that will allow TBRA to maintain all current voucher program participants for at least another 2-3 full years. Over that time, the City’s Housing team will work to reduce the number of households served by TBRA vouchers by transitioning households to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. This will make certain that the TBRA program is sustained, while also ensuring that no current TBRA participants experience a gap in benefits. In the meantime, the City will continue to work with federal lobbyists and advocates in hopes that funding for HOME will someday be restored. If there are additional cuts or increases to CDBG or HOME over the coming years, the City will adjust accordingly to implement strategies reflective of funding realities.
The following contingencies apply to 2025-26 activities proposed for funding:
HUD has intermittently waived the requirement that entitlement jurisdictions set aside 15% of their annual HOME allocation for Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) activities. Should the waiver be announced for the FY 2025-26 program year, these funds would be used to increase funding for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and/or HOME Administration.
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Anticipated Resources
Program Source of
Funds
Uses of Funds Expected Amount Available Year 1 Expected Amount
Available
Remainder of
ConPlan
$
Narrative Description
Annual
Allocation: $
Program
Income:
$
Prior Year
Resources:
$
Total:
$
CDBG public -
federal
Acquisition
Admin and Planning
Economic
Development
Housing
Public Improvements
Public Services
$1,114,932 $50,000 0 $1,164,932 $4,659,728
Program Income from MERL
loan repayments and interest
earned. Unexpended project
funds from prior years.
HOME public -
federal
Acquisition
Homebuyer assistance
Homeowner rehab
Multifamily rental new
construction
Multifamily rental
rehab
New construction for
ownership
TBRA
$502,427.92 $40,000 0 $542,427.92 $2,169,711.68
Program Income from MERL
loan repayments and interest
earned. Unexpended project
funds from prior years.
Table 33 - Expected Resources – Priority Table
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Explain how federal funds will leverage those additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements will be satisfied
City administration recognizes that the City's annual entitlement and formula allocations are not sufficient to meet all of its needs, and that leveraging resources is critical to achieving the City’s goals. The City continues to cultivate funding partners who can match the City's investment of CDBG and HOME funds. Even with $10+ million in funding for the City’s Human Services Grants Program and local funding committed to the production and preservation of affordable housing, the need remains great, and additional funds are sought to ensure that more affordable housing and important programs and activities are available for those in need. To that end, the City seeks funds from the State and grants from other entities, both public and private.
Matching requirements have been satisfied with other eligible financial resources and/or in-kind services, and the City will continue to seek this type of matching as well as financial matches.
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If appropriate, describe publicly owned land or property located within the jurisdiction that may be used to address the needs identified in the plan The City owns two properties that are leased to a local non-profit at below-market rates for the operations of homeless services at the Access Center and the SAMOSHEL emergency shelter. Funds from Measure CS, passed in November 2022, were used to support the redesign of SAMOSHEL to allow referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week from Santa Monica first responders. The redesign includes a separate intake area so that current shelter residents are not disturbed by over night intakes. With the SAMOSHEL redesign completed in March 2024, first responders are now able to refer clients to emergency shelter beds 24/7. In 2022, the City executed a long-term lease for Ken Edwards Center, a City-owned facility, to a non-profit providing services to seniors, including those who are disabled, atrisk of homelessness, or low-income.
Prior to the adoption of the October 2022 Housing Element discussed in more detail below, the City reviewed various City-owned properties and evaluated the sites for potential affordable housing development. The sites represented a range of development potential involving near-term and longterm opportunities, as well as housing production ‘yield’. One particular site was ready for redevelopment, and in January 2022, the City Council selected a developer for the property at 1318 4th Street to be developed as 100% affordable housing, including a requirement that 50 apartments of the future affordable housing be targeted to persons experiencing homelessness. During 2022 and 2023, the developer has been meeting with stakeholders and members of the community to receive input about the potential design of the affordable housing and associated services for the supportive housing component.
On October 11, 2022, the City Council adopted the 2021-2029 Housing Element, a State-mandated plan to demonstrate the City’s capacity to accommodate its share of regional housing need at all income levels. In the Housing Element, the City demonstrated capacity for 1,880 homes affordable to lower income households on specific City-owned sites. The sites will be developed with 100% affordable housing through issuance of requests for proposals (RFPs) during the Housing Element planning period.
The City issued an RFP on June 22, 2023, for development of affordable housing on three City-owned public surface parking lots located at 1217 Euclid Street, 1211-17 14th Street, and 1146 16th Street. The sites are collectively projected to accommodate 130 homes. The City Council selected a development team for the three sites on March 19, 2024. As part of Housing Element implementation, the City will issue its next RFP for affordable housing on a City-owned site no later than June 30, 2025.
Discussion
N/A
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Annual Goals and Objectives
AP-20 Annual Goals and Objectives
Goals Summary Information
Sort
Order
Goal Name Start
Year
End
Year
Category Geographic
Area
Needs Addressed Funding Goal Outcome Indicator
1 Expand/Improved Public
Infrastructure/Facilities
2025 2026 Non-Housing
Community
Development
Low/Mod
Areas
Public Infrastructure
& Facilities
Enhancements
CDBG:
$884,932
2 Provide Safe, Affordable
Housing Opportunities
2025 2026 Affordable
Housing
NonHomeless
Special Needs
Low/Mod
Areas
Affordable Housing
Opportunities HOME:
$542,427.92
Tenant-based rental
assistance / Rapid
Rehousing: 25 Households
Assisted
3 Provide Vital Services for
LMI & Special Needs
2025 2026 Non-Housing
Community
Development
Low/Mod
Areas
Services for Low
Income Community
Members
Services for People
Experiencing
Homelessness
CDBG:
$217,500
Public service activities
other than Low/Moderate
Income Housing Benefit: 50
Persons Assisted
4 Economic Development
Opportunities
2025 2026 Non-Housing
Community
Development
Low/Mod
Areas
Support for LowModerate Income
Workers and Business
Owners
CDBG:
$2,500
5 Businesses Assisted
Table 34 – Goals Summary
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Goal Descriptions
1 Goal Name 1. Expand/Improve Public Infrastructure/Facilities Goal
Description
CDBG: Virginia Avenue Park Playground Replacement - Phase II The Virginia Avenue Park (VAP) Playground is in need of a renovation, specifically focused on equipment replacement, reducing sand, and providing shade. VAP is home to the only City playground in the Pico Neighborhood, and one which is heavily used by families, camps, and farmers market visitors. At present, the playground equipment is aging and in need of replacement, the sand surface prevents accessible use of the playground, and community members regularly request shade to be added to this site to provide relief from direct sunlight. The VAP Playground Replacement project will use a phased, multi-year approach to update playground equipment and to install a more accessible surface and shade covering in order to create a safe, enjoyable playground experience for the community.
CDBG: 19th Street Parcel Development - Phase II:
The vacant 2018 19th Street land parcel was originally purchased using CDBG and General Funds in FY 2019-20 in order to develop the land into a beneficial community resource. Following continued engagement of Pico Neighborhood residents within the service area, the City awarded FY 2023-24 CDBG funds for Phase I development, which includes grading and preparing the land for general accessibility. Phase II development will include the necessary infrastructure to support a community garden, including raised garden beds, seating, and lighting. With the completion of Phase II, the parcel will be transformed into a valuable amenity serving the Pico Neighborhood community while also adding an additional garden to the City's Community Garden program
2 Goal Name 2. Provide Safe, Affordable Housing Opportunities Goal
Description
Increase affordable rental housing opportunities for LMI households through the provision of Tenant-Based Rental Assistance.
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3 Goal Name 3. Provide Vital Services for LMI & Special Needs Goal
Description
Fund a multidisciplinary outreach team for people experiencing homelessness, including a substance use disorder hub and spoke system that increases the City's capacity to effectively address substance use and overdose among Santa Monica's homeless and temporarily housed populations
4 Goal Name 4. Economic Development Opportunities
Goal
Description
Fund the City’s Small Business Assistance and Tenant Improvement Program to continue cultivating an equitable economic recovery for eligible Santa Monica small businesses.
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Projects
AP-35 Projects – 91.220(d)
Introduction
The development of the Annual Action Plan involved consultation with those agencies involved in delivering housing and housing services within Santa Monica. Meetings and discussions were held between the staff of the City's Housing and Human Services Department and other City departments.
The City’s consultants also conducted interviews with appropriate housing and social service agencies regarding the housing and community needs of children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and homeless persons. Public input was also solicited through public hearings at Commission meetings. All projects selected to receive funding meet objectives and goals set by the City to address housing and social needs.
Projects
# Project Name
1 CDBG: Administration
2 CDBG: Infrastructure and Facilities
3 CDBG: Public Services
4 CDBG: Economic Development
5 HOME: Administration
6 HOME: Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
7 HOME: CHDO Reserve
Table 35 – Project Information
Describe the reasons for allocation priorities and any obstacles to addressing underserved needs
Proposed 2025-26 capital projects were identified from a pool of unfunded projects that aligned with 2025-29 Consolidated Plan priorities while meeting the greatest current needs.
As described above, Consolidated Plan needs and priorities were identified through input received from community leaders, citizen participation, Commission meetings, and public hearings, with the objective of using limited resources to have the greatest impact in meeting the most pressing needs. These inputs were described in the public participation section of the 2025-29 Consolidated Plan. The City also remains in regular communication with agency officials and partners in county, state, and regional organizations. In addition, the City’s Housing and Human Services, Community Development, and Public Works Departments continue to explore creative ways to efficiently utilize existing resources to assist those in need.
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to result in a significant increase in social service and housing needs in Santa Monica, while the decrease in City revenues resulting from the economic
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impacts of the pandemic have reduced the City’s ability to adequately address these emergent needs.
Concurrently, the consistent rise in market rents continues to exacerbate the difficulty of finding affordable housing in Santa Monica. Due to its heavy reliance on the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors, Santa Monica’s economy was particularly hard hit by the pandemic, with revenues from transient occupancy and sales taxes and parking related revenues, which accounted for nearly one-half of General Fund revenues prior to the pandemic, falling 39% in FY 2020-21 from pre-COVID levels, while total General Fund revenues were down 22% over the same period. While General Fund revenues are now growing, it is anticipated that they will not recover to the level projected prior to the pandemic until FY 2026-27. While the City has already experienced a loss of nearly $170 million since 2020, revenues will lag behind pre-pandemic projected growth by nearly $34 million more over the next five years, for a total revenue loss of approximately $204 million over 7 years.
Adding to the fiscal challenge is the current condition of the General Fund reserves. Strong reserves are necessary to cushion the delivery of services from the impact of emergency expenditures, contingent liabilities, and economic uncertainty. Since 2020, the City has had to program General Fund reserves to deliver essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic, to address several significant legal settlement payments, and to fill future budget deficits. Looking ahead, the City is facing some extraordinary, onetime contingent liabilities that further threaten reserve levels. As revenues return, the City will make every effort to allocate funding to address unmet needs in alignment with Council priorities and will continue to identify opportunities for partnership and alternative funding sources to complement the City’s limited resources.
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AP-38 Project Summary
Project Summary Information
1 Project Name CDBG: Administration
Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported N/A
Needs Addressed N/A
Funding CDBG: $232,986
Description Administer the CDBG program in compliance with federal regulations for the 2025 PY.
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
N/A
Location Description N/A
Planned Activities Administer the CDBG program in compliance with federal regulations for the 2025 PY.
2 Project Name CDBG: Public Infrastructure and Facilities Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported Expand/Improved Public Infrastructure and Facilities Needs Addressed Public Infrastructure and Facilities Enhancements Funding CDBG: $707,946
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OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Description VAP Playground Replacement (Phase II):The Virginia Avenue Park (VAP) Playground is in need of a renovation, specifically focused on equipment replacement, reducing sand, and providing shade. VAP is home to the only City playground in the Pico Neighborhood, and one which is heavily used by families, camps, and farmers market visitors. At present, the playground equipment is aging and in need of replacement, the sand surface prevents accessible use of the playground, and community members regularly request shade to be added to this site to provide relief from direct sunlight. The VAP Playground Replacement project will use a phased, multi-year approach to update playground equipment and to install a more accessible surface and shade covering in order to create a safe, enjoyable playground experience for the community. 2018 19th Street Development (Phase II): The vacant 2018 19th Street land parcel was originally purchased using CDBG and General Funds in FY 2019-20 in order to develop the land into a beneficial community resource. Following continued engagement of Pico Neighborhood residents within the service area, the City awarded FY 2023-24 CDBG funds for Phase I development, which includes grading and preparing the land for general accessibility. Phase II development will include the necessary infrastructure to support a community garden, including raised garden beds, seating, and lighting. With the completion of Phase II, the parcel will be transformed into a valuable amenity serving the Pico Neighborhood community while also adding an additional garden to the City's Community Garden program
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
N/A – While over 12,000 Santa Monicans reside in the combined lowmod income services areas, those accomplishments will be reported under Phase I of both listed activities.
Location Description 2018 19th Street; Virginia Avenue Park Planned Activities 2018 19th Street Development (Phase II) VAP Playground Replacement (Phase II)
3 Project Name CDBG: Public Services
Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported Provide Vital Services for LMI & Special Needs
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Needs Addressed Services for Low Income Community Members Services for People Experiencing Homelessness
Funding CDBG: $174,000
Description Fund a multidisciplinary outreach team for people experiencing homelessness, including a substance use disorder hub and spoke system that increases the City's capacity to effectively address substance use and overdose among Santa Monica's homeless and temporarily housed populations
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
50 Individuals
Location Description Citywide
Planned Activities Fund a multidisciplinary outreach team for people experiencing homelessness, including a substance use disorder hub and spoke system that increases the City's capacity to effectively address substance use and overdose among Santa Monica's homeless and temporarily housed populations
4 Project Name CDBG: Economic Development
Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported Economic Development
Needs Addressed Support Low-Moderate Income Workers and Business Owners Funding CDBG: $50,000
Description Fund the City’s Small Business Assistance and Tenant Improvement Program to continue supporting economic growth for eligible Santa Monica small businesses in LMI service areas.
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
5 Small Businesses
Location Description Eligible small businesses citywide
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Planned Activities Fund the City’s Small Business Assistance and Tenant Improvement Program to continue supporting economic growth for eligible Santa Monica small businesses serving low-mod income areas.
5 Project Name HOME: Administration
Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported N/A
Needs Addressed N/A
Funding HOME: $54,242.79
Description Administer the HOME program in compliance with federal regulations for the 2025 PY.
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
N/A
Location Description N/A
Planned Activities Administer the HOME program in compliance with federal regulations for the 2025 PY.
6 Project Name HOME: Tenant-Based Rental Assistance
Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported Provide Safe, Affordable Housing Opportunities Needs Addressed Affordable Housing Opportunities
Funding HOME: $412,820.94
Description Provide tenant based rental assistance for low-moderate income households.
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
Tenant-based Rental Assistance: 25 Households Assisted
Location Description Citywide
Planned Activities Provide tenant based rental assistance for low-moderate income households.
7 Project Name HOME: CHDO Reserves
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Target Area Low/Mod Areas
Goals Supported Provide Safe, Affordable Housing Opportunities Needs Addressed Affordable Housing Opportunities
Funding HOME: $75,364.19
Description Per regulation 92.300 the City is reserving 15% of the HOME allocation for a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO).
Target Date 6/30/2026
Estimate the number
and type of families
that will benefit from
the proposed activities
N/A
Location Description N/A
Planned Activities Per regulation 92.300 the City is reserving 15% of the HOME allocation for a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO).
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AP-50 Geographic Distribution – 91.220(f)
Description of the geographic areas of the entitlement (including areas of low-income and minority concentration) where assistance will be directed Area Name:
The latest HUD data indicate that there are 18 low/mod Block Groups in Santa Monica, distributed among 10 City’s Census Tracts. A map in the appendix to this Plan shows the location of these Block Groups.
Area Type:
All are HUD-defined low/mod areas.
Identify the neighborhood boundaries for this target area.
See above.
Include specific housing and commercial characteristics of this target area.
In each of these neighborhoods, the housing stock is typically older, and often smaller. Streets may need repair and other infrastructure is older.
How did your consultation and citizen participation process help you to identify this neighborhood as a target area?
These areas have been areas of concern in the past and emerged in the course of examining the data.
They were also mentioned in the course of community stakeholder discussions. These discussions confirmed the already known needs of these areas, complementing or corroborating the data.
Identify the needs in this target area.
The City’s needs are numerous and varied. As will be shown in the following sections, the principal needs are: 1) affordable housing through production, rehabilitation/repair, home modifications, and financial assistance, public improvements to improve neighborhoods; 2) housing for special needs populations; 3) assistance for the homeless, including housing, services and homelessness prevention; 4) community and public services especially for youth, the elderly, the homeless, and persons with disabilities; 5) economic development and anti-poverty programs focused primarily upon job training and support for low-moderate income business owners; and 6) public facility and infrastructure improvements. While it is not possible to address all of these needs with HUD resources alone, the goals
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of this plan were established to use HUD funds for the best and most effective use.
What are the opportunities for improvement in this target area? The opportunities are significant. First, the City can keep residents in safe, affordable housing and prevent additional persons and families from becoming homeless. Second, the City can improve the quality of life by providing needed services and improving conditions in these areas. Third, the City can promote economic development in these areas by supporting small businesses.
Are there barriers to improvement in this target area?
The barriers are significant because of the amount of effort and resources needed to provide the necessary assistance.
Geographic Distribution
Target Area Percentage of Funds
Low/Mod Areas 95
Table 36 - Geographic Distribution
Rationale for the priorities for allocating investments geographically Many of the City's low/mod block groups are predominantly residential, occurring in clusters and/or adjacent to one another. The most prominent grouping occurs in a stretch of low/mod block groups south of the 10 freeway and north of Pico Boulevard. Areas such as these have been areas of concern in the past and emerged in the course of continued examination of available data. These areas are consistently cited in discussions regarding resource allocation and the City remains committed to identifying and funding eligible projects that meet their established needs.
Discussion
The resources available under the 2025-26 Annual Action Plan are limited. The City targets funding according to priority needs throughout the City, with an emphasis on helping the lowest-income households, block groups, and service areas. Depending on the type of need being addressed, resources may or may not be geographically targeted. For example, public services for 2025-26 are not geographically targeted and are instead provided to eligible program participants in such a manner as to provide the greatest level of availability to the widest area possible. On the other hand, assistance to projects that improve public facilities/infrastructure will be undertaken in specific locations within eligible low/mod income areas. A project may only be funded outside of this area if the project primarily benefits low-income households or persons presumed to be low-income, such as adults with disabilities.
At least 95% of the funds are allocated to projects that meet the low-income limited clientele, low-mod
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housing, or low-mod area national objectives.
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Affordable Housing
AP-55 Affordable Housing – 91.220(g)
Introduction
The most notable impediment to affordable housing revolves around the lack of Federal and State resources for affordable housing initiatives commensurate with the scale of the need, including the development of additional affordable rental housing stock and the lack of funding for new construction and rehabilitation. Insufficient funding for programs and resources to reduce excessive rent or mortgage burdens to qualified persons is also a key factor.
Another barrier to affordable housing in Santa Monica is the high cost of housing created by a demand for housing, both existing and new, which exceeds the current supply. Santa Monica is perceived as a desirable place to live and has experienced growth in terms of both businesses that wish to operate here and in terms of people who wish to reside here. Housing prices, both purchase and rental, remain high, especially for lower income households. In addition, the cost of site acquisition is very high, as are development costs. These factors make housing construction expensive and put affordable housing out of the reach of low-income households.
The Housing Needs Assessment also identified stringent criteria in the mortgage origination process due to the previous foreclosure crisis, which also is outside the scope and control of City policy. In some instances, issues revolving around personal finances (lack of down payment, credit history, employment history) affect the availability of affordable housing for Santa Monica residents.
One Year Goals for the Number of Households to be Supported Homeless 50
Non-Homeless -
Special-Needs -
Total 50
Table 37 - One Year Goals for Affordable Housing by Support Requirement One Year Goals for the Number of Households Supported Through Rental Assistance 25
The Production of New Units 0
Rehab of Existing Units 0
Acquisition of Existing Units 0
Total 25
Table 38 - One Year Goals for Affordable Housing by Support Type
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Discussion
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AP-60 Public Housing – 91.220(h)
Introduction
The Santa Monica Housing Authority was consulted during the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan development process. It is the intention of the Authority to continue to ensure that its participants in the Housing Choice Voucher, Continuum of Care voucher, and HOME voucher programs are housed in safe and adequate affordable housing.
Actions planned during the next year to address the needs to public housing The City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Housing Authority, do not own or operate any housing.
In recent years, the City has coordinated with the Housing Authority to evaluate issues and will continue to do so, though the City does not plan to provide funding for any Housing Authority programs or projects. The City currently provides funds for the former Redevelopment Agency vouchers and contributes to staff costs.
Actions to encourage public housing residents to become more involved in management and participate in homeownership
Not Applicable
If the PHA is designated as troubled, describe the manner in which financial assistance will be provided or other assistance
Not Applicable
Discussion
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AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities – 91.220(i) Introduction
The needs of homeless persons and of persons with special needs are complex and require a wide range of specialized services. Numerous agencies, including City-funded agencies, are involved in the care of people experiencing homelessness, providing distinct services such as housing, mental health counseling, employment training, and case management services. A number of activities and services are funded to help the needs of the homeless and other special needs populations. Overall, these services address the high priority of reducing homelessness and the threat of becoming homeless, as well as providing necessary services.
There are several groups that have a higher need for affordable housing and have special housing needs.
These groups have been identified as: the elderly and frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), victims of domestic violence, youth (in general and aging-out foster youth), and members of the Santa Monica Service Registry, which is a by-name list of the most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals as determined by length of time on the streets, age, and physical and mental health conditions. City-funded multidisciplinary teams combine street outreach, medical provision and behavioral healthcare with case management support and housing navigation services, with the goal of meeting immediate needs while connecting participants experiencing homelessness to long-term housing resources. Seniors and people with disabilities are more likely to face housing instability and have difficulty affording housing due to often living on fixed incomes that does not keep pace with cost of living. Seniors and people with disabilities also have a need for accessible housing to support aging in place and independent living, whether for new housing, rehabilitated existing housing, or the adaptation of the housing they currently occupy. In addition to general challenges, seniors may have additional supportive needs resulting from increasing physical and/or cognitive conditions.
Describe the jurisdictions one-year goals and actions for reducing and ending homelessness including
Reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their individual needs
As part of the Coordinated Entry System (CES) for Los Angeles County, Santa Monica homeless service agencies use the VI-SPDAT triage pre-assessment tool to assess an individual’s strengths and challenges in areas of housing, risky behavior, socialization, and wellness (health and behavioral health). The VISPDAT indicates the most appropriate intervention, with low scores indicating a need for light services and high scores indicating a need for more intensive services up to and including permanent supportive housing.
The City also funds two types of street engagement teams: one HMST (Homeless Multidisciplinary Street Team) and three C3 (City, County, Community), both of which are operated by local nonprofit The People Concern. HMST is dedicated to working with the highest utilizers of fire and police services, while
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the C3 team focuses on the geographic areas most impacted by homelessness, including the downtown area and the beach. These teams engage individuals with street-based medical and behavioral health interventions to help stabilize behaviors while linking people to resources and housing. In support of these efforts, City Council approved use of Measure CS funds to add a third C3 Team to cover the remainder of the city started operating on July 1, 2023. In calendar year 2023, the multidisciplinary teams made 8,193 contacts with people experiencing homelessness and provided direct medical or psychiatric services to 1,012 participants. In 2023, these teams placed 45 people into interim housing and 13 into permanent housing. As part of the CES for Los Angeles County, the teams utilize the VISPDAT to prioritize highly vulnerable households for housing placement. Using the City’s HMIS and monthly coordination meetings, the City works closely with local and regional providers to track the progress of these individuals, providing advocacy and resources in order to shorten the length of homelessness. The Downtown Santa Monica Ambassadors also support the multidisciplinary teams, providing outreach and referrals to individuals wherever they may be.
In addition, the City utilizes first responders to engage and assess the needs of homeless individuals. The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) maintains a specialized Homeless Liaison Program (HLP) Team of nine officers and a sergeant who work in conjunction with local nonprofits and City departments to identify vulnerable individuals and coordinate services. SMPD also provides training to all patrol officers on safe and appropriate methods for engaging and de-escalating people with mental illness. SMPD has developed the first POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training)-approved homeless curriculum in the state, which has been offered to sworn and civilian personnel from across the country.
Addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons While the City continues to support over 240 year-round interim housing beds in the community through direct funding, leases, and regional partnerships, shelter capacity has fluctuated due to COVID outbreaks at interim housing facilities and subsequent reduced capacity. The City continues to support efforts to increase regional bed capacity through its participation in the Westside Cities Council of Government (WSCCOG). The WSCCOG is a vehicle through which the City champions regional solutions and problem solving in tandem with the leadership of neighboring communities. City Council identified the redesign of the SAMOSHEL interim housing program as a priority and has supported the use of Measure CS funds for this initiative. The redesign accommodates 24/7 intakes through the addition of a separate intake area, giving additional options for after-hours intake and facilitating first responder transports for people experiencing homelessness and non-urgent behavioral health issues. In 2023, the City partnered with the LA County Homeless Initiative to start a Pathway Home project which is a collaboration between a local motel operator, social service provider, LA County DHS, and LAHSA to move people from encampments into motel rooms and provide case management, housing navigation, and time limited subsidies for permanent housing. The program will launch in 2024.
Helping homeless persons (especially chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living, including shortening the period of time that
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individuals and families experience homelessness, facilitating access for homeless individuals and families to affordable housing units, and preventing individuals and families who were recently homeless from becoming homeless again
Many households who become homeless experience episodes of homelessness perhaps once or twice in a lifetime and for periods of less than a year. They are often families, including families with children, and are often homeless because of a particular crisis such as loss of income, eviction, foreclosure, illness, disaster, or calamity (fire, flood, condemnation of unsafe housing). The greatest challenge for this segment is finding affordable housing.
The City uses the county’s vulnerability assessment tool to prioritize highly vulnerable households for permanent housing. Using the City’s HMIS and monthly care coordination meetings, the City works closely with local and regional providers to track the progress of these individuals into housing, assisting with advocacy and resources to remove system and process barriers in order to shorten the length of homelessness. Care coordination meetings are conducted virtually via teleconference. The City also maintains a variety of resources to help transition homeless individuals and families into permanent housing and support them over time. Direct financial assistance is provided to support the moving process, including move-in costs (security deposits, moving expenses), basic furniture, and rental application fees. Once housed, the care coordination efforts continue to ensure that households do not return to homelessness. City-funded housing programs are required, as part of their contract agreement, to notify the Housing and Human Services Department if tenants are at risk for eviction. The City also funds legal services to prevent eviction, address tenant harassment and discrimination against people who are disabled or have a history of homelessness, and offers emergency rental assistance to prevent eviction.
In 2021, under the American Rescue Plan, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated 104 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) to the City to be issued to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The City prioritized its allocation of EHVs to exit people in local shelter programs and unsheltered individuals referred by City-funded street engagement teams into permanent housing with supportive services. Households with EHVs are prioritized for permanent housing through the City’s Below Market Housing waitlist. As interim housing beds become available, City staff are working closely with SMPD, SMFD and the City’s multidisciplinary street teams to refer vulnerable individuals from our streets, parks, and open spaces to available shelters, housing navigation resources, and/or permanent housing opportunities. EHV participants began moving into their own apartments in February 2022. To date, 82 people experiencing homelessness have ended their experience of homelessness in Santa Monica using EHVs. In 2023, the City received an allocation of 15 Housing Stability (HS) vouchers from LAHSA and is working with the local outreach teams and interim housing programs to match eligible people experiencing homelessness to these resources.
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Helping low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-income individuals and families and those who are: being discharged from publicly funded institutions and systems of care (such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, foster care and other youth facilities, and corrections programs and institutions); or, receiving assistance from public or private agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education, or youth needs
Actions to address the issues noted in this Action Plan include:
Increase supportive housing and supportive services for special needs populations Assist the homeless and those at risk of homelessness with access to permanent affordable housing and supportive services that promote housing stability Coordinate homeless services, including services for those at-risk of homelessness, and encourage collaboration among providers
As part of the City’s Human Services Grants Program, homeless services agencies and other non-profits are funded to provide housing retention services, supportive services to build income, health and behavioral health services, legal services, and benefits assistance. The City's Senior & Disability Housing Task Force meets to identify older adults and people with disabilities at imminent risk of losing housing and collaborate on solutions to keep them stably housed. The City also continued its Preserving Our Diversity (POD) program, which provides cash-based assistance to low-income senior households to achieve a minimum monthly after-rent income for basic needs. As of June 2025, 222 low-income senior households had enrolled in POD. In 2024 and 2025, the City is embarking on a strategic planning process to meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities in Santa Monica.
As pandemic-era restrictions on evictions lifted in 2022 and 2023, landlords began pursuing evictions more frequently. Eviction filings quickly increased above pre-pandemic levels, reversing a years long downward trend. In response, the City implemented new tenant protection laws, convened regular tenant/landlord forums, and funded Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) to investigate harassment claims and provide representation to low-income tenants. In 2021, City Council approved additional funding to LAFLA to launch a Right to Counsel program to provide additional representation for tenants facing eviction, as well as new and expanded case management and paralegal services in 2022 to help support vulnerable tenants.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City implemented a number of strategies to help prevent evictions. In March 2020, the City enacted a local eviction moratorium to keep renters impacted by COVID in their homes. The City also implemented the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) using CDBG and General Funds to provide 638 households economically impacted by COVID with three months’ rent up to $5,000. In summer 2021, staff created an enhanced outreach campaign to inform renter residents and property owners about the State COVID-19 Rental Assistance program, Housing is Key. Approximately 1,800 Santa Monica households received an average of
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$15,000, or over $28 million in total.
The 2022 General Adjustment increase of 6% for rent-controlled units was the highest increase since 1990 and was expected to lead to greater housing instability. In response, Santa Monica developed the Rent Control Adjustment Relief (RCAR) Program, and an Eviction Protection Ordinance for qualifying tenants who need more time to pay their rent. RCAR provided relief equivalent to a 3% rent increase over a 12-month period, ultimately issuing 502 payments at a total sum of $329,612.
The Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) was created as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to address the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EHV program provides an opportunity for Public Housing Authorities (PHA) such as Santa Monica’s, to address the needs of vulnerable populations in their communities who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness, fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, or human trafficking, or were recently homeless or have a high risk of housing instability, through tenant based rental assistance. As of June 2025, 82 households were connected to an EHV and have secured or retained permanent housing. The City also works with the Westside Coalition, which meets monthly to discuss advocacy and to coordinate with institutions that may discharge persons into homelessness. City staff coordinates with SMPD and the City Attorney’s Office (CAO) to divert individuals from local jail to available social services and court-based alternative justice options. In 2023, the City also approved HOME-ARP funds for a diversion program called Shelter, Treatment and Empowerment Program (STEP).
The City continues to provide gap financing for affordable housing development, including the construction of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless or at-risk households. In 2024, a 58-unit permanent supportive housing development opened in the City with gap financing provided by the City as well as Project-Based Vouchers provided by the Santa Monica Housing Authority. Another 90 units of permanent supportive housing are currently in predevelopment on City-owned sites. A 13-unit City-financed housing development targeting 8 units with supportive services for young adults facing housing insecurity is currently under construction and anticipated to open in late 2025.
Discussion
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AP-75 Barriers to affordable housing – 91.220(j)
Introduction:
The Housing Element of the City’s General Plan recognizes concerns about affordable housing and addresses them through several goals, specifically: identifying programs to assist in the production of affordable units, protecting and rehabilitating affordable units, and providing assistance to low- and moderate-income households and households with special needs. The City continues to monitor, analyze, and address market conditions and governmental factors that may act as barriers to affordable housing.
Though public policies are meant to address the overall needs of citizens, they may cause inadvertent negative effects on certain aspects of the community, which in this case are affordable housing and residential investment. Affordable housing and public and private residential investments are key components to furthering fair housing in any community. In part, to identify these negative effects and further the purposes of the Fair Housing Act, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established a legal requirement that entitlement grantees, such as the City of Santa Monica, shall affirmatively further fair housing. The primary tool for communities to identify contributing factors for these barriers to fair housing is the HUD Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH).
In 2020, the City of Santa Monica completed an AFH, which outlined contributing factors to fair housing issues in the City. The 2020 AFH prioritized the identified contributing factors, of which these were the leading priorities within the City:
1. Displacement of residents due to economic pressures
2. Impediments to mobility
3. Lack of access to opportunity due to high housing costs
4. Lack of affordable, accessible housing in a range of unit sizes
5. Land use and zoning laws
6. Private discrimination
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A list of Medium and Low Priority Contributing Factors to Fair Housing Issues can be viewed in the AFH.
Through the identification, evaluation, and ranking of Contributing Factors to Fair Housing, the City was able to propose four (4) goals with associated strategies to affirmatively further fair housing in Santa Monica. Below is a list of proposed goals (a list of strategies for each goal can be viewed in the 2020 AFH.
Goal 1: Increase the supply of affordable housing
Goal 2: Preserve the existing stock of affordable rental housing and rent stabilized housing Goal 3: Prevent displacement of low- and moderate-income residents Goal 4: Increase community integration for persons with disabilities Actions it planned to remove or ameliorate the negative effects of public policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing such as land use controls, tax policies affecting land, zoning ordinances, building codes, fees and charges, growth limitations, and policies affecting the return on residential investment
Governmental restrictions may constrain the production of affordable housing. The City of Santa Monica continues to monitor, analyze, and address as necessary, governmental regulations, land use controls and residential development standards that affect the production and preservation of affordable housing.
Fair housing is crucial to ensuring that persons of all income levels have equal access to housing. HUD requires that jurisdictions receiving federal funds commit to affirmatively further fair housing. According to HUD, a fair housing impediment is considered to be “any action, omission, or decision which has the effect of restricting housing choice or its availability because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.” A key part to affirmatively furthering fair housing is the preparation of an Assessment of Fair Housing Plan, approved by the City Council on April 28, 2020. The Assessment of Fair Housing Plan is available at www.santamonica.gov/housing-policy-and-reports.
The City of Santa Monica’s Public Rights Division (formerly Consumer Protection Unit) in the City Attorney’s Office takes an active role to ensure fair housing opportunities are enforced. The Public Rights Division has two primary responsibilities: Enforcing local, state, and federal laws to assure that consumers are treated fairly and lawfully; and investigating complaints involving charges of discrimination based on race, age, children, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, religion, or infection with HIV. The Public Rights Division also educates tenants, landlords and the real estate community on fair housing laws, provides referrals to mediation services, and conducts community outreach throughout the year.
The City’s Rent Control Board also monitors evictions and advises Santa Monica tenants of their rights.
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Santa Monica’s Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Harassment laws, among others, help to assure that tenants are not discriminated against by building owners. Other agencies, such as the Santa Monica Housing Authority, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, California Department of Fair and Equal Housing, and HUD also offer assistance to persons with fair housing issues.
New housing developments subsidized by federal funding must have an Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan, which sets the steps that developers or property managers must take to reach out to various populations during property rental or sale. The Marketing Plan specifically targets potential tenants, underrepresented minorities, economically disadvantaged populations, and low-income homebuyers to better integrate them into the community. Market factors that tend to restrict affordable housing production are high land costs, high construction costs, and the availability of financing. To help mitigate the high cost of housing development in Santa Monica, the City has historically provided a program to make “gap” financing available for affordable housing projects. In November 2016, Santa Monica voters adopted Measures GSH and GS to provide a local, ongoing revenue source through a transaction and use tax, to fund nonprofit affordable housing development. In November 2022, Santa Monica voters adopted Measure GS to provide another local, ongoing revenue source through a property transfer tax, to fund homeless prevention and affordable housing programs. The City's Housing Element recognizes the role of land use regulations in housing development and has reduced regulatory barriers and streamlined development approval processes to facilitate the production of affordable units, protection and rehabilitation of affordable units, and the provision of assistance to low- and moderate-income households and households with special needs.
Discussion:
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AP-85 Other Actions – 91.220(k)
Introduction:
The City is committed to addressing the needs of underserved populations in the community and fully understands that to efficiently leverage CDBG funds, it is necessary to mitigate obstacles low-income families face in securing financial opportunities, affordable housing, and the safety of their homes.
Actions planned to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs The continued growth of regional needs for homeless services and housing retention is the greatest challenge to meeting underserved needs. Significant ballot measures in LA County, LA City and City of Santa Monica were passed by voters in 2016, 2017 and 2024 to increase the resources available to tackle this problem. In February 2024, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $783 million budget for the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative. LA County voters in November 2024 passed Measure A which aims to replace Measure H at addressing homelessness and support existing homeless housing and services while making housing more affordable throughout LA County. The FY 2025-26 Measure A allocation directly to the City is $1,221,616. Additionally, the Local Solutions Fund (LSF) allocates Measure A funding to various cities and programs within the county to further support these efforts. The FY 2024-25 allocation includes $1,626,187 in Local Solution Funds to the Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG), a 9 percent increase from the previous year. The City will identify opportunities to leverage these funds through its participation in the WSCCOG. Regionally, the City will continue to participate in working groups to strategize the application of new resources to fund the critical services proposed in the City and County of LA homeless strategies, adopted in February 2016.
The City had the opportunity to expand services addressing homelessness using two new funding streams, Measure CS and Measure GS, approved by Santa Monica voters in November 2022. The new on-going revenue streams generated through Measures CS and GS provided the infusion of funds necessary to develop a comprehensive homelessness strategic plan and accelerate the City’s work on addressing homelessness, producing and preserving affordable housing, preventing homelessness, and maintaining clean and safe public spaces. Council approved a number of priorities under Measure CS, including preparation of a Homelessness Strategic Plan (HSP), expansion of homeless multi-disciplinary teams, redesign of the SAMOSHEL interim housing program to accommodate 24/7 intakes, and expansion of the Police Department’s Homeless Liaison Program (HLP). Measure GS provided resources to produce and preserve affordable housing and prevent homelessness at a scale far beyond the City’s current administration.
Addressing the behavioral health needs of vulnerable residents remains a significant unmet need. In October 2022, Santa Monica contracted with Initium Health to lead a Behavioral Health Feasibility Study. The study includes facilitating a community engagement process, developing a behavioral health strategy, and conducting an operational/financial feasibility assessment for a behavioral health center.
In 2024, the City partnered with the WSCCOG to develop a regional behavioral health center. In addition, the Providence Saint John’s Development Agreement was adopted with community benefits including ten units of deed-restricted affordable housing and a significant financial investment of at least
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$10 million to support the City’s behavioral health initiatives.
In November 2022, the Human Services Division (HSD) helped launch a three-month pilot with WISE & Healthy Aging (a local senior services provider) and the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) to target a small group of seniors who are frequent users of the 911 system and are at high risk for eviction or premature institutionalization. The City secured funding through the WSCCOG to dedicate a part-time WISE case manager to work with this group of vulnerable seniors.
In addition to existing programs, the City partnered with the LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH) to address non-violent mental health crisis calls for service. After extensive planning, the City launched the pilot in January 2024, which provide a specialized therapeutic transport team available five days a week to assist Santa Monica Police and Fire personnel with 911 and non-emergency calls for service that involve someone experiencing a mental health crisis. The partnership with DMH is part of Santa Monica’s push to collaborate with regional service providers for a coordinated, holistic approach to addressing homelessness.
Actions planned to foster and maintain affordable housing The City places great emphasis upon seeing that decent, safe, affordable housing is available for lowincome residents to the extent possible. Homeless activities, ranging from providing emergency shelter to preventing homelessness receive a high priority. Thus, the City will focus on multiple efforts including rental assistance, new rental construction (using local, non-federal funds), as well as home modifications to accommodate persons with special needs and in many instances prevent homelessness.
Actions planned to reduce lead-based paint hazards
Since inception of the CDBG program, all homes older than 1978 scheduled for rehabilitation activities receive lead-based paint testing to determine the extent of lead hazards, and where appropriate, remediated in conjunction with the rehabilitation. Any lead found was addressed by interim controls and abatement through covering and/or painting.
The City will also continue to take the following actions this program year to meet lead-based paint requirements:
• Report incidents of lead-poisoning to the Los Angeles County Health Department • Incorporate lead-based paint hazard reduction procedures into rehabilitation guidelines • Develop and distribute lead-based paint reduction and abatement information to all landlords, managers, tenants, or owner-occupants of rehabilitation properties, as well as to community groups • Work cooperatively with its nonprofit housing providers and community health organizations to provide educational material and identify potential sources of lead poisoning in City-assisted affordable housing projects
• Apply housing quality standards to inspections of Section 8 units and assess risks of exposure to lead
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1100 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 199
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
based paint for households with children six years of age and under and report any findings to HUD on a quarterly basis
• Address blight in individual buildings by eliminating specific conditions that present health and safety hazards to the public
• Provide lead-based paint testing and remediation to existing single- and multi-family units, targeting low- and moderate-income households. While the health department formerly provided reports on lead-based hazards to the City, that data is no longer made available to housing authorities Actions planned to reduce the number of poverty-level families The City’s anti-poverty strategy is part of a coordinated effort to create jobs and improve the local economy. CDBG provides core funding for critical basic needs including health, housing, and employment because the creation of economic opportunities is not an isolated solution to alleviating poverty. The City works with community partners to identify educational, life skills and training needs and provide opportunities for self-empowerment that will enable low- and moderate-income residents to become and continue to be self-sufficient and economically independent. These programs have an immediate impact on primary needs of the low-income population and the causes of poverty. The City will continue to implement the anti-poverty strategy outlined in the Consolidated Plan. This includes continued prioritization of housing and homeless programs per HUD requirements, as well as other programs that address the following:
• Pre-vocational and job readiness skills training including assessment and assistance with applications, resumes, job-seeking skills, and work performance standards • Job development and placement for temporary and permanent employment opportunities with businesses, industry, and government
• Apprenticeships and training linkages with skills center and other vocational resources • Educational enrichment, skill-building, and parental support to encourage children and youth to be healthy, succeed in school, avoid gang activity, and prepare for productive adulthoods • Youth skill-building and development to design innovative and creative alternatives to criminal involvement, youth violence, isolation, and loss of opportunities for growth • Legal services to include brief service and full representation in landlord/tenant matters, public benefits assistance, discrimination, consumer affairs, and other critical legal aid • Domestic violence intervention and prevention that offers counsel and advice, immediate assistance in obtaining restraining, stay-away and other protective orders, and critical support services to victims of domestic violence • Independent living skills and assistance and peer counseling to ensure full self12.A.b Packet Pg. 1101 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 200
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
sufficiency and independence among the elderly and people with disabilities • Childcare subsidies (infant, preschool and elementary) and assistance to working parents • Free health care and supportive service assistance to extremely low, very low, and low- income Santa Monica residents including vital assistance to those with HIV/AIDS • Wrap-around assertive case management for vulnerable youth and their families, including access to flexible funds for emergency situations and homelessness prevention The City continues to implement its Living Wage Ordinance, which requires all contractors with service contracts greater than $54,200 to pay their employees a living wage. The living wage is updated annually. For FY 2025-26 the living wage was set at $19.73 per hour. Additionally, the City continues to leverage other federal, state, and local funds to assist homeless and near homeless households with rental assistance, housing search and placement, and legal and credit repair services.
Actions planned to develop institutional structure
See SP-40 Institutional Delivery Structure
Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies
The City has identified gaps in institutional structure for implementing the Consolidated Plan and ways to enhance coordination among housing agencies and social service providers. These gaps included a lack of sufficient resources and the need for better information dissemination and sharing among agencies and organizations that provide services. As noted in section PR-10 of the Consolidated Plan, the City has been proactive in addressing these gaps and undertaken a number of specific actions to overcome these gaps.
The City will continue to work with other agencies and departments in several areas including social services, lead abatement, and mental health services, and will continue to seek to establish new relationships with the private sector to accomplish economic and community development activities.
The City also currently coordinates housing and services for homeless and formerly homeless households through monthly Chronic Homeless Project case conferencing meetings, led by Human Services staff with representatives from all City-funded homeless programs, County Mental Health and SMPD. The Senior & Disability Housing Task Force is also enhancing coordination between housing and social service agencies and allowing for early intervention to prevent housed older adults and people with disabilities from becoming homeless. Policy coordination occurs through formal quarterly meetings with Human Services and Housing Authority staff, in addition to frequent informal communications to collaborate on shared program participant issues. Human Services Division staff also attend regular case-conference meetings with affordable housing and service providers to support vulnerable clients at
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1102 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 201
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
risk of eviction.
The Santa Monica Housing Authority participates in meetings with The People Concern to better communicate regarding rules, regulations, and procedures related to Continuum of Care voucher, Emergency Housing Voucher, and HOME voucher programs and update the staff of The People Concern on the status of their referrals for these programs. City staff participate in regular meeting with The People Concern and Upward Bound House to better communicate regarding rules, regulations, and procedures related to the Emergency Housing Voucher program and to support with efficient lease up, as well as regular meetings with The People Concern and Upward Bound House and local affordable housing operators to support with lease ups, as well as coordinate on case management and housing stability plans. In the fall of 2023, the City’s Housing and Human Services Department started meeting with EAH Housing and The People Concern regarding a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) development called The Laurel that is scheduled to open in the spring of 2024 and serve highly vulnerable people experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness.
The City will continue supporting the efforts of the Santa Monica Housing Authority in the administration of all its voucher programs.
Discussion:
N/A
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1103 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 202
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
Program Specific Requirements
AP-90 Program Specific Requirements – 91.220(l)(1,2,4)
Introduction:
The City currently uses various administrative mechanisms to monitor progress of HUD-funded projects and activities that are under its control and jurisdiction. The goal is to ensure that Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan activities are carried out in a timely manner in accordance with federal regulations and other statutory or regulatory requirements. The City's primary monitoring goals are:
• Provide technical assistance to grant administrators and staff • Ensure activities are carried out in compliance with federal, state, and local requirements • Identify deficiencies and promote corrections in order to improve the City’s ability to adhere to the Consolidated Plan objectives and annual goals
City staff participate in regular meetings and communicate with subrecipients as needed to discuss project or program progress.
All Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and contracts are reviewed carefully to ensure compliance with HUD and local requirements for program delivery, financial management, procurement, personnel matters, and other such requirements. Subrecipients are required to enter into agreements that specify objectives, scope of work, applicable timelines, performance targets, budget, federal, state, and local regulatory requirements, and monitoring and reporting requirements.
In addition, the City may undertake activities through the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which funds the acquisition, expansion or rehabilitation of land, buildings, and other major infrastructure. Projects included in the CIP budget exceed $50,000 and involve public works construction.
During project implementation, subrecipients are required to submit periodic reports detailing progress toward objectives, problems and/or resolution to meeting goals, and quantitative participation data by ethnicity, income, and household status. Periodic reports and payment requests are reviewed for compliance with the project agreement, budget consistency, and documentation of expenditures. Subrecipients are advised of any procedural errors and/or ineligible activities, and provided with technical assistance as needed.
Upon project completion, project sponsors are required to submit completion reports
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Packet Pg. 1104 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 203
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
identifying program/project accomplishments, including number of persons or households served, ethnicity, and income level.
The City and subrecipients shall comply with participant eligibility requirements for CDBG funded projects as detailed in 24 CFR Subpart C of the HUD Regulations and 24 CFR Part 92 for HOME projects. The City or subrecipients collect income verification documentation at the time of intake and at least annually while the participant is receiving CDBG-funded services or during project construction.
Projects are subject to performance monitoring during implementation or following completion. Priority for monitoring engagements may be given to high-risk programs.
Affordable housing development projects must submit annual compliance reports throughout the period of required affordability. Reports are designed to ensure continued compliance with federal regulations, affordability and use restrictions, and other requirements as specified in project loan documents. In addition, all HOME-assisted projects will be subject to periodic onsite inspections to ensure continued compliance with federal housing quality standards.
Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(1)
Projects planned with all CDBG funds expected to be available during the year are identified in the Projects Table. The following identifies program income that is available for use that is included in projects to be carried out.
1. The total amount of program income that will have been received before the start of the next program year and that has not yet been reprogrammed 50,000
2. The amount of proceeds from section 108 loan guarantees that will be used during the year to address the priority needs and specific objectives identified in the grantee's strategic plan. 0
3. The amount of surplus funds from urban renewal settlements 0
4. The amount of any grant funds returned to the line of credit for which the planned use has not been included in a prior statement or plan 0
5. The amount of income from float-funded activities 0
Total Program Income: 50,000
Other CDBG Requirements
1. The amount of urgent need activities 0
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1105 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 204
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
2. The estimated percentage of CDBG funds that will be used for activities that benefit persons of low and moderate income. Overall Benefit - A consecutive period of one, two or three years may be used to determine that a minimum overall benefit of 70% of CDBG funds is used to benefit persons of low and moderate income. Specify the years covered that include this Annual Action Plan. 100.00%
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1106 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 205
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(2)
1. A description of other forms of investment being used beyond those identified in Section 92.205 is as follows:
The City does not use HOME funds in any other manner than those described in Section 92.205.
2. A description of the guidelines that will be used for resale or recapture of HOME funds when used for homebuyer activities as required in 92.254, is as follows:
Not applicable. The City does not use HOME funds for homebuyer activities.
3. A description of the guidelines for resale or recapture that ensures the affordability of units acquired with HOME funds? See 24 CFR 92.254(a)(4) are as follows:
The City does not use HOME funds for homebuyer activities. When HOME funds are used to acquire residential rental property dedicated as affordable housing, the City applies its Housing Trust Fund Guidelines, which require 55 years of affordability.
4. Plans for using HOME funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily housing that is rehabilitated with HOME funds along with a description of the refinancing guidelines required that will be used under 24 CFR 92.206(b), are as follows:
Not applicable. The City does not use HOME funds to refinance existing debt. The HOME TBRA program provides rental subsidies for households whose income is at or below 60% AMI up to 24 months or longer with an extension and if funding is available. Targeted populations include tenants at-risk of losing their housing and becoming homeless (such as rent burdened households), seniors, persons living with permanent disabilities, and persons experiencing homelessness. The program is managed by the Santa Monica Housing Authority (SMHA) and operated with guidance from the SMHA Administrative Plan. Required lease terms are specific to HOME regulations. Further details about the TBRA program can be obtained from SMHA staff at 310-458-8743.
5. If applicable to a planned HOME TBRA activity, a description of the preference for persons with special needs or disabilities. (See 24 CFR 92.209(c)(2)(i) and CFR 91.220(l)(2)(vii)).
The HOME TBRA wait list does have a preference for persons with disabilities and seniors. To receive the disabled preference, the person must present evidence of disabling condition diagnosis with one or more of the following conditions: substance use disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability (as defined in Section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15002), post-traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments resulting from brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability. To receive the senior preference, the person must be 62 years of age or older. People can qualify for both preferences if they are 62 or older and are disabled.
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1107 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Consolidated Plan SANTA MONICA 206
OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)
6. If applicable to a planned HOME TBRA activity, a description of how the preference for a specific category of individuals with disabilities (e.g. persons with HIV/AIDS or chronic mental illness) will narrow the gap in benefits and the preference is needed to narrow the gap in benefits and services received by such persons. (See 24 CFR 92.209(c)(2)(ii) and 91.220(l)(2)(vii)).
The preference for disability is not based on any specific diagnosis. However, it does narrow the gap in benefits between those individuals who are disabled and/or are seniors and those who are not.
Seniors and persons living with disabilities do not have as many options for employment compared to other low-income individuals who are not seniors or living with disabilities. Seniors and persons living with disabilities are therefore more vulnerable to rising rents which put them at greater risk of homelessness.
7. If applicable, a description of any preference or limitation for rental housing projects. (See 24 CFR 92.253(d)(3) and CFR 91.220(l)(2)(vii)). Note: Preferences cannot be administered in a manner that limits the opportunities of persons on any basis prohibited by the laws listed under 24 CFR 5.105(a).
Not applicable. HOME funds used exclusively for TBRA and administration.
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1108 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan)
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AND INPUT
2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and
2025-25 Annual Action Plan
March 20, 2025 – Recreation and Parks Commission
During the March 20, 2025 Recreation and Parks Commission meeting a public hearing was held on the development of the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan. The Commission received a presentation on the development of the 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the 2025–2026 Annual Action Plan. The session provided an overview of HUD’s requirements for strategic planning and funding allocation for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds. The purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to identify local housing and community development needs, establish fiveyear goals, and guide the use of federal funds accordingly.
No public comment was made and no written comments were submitted regarding the Consolidated Plan.
Commissioners provided comments and asked questions. Thematically, comments supported decoupling housing and homelessness in Consolidated Plan goals to more specifically address the unique nature of these priority needs. Discussion was held around prioritizing the needs of Santa Monica residents above those who may be moving through the City. Commissioners also supported prioritizing infrastructure and capital improvement projects particularly to support maintenance of parks. Commissioners requested information on historic homeless point in time counts and an understanding of CDBG eligible areas.
May 1, 2025 – Housing Commission
During the May 1, 2025 Housing Commission meeting a public hearing was held on the development of the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan. The Commission received a presentation on the development of the 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the 2025–2026 Annual Action Plan. The session provided an overview of HUD’s requirements for strategic planning and funding allocation for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds. The purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to identify local housing and community development needs, establish fiveyear goals, and guide the use of federal funds accordingly. The presenters explained that Santa Monica receives approximately $1.15 million annually in CDBG funds and $500,000 in HOME funds, though exact amounts vary year to year. The proposed goals for the 2025–2029 plan include expanding and improving public infrastructure and facilities, providing safe and affordable housing, supporting vital services for low-income and special needs populations, and promoting economic development opportunities for low-income workers and business owners.
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1109 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan)
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AND INPUT
For the first-year action plan (2025–2026), proposed CDBG uses include park improvements, the continuation of a small business storefront improvement grant program, and public services (capped at 15% of funds), with 20% allocated to administration. HOME funds are primarily allocated to tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) for seniors and persons with disabilities, a required 15% set-aside for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs)—though no CHDO projects are currently feasible—and administrative expenses.
No public comment was made and no written comments were submitted regarding the Consolidated Plan.
Commissioners raised questions about affordable homeownership opportunities, transparency in rental assistance programs, and the importance of tailoring investments to Santa Monica’s unique housing market. The discussion emphasized the need to balance funding against high local development costs and capacity limitations.
Staff confirmed that community input, including comments from the Commission, will be reflected in the final plan, which is expected to be released for public comment by mid-May.
June 24, 2025 – City Council
Any comments received will be summarized and included in the final submission to HUD.
12.A.b
Packet Pg. 1110 Attachment: Attachment B: 2025-2029 CDBG/HOME Consolidated Plan (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Proposed 2026-27
CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1111 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) • 5-year plan identifying priority needs and
strategies for use of CDBG and HOME funds
• Implemented through Annual Action Plans
• Approved by Council in June 2025
2025-29 Consolidated Plan
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1112 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) March 19, 2026: Public Hearing at the Recreation and Parks Commission
April 2, 2026: Staff Presentation at the Housing Commission March 27 – April 27, 2026: Public Review and Comment Period April 28, 2026: Public Hearing at City Council
June 1, 2026: Action Plan due to HUD
Public Participation
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1113 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan)
2026-27 CDBG/HOME Resources
2026-27 CDBG
2026 CDBG Allocation $1,120,953
Prior-Year Funds (Projected)* $110,000
Program Income (Projected) $40,000
TOTAL CDBG Resources $1,270,953
2026-27 HOME
2026 HOME Allocation $486,060
Program Income (Projected) $40,000
TOTAL HOME Resources $526,060
• HUD’s 2026 CDBG allocation is a slight increase of 0.5% over the City’s 2025 award • The City’s 2026 HOME allocation is decreased 3.3% from 2025.
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1114 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) 2026-27 Annual Action Plan
CDBG Activities (Proposed)
VAP Playground Replacement $500,000
CDBG Parks Improvements CIP $318,762
Small Business Improvement
Program $50,000
Public Services: CLARE | MATRIX $170,000
CDBG Administration $232,191
TOTAL CDBG Expenditures $1,270,953
HOME Activities (Proposed)
Tenant-Based Rental
Assistance (TBRA)
$400,545
Community Housing
Development Organization
(CHDO) Reserve
$72,909
HOME Administration $52,606
TOTAL HOME Expenditures $526,060
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1115 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Hold a public hearing to receive input on the Proposed 2026-27 Annual Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Act (HOME) funds
3. Approve the Proposed 2026-27 Annual Action Plan
4. Authorize the City Manager to submit all necessary documents required to receive the City’s annual allocation of CDBG and HOME entitlement funds to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Recommended Action
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
Item 12-A
April 28, 2026
12.A.d
Packet Pg. 1116 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7483 : 2026-27 CDBG/HOME Annual Action Plan) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 28, 2026
Agenda Item: 12.B
1 of 5
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Christopher Dishlip, Director of Public Works, Engineering and Street Services Division
Subject: Public Hearing and Adoption of Resolution to Rename a Portion of Vicente Terrace as Silas White Street
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; and
2. Conduct a public hearing and adopt the attached resolution to rename a portion of Vicente Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean Avenue, that does not include any mailing addresses—as Silas White Street.
Summary
In November 2025, the City Council committed to renaming a portion of Vicente Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean Avenue—as Silas White Street to honor Silas White. Staff recommends that the City Council hold a public hearing and adopt a resolution to rename the street.
Background
The City’s decision to rename ap portion of Vicente Terrace to Silas White Street is part of a settlement agreement between the City and Silas White’s family. In the 1950s, Black entrepreneur Silas White planned to establish the Ebony Beach Club to serve the City’s Black community. However, the City subsequently acquired the property at 1811
12.B
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Ocean Avenue through eminent domain, and the club never opened. Decades later, White’s family sought acknowledgment and redress for the City’s actions. The resulting agreement includes financial compensation, public recognition of Silas White’s legacy, and commemorative actions. These measures are intended to acknowledge past harm and reflect the City’s commitment to equity and restorative justice. One of the commemorative actions is to rename a portion of Vicente Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean Avenue—to Silas White Street.
Discussion
Staff recommends renaming a portion of Vicente Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean Avenue—as Silas White Street. This segment of Vicente Terrace does not include mailing addresses, ensuring that the proposed change would not affect residential or business postal information. The remaining portions of Vicente Terrace, located between Ocean Avenue and Appian Way, would remain unchanged, as illustrated in Attachment A.
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 34091.1—which authorizes a legislative body to adopt or change the name of a city street by resolution—the City Council has the authority to approve this street name change. This action represents a symbolic and public acknowledgment of Silas White’s enduring legacy and contributions to the community. It aligns with the settlement terms and supports the City’s broader efforts to address historical injustices. This recommendation will have no budgetary or financial impact. City staff will procure and install two street name signs using the existing operating budget. Upon adoption, City staff will file the resolution with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
03/19/2024
(Attachment B)
Request of Councilmembers Torosis, Zwick and Davis to
direct the City Manager and City Attorney, in consultation with relevant departments, to report back to the Council in 90 days 07/29/2025
(Attachment C)
Ebony Beach Club
12.B
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11/18/2025
(Attachment D)
Conference with legal counsel - existing litigation - Gov. Code § 54956.9(d)(1)
Figures 1, 2 and 3 show two existing street signs for “Vicente Terrace,” which would be changed to “Silas White Street.”
Figure 1 – Current View of the Ocean Avenue and Vicente Terrace Intersection
12.B
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Figure 2 – Current View of the Ocean Avenue and Vicente Terrace Intersection
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Figure 3 – Current View of the Main Street and Vicente Terrace Intersection Environmental Review
The proposed street renaming is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines (common sense exemption), which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” Renaming the existing streets is procedural in nature. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the proposed street renaming would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of a recommended action. Procurement and installation of the two street name signs would be funded through the existing operating budget for the division.
Prepared By: Jessie Burch, Business Assistant
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Attachment A - Map
B. March 19, 2024 Staff Report (weblink)
C. July 29, 2025 Staff Report (weblink)
D. November 18, 2025 Staff Report (weblink)
E. Resolution_Silas White Street
F. PowerPoint Presentation
12.B
Packet Pg. 1121
Attachment A: Street portion to be renamed (map)
12.B.a
Packet Pg. 1122 Attachment: Attachment A - Map (7544 : Street name change to Silas White St) 1 City Council Meeting: April 28, 2026 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NO. ____________(CCS)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA TO RENAME A PORTION OF VICENTE TERRACE—BETWEEN MAIN
STREET AND OCEAN AVENUE, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY MAILING ADDRESSES—AS SILAS WHITE STREET
WHEREAS, in November 2025, the City Council committed to renaming a portion of Vicente Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean Avenue—as Silas White Street to honor Silas White; and
WHEREAS, the renaming is one of several measures intended to acknowledge past harm and reflect the City’s commitment to equity and restorative justice; and WHEREAS, this segment of Vicente Terrace does not include mailing addresses, ensuring that the change will not affect residential or business postal information; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code sections 34091.1 34092 the City Council may name or rename a city street via resolution; and WHEREAS, on April 24, 2026, the City Council held a noticed public hearing where at that time and place all persons interested in or objecting to the proposed street name changes appeared before the City Council and offered evidence in relation thereto.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby renames the portion of Vicente Terrace — between Main Street and Ocean Avenue — as Silas White Street.
SECTION 2. The City Manager or designee is hereby directed to cause Notices of Street Name Changes to be posted along the affected streets and to notify the owners
12.B.e
Packet Pg. 1123 Attachment: Resolution_Silas White Street (7544 : Street name change to Silas White St) 2 and tenants of property within the portion of Vicente Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean Avenue of the proposed name changes.
SECTION 3. The City Manager or designee is hereby authorized to forward a copy of this resolution to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
HEIDI VON TONGELN
City Attorney
12.B.e
Packet Pg. 1124 Attachment: Resolution_Silas White Street (7544 : Street name change to Silas White St) Public Hearing and Adoption of
Resolution to Rename a Portion of
Vicente Terrace as Silas White Street
12.B April 28, 2026
Item 12-B
April 28, 2026
Item 12-B
April 28, 2026
12.B.f
Packet Pg. 1125 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7544 : Street name change to Silas White St) 2 Silas White Street Silas White Street
Item 12-B
April 28, 2026
Item 12-B
April 28, 2026
12.B.f
Packet Pg. 1126 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7544 : Street name change to Silas White St) 3 Recommended Action
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant
effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common
Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; and
2. Conduct a public hearing and adopt the attached
resolution to rename a portion of Vicente
Terrace—between Main Street and Ocean
Avenue, that does not include any mailing
addresses—as Silas White Street.
Item 12-B
April 28, 2026
Item 12-B
April 28, 2026
12.B.f
Packet Pg. 1127 Attachment: PowerPoint Presentation (7544 : Street name change to Silas White St)
13.A
April 28, 2026
Council Meeting: April 28, 2026 Santa Monica, California 1 of 1
CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jing Yeo, Director, Records & Elections Services Department Date: April 28, 2026
13.A Planning Commission Recommendation Regarding Senate Bill (SB) 79 Implementation
13.A
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City of Santa Monica
Planning Commission
1 MEMORANDUM
Date: April 19, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Josh Hamilton, Chair, Planning Commission, on behalf of the Commission Re: Planning Commission recommendations on SB 79 (Wiener) implementation Purpose
SB 79 takes effect automatically on July 1, 2026. At its April 15, 2026 meeting, the Planning Commission received a staff informational presentation on the statute and its implementation options, took public comment, and voted unanimously to transmit the recommendations set forth below.
Context
The Commission’s deliberations were informed by staff’s analysis that Santa Monica’s existing zoning — particularly in the commercial corridors — already meets or exceeds SB 79 standards across much of the buffer area, such that the practical impact of the statute falls unevenly: on some parcels it changes little, while on others, most notably portions of the Bundy/Expo corridor and certain quarter-to-half-mile bands around major transit stops, it could drive substantial intensification into areas that raise fair-housing, displacement, and neighborhood-preservation concerns.
Of particular concern to the Commission is the potential impact of the legislation on the Pico Neighborhood, especially the R1 area directly north of the Santa Monica Freeway. For many years the City has tailored its planning and zoning decisions to protect this very vulnerable community from gentrification and displacement. The Commission assumes that this is still a City priority. Pico is the neighborhood with the highest concentration of ethnic and racial minorities and lower income households. It is also the neighborhood with the highest risk of displacement according to the 6th Cycle Housing Element.
The Commission’s recommendations reflect an effort to distinguish between those circumstances and to give Council a tailored framework calibrated to each.
Recommendations
The Commission recommends a two-track approach, summarized as: adopt a tailored interim ordinance now, while developing a more comprehensive Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) alternative plan to replace it.
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Packet Pg. 1129 Attachment: Planning Commission SB 79 Memo to City Council (7697 : Planning Commission Reccomendation Regarding SB 79 2 1. Adopt Approach 2 (partial exclusion ordinance) immediately, as a scalpel-not-blanket interim measure
Within the four TOD zone areas, the Commission recommends letting SB 79 take effect inside the quartermile — including the Bundy/Expo corridor, which is already substantially below SB 79 density and production standards and where the statute’s intensification aligns with existing City direction — but using the ordinance tool to protect sites in the quarter-to-half-mile range, with particular attention to R1 parcels at risk in the Pico Neighborhood.
The Commission emphasizes that this protection should not be applied reflexively across the entire outer band. Staff should identify any sites inside the quarter-to-half-mile range that have genuine development capacity without gentrification concerns, and those sites should not be excluded. The exclusion list should be built deliberately, parcel by parcel where practicable.
The Commission further recommends that all existing historic resources — landmarks and historic districts as of the date of adoption — be excluded from SB 79 application under the ordinance.
2. Simultaneously develop Approach 3 (a TOD alternative plan) to replace Approach 2 over time
The Commission recommends that staff begin work on a TOD alternative plan that shifts density toward the commercial zones and away from R1. Two framing principles should guide that work.
First, shifting should produce real density increases, not paper increases. When units are moved out of R1 neighborhoods, they should land in places that actually produce housing near transit — up to the 200% cap where appropriate — rather than being transferred to parcels whose existing zoning already accommodates them.
Second, staff should study three specific questions as part of the alternative plan:
a. The feasibility and legality of inter-parcel development rights transfers within zones (not just between zones), pending HCD clarification on whether and how such transfers comply with SB 79;
b. Creative ways to achieve SB 79 density that is contextual within the R1 form and that produce homeownership opportunities that are affordable to identified groups of employees within the city such as teachers and administrative Santa Monica College, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, and City employees. It is recommended that this approach be consistent with the Commission’s companion recommendation on missing middle housing (transmitted separately); and
c. How transfer-development-rights mechanisms currently used to incentivize historic preservation can be protected under an alternative plan, so those sites do not lose that tool. (San Francisco has a very successful transfer of development rights program aimed at protecting historic resources.)
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Packet Pg. 1130 Attachment: Planning Commission SB 79 Memo to City Council (7697 : Planning Commission Reccomendation Regarding SB 79 3 3. Investigate two categorical questions on which the statute’s application turns The Commission recommends that staff investigate, and report back on:
a. The precise locations of “major transit stops” as defined by the statute, including the question of whether a charter city can be effectively up-zoned by an outside agency — Metro or the Big Blue Bus — unilaterally increasing headways. This question is particularly salient for Santa Monica because the Big Blue Bus operates as an independent enterprise fund, and its service decisions have land-use consequences that the City does not directly control through that fund’s governance.
b. The disparate-impact and fair-housing implications in the Pico Neighborhood, including the constitutional and general-law conflicts that could arise from applying SB 79 alongside the City’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing obligations. The Commission heard substantial concern on this point at its April 15 meeting and recommends that it receive dedicated legal and planning analysis.
4. Study a “right to return” provision as part of the Approach 3 / TOD alternative plan work
The Commission acknowledges that a right-to-return provision sits somewhat outside the scope of SB 79 itself. However, given the displacement concerns that attend intensification in sensitive neighborhoods, the Commission recommends that staff study the feasibility of incorporating such a provision into the TOD alternative plan as a complementary protection.
Transmittal
Commissioners Lambert and Landres have been designated to work with staff, under the review of the Planning Commission, on the detailed drafting that may follow from Council direction on these recommendations. The Commission stands ready to provide additional analysis or to appear before Council on this matter at Council’s request.
Respectfully submitted,
Josh Hamilton
Chair, Planning Commission
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Packet Pg. 1131 Attachment: Planning Commission SB 79 Memo to City Council (7697 : Planning Commission Reccomendation Regarding SB 79 1 David Yakobson
From: Leslie Lambert <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 10:54 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Ross Fehrman; Jing Yeo; Shawn Landres
Subject: Item 13
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis and Councilmembers,
Commissioner Landres and I have been designated as the representatives of the Planning Commission for the purpose of relaying the Commission's recommendations for implementing Senate Bill 79 in Santa Monica. Since I am unable to attend your meeting tonight, I am submitting my comments in writing .
As stated in the City's 6th Cycle Housing Element, the Pico Neighborhood is the most vulnerable to displacement caused by rising housing costs. It is also the area with the highest proportion of lower income families and people of color. In recognition of this, the City has, for many years, designed its planning and zoning policies to protect Pico. That objective is still the policy of the Planning Commission and provides a basis for the Commission's recommendations for implementation of SB79. The Commission is concerned that full implementation of SB 79 on its July 1, 2026 effective date would raise serious fair housing issues because of its impact on the Pico Neighborhood.
The Commission is recommending that the City Council take the following actions to implement a "hybrid" approach to implementation of SB79. This is the approach being taken by the City of LA..Whether these actions are taken by ordinance, as LA did, or some other method should be discussed with staff and the City Attorney.
Implement Approach 2 for the area within the Expo/Bundy TOD area. This action would implement SB79 for sites that are not excluded by SB79 by making these sites eligible for SB79 development standards and additional concessions immediately and until the City adopts a TOD Alternative Plan that is approved by HCD. The rationale for this recommendation is the fact that the existing density allowed by current zoning falls far short of that which would result from implementation of SB79. It includes a portion of Sunset Park that is south and west of the intersection of PIco Boulevard and Centinela Avenue.
Implement Approach 3 by preparing a TOD Alternative Plan. This action would allow for a more nuanced approach to implementing SB79's development standards and density requirements by protecting the PIco Neighborhood and integrating the current up-zoning of the Expo Line-adjacent areas into housing and land use decision-making. It will also allow time to consider any potential changes that SCAG may make in the definition and boundaries of TOD areas. This approach and the Alternative Plan must be approved by HCD. Time is of the essence. From the standpoint of comprehensive planning and decision making and, given the limitations of staff resources, the Commission asks you to consider including the Plan in the 7th Cycle Housing Element. The time extension allowed would be completion by 2030.
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Item 13-A
April 28, 2026
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Packet Pg. 1132 Attachment: Written Comments (7697 : Planning Commission Reccomendation Regarding SB 79 Implementation) 2 Finally, The 6th Cycle Housing Element focused residential densification in areas adjacent or convenient to the three Expo Line Stations and major boulevards with Big Blue Bus or Metro bus routes. In a sense, Santa Monica has already implemented a TOD strategy that is consistent with the intent of SB79. The number of units that could be produced with current zoning closely approximates those that would result from full SB79 implementation.
Thank you for your consideration of this very important and time-sensitive matter.
Leslie Lambert, Planning Commissioner
Item 13-A
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Packet Pg. 1133 Attachment: Written Comments (7697 : Planning Commission Reccomendation Regarding SB 79 Implementation) City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 28, 2026
Agenda Item: 16.A
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson Warren, Interim City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Appointment to one scheduled vacancy on the Building & Fire-Life Safety Commission for a term ending on June 30, 2028. (Continued from 04/14/2026)
Prepared By: David Yakobson, Staff Assistant III
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Applicant List
16.A
Packet Pg. 1134
City of Santa Monica
Boards and Commissions Applicants
Building & Fire-Life Safety Commission
Name Application Date
Halpert, Jeffrey 04/19/2026
Helms, Williams S.* 09/30/2025
TOTAL APPLICANTS: 2
* Ineligible
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Packet Pg. 1135 Attachment: Applicant List (7688 : 16.A. Appointment to the Building & Fire-Life Safety Commission (5 mins.))