City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 26, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.A
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Aileen Reynolds, Director, Housing and Human Services Department Subject: Award RFP #470 to The People Concern for Administration of the Santa Monica Renter Aid Program to Provide Financial Assistance and Case Management to Qualifying Households
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines
2. Award RFP #470 to The People Concern for administration of the Santa Monica Renter Aid Program for the Housing and Human Services Department
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with The People Concern, in an amount not to exceed $2,400,000 for two years, with three additional one-year renewal option(s) in the amount of $1,200,000 per year, on the same terms and conditions, for a total amount not to exceed $6,000,000 over a 5-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica (City) has a long history of implementing comprehensive, coordinated, and interdisciplinary strategies to address and prevent homelessness and its impacts on the community. On March 11, 2025, Council approved the 2025–2030 Homelessness Strategic Plan (HSP) (Attachment A), a citywide framework that builds upon the City’s Four Pillars of Prevention, Intervention, Coordination, and Communication to provides clear policy direction, promotes alignment among City stakeholders, and strengthens regional coordination. One of the strategies identified in the HSP is the development of a comprehensive Renters’ Protection Program (RPP), as detailed in the October 2024 report by Fetterman-Dunn Consulting: City of Santa Monica Renters’ Protections Program: Analysis, Key Findings and Recommendations 2 of 6
(Attachment B). Key recommendations for the RPP included expansion of the City’s existing Right to Counsel Program and creation of a new flexible financial assistance program for Santa Monica renters at risk of eviction due to legal issues and/or inability to pay rent.
In January 2026, the City issued Request for Proposals (RFP) #470 to procure a qualified organization to implement and administer the flexible financial assistance program. Following evaluation by an evaluation committee comprised of an interdepartmental review panel and external reviewers, The People Concern was evaluated as the best-qualified proposer based on program model, organizational policies and procedures, organizational capacity, past experience, work samples/references, program budget, program evaluation, audited financial statements, and value added/breadth of service.
Staff recommends that the City Council award RFP #470 for the administration of the flexible financial assistance program, now formally operating as “Santa Monica Renter Aid Program”, to The People Concern and authorize the City Manager to execute a two-year agreement, with three one-year options for renewal, in an amount not to exceed $6,000,000 over five years.
Discussion
In recent years, the City has identified a growing need for financial assistance to help Santa Monica residents who are at risk of losing housing. Voters approved Measure GS on November 8, 2022, increasing the real estate transfer tax to fund homelessness prevention efforts. Measure GS prioritizes assistance for families with minor children, low- and fixed-income households, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. The Measure GS committee is in support of the Santa Monica Renter Aid Program and will provide recommendations to City staff and City Council on its implementation. Measure GS will be the primary funding source for the Santa Monica Renter Aid Program, supplemented by additional funding as available.
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On August 22, 2023, the City Council presented Item 16: Protecting Santa Monica’s Vulnerable Renters, calling for recommendations to safeguard the approximately 70 percent of Santa Monica residents who are renters amid rising eviction rates. In response, the Housing and Human Services Department (HHS) retained FettermanDunn in December 2023 to assess renter protection needs. Their analysis found that more than 6,700 renter households (20.5 percent) are severely housing cost burdened—spending at least half of their income on rent and utilities—and that 32 percent of renters earn below 80 percent of area median income while paying more than 30 percent of income toward housing. Based on data from the City Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs, an estimated 472 Santa Monica renters face unlawful detainer filings annually. These indicators highlight the urgency of strengthening tenant protections, including a robust financial assistance program.
In March 2025, the City Council approved implementation of a flexible financial assistance program with the following components:
• Immediate one-time assistance of up to $5,000 per household per year for residents at risk of losing housing due to a financial emergency.
• Ongoing monthly assistance totaling up to $10,000 per household annually to support continued housing stability.
• Up to $20,000 in financial assistance for households involved in unlawful detainer proceedings and receiving services through the Right to Counsel Program, to help maintain housing or support relocation if necessary.
• Supportive services, including case management, to address factors contributing to housing instability.
• Development or adoption of a prioritization tool to identify the most housing-vulnerable households.
To advance the Santa Monica Renter Aid Program, RFP #470 was released on January 20, 2026 on the City’s OpenGov Procurement Portal, alerting 25 registered vendors about the open solicitation seeking qualified organizations with demonstrated experience administering flexible financial assistance and providing case management 4 of 6
to households at risk of homelessness. The RFP evaluation criteria reflected that the ideal proposers would possess expertise in serving vulnerable populations, administering funds, and operating within local and regional homelessness prevention systems. The City received three proposals. An evaluation committee comprised of an interdepartmental review panel and an external evaluator, evaluated The People Concern’s Santa Monica Renter Aid Program as the highest ranked proposer. Staff recommends awarding a two-year contract with three one-year options for renewal to the People Concern, for a total contract amount not to exceed $6,000,000 over five years.
Vendor/Consultant Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Qualified Firm The People Concern
Evaluation Criteria Program Models & Policies and Procedures, Organizational Capacity, Past Experience, Work Samples, and References, Program Budget, Program Evaluation, Audited Financial
Statements, Value Added/Breadth of Services
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.190
RFP Data
Posted On Posted On
Advertised In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
1/20/2026 City's Online
Bidding Site Santa Monica Daily Press 35 2/23/2026
Justification to Award
The evaluation committee evaluated proposals using the criteria set forth in RFP #470 and in accordance with SMMC Section 2.24.190. In determining the best qualified firm, staff considered criteria relevant to the solicitation, including: the training, credentials, and experience of the proposer; the proposer’s demonstrated competence, ability, capacity, and skill to successfully perform the required services within the required timelines and without delay; the proposer’s capacity to perform the work promptly and effectively; the sufficiency of the proposer’s financial and other resources; the proposer’s character, integrity, reputation, and judgment; the 5 of 6
proposer’s ability to provide future services as needed; and whether the proposed pricing was fair, reasonable, and competitive.
Based on this evaluation, staff determined that The People Concern is the best qualified firm to administer the Santa Monica Renter Aid Program. The People Concern demonstrated extensive experience and strong qualifications in providing homelessness prevention and supportive case management services to vulnerable households, as well as the demonstrated competence, capacity, and organizational resources necessary to successfully perform the scope of work. Staff also considered The People Concern’s responsive project approach, work samples, references, ability to coordinate with governmental agencies, and competitive pricing. Formed through the 2016 merger of Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC) and Lamp Community, The People Concern is one of Los Angeles County’s largest social services agencies and, informed by more than sixty years of communitybased work, is a leading provider of evidence-based homelessness and domestic violence services.
Environmental Review
The professional services agreement is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. The agreement is covered by the 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.” The award of the RFP and authorization to enter into the agreement is administrative in nature and will provide consulting services for fiscal and programmatic monitoring. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from Measure GS to award a professional services agreement with The People Concern to administer the Santa Monica Renter Aid program. Funds are included in the proposed Operating Budget for FY 2026-27.
Agreement Request
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FY 2026-27
Request
Amount
Future Year Modified
Request Amount
FY 2026-27
Department Account #
Total Contract
Amount
$1,200,000 $4,800,000 29800001.556220 $6,000,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Elizabeth Scharetg, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Homelessness Strategic Plan 2025-2030
B. Renters Protection Program
C. The People Concern - Levine Act Disclosure Form
D. Written Comments
E. PowerPoint Presentation