Written comments — Santa Monica City Council, July 28, 2026

1 David Yakobson
From: Janee Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 6:57 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Keep Samoshell Where It Is; NO HOMELESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

EXTERNAL
Please do not move Samoshell to our residential neighborhoods in South Santa Monica! Samoshell is a shelter on a freeway away from families/kids/elderly/citizens. Keep it that way Do NOT move these people into our neighborhoods.

This should be criminal. Every single "supportive" housing project has trash surrounding the building, people lounging around drinking, doing drugs, committing crimes, fighting, cussing, assaulting passerbys, and horrible noise and SMPD/SMFD complaints.

Now you want to expose children, students, elderly, families, and residents to this chaos? This is horrific. And when North Santa Monica objected - you complied; why is South Santa Monica treated differently? Equal protection? Bias because that's where YOU live? Stop targeting Pico and South Santa Monica for punishment! The homeless in Santa Monica are NOT from Santa Monica. Other states and the County ship drug addicts and homeless to our neighborhoods because we supposedly have the "resources" and "money" to address the issue. We do NOT.

We pay MILLIONS of dollars to live here and then have to have our entire lives destroyed by your idiodic decisions. Homeless people and drug addicts do not belong next to kids and families.

If you love these people so much ----- INVITE THEM TO YOUR HOME TO LIVE. HELP THEM WITH YOUR MONEY. Do not put this burden on us, the citizens of Santa Monica.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Lauren de la Fuente <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2026 6:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office; Council Mailbox; Oliver Chi; Planning Commission Comments; [email protected]; councilmtgitems
Subject: City Council 7/28/2026 item 11-B -- OPPOSE!

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Members of the Santa Monica City Council, and City Manager, I am writing in strong opposition to the continued placement of homeless service facilities in Santa Monica’s residential neighborhoods. For years, residents have watched the City repeat the same policies while expecting a different outcome. The result has not been a healthier city, safer neighborhoods, or a stronger local economy. Instead, Santa Monica continues to face a financial crisis, declining retail activity, dwindling tourism, vacant storefronts, and growing frustration among residents and business owners.

That’s why I urge you to oppose Item 11-B at the Santa Monica City Council Meeting on July 28, 2026.

Many residents feel that City Hall is no longer listening to the people who live here, pay taxes here, support local businesses, and care deeply about this community. The impacts of the City’s homelessness policies have been concentrated in the same neighborhoods while residents are repeatedly asked to accept more disruption, more public disorder, and growing safety concerns with little evidence that these approaches are solving the underlying problems.

The City needs to take an honest look at whether its current homelessness strategy is working.

Housing and services are important, but a successful strategy must also address the complex realities of chronic homelessness, including mental health challenges, addiction, public safety concerns, and the need for long-term stability. Simply expanding programs without measurable outcomes does not represent progress.

Residents should not have to choose between compassion and feeling safe in their own neighborhoods. The City has a responsibility to help those in need while also protecting the safety, security, and quality of life of the residents who call Santa Monica home.

Across the country, communities and policymakers are increasingly questioning homelessness strategies that have not delivered the results promised. These concerns are no longer limited to local residents; they are part of a national conversation about accountability, effectiveness, public safety, and whether current approaches are truly helping the people they are intended to serve.

Santa Monica has increasingly become responsible for providing homeless services for a regional problem, while neighboring communities contribute far less. Homelessness is not a challenge that one city can solve alone, and it is not sustainable to continue concentrating services and impacts within Santa Monica’s neighborhoods.

Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services, especially at a time when the City is facing significant budget challenges. Families, seniors, Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

I urge the Council to:
 Stop placing homeless service facilities in residential neighborhoods.  Require measurable outcomes and independent evaluation of homelessness programs before expanding them.
 Prioritize public safety as a core component of any homelessness strategy.  Pursue regional solutions rather than concentrating responsibility in Santa Monica.  Support policies that improve safety, strengthen local businesses, and restore confidence in City leadership.

Compassion and accountability must go together. Santa Monica can help people in need while also protecting the residents and businesses that make this city a vibrant place to live.

Continuing to repeat the same policies while expecting different results is not leadership. It is time for the Council to acknowledge what is not working and pursue a more effective, smarter approach.

Please do not approve Item 11-B!
Sincerely,
Lauren de la Fuente
Lauren de la Fuente
2110 Pearl Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405
[email protected]
310-283-8488
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: Marc Verville <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:50 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi
Cc: councilmtgitems
Subject: OPPOSE APPROVAL of SaMoShel Relocation to Palms Motel - Agenda Item: 11.B in the 2026-07-28 SM Council Agenda

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Council Members, and City Manager Chi,
Overview
Incompatible use
The proposed relocation of a subset of the existing SaMoShel shelter to the 34-room Palms Motel in a quiet Sunset Park residential neighborhood being a shockingly incompatible land use proposal. Moreover, it serves absolutely no purpose in addressing the massive scale of homeless migration impacting the city.

There is absolutely no justification for introducing such a facility, comprised entirely of demonstrably high-riskbehavior individuals, into a quiet school-adjacent residential neighborhood. This recklessly imposes significant burdens of disruption and safety on the neighborhood families and children.

Moreover, this overall policy is exacerbating, not mitigating, the city’s massive and destructive migratory homeless crisis by incentivizing use of Santa Monica as a homeless destination though the promise of SM taxpayer-funded free housing.

Proven destructive disruption
As a component of the economic Realignment Plan, it is the unacceptable behavioral risk profile of this facility that’s required it’s removal from downtown in the first place, due to its significant contribution to the cratering of the city’s visitor economy.

Reliant on a knowingly false premise and misapplied data This policy proposal is agenda-based, not data-based. It relies on a deliberately false premise and misuse of Point-In-Time (PIT) counts that drastically understates the scale of the city’s migratory homeless crisis. The actual scale of the homeless migration through this city renders both this proposal and the entire City shelter strategy completely ineffective as a means of addressing the out-of-control homeless migration crisis through our city. It is this migratory scale that is by far the largest contributor to the collapse of both the city’s visitor economy and City finances.

Adds new legal and financial exposure to the already eviscerated City finances Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 The Staff Report inexplicably recommends that Santa Monica “…must own the system of care that operates within our borders.” Why would the City EVER open itself up to yet more lawsuits from damage emanating from owning and operating such high-risk facilities?
This proposal marks a new low for the Council’s management of the city and treatment of its residents.

The False Premise
The false premise underlying the justification for not only this proposed placement but of the City’s entire homeless shelter policy is the assertion that the entire scale of the issue is limited to the Point-In-Time (PIT) count. The false premise also requires the deliberate disregarding of abundant relevant City and third-party data on the actual massive scale of the crisis in Santa Monica. This is a deliberate misuse of the PIT data in both this Staff report and in other City reports going back years, and it contradicts the City’s own recent characterizations of the issue. In the 10-28-2025 Realignment Plan, City Manager Chi admitted that “Homelessness grew in both scale and acuity”. In the July 16 Town Hall, he noted that that the Santa Monica homeless issue was driven by the larger LA County homeless migration flows. These statements completely negating the PIT narrative. Taking all these facts together, relying on this premise can only be described as dishonest and inexcusable.

Within the actual data context, the Santa Monica shelter strategy is completely irrelevant in mitigating this growing issue, eliminating any justification for this shelter strategy, let alone one implemented in residential areas.

Disregarded City data
At the July 16 Town Hall, City Manager Chi admitted that Santa Monica’s homeless crisis was driven by a huge regional migratory issue, contradicting the established City narrative. Despite this admission, he also had no idea what the relevant stats were surrounding the actual scale of the city’s massive migratory homeless crisis, despite his staff admitting knowledge of the highly-relevant Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) that includes the data (currently unavailable to the public):
 6,000+ annual arrivals during 2017-2019 with a lack of complete HMIS reporting thereafter  2,000 homeless-related arrests per year (70% of total arrests) since at least 2019*  14,388 YTD 2025 Homeless-related dispositions: Annual run rate of 28,800 (06-20-2026 Blue Book)  14,196 YTD 2026 Homeless-related dispositions: Annual run rate of 28,400 (06-20-2026 Blue Book) Clearly, 812 PIT-counted individuals cannot be responsible for 2,000 homeless-related arrests and 28,800 annual SMPD dispositions.

Disregarded third party annual throughput data
Disregarded third party data indicates that the Metro Light Rail End-of-Line policy disembarked at 58 per evening in 2023** with anecdotal evidence suggesting it has more than doubled today. That is an annual migratory run rate of over 20,000 individuals, at a minimum. In the July 16 Town Hall, City Manager Chi disavowed any knowledge of these stats as well.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 What these stats show is that the failed outcomes of LA City’s homeless policies are being transported into Santa Monica though LA County’s disastrously mismanaged Light Rail and Metro Bus system, wreaking uncontrolled havoc on our city and its economy. The endless migratory homeless waves are kryptonite to a visitor economy, which is the origin of this relocation proposal. *SMCC 2024-10-22 Item 5.I. - Resolution Receipt of California Prop 47 Grant Funds - $8M SaMo Bridge - Full Program (Att. B) **LA Metro survey - About 600 homeless riders exit nightly when train service ends - LA Daily News 04-29-2023 Relationship of PIT data to the Annual Throughput Data
Combining the PIT data to the total throughput data provides the average length of time that the average homeless person remains in the city. At an annual throughput of between 10,000 and 20,000, the average length of stay in the city is between two weeks and one month. The scale of the throughput amplifies the disorder, damage and destruction created by those stays, which comports with its role in the destruction of the city’s tourist economy. That destruction could not have been achieved if the city hosted only 812 homeless individuals.

Deteriorating trend data of the homeless demographic compounds the destructive impact of the true scale
The unhoused component of the PIT counts indicates how the total throughput is distributed in the city. The unhoused component increased from 41% in 2012 to 78% in 2024. 2012 represented the peak Downtown share of total Sales Tax Revenue for the period 2003-2024.

Meanwhile, the City first declared “A Local Emergency On Homelessness” on 02-14-2023 which has been renewed annually since then. The declaration noted that the homeless demographic had changed from what the city had historically experienced, with “…78% had mental health conditions, and 75% had substance abuse conditions”. Since the “Realignment Plan” acknowledged that “Homelessness grew in both scale and acuity”, it is no wonder that as substance abuse requires funding, heightened shoplifting in the city’s commercial core was one outcome.

Entirely Inappropriate Proposed SaMoShel Location
In addition to the lack of any credibility for this shelter policy in general and the Palms Motel specifically, the choice of location for the SaMoShel replacement at the Palms Motel is an extremely unsuitable location. In the July 16 Town Hall, City Manager Chi noted that sobriety is not a gating factor in the acceptance of individuals to this facility. That is despite the fact that the adjacent Chevron gas has recently obtained a liquor license.

In addition, this facility is placing yet another huge behavioral risk burden on a neighborhood that also hosts The Manor, a deeply troubled adult mental health facility only five blocks away on Pico that experienced a murder on Saturday, July 25th.

Conclusion
Given the massive scale of this migratory homeless crisis, the assertion in the Staff Report that “…staff continues to explore additional pathways to create permanent, affordable housing in Santa Monica, so that Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 the continuum proposed here connects to the housing outcomes it is designed to produce.” is based entirely on a self-serving, irrelevant, and imagined reality.

Given the completely discredited rationale for this SaMoShel relocation proposal (and the entire City shelter initiative in general), pursuit of a demonstrably ineffective and destructive “Housing Focused System of Care” only serves to socialize the massive costs of this completely ineffective policy to the neighborhood residents and children.

Moreover, this overall policy is exacerbating, not mitigating, the city’s massive migratory homeless crisis by incentivizing use of Santa Monica as a homeless destination though the promise of SM taxpayer-funded free housing.

If this is approved, it represents a completely irresponsible Council action.

Respectfully,
Marc Verville
Former Chair, Santa Monica Audit Subcommittee
Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 11:20 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Keep Samoshell Where It Is; NO HOMELESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS Thanks,
Amy Larkin
Administrative Staff Assistant- City Council Office
From: Janee Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 6:57 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Keep Samoshell Where It Is; NO HOMELESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

We pay MILLIONS of dollars to live here and then have to have our entire lives destroyed by your idiodic decisions. Homeless people and drug addicts do not belong next to kids and families.

If you love these people so much ----- INVITE THEM TO YOUR HOME TO LIVE. HELP THEM WITH YOUR MONEY. Do not put this burden on us, the citizens of Santa Monica.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Council Mailbox
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 11:26 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: HFSC - Santa Monica Chamber Letter of Support Attachments: Housing Focused System of Care.pdf
Thanks,
Amy Larkin
Administrative Staff Assistant- City Council Office
From: Alex Brown <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, July 24, 2026 8:45 AM
To: Council Mailbox <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Dan Hall <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]> Cc: Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]>; Oliver Chi <[email protected]>; Genevieve Morrill <[email protected]>
Subject: HFSC - Santa Monica Chamber Letter of Support

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
Please see attached for the Chamber of Commerce's letter regarding our strong support of City Staff's recommendations on the Housing First System of Care initiative.

Respectfully,
Alex Brown
Director of Government Affairs & Director of Rebuild
Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce
(c): 510-402-9767
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
July 23, 2026
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 209
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: Letter of Support – Staff Recommendation on a Housing Focused System of Care (Agenda Item 11.B, City Council Meeting of July 28, 2026) Dear Mayor Torosis and Councilmembers,
On behalf of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to express our strong support for Staff's recommendation to establish a Housing Focused System of Care, including the proposed agreements with The Palm Motel, The People Concern, and The Salvation Army, and the direction to transition away from SaMoShel's congregate shelter model.

The closure of the temporary SaMoShel facility is something our members, residents, and the broader business community have been asking for, and we believe it is also the right thing to do for the people the facility serves.

SaMoShel is not the standard of care that reflects the dignity our unhoused neighbors deserve, and it has left people cycling through the same beds for years without ever moving toward stability. The facility has also contributed to a disproportionate share of disorder in the Downtown core, affecting the livelihoods of nearby business owners and the safety of public transit users and employees at surrounding properties.

SaMoShel has proven to be a bandaid rather than a solution. We are encouraged that Staff's recommendation offers a long-term, housing-focused alternative that treats every person with the dignity they deserve.

We also support preserving The Palm Motel as interim stabilization housing. For the past two years, it has been used successfully as safe, clean interim housing for Santa Monica's unhoused community. Rather than let LA County's withdrawal of funding put that resource at risk, bringing the facility under City control, with the City determining placements, services, and security, will allow it to continue serving our most vulnerable residents as they transition into long-term housing.

More broadly, the Chamber is in full support of building a system of care that is efficient, tested, and adaptive to the current needs of our community. We believe Staff's recommendations are a strong push toward that goal.

For these reasons, we respectfully urge the City Council to adopt Staff's recommendations at the July 28, 2026 meeting. Thank you for your continued leadership on this issue and for the extensive community engagement that has shaped this proposal.

Sincerely,
Genevieve Morrill
Interim CEO
Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce
2525 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405 · www.smchamber.com Board Executives
Addie VanGessel
Tavern on Main
Chair
Paula Larmore
Harding, Larmore, Kutcher &
Kozal LLP
Past Chair
Kara Block
DFH Architects
Treasurer
Vee Gomez
Beach Yoga SoCal
Vice-Chair
Melissa Cohen
Boston Properties (BXP)
Vice-Chair
Jeremy Rawitch
RAND
Vice-Chair
Elias Garcia
Kaiser Permanente
Vice-Chair
Directors
Elnie Vannatim
Cedars Sinai
Gina Gribow
EKA Public Relations
Lilit Avagyan
US Bank
Ben Marcus
UP Partners
Michael Altschule
UCLA Health
Directors cont.

Shari Davis
Santa Monica College
Wesly Hernandez
SNAP Inc.

Berta Negari
XYZ Rent
Garrett Childers
SM Fire 1109
Carlos Madrid

SMPD POA
Jared Amerson
Providence Saint John's
Simone Acciani
Dolcenero Gelato
Graham Fandrei
Broad Stage
Cambria Mendez
Fairmont Miramar
Adora Manalo
Regent Santa Monica Beach
Andre Jackson
Jonathan Club
Christophe Baraton
Shutters on the Beach
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Alex Novakovich <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Alex Novakovich
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Lina Ara <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:16 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Lina Ara
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 David Yakobson
From: Maureen Forman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!!!!!!!

Sincerely,
Maureen Forman
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: David Abramis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
David Abramis & Iris Souza
2642 33rd St.

Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 David Yakobson
From: Estelle G. Mednick <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:19 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
(Estelle Mednick
)
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: Jacquelyn Lawson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Jacquelyn Lawson
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 David Yakobson
From: Betty Mednick <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Betty Mednick
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: Toby Berlin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:20 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Toby Berlin
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
9 David Yakobson
From: LUCY F STONE <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:21 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME) Lucy Frances Stone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
10 David Yakobson
From: David DeCrane <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council members,
Why does this city think neighborhoods close to the beach or other prime spots should be used for homeless housing? Why not prioritize nicer neighborhoods for more housing to raise the tax base of our city, and to provide funds for homeless housing in less expensive parts of Santa Monica? In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Sincerely,
David DeCrane
2231 20th St, 1
Santa Monica, CA
90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
11 David Yakobson
From: Lynn Murdock <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Lynn Murdock
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Daniel Register <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:01 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

The proposed relocation of a portion of the SaMoShel shelter population to the Palm Motel, in a quiet residential neighborhood, is an incompatible land use. It places a facility serving a high-need population directly against family homes and a school-adjacent street, without a plan for how the neighborhood will be protected.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

I am also concerned about the location itself: sobriety is not a condition of admission, by the City's own description, and this facility would sit near an adjacent gas station now licensed to sell alcohol. This same neighborhood already hosts The Manor, an adult residential care facility five blocks away that experienced a homicide on Saturday, July 25. Adding another high-acuity facility here, without first addressing what already isn't working, asks residents to absorb a second burden before the first has been resolved.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
- Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards: a documented 444-450% increase in police calls since it opened. I am asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there.

Respectfully,
Daniel Register
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
12 David Yakobson
From: Chad Mountain <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Sincerely,
Chad Mountain
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
13 David Yakobson
From: Karen Croner <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Just because the County ran an “interim” housing shelter, does not mean the Palm Motel cannot return to being a working motel. You have been broadcasting the great renaissance of “cool” Santa Monica. Certainly the Palm Motel is an excellent choice for tourists. Your plan is not an “interim” shelter, so the argument that there is a shelter there already is irrelevant. You are proposing a first stage emergency shelter in a residential neighborhood by 2 schools. Is the safety and security of the neighborhood worth the 9 million dollars? We know that without serious medical addiction services, numerous case workers, sobriety requirements, those struggling with addiction will have little chance of success, and as our most vulnerable residents, will easily become targets of drug dealers in the alleys around Palm Motel. We’ve seen this happen elsewhere.

C’mon, find a terrific secure building, providing excellent mental health and addiction services, and do the very best for these people who are truly struggling. The Palm Motel is a badly thought out plan. I’m actually stunned that you would consider putting an emergency shelter into a residential neighborhood when ALL OF YOU promised not to.

Tell us exactly how that 9 million dollars will be divided up. How much does PC take? How much for security? How much for the city?
In any case, do the right thing, don’t sell out for a sub-par shelter in our neighborhood. I am a SHIMBY. Safe, secure and smart housing in my neighborhood.

Sincerely,
Karen Croner
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
14 David Yakobson
From: Hilary Galanoy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item11-B

The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces serious concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Hilary Galanoy
2636 32nd Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
15 David Yakobson
From: Joseph Lilli <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers, In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there. Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction. The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Joe Lilli
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
16 David Yakobson
From: Amanda O'Brien <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Amanda OBrien
Owner 1744 Bryn Mawr Ave
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
17 David Yakobson
From: Dan Halperin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Dan Halperin
1030 Cedar St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
(33 year resident of Santa Monica, 28 years at this location) Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
18 David Yakobson
From: Lisa Test, OTD, OTR/L <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item 11B

Sincerely,
Lisa A Test
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
19 David Yakobson
From: Gail Gordon <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Gail Gordon
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
20 David Yakobson
From: Shane Murphy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Shane Murphy
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Michael Ishler <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:40 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Mike Ishler
2314 Pearl Street
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Tina <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:43 PM
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 11-B Oppose

Sincerely,
Tina Cox
Tina
"Time spent with cats is never wasted"
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 David Yakobson
From: Dennis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Dennis Granelli
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:45 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Oliver Chi; Aileen Reynolds; Allyson Crosby Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: FOSP: City Council 7/28 item 11-B -- OPPOSE

EXTERNAL
July 27, 2026

To: Mayor Caroline Torosis and City Council members

From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park

RE: July 28 agenda item 11-B -- OPPOSE

Before the City Council approves $9 million for the owner of the Palm Motel and the People Concern to run a homeless program at 2020 14th Street, the FOSP Board wants to see a signed Good Neighborhood Agreement that guarantees regular meetings between nearby residents, People Concern staff, the property owner, and city staff to address any problems, as well as a detailed Management Agreement that specifies screening procedures that will prevent people with mental illness and drug addiction from being housed at the Palm Motel. Until then, the FOSP Board opposes item 11-B.

To quote an FOSP member, “Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services…Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.” The 34-room, 48-occupant Palm Motel on 14th Street just south of Pico Blvd. has been operated as a countyfunded interim housing program for the past two years. When rigorous screening of motel occupants unfortunately ended, nearby residents began complaining about people screaming at night, excrement on the sidewalks, a climate of fear, and other problems such as People Concern staff refusing to call 9-1-1 to help a man in distress lying on the sidewalk in front of the motel because “he wasn’t on the motel property.” The Palm Motel is also on the walking path for TK-5 students in the Pico neighborhood who attend Will Rogers, and students in grades 6-8 who attend JAMS. If a mentally ill motel occupant harasses them as they walk by, will the People Concern staff refuse to help because “they’re not on the motel property”? It’s not enough for city staff to refer to “Good Neighbor policies” and the ability of residents to complain at City Council meetings.

Before the City Council approves $9 million for the motel owner and the People Concern, the FOSP Board wants to see a signed Good Neighborhood Agreement and a detailed Management Agreement that includes screening for mental illness and drug addiction.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces the strength of our opposition to agenda item 11-B.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: CHERI DICKINSON <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:46 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Cheri Dickinson
2268 22nd Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 David Yakobson
From: Dalila Fuentes <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:47 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Dalila Fuentes
36 years resident in Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: Laura M. Gallant <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: STRONG OPPOSITION to Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
Agenda Item 11-B asks the City to spend $9 million to establish homeless housing at the Palm Motel, 2020 14th Street, in the heart of the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

The proposed site is only a few blocks from John Adams Middle School (JAMS) and the Santa Monica Swim Center, where children gather daily. Before the City commits public funds or enters into any agreement with The People Concern, residents deserve a meaningful opportunity to review the proposal, ask questions, and be heard through a transparent public process.

Research consistently shows that untreated serious mental illness combined with active substance use can increase the risk of unpredictable behavioral crises. Santa Monica residents must regularly deal with the effects of mentally ill individuals roaming our streets, including unprovoked attacks, public defecation and urination, and sleeping in public spaces. Residents do not need to be strained further by the potential consequences of housing individuals with complex behavioral health needs.

The City should not move forward with this project until the community has had an opportunity to provide meaningful input and the Council has fully evaluated whether this location is appropriate for a facility of this nature.

Sincerely,
Laura Gallant
Santa Monica Resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
9 David Yakobson
From: Jerry <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Jerry Nodiff
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
10 David Yakobson
From: Jodi Strock <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:57 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
Before I send the copy and paste that you’re receiving for most of the residents I want to state that I completely support us having housing for our unhoused neighbors. And I think it’s hypocritical in many of our cases for that housing to be anywhere other than our neighborhoods. That said, it is imperative that any housing provided has strict policy, standards, and requirements around screening and safety. Further, I suggest a clear, well defined, Restorative justice model around anyone who does not abide by the said policies, standards and requirements. I think this might mean having to make some kind of amendment to rent agreements so that safety, accountability and community care can be a shared responsibility of the city, law enforcement, housing departments, the person being housed and the collective community.

The place that housing being considered is where most children that go to the public schools walk to and from school. Most walk by themselves. Their safety needs to be top priority.

There is an incredible opportunity here to change the way people view, relate to and interact with our unhoused neighbors. And also a huge opportunity for how our unhoused neighbors interact with us. I have a great fear that our progressive agendas, while really well intended, put the cart before the horse.

For this to be a success and for other cities to look to us as a model, we have to slow down and do this in a way that is sustainable, effective, protective and safe.

That said, here is the copy and paste that you’re receiving for most of the neighbors.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email. And thank you for your consideration.

In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
11 **** I also STRONGLY recommend the entire council reads the books “The Four Pivots” by Shawn A.

Ginwright, PhD. And “Fierce Vulnerability”by Kazu Haga.

Warmly,
Jodi Strock, LMFT
Relational Mindfulness Facilitator
(she/her/hers)
#MFC47652
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
12 David Yakobson
From: Jonathan Mooney <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Jonathan Mooney
20 year Santa Monica resident
Sun set part resident
Father of three
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
13 David Yakobson
From: Christine Thomas <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Christine Thomas
A 76 year resident of Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
14 David Yakobson
From: Brad Segal <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 1:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Plus, I thought that the people who owned the Palm Hotel are bad owners and that they were supposed to be induced to sell their property. What happened with that? Sincerely,
Brad
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
15 David Yakobson
From: Judy Kramer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:00 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: 11B Stop 11B

EXTERNAL
This should not be allowed. As it is now the Palm Motel frequently has Police/Police cars visible. It will only get worse if there are no requirements/rules for sobriety. To make maƩers worse this Motel is located within blocks of 3 schools Will Rogers, John Adams and Santa Monica College. It is also located next to a gas staƟon with a convenience store that sells alcohol. Not where people struggling with addicƟon should be housed .

Please don’t let this happen.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
16 David Yakobson
From: janet rt <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:03 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Janet Tunick
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
17 David Yakobson
From: MELISSA FEINBERG <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME)
Sent from my iPhone
Melissa Feinberg

PROPERTY MASTER
[email protected]
(818) 612-1654
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
18 David Yakobson
From: MELISSA FEINBERG <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Melissa Feinberg
Sent from my iPhone
Melissa Feinberg

PROPERTY MASTER
[email protected]
(818) 612-1654
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
19 David Yakobson
From: Carolyn Hanlin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Carolyn Hanlin
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
20 David Yakobson
From: Carolyn Hanlin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:12 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Carolyn Hanlin
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
21 David Yakobson
From: Vivian Geffen <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:25 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents choose neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

If the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and contracts with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction.

The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, exemplifies the reason for concern over agenda item 11-B. Please protect your homeowners first and foremost.

Sincerely,
Vivian Geffen
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
22 David Yakobson
From: Jeanette Schachtner <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood.

Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services.

Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Sincerely,
Jeanette Schachtner
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
23 David Yakobson
From: Mindi Shank <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

This is also an extraordinarily inefficient way to spend precious resources in an equitable per capita manner.

Housing 48 to potentially 70 or so individuals, who may it may not be SM residents, is not a sensible use of Santa Monica’s taxpayer money at a time when this city is bankrupt. It is simply inexcusable to move forward with this amount of money and so very little in data provided, case studies reviewed, and known facts about the people you are aiming to serve and those who will serve them. I’m sure many do not want or choose to be housed. There is no information provided as to how the people on our payroll can achieve these results. This amount of taxpayer funds could serve ALL residents of our city by funding three more fire trucks that are equipped with ladders tall enough to reach the top of the ever-increasing 8 story buildings this Council has chosen to erect. Again, it is completely irresponsible to plow ahead with plans to build 8 story units all over our neighborhoods without proper safety measures for your CONSTITUENTS. Make it make sense.

Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction and sobriety tests!
The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Please rethink and reimagine this poorly vetted plan and return to the citizens with a better, more thoughtful and reasonable expenditure for greater public gain.

Sincerely,
Mindi Shank
Santa Monica Resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
24 David Yakobson
From: Victoria Morrow <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:30 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: SUBJECT: Agenda Item11-B

EXTERNAL
Re: SUBJECT: Agenda Item11-B
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods in Pico should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services.

Dozens of children walk right past the Palm Motel every day to go to Will Rogers Elementary School, which is 2 1/2 blocks away. John Adams Middle School is 3 1/2 blocks. It is not a good location.

Please go and see on any school day morning the amount of foot traffic and bicycles crossing Pico then walking down 14th. 14th right now is considered safe for children and in no way will it remain safe if a homeless facility is put there.

Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, I would like the Council to reconsider this location. The Montana Avenue section of city appears to be immune to these kinds of projects. Perhaps we should begin to consider the Montana neighborhood rather than the lower-income sections of Pico bearing the brunt.

Sincerely,
Victoria Morrow
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
25 David Yakobson
From: Merle Newman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:30 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Merle Newman
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
26 David Yakobson
From: David Rock <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:39 PM
To: Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Santa Monica City Manager's Office; Natalya Zernitskaya Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
David W Rock
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
27 David Yakobson
From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Item 11-B: Oppose!
FYI.

Sarah Almendarez (she/her)
O: (310) 458-8303
From: David Rock <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:39 PM
To: Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; councilmtgitems <[email protected]>; Dan Hall <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Santa Monica City Manager's Office <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
David W Rock
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
28 David Yakobson
From: Chris Rowe <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:48 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Chris Rowe
2442 22nd St
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
29 David Yakobson
From: Bronwyn Barkan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:54 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; [email protected]; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood.

Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there. Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction. The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Bronwyn Barkan
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
30 David Yakobson
From: oesr <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:55 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: RE Agenda item 11B

Sincerely,
Jane Dempsey
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
31 David Yakobson
From: Maureen Forman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 2:57 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: I oppose Agenda item 11B ! It won't work and it is dangerous.

EXTERNAL
1) It Doesn't Work : As a retired Clinical Social Worker and former CEO of Jewish Family Service of the Desert in Palm Springs, I have been on task forces and steering committees re: the homeless population for over 40 years . Now I live in the Pico District on Michigan and am seeing the same lack of consequences , lack of police response and the subsequent recidivism problems we saw in the desert. I just had to call SMPD on July 26 because an aggressive, delusional man was shouting at my husband and me as we tried to get into our car Sunday morning !.

Housing programs and mental health outreach only work for people who really want to be off the streets ( the newly homeless, women trying to keep custody of their children , the ill and elderly. ) The pattern with most solitary male, later stage addicts is as follows:They may accept "3 hots and a cot" until their next disability check gets deposited , but then they'll leave to score their next hit . They tend not to remain and progress through structured programs and rarely agree to have their disability checks used to pay for any form of supportive housing, preferring to cycle in and out of the system and use their checks for drugs.

Amazingly, the city is proposing using the same old illogical criteria used in other unsuccessful stabilization programs (over 3 years without housing or 4 incidents in 2 years etc) This criteria actually rewards recidivism. It is designed to serve those least likely to benefit from it. It selects for Clients who have already proven that they do cannot /do not access or remain in structured programs This defies basic critical thinking and has been proven to not work over and over again. Stabilization should be given to those who are newly at risk, medically fragile or have children ... in other words, to those who are willing and able to utilize it!
It is Dangerous: Most importantly,the placement of a 48 bed facility at the corner of 14th and Pico is dangerous for families and children in the area . The apartment complex is just west of Santa Monica College , just east of Samohi and just north of Will Rogers Elementary and John Adams Middle School .

Drug addicts do not stay put; they wander around our neighborhoods and call their dealers who then come into our neighborhoods to deliver the drugs. They often come with guns .

Addicts also need medical coverage for withdrawal and will leave any facility that is unable to keep them medicated and comfortable as withdrawal sets in Then they are homeless again ... but now they are near our homes..

After years of seeing rapid and supportive housing failures, may I suggest adding some real consequences for and real enforcement of loitering and public disturbance laws, with perhaps coordination with SSDI for repeated refusal to utilize SSDI funds on housing .

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
32 I am a liberal Democrat with a Masters in Social Work from UC Berkeley . My specialization was community mental health . I fully understand the complexity of the homeless population. BUT I no longer believe that their right for shelter supplants our needs for safety and serenity in the neighborhoods we pay to live in.

Lets come up with better idea ! NO on 11B!!!
Maureen Forman, LCSW
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
33 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya
Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
The city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and contracts with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a binding Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction.

The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd, which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11- B.

Sincerely,
Clare Thomas
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Rita Ravindra <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item11-B

Sincerely,
Rita
--
Rita Ravindra
[email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Elaine Becker <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Karrie Dvorchak
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: Karen Fisher <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
•••••
Karen M. Fisher
Mobile: 310-600-1040
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 David Yakobson
From: Ruth Greene <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: RE 11B

EXTERNAL
To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Mary Ruth Greene and I own a condo in the building on the corner of Pico Blvd. and 12th Street in Santa Monica.

It has come to my attention that there is a proposal to turn the Palms Motel at Pico and 14th into a drug shelter where there will be no drug testing and few people overseeing the residents.

This is a terrible plan mainly because of the elementary and pre-schools on 14th and Ocean Park and JAMS is also very close.

I take my dog out late in the evening and often pass the Palms Motel. One time I saw a man with a gun out on the table at the entrance. It is already a bad scene at the motel and turning it into a dedicated drug shelter will make it even worse. We are already dealing with the motel on the corner of 11th and Pico as well. In addition, my neighbors and I have already had to call the police numerous times because drug addicts have been sleeping and defecating in our bushes. We have found needles and drug containers strewn across the area outside our building’s front door.

Opening a dedicated drug shelter will attract more of these bad actors to our neighborhood. In the 13 years since I purchased my condo, the terrible drug addict situation has become much worse. How would you like to find soiled napkins where addicts are using your yard as a latrine? In addition, the porch pirate situation has worsened. My neighbors and I have had numerous packages stolen.

So - inviting drug addicts into a residential neighborhood with schools in close proximity is a terrible idea.

Mary Ruth Greene, homeowner
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: Mary <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Mary Hubbell
Sent from my iPad
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Dannie Charney <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 3:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Danielle Charney
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Linda Mansolillo <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 4:22 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Linda
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: MICHAEL OSMENT <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 4:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Michael Osment

MICHAEL OSMENT
Osment Productions & Photography
[email protected]
310-291-1272
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Holly Silvers <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 4:47 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Cc: Dennis Granelli
Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose

Sincerely,
Holly Silvers-Granelli
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 David Yakobson
From: Leslee Mickshaw <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Leslee Mickshaw
(YOUR NAME)
Leslee Mickshaw
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: Roni Crichton <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there. Please consider the proximity of the elementary school and middle school to the proposed site. Many of the middle schoolers walk to and from school regularly in small groups without adults. Depending upon the location of their homes, they may be in close proximity to/walking by this facility. The potential liability to the city in not considering the danger created to them, particularly without the safeguards in the next paragraph, must be considered. The city is already in financial straits - please take the time to ensure that haste to do this does not create irresponsible additional risk.

Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction. The Agreement should also premit city monitoring of performance of these obligations.

Sincerely,
Roni Crichton
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 David Yakobson
From: KENNY GRANT <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Kenny Grant
Sunset Park resident since 1986

K E N N Y G R A N T
[email protected]
310.422.9393
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: Phyllis Chavez <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item 11-B Oppose!

Sincerely,
Phyllis Chavez
Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 David Yakobson
From: Ann Kelly <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:15 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Cc: Brendan Kelly
Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Ann Kelly
Resident of Santa Monica
Parent of 3 school-aged children attending Grant Elementary & JAMS --
Ann Kelly | [email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: Peggy Lee Kennedy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:20 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; Perkins, Amy Subject: Opposition to Agenda #11B, July 28,2026 NO TO CLOSING SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter. I also oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been a vital 60 bed shelter, providing life essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing, for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people, who the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica, to Bell is displacement and opens Santa Monica up to forms of discrimination.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to limited capacity and the fact that it's already always full.

Is the plan to displace the residents there also?
The Manor is not a shelter and can not be a replacement for SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the very few remaining Adult Residential Facilities (ARFs) in Los Angeles County. ARFs are permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health issues.

I strongly recommend going back to the drawing board, by including alternative human rights advocates and experts with lived street knowledge, and using a model based on equity and fair housing principles-- as opposed to one based on limiting unhoused numbers and selective population controls.

Peggy Kennedy
Hill Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
9 David Yakobson
From: Marc Sniderman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Council Members.

I am very concerned about the proposal to spend $9million to provide Homeless Shelter at Pico & 14th. That is immediately adjacent to Santa Monica College, and close to John Adams Middle School.

The city is broke, and cannot afford it. If it funded by a grant, turn it down.

Just because someone gives you money, doesn’t mean you have to spend it if it doesn’t benefit the community.

Sincerely,
Marc Sniderman
Marc Sniderman
1757 Sunset Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-650-5107
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
10 David Yakobson
From: Mayra Herrera <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:46 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
It is imperative that you stop tomorrow’s agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood.

I for one, I’m sick of you all thinking that Sunset Park is a dump ground for un house people. We already have the Manor, the shelter for women by the freeway, the LA E Line and the list goes on and on.

Sincerely,
Mayra Herrera
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
11 David Yakobson
From: Geraldine Kennedy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 6:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Geraldine Kennedy
More than 50 year Sunset Park Homeowner
Former Planning Commissioner
Sent from my iPad
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
12 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 6:17 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda Item 11-B: Opposition to Skid Row on Pico Blvd

EXTERNAL
Hello Santa Monica City Council,
I am writing, as a resident of the Sunset Park neighborhood, to voice my opposition to the use of the Palm Motel as interim housing.

While my heart goes out to the homeless community facing crisis, we must consider the residents, workers, and students in the Pico corridor.

There are already a number of supportive housing communities in the area including the Clare Matrix and The Manor, as well as Holiday Motel, which has been a focal point of community concern regarding sanitation, homelessness and crime. Please do not burden us further.

My block has seen a number of incidents of trespassing, attempted break-ins, package theft, encampments in our alley ways, human defecation on our sidewalks and far too many carjackings.

Knowing the conditions around the current Shelter in Santa Monica and around Los Angeles, allowing a homeless shelter in our backyards would be a hostile act. It jeopardizes the safety of the neighborhood, impacts walkability, and worsens street sanitation.

I love my neighborhood, I love my neighbors, I love the few but incredible local businesses we get to enjoy. Please protect the safety and vitality of this community, do not allow it to be debased. Interim housing in our residential areas is not the solution. We should continue to focus on stable, long term solutions: building quality housing and mixed use developments to support economic activity in this immediate neighborhood and the greater Santa Monica area.

Thank you for your consideration,
Emily Etienne
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
13 David Yakobson
From: Lea LeBlanc <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 6:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Lea LeBlanc
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
14 David Yakobson
From: pierre-yves delaunay <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 6:47 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Pierre-Yves Delaunay
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
15 David Yakobson
From: Lynn Karz <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 6:50 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Lynn Karz
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
16 David Yakobson
From: Kathy Kane <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:09 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose! Please PLEASE do not make Palms Motel a Homeless Housing facility!!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
I am emailing to voice my objection to having Palm Motel become a Homeless Housing facility. In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services.

Please do not make Palms Motel a solution to the greater problem of homeless our city if facing. We already are having an 8 story building erected just a block away. The increase in the population in this immediate area is a concern and the choice to have a Homeless Housing facility here is of grave concern to the community.

This proposes putting a homeless housing facility across the street from Santa Monica College’s new facility, will students want to attend SMC or decide they don’t feel safe in this area anymore? Most importantly there is an elementary school just a few blocks away in addition to a middle school. All morning and afternoon families are walking their children to and from school right past this proposed facility. Is this where we want homeless people congregating, blocks from elementary schools? Is that the safest idea and the best solution for our communities? And one block away is the Santa Monica Community pool on 16th. Families come and go, children are out and about walking to and from cars… will people feel safe using this public facility ? Just around the corner on Pico across from the college someone was brutally beaten to death over the weekend in a housing facility. What are the assurances that these instances of people with prolonged or relapsed drug use and mental illness won’t happen? No there isn’t because it’s just not physically possible. So why would the city choose to create a homeless facility down the street from the elementary and middle schools and across the street from the college? That is why we as a family are writing to you, the Councilmembers of Santa Monica asking you to please reconsider this idea and don’t locate a homeless facility in Sunset Park in the middle of a vibrate student community.

I live on Bay Street. The entrance to my street is across from Palms Motel. We have many young families on our street and already we feel quite uncomfortable with whatever activities are going on at Palms Motel that require a round the clock security guard. Police visit regularly, ambulances… Why am I paying tens of thousands of dollars in property taxes to live across the street from a homeless facility? Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there. I see the families, joggers, dog walkers and all the beautiful children in the neighborhood feeling safe and comfortable around the streets. I would hate for that to end.

If you truly already have your minds made up and are not interested in community opposition, despite the lively discussions that have been held… and City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
17 screening for mental illness and drug addiction. And include a an ability for the community to require their departure if there has been a pre determined number of community disturbances. That should be non negotiable.

As stated above, the July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

With deep concern and hopes community tax paying individuals will be heard, respected and honored for their concern, The Cody Family - Kathy, Phil, Cameron and Spencer Bay Street Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
18 David Yakobson
From: Shuilan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda Item11-B

Sincerely,
Mariani May
Sent from Proton Mail for iOS.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
19 David Yakobson
From: Angela D. Scott <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Lana Negrete; Natalya Zernitskaya; Oliver Chi
Subject: Item 11B - Housing Focused System of Care

EXTERNAL
Good evening Mayor Torosis, Councilmembers, and City Manager Chi.

As a former Pico resident who frequents many of the neighborhood businesses, I've witnessed concerning behavior from both unhoused individuals and some residents living in nearby transitional housing. Those experiences have shaped my perspective, particularly because these facilities are located near schools, parks, neighborhoods, and a high concentration of liquor stores. It's understandable why residents are concerned about expanding services without stronger safeguards.

I support providing the "Housing Focused " model with great reservation when addressing housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. Compassion without accountability does not serve residents or those seeking stability.

As the City transitions from Samoshel to a housing-focused model, I urge you to require comprehensive screening and individualized assessments before placement, 24/7 on-site security, licensed behavioral health professionals, and strong Good Neighbor Agreements with measurable performance standards and regular public reporting.

Public safety must remain a high priority. Placement decisions should carefully consider an individual's history of violent offenses, sex offenses, or active, unmanaged substance use that could jeopardize the safety of residents, neighboring families, or schoolchildren. The right level of housing and services should match each person's needs, while protecting the surrounding community.

Finally, please ensure these facilities are distributed equitably throughout Santa Monica rather than concentrated in one neighborhood. We can lead with compassion while also delivering accountability, transparency, and safe communities.

Thank you.

Angela
Angela D. Scott (she/her), MBA/V, Certified ScrumMaster® Candidate, Doctor of Education, Ed.D.

Organizational Change and Leadership
"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." - Shirley Chisholm
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
20 I acknowledge with respect and gratitude the Tongva, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples on whose traditional territory I live and work.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
21 David Yakobson
From: Teri D Bernstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose! $9Million up from $2Million with a sketchy plan

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
I attended the town hall last week that presented the Proposed Housing Plan. It seems to be a lot of smoke and mirrors. Santa Monica's Staff Plan will help some of the unhoused--but NOT those that are most problematic to Santa Monica's residents and businesses.

As I see it, there are 4 types of unhoused folks (some Santa Monica residents, some not):

1. Accidental homeless, where one bad event finds working middle class persons or families unhoused, but with the willingness to, with help get themselves back on track. The tiered Plan with goals is geared to help these folks.

2. Seriously, chronically mentally ill homeless, who may have unsettling interactions with neighbors and businesses, and who are ill-equipped to be self supporting in a foreseeable time frame. These folks would fail at the City's plan and may be "selected out" by the City. And remain on our streets.

3. Drug-addicted homeless, for which there is a criminal subset to support the drug habit. These folks are often the ones who neighbors and businesses think of first when they think of "homeless" or "unhoused" individuals. A small percentage of these folks may progress within the City's tiers of progress, but most likely not without backtracking and a long timeline. And many are housing resistant...

4. Folks for whom a lifetime of part time or marginal employment which may not produce a living wage is their life's reality. They find themselves unhoused, and may be willing to participate in a program...but will need continuous support...

Groups 1 and 4 may be used to make the statistics look good, and to buoy the reputations of staff at regional housing conferences, but THIS PLAN WILL NOT HELP OUR MOST NEEDY UNHOUSED, AND WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.

In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. What kind of housing is this really going to be? What categories of unhoused people will get support? Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
22 and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should:
 sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement,
 sign a detailed Management Agreement that delineates boundaries and expectations, and  Set up rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction to ensure people are getting the services they need.

PLEASE VOTE NO on this item.

Sincerely,
Teri Davis Bernstein
Santa Monica resident, 1982-1985; 1993-present
[email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
23 David Yakobson
From: Bobby Swerdlow <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Please oppose Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Sincerely,
Robert Swerdlow

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
24 David Yakobson
From: BARRIE LEVY <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:48 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda #11B, July 28,2026 DO NOT CLOSE SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and I strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter (SAMOSHEL), and I oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60 bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years. I have spoken with many housed and some unhoused neighbors in our area who really value having a resource for people to allow them to shelter indoors rather than living on our streets.

There are so few such resources that it is impossible to understand why the City wants to eliminate a shelter that is working very well. It would make more sense to add more, additional shelter beds to address one of the major crises of our time.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people, who the City decides do not belong in Santa Monica, to Bell is incomprehensible! This is displacement, and opens Santa Monica up charges of racial and disability discrimination.

It should be so obvious to all City Council members that The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement! It already has a very limited capacity and it is already always full. It is clearly not a replacement for SAMOSHEL! The Manor is not a shelter and therefore also can't be a replacement for SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities (ARF) in Los Angeles County. This is a form of permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health issues.

You must go back to the drawing board and use a model based on sensible responses to the housing crisis, the reality of the needs of our unhoused neighbors, and based on equity and fair housing principles, rather than making a decision based on making access to shelter impossible for local people who need it, and using unfair selective population choices.

Please do the right thing - do not close SAMOSHEL!!
Thank you,
Barrie Levy
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
25 David Yakobson
From: Darlene Vogel <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 7:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
darlene vogel
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
26 David Yakobson
From: Aaron Speiser <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:02 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
My neighbors and I have been living in the Sunset Park area for 40 years now. We love it. But we all have noticed that Pico Blvd has been the dumping ground for homeless, mental, and emotionalIy disturbed people. We discuss it all the time. We feel the CLARE program is very special and doing a good job. We are not against having low cost housing for them or anyone. HOWEVER… Over the last 5 to 10 years Pico Blvd has become the go to area to house most of them. I often walk from 28th St to the beach. It’s bad. Really bad. The students at SMCC don’t complain because they are transient. I see them being harassed. I’m harassed!!! I suggest you stop putting more homeless housing on Pico Blvd or anywhere near it. We are full up. How about putting the housing on Wilshire, or north of Wilshire, or around the hospitals. If you push us too far we will speak as one on Election Day. I believe you are doing a great job in general with limited options but as a city we must share in helping those in need and I don’t see any sharing going on in north Santa Monica.

Sincerely,
Aaron Speiser
Aaron Speiser
https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.thescreenacting.studio__;!!OfuUnHCITYtmmjM!rbzLrGEa4sz9xg3iFbBJs iNLmMfzAVtEk32BRKIj1h7ENawoyvdARgDKRL10EV7KiXRKd3Y2AO3B1gl1YB1f4bL6sLY7j7qcOg$ When you’re ready to do what you came here for...

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
27 David Yakobson
From: Alisa Bunting <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:08 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Alisa Bunting
Alisa Bunting
[email protected]
310-569-5499 Cell
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
28 David Yakobson
From: Chris Chang <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:23 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME)
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
29 David Yakobson
From: Adam Davis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:33 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Fwd: Agenda Item11-B - Homeless Housing at the Palm Motel

EXTERNAL
To our Santa Monica City Council,
As a longtime resident and a nearby neighbor of the Palm Motel, I’m very disturbed the Council thinks it might be OK to place a permanent shelter so close to our schools, to our Santa Monica children.

We’re not opposed to shelters. But we need to be smart and protect our children.

Will Rogers elementary school is just a short walk down 14th St. from the Palm Motel. Lots of kids walk to school some old enough to be unattended by an adult. It’s not fair to the community to ask them to walk past the homeless shelter. That’s twice a day every day Monday through Friday most of the year. That’s too much for our kids. I know for example that Bay St., which is directly across from the Palm Motel currently has 15 children living in various residences. And that’s just one block.

Also, the Santa Monica swim center a traditional gathering spot for kids of all ages to learn to swim, FreePlay, swim team, water polo and other related water sports all goes on year-round just a short hundred yards down Bay St. from the Palm Motel/shelter. Little kids in their swimsuits frequently passing by the front of the motel … Does it sound like a good location for a permanent shelter? Santa Monica College is about to open their new arts building across from the Palm Motel which invariably will have a steady pedestrian flow of young college age students heading to and from class inside the new building. They will most definitely be directly exposed to the shelter. That’s all hours of the day and night. This sounds like the makings of some unthinkable results. Questions remain such as do shelters restrict people who are registered sex offenders? Isn’t there a legal buffer zone? 18 to 22 year-old girls coming in and out of the new arts building can’t be more than 100 feet away! That’s dangerously close and a powder keg for trouble. This is a warning we shouldn’t have to make for you. You should know better.

Let’s be smart. Let’s not do something that will be sorry for sooner if not later.

Vote no to permanent shelters right next to our residences with families and local elementary schools.

We will not allow this,

Adam Davis, resident Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
30 David Yakobson
From: Alison Godin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:53 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Alison Godin
424-387-7397
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
31 David Yakobson
From: Cydney Kirschbaum <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:56 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
cydney and kenneth Kirschbaum
Cydney Kirschbaum
[email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
32 David Yakobson
From: Adam Smith <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:06 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well? The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

I strongly urge the City Council to go back to the drawing board and develop a model based on equity and fair housing principles, rather than limiting unhoused residents and selectively determining who belongs in Santa Monica.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Adam Smith, Human Rights Organizer
Los Angeles Community Action Network
(213) 228-0024 | Direct: (213) 863-4039 | www.cangress.org | [email protected] 838 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
33 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:26 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Megan FitzGerald
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
34 David Yakobson
From: Janis Flax <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:29 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Janis Flax
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
35 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:35 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Carter Moon
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
36 David Yakobson
From: Sarah Rademacher <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:36 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Thanks,
Sarah Rademacher
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
37 David Yakobson
From: Francisco Espinosa <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:41 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Francisco Espinosa
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
38 David Yakobson
From: Peter Davidson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: PETER DAVIDSON
Subject: SUBJECT: Agenda Item11-B

EXTERNAL
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], ellis.raskin@santamon ica.gov, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], jesse. [email protected], [email protected],
SUBJECT: Agenda Item11-B
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood.

Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services.

Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

The very recent July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Peter Davidson
Residential Property Owner
3011 Linda Ln
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
39 David Yakobson
From: Ellyn Lerner <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 9:57 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item 11-B

Sincerely,
Ellyn Lerner
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
40 David Yakobson
From: Lauren Marie <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd. for only 2 weeks which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

People need actual mental heath and behavioral change which is not the local neighborhoods duty to shepard and maintain. Sunset Park, Pico Blvd. We have enough of it already, more than our share.

Moving unhoused into housing is super complex. It’s obvious when people don’t work or have to work to be part of society, no skin in the game means they stay the same and keep hanging with the same crew and now no incentive to do much. Boredom turns to same old patterns. Equals no change and now permanent neighborhood residents who don’t add to the social community fabric of Santa Monica.

I like the idea of foster kids center there, or for women who can live and go to school for free and set them up for better lives.

Or for SMC Students who need this to again, go to school for free and make something of themselves by getting the support they need and have a better life.

Sincerely,
Lauren Wyka
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
41 David Yakobson
From: Kaylee Barnes <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:32 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
42 David Yakobson
From: Aaron Hahn <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:36 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
- Aaron Sent via phone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
43 David Yakobson
From: Chelsey <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:45 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
44 David Yakobson
From: christopher burdick <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:48 PM
To: Dan Hall; Caroline Torosis; councilmtgitems; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Barry Snell Cc: Maria Loya; [email protected]; John Reynolds; PNA; Oliver Chi; William Selby; Aileen Reynolds; [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Agenda Item11-B - Homeless Housing at the Palm Motel. The Palm Motel mistake you are being asked to vote on
Importance: High

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council,
You are going to be asked on July 28 to vote to have the City take over managing the Palm Motel as a homeless housing facility.

Please do not approve this.

The Palm Motel has been being used as a homeless housing facility for the last two years by Los Angeles. This transition from motel to homeless housing was done with no notice to the local community or to the City of Santa Monica. The last two years of homeless housing at the Palm Motel has been a disaster. While they have a “security guard” at the front of the Motel, that does not protect the local neighborhood or community once the Palm “residents" walk off the property. We have borne the challenge of the "Palm homeless" dispersing through our community when they want to behave contrary to the guidelines at the Palm. Drugs. Defecation. Disruption. Thefts. Crime. Violence.

In an example of “too little, too late” the Pico and Sunset Park Neighborhood associations and residents were invited to a meeting on July 16 in a lecture hall at Santa Monica College to “discuss” the plan. Our City Manager presented a plan that since Los Angeles already perpetrated their ill considered homeless plan on our neighborhood, it is the path of least resistance to perpetuate the mistake. The hall was full for the meeting. City Manager Oliver Chi admitted that there was no other plan considered than to keep using the Palm as a homeless shelter. The audience full of neighborhood association members and long time residents was unanimous in asking to not have the Palm Motel continue as a homeless housing facility.

Our community on the south side of Santa Monica has disproportionately shouldered the burden of the City’s most challenging problems. The other residential communities in Santa Monica have not. We have the Manor, with its days ago murder. We have the Laurel with its litany of problems including crime and needles littering the surrounding area.

We have the Claire Foundation’s fleet of drug rehab sites along Pico between Lincoln and 14th. And we have the Palm.

This is a chance to move one step forward with change and find a better plan.

At the SMC meeting I publicly asked everyone there to vote against any and all City Council members who vote to keep the Palm as a homeless facility. The response from the packed hall was enthusiastic about doing so.

Please vote no.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
45 Thank you,
chris
Christopher Burdick
Email [email protected]
Cell 310-741-8768
41 year resident half a block from the Palm motel
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
46 David Yakobson
From: Chuck Abbott <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Charles Abbott
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
47 David Yakobson
From: Megan Graney <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 11:09 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
48 David Yakobson
From: Magan Wiles <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 11:17 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.
magan (she/her)
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
49 David Yakobson
From: Judy Branfman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 11:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose agenda item 11B on 7/28/26

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica Councilmembers,
I am wriƟng to express my strong opposiƟon to the closure of SaMoShel, as well as your Homeless Strategic Plan in general – and I hope you will vote no on item 11B.

Every piece of your plan has serious problems:
 Using your strict rules to seriously limit who can get “priority” care in Santa Monica is inhumane;  Sending others 23 miles away to Bell, far from the support and community they count on for survival, is discriminatory and cruel, and a reminder of so many episodes in our history when poor people have been forced out of their communiƟes. We know that people return to the places they feel most comfortable, even from 23 miles away. Will there be police at the borders?
 Both The Palms Motel and The Manor already have residents;  EliminaƟng SaMoShel, the only shelter on the westside, should never happen without making sure equal numbers or more of subsƟtute housing and a new drop-in center are ready for occupancy and use nearby in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica does not exist off on its own despite your desires. Santa Monica is part of a large regional system where the cost of housing is driven ever higher, increasing numbers of people cannot afford to live inside, and ciƟes refuse to address the problems - and sadly oŌen exacerbate them.

Please halt this speedy and poorly-thought out plan - and rethink how we can thoughƞully address the needs of our most vulnerable residents.

Judy Branfman
Santa Monica, CA
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
50 David Yakobson
From: Ruben Huizar <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 11:43 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; [email protected]; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; [email protected]; Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Subject: Agenda Item 11-B-Homeless Housing at the Palm Motel

EXTERNAL
As a long-time and concerned resident of the Pico neighborhood of the City of Santa Monica, I have seen and have had my fair share of the problems that unhoused people have brought into my neighborhood. Our fellow neighbors and I had to band together to report loud and mentally ill unhoused people in our neighborhood. The Palm Hotel used to be bustling with tourists and business patrons, but the unawareness of the changes it has undergone in recent years has me concerned. The Palms Hotel is now being used for housing the unhoused people behind my back. The City of Santa Monica should have been more transparent with our neighbors about this decision. I am against this amendment or provision of agenda item 11-B being implemented in our neighborhood.

Ruben Huizar, resident of the City of Santa Monica.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
51 David Yakobson
From: Peter A Donald <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:18 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!
Attachments: PastedGraphic-5.tiff

Sincerely,
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
52 David Yakobson
From: Bills Costello <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:23 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Enviado desde mi iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
53 David Yakobson
From: Jessica Rothstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 5:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 11B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Members of the Santa Monica City Council, I am writing as a resident who lives off 14th Street to respectfully ask that you reconsider the proposal to convert the Palm Motel into an emergency shelter.

I support compassionate solutions for people experiencing homelessness and believe our city should continue investing in housing, mental health care, addiction treatment, and long-term supportive services.

My concern is not with helping those in need, but with whether this location is appropriate for this type of facility.

Over the past several years, my family has noticed a significant increase in homelessness along Pico Boulevard, particularly between 17th and 20th Streets. As a result, we no longer feel comfortable walking along Pico and have changed our daily routines to avoid the area.

I am concerned that placing an emergency shelter in the middle of this residential neighborhood will further concentrate homelessness in the area and negatively impact the safety and quality of life for nearby families. The Palm Motel is only a few blocks from a public elementary school, and our neighborhood is home to many children who walk to school, ride their bikes, and play outside every day.

My family chose this neighborhood because it is safe, quiet, and walkable. I respectfully ask that you vote against this proposal as currently presented or postpone approval until the City can demonstrate a comprehensive plan that protects both the individuals the shelter is intended to serve and the families who already call this neighborhood home.

Thank you for your time, and your thoughtful consideration.

Sincerely,
Jessica Rothstein
Jessica Rothstein
310.220.9050
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
54 David Yakobson
From: Holly Mosher <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:32 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda #11B, July 28,2026 DO NOT CLOSE SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60 bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people, who the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica, to Bell is displacement and opens Santa Monica up to racial and disability forms of discrimination.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to limited capacity and the fact that it's already always full. Is the plan to displace the residents there also?

The Manor is not a shelter and can not be a replacement for SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities (ARF) in Los Angeles County. This is a form of permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health issues.

I strongly recommend going back to the drawing board and using a model based on equity and fair housing principles as opposed to one based on limiting unhoused numbers and selective population choices.

Holly Mosher
Santa Monica, CA
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
55 David Yakobson
From: Faith Myhra <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:45 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Thank you,
Faith Myhra
90066
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
56 David Yakobson
From: terri williamson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Teresa Williamson
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
57 David Yakobson
From: Katy McGee <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:50 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
58 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:50 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: ITEM 11B

EXTERNAL
Hello!
NO HOMELESS SHELTER at Palms Motel
As a community member and a neighbor to the Palm Motel, I am AGAINST turning the Palms Motel into any type of drug rehab, temporary housing for drug users and homeless peoople, Our neighborhood is full of children walking to and from school, riding bikes and playing. This is an unacceptable loc ation in a major residential neighborhood surrounded by schools.

Our community already deals with enough issues that have not been solved with addicts buying drugs, leaving nee dles and trash on the streets and very unsafe conditions.

This Motel should be turned back into a hotel for visitors to bring more money into our city and economy, this is wha t we need.

Thank you,
Kristin Nugent
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
59 David Yakobson
From: Tilly, Chris <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:53 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Please oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Keep SAMOSHEL open

EXTERNAL
Good morning Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident, as well as a Professor Emeritus of Urban Planning at UCLA, and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years. Its role is fundamental.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sincerely,
Chris Tilly
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
60 David Yakobson
From: Karen Pinto <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 6:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME) Karen M Pinto
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
61 David Yakobson
From: colette herbstman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:09 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Colette Herbstman
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
62 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:16 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Opposition to Agenda Item 11B – Palm Motel Shelter Proposal

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Members of the Santa Monica City Council, I am writing to urge you to vote NO on Agenda Item 11B, the proposal to establish an emergency shelter at the Palm Motel in Sunset Park.

I have lived in Santa Monica for the past eight years and have called Sunset Park home for nearly six of those years. I care deeply about the safety and quality of life in our neighborhood. I understand homelessness is a difficult regional issue, but I do not believeplacing this type of facility in the middle of a residential neighborhood is the right solution.

I previously lived near a People's Concern facility, and my firsthand experience changed myperspective. It became common to encounterpeople who appeared to be under the influence of drugs, yelling, blocking sidewalks, and creating an environment where I no longer felt safe walking in my own neighborhood. Those experiences had a real impact on my daily life.

I do not want to see Sunset Park experience the same problems I witnessed where I previously lived.

Many families, seniors, and longtimeresidents live here because it is a safe, quietresidential neighborhood. This is simplynot the right place for this type of facility.

Santa Monica cannot solve homelessness onits own. This is a regional problem that requiresregional solutions. Continuing to expand sheltersand services in our city while neighboringcommunities do less places an increasingburden on Santa Monica and its residents.

Please prioritize the safety and quality of life ofthe people who already live in Santa Monica, workhere, raise families here, and pay taxes here. I respectfully ask you to vote NO on Item 11B and protect the character and safety of Sunset Park.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Tali Ekstein
Sunset Park Resident
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
63 David Yakobson
From: Joseph Kulman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 10:51 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
64 David Yakobson
From: Ramesh Ramalingam <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:21 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Ramesh Ramalingam
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
65 David Yakobson
From: Kevin McCarthy <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:36 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

I am a 30 year resident of Sunset Park. I love our neighborhood and the community. Over the last four years, we have experienced excessive disturbance and dangerous activity at the Palm Motel property while it has been leased for a homeless program. It was never meant to be and should cease to be a location for unsafe homeless activity. I oppose this proposal and ask that the council look for alternative solutions.

Sincerely,
Kevin McCarthy
1206 Grant Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
66 David Yakobson
From: Ido Gruberger <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:38 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Ido Gruberger
Sent from my phone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
67 David Yakobson
From: Richard Daum <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:48 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
I trust the evaluation of the Friends of Sunset Park and Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow.

Some of my own thoughts.

Re-purpose the The People Concern facility at 5th Street into a Triage Center.

Neighborhoods are not a proper location for treatment of Mental Health issues that involve disruptive or violent behavior.

This is a national issue and Santa Monica could lead.

Homelessness – Another View At Providing Shelter and Services

HOMELESSNESS IS A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT

The following is not a comprehensive program, but some concepts to consider in future planning.

There is little disagreement that unsheltered people living on the streets and alleys is both a State and National embarrassment exasperated by 40 years of neglect of individuals and families suffering from mental illness and addiction to drugs and alcohol.

This neglect is similar to the mistreatment of the mentally ill who were warehoused in State hospitals before the 1970’s.

Shelter without treatment, training and supportive services is destined to fail. We will not build ourselves out of the problems in the short term.
 IMMEDIATELY BUILD FIELD HOSPITALS & TRIAGE CENTERS
 The response to natural disasters has taught us that temporary shelters can be created for 50,000+ people in days. See Red Cross’s Katrina response (1,400 shelters in 27 states within days) and “Mobile Disaster Field Hospitals” set up by FEMA in 48-72 hours).  Each Triage site will evaluate and refer persons to Program sites.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
68  Each person must sign on to and participate in a treatment or placement program.  Allow the use of individual tents for those who prefer tents. Augment tents with adverse weather “warming” or “cooling” shelters.
 Dedicate Program Sites by age and/or need for services attempting to maintain friendship groups and communities previously developed.

 IMMEDIATELY ENFORCE CAMPING LAWS
 Camping, including vehicles and RVs, is allowed only in designated areas which provide toilet, showering, food, medical and safety services. It’s a zoning issue.  SET UP TRIAGE TEAMS
 Immediately set up triage teams to develop treatment plans that are tracked in a statewide database so each jurisdiction knows what was done previously. Plan for mobility.  All Outreach workers are reassigned to centralized triage and program centers except for a small group to direct people to triage centers.
 Appoint California State Homeless Czar with sufficient administrative flexibility to quickly change rules and programs if they prove to be unsuccessful and to remove legal obstacles to solving the many problems of the homeless.

 SET UP PROGRAM SITES WITHIN ALL 50 STATES WITH FEDERAL SUPPORT  In conjunction with Federal Government locate excess capacity for social services, jobs and housing from other States.
 Recognize acute vs chronic problems and establish long term care for some.  Each Program Center will provide shelter, clothing, self-care facilities, nutrition, medical & psychological & spiritual services, educational and life skills training, assistance with government financial programs, retrieval and centralized saving of important documents, storage facilities, and for RV parks, sewage disposal.
 Set up program for young adults transitioning from Foster Care.  Continue support after program graduation for each level of independence, as necessary.

 EXPAND HOUSING OPTIONS TO ALL 50 STATES WITH FEDERAL SUPPORT Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
69  Those with jobs or with a good prospect of finding a job get priority access to permanent and transitional housing (including car parks) in city centers near transportation & jobs.  Current homeless non-profits should concentrate on transitional housing and skills.  Expand concept of housing:
 Include boarding houses with common kitchens and bathroom, independent living with roommates, mobile home parks, RV Parks, etc.
 Seek 50 State solution by expanding the search for placement of clients in supportive services, housing and and/or jobs within the entire United States, including moving expenses, especially if there is no current familial or cultural attachment to LA.  LA is an expensive housing option. There are lower cost areas throughout the United States with large vacancy rates and/or are looking for workers.  Match placement location to person’s current income or family resources.  Attempt to keep current friendship groups together.
 For people who want or need to live in a tent or RV, provide a safe place with services as long as they are participating in a program.
 Make a commitment to local neighborhoods that any placement in a community setting will not involve a known or active safety risk or disruptive person.  SET PRIORITIES IN PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SERVICES
 Funding should recognize the 80/20 Rule with a Triage model that identifies and gives priority to those that can be helped quickly and successfully through existing systems.  80% of people will succeed with 20% of budget and 20% will require 80% of budget.

 CONSIDER DAILY FEES AS ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCE
 Every program should lead with compassion with expectation that each homeless person has a corresponding responsibility to be an active partner in the solution.  In exchange for shelter, food and medical services all clients with a steady income, including SSI, Social Security, Insurance, VA Benefits, work, etc., will pay a sliding-scale daily fee.  After 90 days, if a person receives any source of income, set up a Direct Deposit Conservatorship for those funds while a person is in Triage, hospital, or a program.  In exchange, provide moving expenses and costs of new clothes and housing set-up.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
70  Maintain limited Conservatorship to pay housing and utilities post transitional housing.  Refund a small stipend to a debit card for attending program classes re life skills.  Establish work training opportunities that provide services to program centers.  PROVIDE SAFETY
 The safety of staff and residents is a top priority. To insure safety, there needs to be a strong security and medical and social services present at each program site.  Use National Guard, if necessary until sites can be properly staffed.  Establish special on-site conservatorship courts to quickly and compassionately decide least restrictive environment for disruptive persons with jail as a last resort.  Alcohol and illegal drugs are not allowed while on the premise of any facility.

 PROVIDE LIABILITY PROTECTION TO SERVICE PROVIDERS
 Provide liability protection to all governmental agencies and homeless organizations, including employees and volunteers, unless the harm is caused by an affirmative action that is intentional or grossly negligent with no liability for self-harm.

I trust the evaluation of the Friends of Sunset Park and Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow.

Dear City Councilmembers, In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there. Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction. The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Richard Daum
Santa Monica Resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
71 David Yakobson
From: susan millmann <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:53 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan. As rents surge, homelessness is at an all time high.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sincerely,
Susan Millmann
Former Attorney for Santa Monica Legal Aid
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
72 David Yakobson
From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:19 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: 11-B
FYI.

Sarah Almendarez (she/her)
O: (310) 458-8303
From: s. g. <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 4:39 PM
To: Dan Hall <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Santa Monica City Manager's Office <[email protected]> Subject: 11-B

Sincerely,
Susan Grant
1030 Cedar St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
(33 year resident of Santa Monica, 28 years at this location) Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
73 David Yakobson
From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:21 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Agenda Item11-B - Homeless Housing at the Palm Motel FYI.

Sarah Almendarez (she/her)
O: (310) 458-8303
From: Adam Davis <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:31 PM
To: Dan Hall <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected]; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Santa Monica City Manager's Office <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]> Cc: Marisa Davis <[email protected]>
Subject: Agenda Item11-B - Homeless Housing at the Palm Motel

We’re not opposed to shelters. But we need to be smart and protect our children.

Questions remain such as do shelters restrict people who are registered sex offenders? Isn’t there a legal buffer zone? 18 to 22 year-old girls coming in and out of the new arts building can’t be more than 100 feet away! That’s dangerously close and a powder keg for trouble. This is a warning we shouldn’t have to make for you. You should know better.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
74 Let’s be smart. Let’s not do something that will be sorry for sooner if not later. Vote no to permanent shelters right next to our residences with families and local elementary schools.

We will not allow this,

Adam Davis, resident Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
75 David Yakobson
From: Thea Cappiccille <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:10 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda item 11B-In support of The Palm Motel program

EXTERNAL
Subject: In support of The Palm Motel program
Dear City Council members,
My name is Thea Cappiccille and my family and I own and operate The Palm Motel. I felt it was necessary to email you after seeing a lot of articles and social media posts about the city of Santa Monica taking over the program currently being operated at The Palm Motel.

I want to highlight and discuss some of the positive things that are going on.

I was born and raised in Santa Monica, attended local SMMUSD schools and now my husband and I are raising our kids here and they attend SMMUSD schools. We are highly involved in our community through youth sports, volunteer work and community work. I reached out to many of my Sunset Park and Pico neighborhood friends this past weekend to see how they felt about the program continuing at The Palm Motel. The most interesting thing that I learned is that most of them did not even know the Motel was operating as anything besides a Motel. What that means is that this has not been disruptive to the neighborhood. There is an overwhelming consensus that Santa Monica needs to continue to assist our unhoused. Not all unhoused are suffering from mental illness or drug addiction, and sometimes people forget that. Through the program at The Palm Motel we have helped house single parent domestic violent victims with children. They were so thankful that there was help and a location for them to stay in Santa Monica that allowed their children to continue at the local school and keep up a routine. We have had elderly people come through that got the help they needed and got off the streets. These are the types of situations people do not think about. I know you and the city staff know all this but I just want to reiterate that continuing this program with the city taking over, will only continue to help the local unhoused in Santa Monica and get stronger with the city support. Your city manager, Oliver Chi, and his staff, Heather, Aileen and Allyson are excellent. The conversations and meetings I have had with them show me that they truly care about the state of our city and making it better. The city needs to have services and staff like this.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
76 You can find one of us on site almost every day, planting flowers, cleaning, ensuring our housekeeping staff has everything they need and making sure our property is never an eye sore in the neighborhood. We check in constantly with the county staff that has been there since we started working with the county 2 1/2 years ago. Anything they have needed we have taken care of and we would continue to do all this with the city taking over. Security is on-site 24/7 and nobody is allowed to just walk on property. Nobody is doing drugs.

This much needed program has been running successfully for the past 2 1/2 years and I know with the city partnership so much more good work can be done.

Respectfully,
Thea Cappiccille
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
77 David Yakobson
From: Jenny Monbouquette <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:11 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Jenny Monbouquette
Jenny Monbouquette
(310)266-3665
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
78 David Yakobson
From: lmarreola <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:39 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: July 28 CC Mtg. ITEM 11B

EXTERNAL
Please keep homeless housing and rehabilitation programs out of residential neighborhoods. Using the Palm Motel where an elementry school is 6 blocks away is crazy. Kids from Pico Neighborhood walk past that motel to go to Will Rogers and John Adams.

Respectfully,
Carol and Larry Arreola
Sunset Park Residents
Sent from my Galaxy
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
79 David Yakobson
From: Nancy Hicks <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:43 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Nancy & Wes Hicks
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
80 David Yakobson
From: Susan Shapiro <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:18 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Susan Shapiro
Sent from Outlook
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
81 David Yakobson
From: Joseph Kulman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:18 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.
--
Joseph Kulman
(310) 407-9451
[email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
82 David Yakobson
From: Faustino Garza <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:12 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Faustino Garza
Sunset Park
Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
83 David Yakobson
From: Evan Rothstein <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:24 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: ITEM 11B

EXTERNAL
Please do not shutdown the SaMoShel housing facility.

Please do not move homeless people to the Palm Motel. This is blocks away from an elementary school and right in the neighborhood of Sunset Park.

Thank you
Evan Rothstein
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
84 David Yakobson
From: Sheri Porath Rockwell <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:17 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Strenuously Oppose

EXTERNAL
I’m asking the Council to vote no on the proposal to spend roughly $9 million to pay to have the Palm Motel be the site of interim housing in Sunset Park, where I live. I do support the use of funds to construct a facility in Bell.

I’ve lived in Santa Monica for over 45 years, starting as a junior high student at Lincoln many years ago. I raised my family here, work hard to have paid and continue to pay taxes here, supported our schools, and I care deeply about this city. I also support helping people who are homeless or struggling with mental illness and addiction and am well familiar with those challenges. But that support has to come with solutions that actually work and don’t repeatedly harm the neighborhoods where they’re placed and, more specifically, continue to undermine Santa Monica’s tax base by scaring away businesses that are already struggling and making it already more difficult for families to feel safe.

I’ve watched the City’s attempts to provide services for people who are drug addicted and mentally ill for a long time, and I’ve seen the same pattern repeat: whatever is happening inside often spills out into the surrounding area.

Here are but a few examples:

The People Concern - Cloverfield Location
I pass by and pump gas near The People Concern’s Cloverfield site regularly. I regularly observe what looks like open drug use and drug dealing nearby, people in obvious crisis, and individuals passed out around the surrounding businesses and along the bike path. I know The People Concern does important work and that staff are trying to help people in very difficult situations. They appear to be successful in less densely populated cities or locations. My concern is that even with good intentions, these kinds of facilities seem to have a hard time preventing serious impacts on the surrounding neighborhood, especially in our very small city.

The Maple Hotel
The Maple Hotel has been a concern in our Pico area for a long time, not just because of the recent tragedy. When I stop for gas across the street or drive by in the course of my day, I’ve often seen what appear to be drug deals, people clearly struggling with addiction or mental illness, and behavior that makes the area feel unsafe for nearby businesses and pedestrians, let alone the college students at SMC. Further, the condition of the building is very poor and is a blight on the neighborhood.

Housing First in Residential Buildings
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
85 My family has also seen what can happen when people with serious behavioral health issues are placed into regular apartment buildings without enough support. A friend of my son struggled to pay rent in a new apartment building shared with other young people, working two jobs to make ends meet. Yet, his hard work was not really rewarded because the City had forced the developer to allocate a percentage of units to homeless individuals. As such, the brand new building quickly deteriorated due to repeated incidents involving drug use, sanitation issues (pee in elevators), and overall destructive behavior. As we have seen in San Francisco’s ill fated programs, just putting people in housing without extensive support on site is not sufficient. It harms the community and doesn’t end up helping the people who it tries to serve.

Venice Experiences
We need to look no further than Venice to see that placing facilities in densely populated areas erodes the tax base, endangers residents, and unnecessarily undermines the potential of our city to be a safe and secure place to live where businesses can thrive. The documented failure of St. Joseph’s Center to provide services in a way that does not prevent people from setting up drug dealing down the street in tents to recent violent incidents across from and inside of Whole Foods on Rose are just a few examples.

The Palm Motel Proposal
Based on the experiences noted above, I oppose The Palm Motel purchase. Institutionalizing the approach of embedding seriously mentally ill people in a small motel that was never built for this purpose and is located in a family- and college-centered neighborhood that has been trying for years to fight drug crimes is wrongheaded.

Like the examples above, it is a foregone conclusion that spill over into the neighborhoods will be a feature, not a bug, of this approach. It also inexplicably undermines the years-long investments we have made in improving SMC. Further, with drug deals and drug use going on regularly just a few blocks away outside the Maple Hotel (and frankly, in alleys all around the area) for all to see, how is putting addicts in this area even helping them? It of course does not.

While LAHSA funds may have supported this approach at The Palm Motel of late, the reason LA County funds and federal funds are no longer able to do so is because their approach failed. Why are we proposing spending taxpayer money to at all support decisions of such a broken institution? Further, the Portland study upon which the use of the motel appears to be premised does not support this plan. Rather, the study describes programs that typically include strong on-site staffing, security, and consistent behavioral health and addiction services and there is no indication that the motels being referenced are set in densely populated areas like this one, which is already near ongoing drug and criminal activity. I don’t see enough detail in this proposal to show that the Palm Motel project will actually have the level of support in place described in the study. Even if it did, the idea the City will somehow hold The People Concern “accountable” through a pledge of some kind is a non-starter. As is plain to see with the Maple Hotel facility which likely also has a covenant of some type to be neighborhood friendly, the City has for years and years allowed neighborhood disorder, open drug use and blight exist at very high levels at the Maple Hotel facility.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
86 The real question isn’t whether interim housing can work in theory in our society. It’s whether this specific project, in this specific location, with this operator, is likely to work in practice. I don’t think the City has made that case. Not only does it have a negative impact residents, college students and businesses, but it appears unlikely to actually help the people in need because it places them in an area already struggling with rampant open drug dealing and drug use.

There are other approaches worth pursuing more seriously, including regional partnerships, paying for 24-7 transportation to appropriate facilities in other locations (e.g., the Bell facility), paid efforts to support family reunification where possible, and more treatment-focused models located elsewhere.

The purchase and use of The Palm Motel to absorb the mentally ill / drug addicts in our streets is not the right use of $9 million.

Sincerely,
Sheri Rockwell
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
87 David Yakobson
From: Emily Grace <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:34 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
88 David Yakobson
From: Tessa R. Baizer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:04 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda #11B, July 28,2026

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and I strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL is an incredible 60-bed shelter that has provided essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people who the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and opens Santa Monica up to racial and disability forms of discrimination.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement to SAMOSHEL due to limited capacity and the fact that it is always full. Is the plan to displace the residents there also? The Manor is not a shelter and cannot be a replacement for SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities (ARF) in Los Angeles County. This is a form of permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health issues.

Thank you.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
89 David Yakobson
From: Shireen Ossanlo <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:05 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Matt Walton; Nzinga Garvey; Aileen Reynolds
Subject: Item #11.B- CLARE|MATRIX Letter of Support for Housing-First System of Care Attachments: CLARE MATRIX LOS for City of SM 7.28.26 Agenda Item 11B.pdf Importance: High

EXTERNAL
Good morning,
Attached please find CLARE|MATRIX's written comment regarding tonight’s City Council Agenda Item #11.B, Housing-First System of Care.

Our CEO, Matt Walton, had hoped to attend the meeting and provide public comment in person; however, he is currently out of town and asked that we submit our support in writing on behalf of the organization.

Thank you for the opportunity to recognize the critical connection between housing and behavioral health services as complementary components of eƯective, whole-person care. We appreciate the City's leadership in advancing this important initiative and look forward to partnering with the City and fellow community-based organizations to expand access to the housing, recovery, and treatment services our community so greatly needs.

Best regards,
Shireen
Shireen Ossanlo
Senior Director of Advancement
909 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
clarematrix.org
Phone: 310.314.6200 x3427
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Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
July 28, 2026
Mayor Torosis and Members of the Santa Monica City Council City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Re: Support for a Housing-Focused System of Care (Item# 11.B, City Council Meeting- July 28, 2026)
Dear Mayor Torosis and Honorable Members of the City Council, On behalf of CLARE|MATRIX, I am writing to express our support for the City of Santa Monica's proposal to establish a Housing-Focused System of Care.

For more than 55 years, CLARE|MATRIX has proudly served the Santa Monica community, providing evidence-based substance use disorder treatment and recovery services since 1970.

Throughout our history, we have been honored to partner with the City through the Human Services Grants Program, which has supported a variety of critical initiatives—from youth prevention and intervention programming to our more recent homeless and housed outreach services for individuals impacted by substance use disorders.

We also value our longstanding partnership with The People Concern and The Salvation Army and deeply appreciate the essential role they play as our community's primary housing service providers. Together, community based organizations like ours demonstrate that lasting change is achieved through collaboration, not isolation. Understanding that often times homelessness is accompanied with behavioral health issues and treating that is essential towards someone’s lifetime stability.

As service providers, we believe the future of care must center on effective whole-person care.

Housing is a critical foundation, but sustainable recovery requires access to substance use disorder services, mental health care, medical support, peer support, employment assistance, and ongoing case management. When these services are integrated, individuals have the greatest opportunity to achieve long-term stability, recovery, and independence.

Every day, we witness stories of hope and transformation. We have served individuals who entered treatment while experiencing homelessness and severe substance use disorders—many after years of instability and repeated crises. Through coordinated care that included treatment, case management, recovery support, and connections to stable housing, they were able to rebuild relationships, secure employment, maintain housing, and sustain long-term recovery.

These successes remind us that there is no single solution. Recovery is a journey, and the more coordinated resources available to individuals, the greater the likelihood of lasting success.

As the City considers this important initiative, we encourage the City Council to continue working alongside community-based organizations, healthcare providers, behavioral health professionals, housing partners, and individuals with lived experience to develop and implement a coordinated agreement that prioritizes safety, stability, and effective whole-person care. By Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
leveraging the expertise of organizations already serving our community, Santa Monica can build a collaborative system that meets individuals where they are, connects them to the right services at the right time, and creates clear pathways toward housing stability, recovery, and long-term wellness.

CLARE|MATRIX believes that the strongest Housing-Focused System of Care will be one that recognizes housing and treatment as complementary—not competing—investments. Lasting solutions are achieved when housing is paired with accessible behavioral health services, substance use disorder treatment, recovery support, and ongoing care coordination.

We appreciate the City for allocating more funding within the City’s budget to address housing instability and hope this will advance further conversations around compassionate wholeperson care for those vulnerable populations within our community. We are proud to support this effort and look forward to continuing our partnership with the City, The People Concern, The Salvation Army, and our fellow service providers to ensure every Santa Monica resident has access to effective whole-person care that promotes safety, stability, recovery, and hope.

Sincerely,
Matt Walton
Executive Director / Chief Executive Officer
CLARE|MATRIX
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
90 David Yakobson
From: Steve Clare <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:10 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sincerely,
Steve Clare
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
91 David Yakobson
From: Alicia Davis <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:20 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Alicia Davis, Sunset Park resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
92 David Yakobson
From: Kevin Campos <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:22 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda Item 11-B at 7/28 Meeting – 5 Critical Reasons to Vote NO

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
Homelessness is an urgent issue, but Agenda Item 11-B at the 7/28 City Council meeting is not an acceptable solution for the Palm Motel, its surrounding neighborhood, or Santa Monica. I respectfully and strongly ask each Councilmember to vote no on every component of Agenda Item 11-B for the following critical reasons:

1. This proposal is a fundamental and consequential change in Palm Motel’s use, not a continuation of existing interim housing.

2. Relocating emergency and higher-acuity stabilization housing from a commercial setting to a dense residential neighborhood creates new and substantial risks.

3. The proposal abandons Santa Monica’s publicly stated requirement for “fair geographic distribution” and instead concentrates homelessness services in one neighborhood.

4. Before approving any new homelessness-housing site anywhere in Santa Monica the Council must require complete, enforceable operating standards and accountability measures and this proposal does not provide that.

5. The City’s communication and community engagement on this proposal have been inadequate and borderline misleading.

Fundamental and consequential change of use: The proposed shift from interim housing to stabilization housing has serious implications for the surrounding neighborhood. The staff report characterizes this as a material change, and it should be evaluated with the transparency, diligence, and public process that such a change requires.

New and substantial risks: SaMoShel is located in a commercial area, while Palm Motel is located in a dense residential neighborhood only blocks from both an elementary school and a middle school. A facility serving a higher-acuity population must be evaluated through the lens of neighborhood safety, operational capacity, school proximity, and the impact on nearby residents and businesses.

Abandoning fair geographic distribution: SaMoShel currently provides 60 stabilization beds, yet this proposal would shift 48 beds -- 80% of that capacity -- to Palm Motel. That is not a citywide network of sites; it is an excessive concentration of homelessness-service capacity in the Pico/Sunset Park area. And the staff report suggests it could even be worse than that if the Manor (the only other named potential site) is used for 40 interim-housing beds. That would place 84 beds -- 40% more than the original capacity of the SaMoShel -- within approximately 0.4 miles of one another in the same neighborhood.

Lacking clear standards and accountability: The City has described this model as one in which it will establish standards at every site and be accountable for results. Yet Agenda Item 11-B does not provide the level of detail, enforceable commitments, or neighborhood protections necessary to responsibly approve new stabilization or other homelessness-housing capacity. At a minimum, every proposed site should be supported by the following before approval:
 A detailed written operating plan identifying the target population, eligibility criteria, referral process, anticipated acuity levels, service model, staffing ratios, and bed-management protocols  A site-specific safety and security plan, including 24/7 trained staffing, active on-site management, security coverage, incident-response procedures, and coordination protocols with police, fire, nearby schools, businesses, and neighborhood stakeholders
 A binding good-neighbor agreement with enforceable service standards, designated neighborhood contacts, response-time commitments, a complaint-and-escalation process, and regular public reporting Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
93  Clear behavioral expectations and enforceable consequences addressing weapons, violence, drug use, public intoxication, trespass, loitering, and disruptive conduct  Measurable performance standards and independent oversight, including public reporting on occupancy, length of stay, exits to permanent housing, calls for service, neighborhood complaints, critical incidents, and correctiveaction requirements  A formal community-advisory process, regular public meetings, and a clear mechanism for residents and businesses to raise concerns and obtain timely resolution  A citywide geographic-distribution analysis demonstrating that the proposed site advances—not undermines—an equitable network of homelessness-service locations
Without these protections established as binding, site-specific conditions before a vote, the Council should not approve any new homelessness-housing capacity under this proposal. Promises of future standards or post-approval engagement are not an adequate substitute for a complete and publicly reviewable plan before the City authorizes a material change in use.

Inadequate and misleading communication: Many neighbors on my street, only blocks from Palm Motel, learned of this agenda item just one day before the vote, leaving little or no meaningful opportunity to review the proposal or engage with the City. More concerning, several City communications and officials have characterized this proposal as a continuation of interim housing, even though the staff report identifies a material transition to stabilization housing.

Santa Monica can pursue humane and effective homelessness solutions without sacrificing transparency, operational accountability, equitable distribution, or neighborhood trust. I respectfully and strongly urge every Councilmember to vote no on all components of Agenda Item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Kevin Campos
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
94 David Yakobson
From: Santa Monica Neighbors <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:27 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

The City's own numbers make the scale of this hard to ignore. SMPD's own Blue Notebook data shows roughly 14,200-14,400 homeless-related dispositions year-to-date, in each of the last two years, a run rate far larger than the City's Point-in-Time count of the unhoused population alone would suggest. Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood. - Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Jen Smith
Mid City
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Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
95 David Yakobson
From: Monique Ruddell <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:28 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Darren 😘
Subject: Opposition to item 11B, Palm Motel

EXTERNAL
Dear City Council Members,
My name is Monique Ruddell and my family and I are Santa Monica residents for over 10 years. We live at 14th street and Pine, directly across from Will Roger’s Elementary School. We have 3 children, ages 5, 8 and 11 in the Santa Monica school system. We just learned about today’s vote on item 11B to make a trial in transitional housing at the Palm Motel more permanent with an emphasis on drug addiction.

Both Will Rogers Elementary and John Adams middle school are zoned for residences on either side of Pico Boulevard meaning that children are walking daily past the Palm Motel. We are so grateful to live in an urban area that feels more like a suburb, where our children can walk and bike freely to and from school, after school programs, and friends houses, but this measure will significantly impact the freedom and safety of our children. I wanted to express my strong opposition to this measure and my hope that you will take the children of our community into consideration with this decision. There are many more urban areas of our community where transitional, addiction focused, residences would have less of an impact on childrens’ ability to move freely and experience growing independence. Please continue looking for better options. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you,
Monique and Darren Ruddell and family
1348 Pine Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
96 David Yakobson
From: Maria Loya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:29 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28. The proposed relocation of a portion of the SaMoShel shelter population to the Palm Motel, in a quiet residential neighborhood, is an incompatible land use. It places a facility serving a high-need population directly against family homes and a school-adjacent street, without a plan for how the neighborhood will be protected. The City's own numbers make the scale of this hard to ignore.

SMPD's own Blue Notebook data shows roughly 14,200-14,400 homeless-related dispositions year-todate, in each of the last two years, a run rate far larger than the City's Point-in-Time count of the unhoused population alone would suggest. Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count. I am also concerned about the location itself: sobriety is not a condition of admission, by the City's own description, and this facility would sit near an adjacent gas station now licensed to sell alcohol. This same neighborhood already hosts The Manor, an adult residential care facility five blocks away that experienced a homicide on Saturday, July 25. Adding another high-acuity facility here, without first addressing what already isn't working, asks residents to absorb a second burden before the first has been resolved. Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to: - Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood. - Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks. The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards: a documented 444- 450% increase in police calls since it opened. I am asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there. Respectfully, [Your name] [Your street / neighborhood]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
97 David Yakobson
From: Julie Rusk <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:30 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Cc: Oliver Chi; Aileen Reynolds; Allyson Crosby
Subject: Input to Items #11B/#16F (07.28/26)

EXTERNAL
Mayor, Council, City Manager, & Staff:

For the City’s next steps to address the complex, national/regional challenge of homelessness, I support item #16F provided this Council direction explicitly includes full extension of lease and funding for Samoshel and the Access Center through this fiscal year with opportunity to extend, if needed.

Clear, predictable, and adequate time parameters are essential to signaling the Council’s intent to respect public process and engagement which involves The People Concern, its clients/unhoused residents, and the community at large.

Thank you for continuing the City’s long tradition of leadership on one of the most vexing, troubling and divisive issues facing us all.

Respectfully,
Julie Rusk
—
Julie Rusk
Co-Founder, Civic Wellbeing Partners
Board Co-Chair, Santa Monica Human Relations Council
Community Wellbeing Program
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
98 David Yakobson
From: John Murdock <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
(YOUR NAME)
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
99 David Yakobson
From: John Murdock <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction.

Sincerely,
John Murdock
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
100
David Yakobson
From: Tracey Hom <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:52 AM
To: Council Mailbox; councilmtgitems; councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Oliver Chi; Karen M. Fisher; Roni Crichton; Heidi von Tongeln; Molly; Lynn Sturgis Subject: oppose 11b

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
I could not attend the town hall last week that presented the Proposed Housing Plan. i have been briefed on it by several people. It is clear that Santa Monica's Staff Plan will help some of the unhoused--but NOT those that are most problematic to Santa Monica's residents and businesses.

I could not attend because i had a catastrophic fall over a poorly repaired section of sidewalk and crushed my should. I have already had one surgery (a plate and 8 screws) and will likely need more surgery. Spend 9 million on repairing our streets and sidewalks.

As I see it, there are 4 types of unhoused folks (some Santa Monica residents, some not):

In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. What kind of housing is this really going to be? What categories of unhoused people will get support? Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
101
children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should:
 sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement,
 sign a detailed Management Agreement that delineates boundaries and expectations, and  Set up rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction to ensure people are getting the services they need.

PLEASE VOTE NO on this item.

Tracey P. Hom Esq.
10850 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 825
Los Angeles, California 90024
310 749 5343
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
102
David Yakobson
From: Fernando E. Cornejo <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:52 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Fernando E. Cornejo
1827 17th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
62+ years Pico neighborhood resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Nzinga Garvey <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:22 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Authorization to Enter into Certain Agreements and Provide Further Direction to Staff Related to a Housing Focused System of Care

EXTERNAL
Good Morning,
Below please find my written public comment to the above-mentioned agenda item:

Reviewing the City's strategic plan to address homelessness and refined model gave me a comprehensive understanding of why this solution matters now. As a resident for over 20 years, I have watched homelessness become more complex as behavioral health needs, the Metro end-of-line dynamic and demands on first responders have intensified. I commend the City for pursuing system redesign and not simply another program.

The proposal is viable because it preserves capacity and partnerships while correcting structural weaknesses that interrupt progress. First, the system relies on a 60-bed congregate shelter downtown and outside entities for later-stage housing. The refined model creates a City-directed continuum, from outreach and emergency placement through interim and permanent housing, so responsibility no longer dissolves at the handoff. City teams can match people to the setting, preserve clinical continuity and measure whether each placement advances someone toward housing.

Second, moving from dependence on a congregate setting toward referral-only placements such as Palm Motel rooms, supplemented by regional beds and interim sites, offers dignity and stability.

Embedding case management, physical and behavioral health care, substance use treatment, workforce development and housing navigation makes a bed the beginning of a recovery and housing plan, not the endpoint of crisis response.

Quite frankly, this is the disciplined infrastructure Santa Monica needs (locally accountable, regionally connected, clinically responsive and judged by permanent housing exits). The plan creates a role for experienced partners able to engage people with complex substance use and co-occurring mental health needs.

We are grateful for this opportunity to understand the proposal in depth. CLARE | MATRIX gladly lends its support to advancing Santa Monica's Housing-Focused System of Care.

Best,
Nzinga
Nzinga Garvey, MBA
Partner Relations
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 5220 W. Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90016
clarematrix.org
Phone: (310) 570-5141
To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 David Yakobson
From: Duncan Webb <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:14 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office; Barry Snell; councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin Subject: Proposed shelter location

EXTERNAL
Hello Santa Monica leadership team.

I am a resident of Bay Street writing with concern about the location of a homeless shelter at the Palm Motel. I can appreciate you're in the difficult position of trying to find safe locations for the unhoused people in our city.

However, as someone with two children who attend Will Rogers, I wonder if having one so close to a school is the best option. Like many other families, we walk down 14th St. every day - it's one of the benefits that brought us to the neighborhood. We're not trying to pretend we live in a utopia without people who deal with serious mental health and substance abuse problems, but I'd be lying if I said we want to navigate that on the way to school each day. Do any of you live within 500 ft of a shelter location and have the ability to speak from experience about what it's like? Maybe you could reassure me that this is not going to come with safety concerns?
Thanks for your time.

Duncan Webb
1513 Bay St.

Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: jennifer o'sullivan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:37 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: OPPOSITION to Shuttering SaMoShel and The Palm Motel Stabilization Housing Agreement

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council,
I am writing to you today as a concerned resident of the neighborhood surrounding The Palm Motel to urge you to vote NO on the proposed "Housing Focused System of Care" at your July 28th meeting. The plan to decommission SaMoShel and replace it with a scattered-site housing system (specifically the conversion of The Palm Motel into stabilization housing) is deeply flawed and poses a direct risk to our neighborhood.

While I recognize the need to address the regional homelessness crisis, dismantling our city’s only dedicated sheltering resource in favor of an underfunded, decentralized motel network is the wrong approach. I urge you to reject this proposal for the following reasons:

1. Unacceptable Risks to Neighborhood Children and Schools This is a residential neighborhood where families live and children walk to and from nearby schools every day.

Using The Palm Motel to house individuals who have been chronically homeless for three or more years, or who are frequent users of emergency services, introduces severe safety and security risks. Concentrating high-needs stabilization housing in a family-dense area is inappropriate, and written "good neighbor" policies will not be enough to prevent the disturbances that frequently spill out of these facilities.

2. Reckless Closure of a Centralized Resource Ending all operations at SaMoShel, a reliable 60-bed congregate shelter that has served the city for decades, to force an experimental motel model is irresponsible. Current vulnerable residents will be transferred to "as yet undetermined facilities," effectively demolishing our existing infrastructure without a guaranteed, operational local facility ready to take them in. We need centralized care, not a piecemeal network of residential motels.

3. The "SMPP" Requirement Will Leave People on Our Streets The city's plan limits local placement at facilities like The Palm Motel to those meeting the strict "Santa Monica Program Participant" (SMPP) definition. By the city’s own admission, only about 10% of SaMoShel’s current occupants meet this threshold. Displacing the other 90% means they Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 will either be pushed back onto our local streets and into our neighborhoods, or shipped 30 miles away to the Bell Shelter, severing their local support ties.

4. Bypassing Community Review and Financial Instability It is deeply concerning that city staff are asking the council to fast-track The Palm Motel agreement by bypassing competitive bidding and claiming a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption. Silencing community review is unacceptable. Furthermore, committing $9.5 million to these motel agreements using temporary development funds, with no guaranteed funding beyond year two, is fiscally shortsighted. When the money runs out, our neighborhood will be left dealing with an underfunded facility the city cannot afford to manage.

Our neighborhood is not the appropriate testing ground for stabilization housing, and Santa Monica cannot afford to lose its most established shelter.

I strongly urge you to vote NO on the budget amendment, deny the CEQA exemption for The Palm Motel, and halt the decommissioning of SaMoShel. Please send city staff back to the drawing board to find alternative locations in non-residential areas and to develop a plan that guarantees continuity of care in a centralized, secure location.

Thank you for your time, your service to Santa Monica, and your attention to the safety of our neighborhood.

Sincerely,
Jennifer O'Sullivan
1352 Pine St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: Donna Ashton <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:56 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Heather Averick; Oliver Chi; Dan Hall Subject: 11B-Closure of SaMoShel and moving homeless services to the Palms Motel

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

The City's own numbers make the scale of this hard to ignore. SMPD's own Blue Notebook data shows roughly 14,200–14,400 homeless-related dispositions year-to-date, in each of the last two years — a run rate far larger than the City's Point-in-Time count of the unhoused population alone would suggest. Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
— Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
— Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. — Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
— Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first.
— Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards: a documented 444–450% increase in police calls since it opened. I am asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there.

Respectfully,
Donna Ashton
1823 20th St, SM
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: Robert Mickelson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Robert Mickelson
3204 Pearl Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
9 David Yakobson
From: Danny Guggenheim <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:57 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B - opposition

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
The proposal to bring homeless housing into the heart of the Sunset Park neighborhood disregards the interests of longtime residents, including families, seniors and children (many of whom walk to the nearby public elementary and middle schools).

We deserve neighborhoods that are designed for the residents who live there, and safe and stable for all.

At a minimum there should be agreements for projects like this establishing minimum standards for management as a good neighbor, and requiring screening for mental illness and addiction. The recent violence at 1905 Pico demonstrates the seriousness of these concerns.

And the city has many more important needs for $9m, which could provide services to many more people if not concentrated on a single project serving a very small number of people.

Please prioritize residents by opposing this.

Sincerely,
Danny Guggenheim
Sunset Park resident since 2006
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
10 David Yakobson
From: Kathleen Kelleher McCarthy <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:01 AM
To: Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Santa Monica City Manager's Office; Natalya Zernitskaya Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

The Palms Motel at 2020 14th Street is a horrible spot to facilitate a homeless program for up to 48 people. We have lived in Sunset Park since 1991. Our alley is a veritable open air toilet. In one week, my neighbor had her garage door shat upon and our backyard wall abutting the alley was similarly defiled by human excrement with used toilet tissue lying near the trash can. The very same week someone was sleeping in front of my next door neighbor’s trash can in our alley and she is a single mother of two elementary-school children. Shall we call City Sanitation to come clean it up? It’s on city property but we are the one’s having to deal with it! It’s utterly unacceptable. This happens all the time. A transient recently sat in front of my 90-something neighbor’s house acting erratically after charging another neighbor as he was getting into his car. My elderly neighbor reached out to all of us (we have a text thread for our street) asking for help. She felt threatened and trapped in her house. Neighbors have had a transient hiding and lurking about in her backyard more than once, while she was huddled inside with her two small daughters and her husband was out of town. Bicycles have been stolen, cars stolen and a few incidents of burglary. Last year, a woman with a box cutter threatened a St. Monica’s Catholic Church volunteer setting up for an event and earlier that week a person with a box cutter attacked a driver resulting in the driver being taken to the hospital. Most recently, a 27-year-old woman was fatally shot in a communal bathroom at The Manor, located at 19th Street and Pico Blvd., an assisted living apartment for mentally ill and developmentally disabled adults. This is a smattering of evidence showing why The Palms and The Manor DO NOT BELONG in residential neighborhood!! I am 100% opposed to the city taking over operations at The Palms because I DO NOT want those folks as my neighbors! They do not belong in residential neighborhoods! SAMOSHEL should stay in operation because it in not in a residential neighborhood, it is not located near preschools, elementary schools, middle schools and children’s therapy practices. Also, Santa Monica City should NOT be taking on LA County’s off-loaded responsibility for a crisis of its homeless operations finances born of grossly mismanaged operations and unaccountable spending of taxpayer dollars.

I agree with Friends of Sunset Park that if the city moves forward with this horrible idea against residents wishes, a few things need to happen. Before the City Council approves a $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction. No one Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
11 who is using drugs or drinking should be allowed to be housed at The Palms or The Manor. Recurring spontaneous testing for drugs and alcohol must be mandatory.

And just to reiterate, the July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

Sincerely,
Kathleen McCarthy
1306 Grant St.

Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
12 David Yakobson
From: Susan Alinsangan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:15 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Susan Alinsangan
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
13 David Yakobson
From: Giesa DiBianca <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:20 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Opposition to Item 11B – Palm Motel

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I'm writing to urge you to vote no on Agenda Item 11B, which would convert the Palm Motel at 14th and Pico into a permanent city-run emergency shelter .

My family and I recently moved to 14th and Maple specifically because of this neighborhood's reputation for safety and walkability. We have lived in Santa Monica for over 10 years and felt this neighborhood would be right as our forever home to raise our children. We have two young children, ages 6 and 8, and we chose this area with a clear goal in mind: to raise kids who can ride their bikes to a friend's house, walk to school, and eventually navigate the neighborhood on their own. That kind of independence depends on parents being able to trust the streets our kids are moving through.

Please remember that this neighborhood houses both an Elementary and Middle School with children walking directly past the Palm Hotel daily to get to and from school.

The current proposal for the Palm Motel shelter does not include the safeguards that would make this compatible with a residential, family-filled neighborhood. Specifically:
 No sobriety requirement for residents, despite this being positioned as a shelter for those struggling with addiction
 No drug testing
 No outside security, with only one required meeting per day and reportedly as few as 3 rotating staff for more than 42 residents
I'd ask the Council to:

1. Vote no on 11B as currently structured

2. Direct staff to identify a facility and program design that includes real security, treatment requirements, and adequate staffing

3. Keep 14th and Pico as a motel or find a more appropriate site for an emergency shelter model Thank you for your time and for representing this community's concerns.

Sincerely,
Giesa DiBianca
Resident, 14th & Maple, Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
14 David Yakobson
From: Cuff, Dana <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:23 AM
To: Natalya Zernitskaya; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Caroline Torosis
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; councilmtgitems Subject: Oppose Agenda #11B, July 28, 2026

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis and SM City Council,
I write in strong opposition to the closure of SAMOSHEL, which is one of Santa Monica’s most important resources for supporting unhoused community members. Such a resource will be impossible to replace within our own community, and it is not either equivalent or acceptable to move residents to a facility in Bell. I am a proud many-decade homeowner in Santa Monica, and have always held up our community where rather than displacing problems to other places, —classic NIMBY moves, we recognize the humanity of all our residents, and our responsibilities to solve the problems at home. Similarly, SAMOSHEL’s 60 beds are already not enough, so if the Palms Motel or the Manor are available for shelters, we should add them to SAMOSHEL. They certainly do not replace it.

Thank you for taking all of our views into account. I encourage you to vote against the closure of SAMOSHEL.

Dana Cuff
653 Raymond Ave
Santa Monica
……………………………………………………………….

Dr. Dana Cuff
Director, cityLAB – UCLA
Distinguished Professor, Architecture + Urban Design
Core Faculty, Urban Humanities Initiative
Rm B215-Perloff Hall UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1467
310-804-0045 cell
……………………………………………………………………………..

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
15 David Yakobson
From: Sheryl Newbridge <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:24 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
16 David Yakobson
From: Amani Abou-Zamzam MBA <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:24 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Thanks, Amani Northeast
Amani A. Abou-Zamzam MBA
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
17 David Yakobson
From: S Newbridge <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:24 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
18 Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Confidentiality Notice
The information contained in this communication (including, without limitation, in any attachment) is confidential and is intended for disclosure only to the addressee(s). If you are not an intended recipient or have otherwise received this communication in error, please notify the sender and then delete it, and you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, distribution or copying of any of the contents of this communication is strictly prohibited.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
19 David Yakobson
From: Sheryl <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:25 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
20 Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Confidentiality Notice
The information contained in this communication (including, without limitation, in any attachment) is confidential and is intended for disclosure only to the addressee(s). If you are not an intended recipient or have otherwise received this communication in error, please notify the sender and then delete it, and you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, distribution or copying of any of the contents of this communication is strictly prohibited.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
21 David Yakobson
From: Anne Sadeghpour <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:27 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Heather Averick; Oliver Chi; Dan Hall Subject: Item 11-B on today's City Council agenda, July 28, 2026

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28. I am a long-time Santa Monica resident, retired librarian at Edison Language Academy and Roosevelt Elementary, and Pico Neighborhood resident since 2010. I realize that people with mental health issues and situational homelessness need care, and it is distressing for them and for our Pico neighborhood that neither such care nor a venue for serving them are available, leaving many deserving folks with nothing to do all day long, living in a state of poverty, idleness, and danger and therefore posing a danger to others. I have taken the locally-sponsored zoom mental health training of just a few hours on de-escalating mental health crises if encountered on the street, being mindful that first, we must keep ourselves SAFE should such an encounter occur. My husband and I participated in the initial planning for the 19th St. community garden. The trashy state of our neighborhood is a concern. Please do not allow the area to become an increasing embarrassment to the entire Santa Monica community, nor a place where our parents continue to feel that their children are unsafe.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
22 Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
— Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
— Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. — Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
— Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first.
— Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards: a documented 444–450% increase in police calls since it opened. I am asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there.

Respectfully,
Anne Sadeghpour, LT, M.Ed.
residence: 20th St.

Pico Neighborhood
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 8:24 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Comment on Items 11B and 11C
Fyi.

Sarah Almendarez (she/her)
O: (310) 458-8303
-----Original Message-----
From: Olivia Nahass <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:23 AM
To: Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Dan Hall <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Santa Monica City Manager's Office <[email protected]>
Subject: Comment on Items 11B and 11C

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I am writing to express my concerns regarding agenda items 11B and 11C and their potential impact on the Pico neighborhood.

Regarding item 11B, I strongly oppose the placement of a new homeless shelter in close proximity to multiple schools, including Mount Olive Preschool, Will Rogers Elementary School, John Adams Middle School, and Santa Monica High School. The safety and well-being of students and families in this area must remain a priority.

Residents have already observed an increase in crime and police activity in the Pico neighborhood, and there is concern that adding another shelter may further strain public safety resources.

Additionally, the neighborhood is already served by an existing facility, The Laurel. Establishing another shelter on 14th Street appears redundant and could place unnecessary pressure on the surrounding community. I respectfully suggest maintaining SAMOSHEL in its current location, where it is better situated near the freeway and downtown, minimizing disruption to residential neighborhoods.

From a fiscal perspective, the proposed expenditure of approximately $9 million on a new shelter is also concerning, particularly given the City’s current financial challenges. These funds may be better allocated toward solutions that balance community needs with fiscal responsibility.

Regarding item 11C, I am equally concerned about the proposal to allow 212 units in an area currently zoned R1.

Such a significant increase in density would fundamentally alter the character of the Sunset Park and Pico neighborhood. Many property owners chose this area for its established residential nature, schools, and sense of community. Expanding high-density development in this zone risks undermining those qualities.

If additional housing is necessary, I encourage the Council to consider focusing development in areas already designated for higher density, such as downtown Santa Monica, where infrastructure is better equipped to support it.

Thank you for your time and consideration of these important community concerns.

Sincerely,
Olivia Nahass
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Clerk Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:38 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Support for Items 11-B and 11-C
Mitchell Kois
Staff Assistant III | City Clerk’s Office
(310) 458-8211 x5518
-----Original Message-----
From: Debbie Paperman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10:07 AM
To: [email protected]; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Dan Hall <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]> Subject: Support for Items 11-B and 11-C

EXTERNAL
Good morning and happy Tuesday
I’m writing to support both Item 11-B and Item 11-C. We desperately need more access for unhoused people, and we need more housing. Blocking shelter beds and blocking new homes only keeps the problems exactly where they are and it’s only going to get worse Item 11-B gives unhoused people a safe place indoors, which is basic and necessary.

Item 11-C allows more housing to exist in areas that have been limited to single-family zoning which is not sustainable nor keeping up with the times.

If we want fewer people living outside and more people able to afford to live here, ( as I think we should !) we need both shelter and more homes.

Please approve both items.

Thank you so much for all that you do
Debbie Paperman
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Abel, Richard <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 7:06 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Proposed abolition of Samoshel

EXTERNAL
I am writing to oppose the abolition of Samoshel. I have been a Santa Monica resident for half a century. Every day I encounter homeless people in need of shelter: on the beach and when I walk and bicycle around our lovely city for pleasure or doing shopping. We know that the number of unhoused people in greater Los Angeles has been increasing. Santa Monica has always been a caring community. We have a duty to provide shelter for the unhoused. Please keep Samoshel in operation.

Sincerely,
Richard Abel
446 16th Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Deborah Maddis <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:12 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: Oppose Agenda #11B - July 28, 2026 KEEP SAMOSHEL OPEN Importance: High

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I am writing as a 40 year resident of Santa Monica (Sunset Park) to strongly oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan and the closing of Santa Monica’s first and only emergency shelter SAMOSHEL, that was already downsized from 100 beds to 60.

While SAMOSHEL was intended to be a temporary emergency shelter at its inception over 30 years ago, it is a major reason that the homeless count in Santa Monica has been lower than ALL neighboring cities for the past three decades.

In addition, the local hospitals rely heavily on SAMOSHEL as the main resource for discharging homeless high utilizers of the health care system here in Santa Monica. There are no current replacements for SAMOSHEL.

I urge you to consider a Homeless Strategic plan that uses the land at 505 Olympic to transform TPC - SAMOSHEL into a permanent facility modeled after TPC - Cloverfield Services Center.

Sincerely,
Deborah Maddis
Deborah Maddis, MPH
Consultant
Integrating Healthcare and Housing
(310) 968-9903
[email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 David Yakobson
From: Maria Loya <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:29 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Heather Averick; Oliver Chi; Dan Hall Cc: PNA Freddy Luis; Brian O'Neil; Gina DeBaca; B. Onofre; Esther Hickman; Mary Cornejo; PNA SM; PNA~Kiana Choy
Subject: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, The PNA is writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

We are also concerned about the location itself: sobriety is not a condition of admission, by the City's own description, and this facility would sit near an adjacent gas station now licensed to sell alcohol. This same neighborhood already hosts The Manor, an adult residential care facility five blocks away that experienced a homicide on Saturday, July 25.

Adding another high-acuity facility here, without first addressing what already isn't working, asks residents to absorb a second burden before the first has been resolved.

Before this item is approved, We are asking the Council to:
— Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
— Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. — Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
— Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 — Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Pico Neighborhood Board of Directors
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 David Yakobson
From: Karen Arrigo-Hill <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:31 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Karen Arrigo-Hill
1121 21st St.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 David Yakobson
From: scott cherkasky <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:32 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: Allan Goldrath <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:34 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Allan Goldrath
Gloria Kamler
1035 Hill St.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 David Yakobson
From: Dan Kolhoff <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:36 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Dan Kolhoff
2628 29th Street
Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: DT4SM <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:40 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
9 Respectfully,
Derrick Townsend
Derrick Townsend for Santa Monica City Council 2026
[email protected]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
10 David Yakobson
From: Dolores Grijalva <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:43 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Dolores Grijalva
Pico Neighborhood, 12th Street
Life is good!
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
11 David Yakobson
From: Maze Douglass Brownell-Wells <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:43 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; Maze Douglass Brownell-Wells Subject: Oppose Agenda #11B - 28 July 2026 KEEP SAMOSHEL OPEN

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I am writing as a twenty-five years resident of Santa Monica (Pico/DTSM) to strongly oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan and the closing of SAMOSHEL, our city's first and only emergency shelter, which has already been downsized from one hundred to sixty beds.

While SAMOSHEL was intended as a temporary emergency shelter over thirty years ago, it is a major reason why Santa Monica's unhoused population has remained lower than all neighboring cities for the past three decades. Additionally, local hospitals rely heavily on SAMOSHEL as the primary discharge resource for high utilizers of the healthcare system. There are currently no replacements for this vital facility.

I urge you to revise the Homeless Strategic Plan to utilize the land at 505 Olympic to transform SAMOSHEL into a permanent facility modeled after the Cloverfield Services Center.

Sincerely,
Maze Douglass Brownell-Wells
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
12 David Yakobson
From: Lynn Gephart <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:43 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Lynn Gephart
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
13 David Yakobson
From: Elise Solé <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:44 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: ITEM 11B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and the Santa Monica City Council,
I am writing to urge you to vote NO on Agenda Item 11B, which would place an emergency shelter at the Palm Motel on Pico.

I do not believe placing a homeless facility in the middle of a residential neighborhood is a safe solution, especially given the number of incidents involving people under the influence of alcohol or drugs, harassing families as they walk by, or in some cases, attempting violence.

Please prioritize the safety and quality of life of the people who are raising families in Santa Monica by voting NO on Item 11B.

Thank you very much,
Sincerely,
E. Sole
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
14 David Yakobson
From: Pat Oconor <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:45 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Oliver Chi
Subject: Agenda Item 11-B at 7/28 Meeting – 5 Critical Reasons to Vote NO

1. This proposal is a fundamental and consequential change in Palm Motel’s use, not a continuation of existing interim housing.

2. Relocating emergency and higher-acuity stabilization housing from a commercial setting to a dense residential neighborhood creates new and substantial risks.

3. The proposal abandons Santa Monica’s publicly stated requirement for “fair geographic distribution” and instead concentrates homelessness services in one neighborhood.

5. The City’s communication and community engagement on this proposal have been inadequate and borderline misleading.

Abandoning fair geographic distribution: SaMoShel currently provides 60 stabilization beds, yet this proposal would shift 48 beds -- 80% of that capacity -- to Palm Motel. That is not a citywide network of sites; it is an excessive concentration of homelessness-service capacity in the Pico/Sunset Park area. And the staff report suggests it could even be worse than that if the Manor (the only other named potential site) is used for 40 interim-housing beds. That would place 84 beds in total -- 140% of the original capacity at SaMoShel -- all within the same neighborhood, just 0.4 miles apart.

Lacking clear standards and accountability: The City has described this model as one in which it will establish standards at every site and be accountable for results. Yet Agenda Item 11-B does not provide the level of detail, enforceable commitments, or neighborhood protections necessary to responsibly approve new stabilization or other homelessness-housing capacity. At a minimum, every proposed site should be supported by the following before approval:
 A detailed written operating plan identifying the target population, eligibility criteria, referral process, anticipated acuity levels, service model, staffing ratios, and bed-management protocols  A site-specific safety and security plan, including 24/7 trained staffing, active on-site management, security coverage, incident-response procedures, and coordination protocols with police, fire, nearby schools, businesses, and neighborhood stakeholders
 A binding good-neighbor agreement with enforceable service standards, designated neighborhood contacts, response-time commitments, a complaint-and-escalation process, and regular public reporting Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
15  Clear behavioral expectations and enforceable consequences addressing weapons, violence, drug use, public intoxication, trespass, loitering, and disruptive conduct  Measurable performance standards and independent oversight, including public reporting on occupancy, length of stay, exits to permanent housing, calls for service, neighborhood complaints, critical incidents, and correctiveaction requirements  A formal community-advisory process, regular public meetings, and a clear mechanism for residents and businesses to raise concerns and obtain timely resolution  A citywide geographic-distribution analysis demonstrating that the proposed site advances—not undermines—an equitable network of homelessness-service locations
Without these protections established as binding, site-specific conditions before a vote, the Council should not approve any new homelessness-housing capacity under this proposal. Promises of future standards or post-approval engagement are not an adequate substitute for a complete and publicly reviewable plan before the City authorizes a material change in use.

Inadequate and misleading communication: Many residents in my neighborhood, only blocks from Palm Motel, learned of this agenda item just one day before the vote, leaving little or no meaningful opportunity to review the proposal or engage with the City. More concerning, several City communications and officials have characterized this proposal as a continuation of interim housing, even though the staff report identifies a material transition to stabilization housing.

Sincerely,
Patricia O'Conor
1310 Pine Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
16 David Yakobson
From: mwdobbs <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:45 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

This same neighborhood already hosts The Manor, an adult residential care facility five blocks away that experienced a homicide on Saturday, July 25. Adding another high-acuity facility here, without first addressing what already isn't working, asks residents to absorb a second burden before the first has been resolved.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards:
a documented 444-450% increase in police calls since it opened. I am asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there.

Respectfully,
Michael Dobbs
2350 Ashland Ave., Sunset Park.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
17 David Yakobson
From: Geoff Coster <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Geoff Coster
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
18 David Yakobson
From: Gretchen Goetz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda item 11B at 7/28 Meeting

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council members,
We own a home in Sunset Park and are concerned about the impact of homelessness in our city.

In response to the news of the closing of Samoshel and the possible future placement of homeless individuals, we support the Palm Motel status as continuing to provide interim housing.

Beyond that, we support using destinations like the one we have read about in Bell, and possibly more Salvation Army beds. The Sunset Park neighborhood is small and dense, and full of schools and children traveling on foot. We feel that it already bears its' share of providing for those in need — and any further emergency or high acuity stabilization housing will create new and substantial risks.

Questions:
1) While we have approximately 800 homeless individuals in SM, the current proposals only include supporting a fraction of them. Does the Council have a plan for placing the rest? Will placement be beyond the borders of Santa Monica?
2) What is the long term strategy for funding this?
Thank you for your time,
Gretchen Goetz
1337 Pine Street, SM 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
19 David Yakobson
From: Brian O'Neil <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:49 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Oliver Chi
Cc: Brian ONeil; Nada Shamonki
Subject: 7/28/26 Item 11B: Safeguards for SaMoShel Relocation to Pico Neighborhood

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi,

We are writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28. The proposed relocation of a portion of the SaMoShel shelter population to the Palm Motel, in a quiet residential neighborhood, is an incompatible land use. It places a facility serving a high-need population directly against family homes and a school-adjacent street, without a plan for how the neighborhood will be protected. The City's own numbers make the scale of this hard to ignore. SMPD's own Blue Notebook data shows roughly 14,200–14,400 homeless-related dispositions year-to-date, in each of the last two years — a run rate far larger than the City's Point-in-Time count of the unhoused population alone would suggest.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count. We are also concerned about the location itself: sobriety is not a condition of admission, by the City's own description, and this facility would sit near an adjacent gas station now licensed to sell alcohol. This same neighborhood already hosts The Manor, an adult residential care facility five blocks away that experienced a homicide on Saturday, July 25. Adding another high-acuity facility here, without first addressing what already isn't working, asks residents to absorb a second burden before the first has been resolved. Before this item is approved, we are asking the Council to:

— Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
— Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. — Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
— Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first.
— Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
20 The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards: a documented 444–450% increase in police calls since it opened. We are asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there.

Highest regards,
Brian O’Neil/ Nada Shamonki
2929 Delaware Ave (Pico Neighborhood)
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
21 David Yakobson
From: Jim O <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:52 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Oliver Chi
Subject: Agenda Item 11-B at 7/28 Meeting – 5 Critical Reasons to Vote NO

1. This proposal is a fundamental and consequential change in Palm Motel’s use, not a continuation of existing interim housing.

2. Relocating emergency and higher-acuity stabilization housing from a commercial setting to a dense residential neighborhood creates new and substantial risks.

3. The proposal abandons Santa Monica’s publicly stated requirement for “fair geographic distribution” and instead concentrates homelessness services in one neighborhood.

5. The City’s communication and community engagement on this proposal have been inadequate and borderline misleading.

New and substantial risks: SaMoShel is located in a commercial area, while Palm Motel is located in a dense residential neighborhood only blocks from both an elementary school and a middle school. A facility serving a higheracuity population must be evaluated through the lens of neighborhood safety, operational capacity, school proximity, and the impact on nearby residents and businesses.

Abandoning fair geographic distribution: SaMoShel currently provides 60 stabilization beds, yet this proposal would shift 48 beds -- 80% of that capacity -- to Palm Motel. That is not a citywide network of sites; it is an excessive concentration of homelessness-service capacity in the Pico/Sunset Park area. And the staff report suggests it could even be worse than that if the Manor (the only other named potential site) is used for 40 interim-housing beds. That would place 84 beds in total -- 140% of the original capacity at SaMoShel -- all within the same neighborhood, just 0.4 miles apart.

Lacking clear standards and accountability: The City has described this model as one in which it will establish standards at every site and be accountable for results. Yet Agenda Item 11-B does not provide the level of detail, enforceable commitments, or neighborhood protections necessary to responsibly approve new stabilization or other homelessness-housing capacity. At a minimum, every proposed site should be supported by the following before approval:
 A detailed written operating plan identifying the target population, eligibility criteria, referral process, anticipated acuity levels, service model, staffing ratios, and bed-management protocols  A site-specific safety and security plan, including 24/7 trained staffing, active on-site management, security coverage, incident-response procedures, and coordination protocols with police, fire, nearby schools, businesses, and neighborhood stakeholders
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
22  A binding good-neighbor agreement with enforceable service standards, designated neighborhood contacts, response-time commitments, a complaint-and-escalation process, and regular public reporting  Clear behavioral expectations and enforceable consequences addressing weapons, violence, drug use, public intoxication, trespass, loitering, and disruptive conduct  Measurable performance standards and independent oversight, including public reporting on occupancy, length of stay, exits to permanent housing, calls for service, neighborhood complaints, critical incidents, and correctiveaction requirements  A formal community-advisory process, regular public meetings, and a clear mechanism for residents and businesses to raise concerns and obtain timely resolution  A citywide geographic-distribution analysis demonstrating that the proposed site advances—not undermines—an equitable network of homelessness-service locations
Without these protections established as binding, site-specific conditions before a vote, the Council should not approve any new homelessness-housing capacity under this proposal. Promises of future standards or post-approval engagement are not an adequate substitute for a complete and publicly reviewable plan before the City authorizes a material change in use.

Sincerely,
Patricia O'Conor
1310 Pine Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
23 David Yakobson
From: Oscar <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:54 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Heather Averick; Oliver Chi; Dan Hall Subject: item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
24 — Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
25 David Yakobson
From: Mark Varo <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: ITEM 11B

EXTERNAL
Please do not shutdown the SaMoShel housing facility.

Please do not move homeless people to the Palm Hotel. This is right near an elementary school and right in the neighborhood of sunset park.

Mark Varo
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
26 David Yakobson
From: Erin Foley King <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:56 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Hi there City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there.

Sincerely,
Erin and Matthew King
Ashland Avenue
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
27 David Yakobson
From: Diana Szymanski <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:56 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

I currently live in an apartment building with 1-unit occupied by an unhoused occupant, and my life has dramatically gotten worse. Trash is felt outside of my door steps. Unlivable noise is made at all hours of the night, so I can't get a good night's sleep. I work to pay to live in my apartment and have called in sick several times due to the disruption this tenant creates. I call the police - they come - she doesn't open the door, the Police leaves. There is no plan or protection in place for residents living in our building or neighbor. We have to pick up and clean trash left on the street - the unhoused person doesn't care. The unhoused person spits from her second floor as people are passing under her. She doesn't care and no action can be taken to protect ourselves.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
28 - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
- Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Diana Ski
Euclid/Pico District
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
29 David Yakobson
From: Lynn Bar-Or <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:58 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Lynn Bar-Or
27 Arcadia Terrace Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
30 David Yakobson
From: Will Finch <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:59 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Lana Negrete; Natalya Zernitskaya
Subject: Agenda item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Hi, I am writing in support of the city’s homelessness housing plan. We need to provide more supportive housing capacity and should continue identifying sites that can provide this! Sincerely,
Will Finch
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
31 David Yakobson
From: Aleese Orr <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:00 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 11-B July 28, 2026

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi,

I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28. The tax paying and contributing members of the Santa Monica community have been negatively impacted by the housing first/focused/no barrier plans this city council has repeatedly allowed into our city. Allowing continued drug and alcohol abuse on the property helps no one. And zero background checks put dangerous people in our backyards.

These policies have failed both the housed AND the unhoused. The residents have attended council meetings, town halls, neighborhood gatherings, written to all city officials and yet the city council continues to laugh in their faces and do the opposite of what the communities demand. Your experiments and policies have failed. Facts do not lie. Anyone living in Santa Monica or visiting Santa Monica can see the failures outside their windows. Our children are put in harm's way. They can no longer walk to school, to their friends' houses or ride their bikes to get an ice cream without coming across an unstable drug addict or a volatile mentally ill person. YOU have taken the safety away from the residents who you answer to.

Again, I am asking that the city re-examine its housing first/focused/no sobriety approach. Closing one shelter and opening another with the same policies is a waste of my tax dollar. WE ALREADY KNOW THE OUTCOME. Look at San Jose and San Francisco's pivots. Los Angeles has failed. Santa Monica can separate themselves and pull out of this vile pit.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
32 Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:

— Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
— Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. — Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline.
— Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. — Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Aleese Orr
308 Alta Ave, Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Daniel Register <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:01 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Respectfully,
Daniel Register
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Daniel Register <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:01 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Respectfully,
Daniel Register
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: David Goetz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 11:49 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Oliver Chi

EXTERNAL
To:

Subject:

Agenda Item 11-B at 7/28 Meeting – 5 Critical Reasons to Vote NO Email Body:

Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
Homelessness is an urgent issue, but Agenda Item 11-B at the 7/28 City Council meeting is not an acceptable solution for the Palm Motel, its surrounding neighborhood, or Santa Monica. I respectfully and strongly ask each Councilmember to vote no on every component of Agenda Item 11-B for the following critical reasons:

1. This proposal is a fundamental and consequential change in Palm Motel’s use, not a continuation of existing interim housing.

2. Relocating emergency and higher-acuity stabilization housing from a commercial setting to a dense residential neighborhood creates new and substantial risks.

3. The proposal abandons Santa Monica’s publicly stated requirement for “fair geographic distribution” and instead concentrates homelessness services in one neighborhood.

5. The City’s communication and community engagement on this proposal have been inadequate and borderline misleading.

Abandoning fair geographic distribution: SaMoShel currently provides 60 stabilization beds, yet this proposal would shift 48 beds -- 80% of that capacity -- to Palm Motel. That is not a citywide network of sites; it is an excessive concentration of homelessness-service capacity in the Pico/Sunset Park area. And the staff report suggests it could even be worse than that if the Manor (the only other named potential site) is used for 40 interim-housing beds. That would place 84 beds in total -- 140% of the original capacity at SaMoShel -- all within the same neighborhood, just 0.4 miles apart.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2  A detailed written operating plan identifying the target population, eligibility criteria, referral process, anticipated acuity levels, service model, staffing ratios, and bed-management protocols  A site-specific safety and security plan, including 24/7 trained staffing, active on-site management, security coverage, incident-response procedures, and coordination protocols with police, fire, nearby schools, businesses, and neighborhood stakeholders
 A binding good-neighbor agreement with enforceable service standards, designated neighborhood contacts, response-time commitments, a complaint-and-escalation process, and regular public reporting  Clear behavioral expectations and enforceable consequences addressing weapons, violence, drug use, public intoxication, trespass, loitering, and disruptive conduct  Measurable performance standards and independent oversight, including public reporting on occupancy, length of stay, exits to permanent housing, calls for service, neighborhood complaints, critical incidents, and correctiveaction requirements  A formal community-advisory process, regular public meetings, and a clear mechanism for residents and businesses to raise concerns and obtain timely resolution  A citywide geographic-distribution analysis demonstrating that the proposed site advances—not undermines—an equitable network of homelessness-service locations
Without these protections established as binding, site-specific conditions before a vote, the Council should not approve any new homelessness-housing capacity under this proposal. Promises of future standards or post-approval engagement are not an adequate substitute for a complete and publicly reviewable plan before the City authorizes a material change in use.

Sincerely,
David Goetz
A Santa Monica Sunset Park Community Member
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: TARYN FORDES <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 6:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Taryn Fordes
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: anne geffner <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:13 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Please do not close ANY indoor housing that gives shelter to the unhoused!

EXTERNAL
Closing any type of indoor shelter for the unhoused would only create instability and perhaps prompting people to want to live on the streets again. We cannot afford to shuffle around the most vulnerable of our population. Who became this way because ? A humane society needs to assume a portion of the guilt . Our failings are numerous. Please do
more not less. Unhoused people are human beings - like you and me. Not animals that are forced to poop and pee on the street. Being unhoused should be illegal!! Anne Geffner
1530 5th street apt 419
S.M. 90401
[email protected]
Get Outlook for iOS
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Louise Dobbs <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 8:58 PM
To: Ellis Raskin
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Thank you for your consideration and your service

EXTERNAL
Subject:

Oppose Agenda #11B, July 28,2026

DO NOT CLOSE SAMOSHEL

Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and oppose the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60 bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to limited capacity and the fact that it's already always full. Is the plan to displace the residents there also?

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 Louise Dobbs
2925 4th St #25
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Joanne Leslie <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2026 5:34 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda items 16F and 11B concerning housing for unhoused people in Santa Monica

EXTERNAL
Dear council members and staff,
I write as a 30 year resident of Santa Monica and a concerned member of the clergy (retired deacon at St.

Augustine’s-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church). It has recently come to my attention that the city is planning to close SoMoShel. I don’t know enough about the specific considerations to know if this is a good idea, but I am sure that I do not want us to lose any capacity to house and support those who need temporary housing. For this reason, I strongly support Agenda item 16 F, put forward by Mayor Torosis, Mayor Pro Tem Zwick and Councilmember Raskin. I want all the unhoused people staying in SaMoShel to be able to stay there until they can get the best possible housing support going forward. We don’t need to be in a rush and push already suffering and vulnerable people into sleeping on the streets, or parks or beaches, hoping that they will somehow just disappear. If closing SaMoShel gives the city an opportunity to work out a truly good plan, one that gives all Santa Monicans, no matter where they sleep, an opportunity to have a path to a real permanent home and a better life, then I am in favor.

But this must be carried out with a real concern for the short term and longer term well being of unhoused people, not simply for cosmetic purposes of making Santa Monica comfortable for rich tourists.

I would also like to briefly make an even more personal observation relevant to item 11B. I live on the corner of 14th and Grant streets, where I have owned my home for the past 30 years. I am on the same block as the Palm Motel. Therefore I have lived here all the time that People Concern has operated the Palm Motel as a shelter for unhoused folks. As a neighbor, I can attest to the fact that there have been no problems. Several people whom I believe to be residents at the Palm Motel avail themselves of the Little Free Library in front of my house. I am happy to have them do so. This seems to me to be a good use of motel space and I would be happy to speak with any neighbors of new shelters that the city might open to assure them that I have had nothing but positive experience with the People Concern facility at the Palm Motel.

Thank you for your consideration and attention,
The Rev. Dr. Joanne Leslie
1351 Grant St.

Santa Monica 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Charles OConor <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:03 PM
Subject: Agenda Item 11-B at 7/28 Meeting – 5 Critical Reasons to Vote NO

1. This proposal is a fundamental and consequential change in Palm Motel’s use, not a continuation of existing interim housing.

2. Relocating emergency and higher-acuity stabilization housing from a commercial setting to a dense residential neighborhood creates new and substantial risks.

3. The proposal abandons Santa Monica’s publicly stated requirement for “fair geographic distribution” and instead concentrates homelessness services in one neighborhood.

5. The City’s communication and community engagement on this proposal have been inadequate and borderline misleading.

Abandoning fair geographic distribution: SaMoShel currently provides 60 stabilization beds, yet this proposal would shift 48 beds -- 80% of that capacity -- to Palm Motel. That is not a citywide network of sites; it is an excessive concentration of homelessness-service capacity in the Pico/Sunset Park area. And the staff report suggests it could even be worse than that if the Manor (the only other named potential site) is used for 40 interim-housing beds. That would place 84 beds in total -- 140% of the original capacity at SaMoShel -- all within the same neighborhood, just 0.4 miles apart.

Lacking clear standards and accountability: The City has described this model as one in which it will establish standards at every site and be accountable for results. Yet Agenda Item 11-B does not provide the level of detail, enforceable commitments, or neighborhood protections necessary to responsibly approve new stabilization or other homelessness-housing capacity. At a minimum, every proposed site should be supported by the following before approval:
 A detailed written operating plan identifying the target population, eligibility criteria, referral process, anticipated acuity levels, service model, staffing ratios, and bed-management protocols  A site-specific safety and security plan, including 24/7 trained staffing, active on-site management, security coverage, incident-response procedures, and coordination protocols with police, fire, nearby schools, businesses, and neighborhood stakeholders
 A binding good-neighbor agreement with enforceable service standards, designated neighborhood contacts, response-time commitments, a complaint-and-escalation process, and regular public reporting  Clear behavioral expectations and enforceable consequences addressing weapons, violence, drug use, public intoxication, trespass, loitering, and disruptive conduct Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2  Measurable performance standards and independent oversight, including public reporting on occupancy, length of stay, exits to permanent housing, calls for service, neighborhood complaints, critical incidents, and correctiveaction requirements  A formal community-advisory process, regular public meetings, and a clear mechanism for residents and businesses to raise concerns and obtain timely resolution  A citywide geographic-distribution analysis demonstrating that the proposed site advances—not undermines—an equitable network of homelessness-service locations
Without these protections established as binding, site-specific conditions before a vote, the Council should not approve any new homelessness-housing capacity under this proposal. Promises of future standards or post-approval engagement are not an adequate substitute for a complete and publicly reviewable plan before the City authorizes a material change in use.

Sincerely,
Charles OConor
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
3 David Yakobson
From: Leigh Leigh <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:13 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
4 Respectfully,
Leigh Kavanaugh
4 th Street 90403
Get Outlook for Android
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
5 David Yakobson
From: Norma Maister <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:20 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Norma Maister
1330 California Ave #206
Santa Monica, Ca 90493
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
6 David Yakobson
From: Sabrina Fielden <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:54 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sabrina Fielden
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
7 David Yakobson
From: Paula Mazur <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:57 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Paula Mazur
3204 Pearl Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
8 David Yakobson
From: Julie Grosman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:58 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda Item11-B

Sincerely,
Julie Grosman
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
9 David Yakobson
From: Stephanie Becker <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:01 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
10 David Yakobson
From: Nancy Ong <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:05 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
11 Respectfully,
Nancy Ong
20th Street/Wilshire
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
12 David Yakobson
From: Alice Lin <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:06 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Alice
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
13 David Yakobson
From: Kevin P. Pelletier <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:08 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]; Kelly Smith ([email protected]) Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
14 The Laurel is our own evidence of what happens without these safeguards: a documented 444-450% increase in police calls since it opened. I am asking the Council not to repeat that outcome in another neighborhood before first fixing what went wrong there.

Respectfully,
Kevin P. Pelletier
12th and Wilshire, Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
15 David Yakobson
From: jesslyn hutton <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:12 PM
To: Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Barry Snell; Heather Averick; Ellis Raskin; Caroline Torosis
Subject: Item 11B-Closure of SaMoShel and moving homeless services to the Palms Motel

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Adding another high-acuity facility here, without first addressing what already isn't working, asks residents to absorb a second burden before the first has been resolved.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
16 — Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first.
— Publish resident-impact data — police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life — alongside the homeless-outcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Jess Kahler
Delaware Ave, Pico Neighborhood
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
17 David Yakobson
From: Louis Ssutu <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:13 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Louis Ssutu
Deanna Ssutu
Laura Ssutu
Residents of Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
18 Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
19 David Yakobson
From: Karen Comegys-Wortz <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

I AM AGAINST agenda item 11-B. You are putting our neighborhood in danger.

There are other locations in Santa Monica that are not part of the residential areas.

Find and use those!
Sincerely,
Karen Comegys=Wortz
1725 Cedar St
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
20 David Yakobson
From: Ellen Mark <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:19 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
21 David Yakobson
From: Ellen Mark <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:20 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Ellen Mark
Navy St., Sunset Park
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
22 David Yakobson
From: John Levy <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:37 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
23 Respectfully,
John Levy
33rd Street/Sunset Park
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
24 David Yakobson
From: Laura Park <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:58 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Laura Park
Ashland, Sunset Park
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
25 David Yakobson
From: Thomas Finn <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:59 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

Sincerely,
Thomas & Pamela Finn
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
26 David Yakobson
From: Robin OConnell <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:06 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Robin O’Connell
3044 Paula Drive, SM 90405
(310) 463-2788
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
27 David Yakobson
From: Tony O'Connell <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:08 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Tony O'Connell
3044 Paula Drive, SM 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
28 Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
29 David Yakobson
From: Kathleen O'Grady <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:08 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
30 Respectfully,
Kathleen O'Grady
Ashland Ave
Sunset Park, Santa Monica
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
31 David Yakobson
From: Mary Blakey <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 9:23 AM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

The Palms Motel is not a fair replacement due to its limited capacity and the fact that it is already consistently full. Is the plan to displace the residents there as well?
The Manor is not a shelter and cannot replace SAMOSHEL. The Manor is one of the few remaining Adult Residential Facilities in Los Angeles County, providing permanent housing for disabled people living with mental health conditions.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
32 David Yakobson
From: Daniel Funk <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:21 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
33 Respectfully,
Daniel Funk
Ashland Avenue, 90405
Get Outlook for iOS
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
34 David Yakobson
From: irena mendez <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:11 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
35 Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
36 David Yakobson
From: Santa Monica City Manager's Office
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:39 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Agenda Item11-B
FYI
Sarah Almendarez (she/her)
O: (310) 458-8303
From: Shuilan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:52 PM
To: Dan Hall <[email protected]>; Lana Negrete <[email protected]>; Ellis Raskin <[email protected]>; Barry Snell <[email protected]>; Caroline Torosis <[email protected]>; Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>; Jesse Zwick <[email protected]>; Santa Monica City Manager's Office <[email protected]> Subject: Agenda Item11-B

Sincerely,
Mariani May
1506 Bay Street
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
37 Sent from Proton Mail for iOS.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
38 David Yakobson
From: jay giannone <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 3:05 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Whatever the right way to reconcile those two numbers is, the City owes residents a real answer, not a repeated reference to a single count.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
39 Respectfully,
Jay Giannone
934 4th st
Camera and A Dream Productions
323-301-2353
Keyboardandadream.com
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
40 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 3:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood. Residential neighborhoods should not be the default location for increasingly intensive social services. Families, seniors, children, and longtime residents deserve neighborhoods that are safe, stable, and designed for the people who live there. Before the City Council approves $9 million to lease the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street, and to contract with the People Concern to manage a homeless program there, the City and the People Concern should sign a Good Neighborhood Agreement, plus a detailed Management Agreement that includes rigorous screening for mental illness and drug addiction. The July 25, 2026 beating death of a woman living at The Manor at 1905 Pico Blvd., which provides room, board, and supervision for adults with mental illness, reinforces concern over agenda item 11-B.

The Palm Motel is within a very short distance of Will Rogers Elementary School. Please don't risk the safety of the young children and families there by using The Palm Motel for homeless services.

In the bigger picture, it seems that there is little to no interest or willingness to put services for the homeless north of Wilshire. You have made the Pico and Sunset Park neighborhoods a dumping ground for those service. With two homicides in Santa Monica this week, on on 19th St. and Pico- PLEASE do not put a homeless facility on 14th and Pico. It should also be noted that The Palm Motel doesn't offer lock down capabilities for dangerous individuals. Please leave our neighborhood alone. It's northern nSanta Monica's turn to carry at least SOME of the burden of homeless services.

Sincerely,
Emily Sanders
2333 Oak Street Unit 5
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
41 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 3:32 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Agenda item 11-B

EXTERNAL
SUBJECT: Agenda Item11-B
Dear City Councilmembers,
In agenda item 11-B, the city proposes spending $9 million to bring homeless housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood.

PLEASE do not burden Sunset Park with this dangerous plan, which jeopardizes the safety of Santa Monica residents.

Would YOU want this in your neighborhood, in close proximity to schools? Would YOU be willing to live next to this project?
Sunset Park and the Pico neighborhood should NOT be singled out as your dumping ground for the homeless.

Where is the equity in sharing the burden in this city? Why are Sunset Park and the Pico neighborhood always the ones who get these facilities? Sincerely,
Emily Sanders
Santa Monica resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
42 David Yakobson
From: Rebecca Lewis <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 4:02 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 11B on July 28, 2026 - Do Not Close SAMOSHEL

EXTERNAL
Santa Monica City Council:

I am a local resident and strongly oppose closing the Santa Monica homeless shelter and the new Homeless Strategic Plan.

SAMOSHEL has been an incredible 60-bed shelter, providing essential services and a stepping stone to permanent housing for 32 years.

Creating a new housing system that sends unhoused people whom the city decides do not belong in Santa Monica to Bell is displacement and raises serious racial and disability discrimination concerns.

Please oppose Agenda Item 11B and keep SAMOSHEL open.

--
Rebecca Lewis
Instagram: @bexlewis
Number: +1 310 401 4169
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
43 David Yakobson
From: Elizabeth Lerer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 4:04 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Dan Hall; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Caroline Torosis; Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Santa Monica City Manager's Office Subject: Item 11-B: Oppose!

EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
I support my Santa Monica neighbors in asking that you oppose 11-B.

Thank you,
Elizabeth Lerer
Sent from my phone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
44 David Yakobson
From: Kara Fox <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 4:32 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
[Your name]
[Your street / neighborhood]
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
45 David Yakobson
From: Elizabeth Joensen <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 4:54 PM
To: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Oliver Chi; councilmtgitems
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Public Comment: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Torosis, Members of the Council, and City Manager Chi, I am writing regarding Item 11-B on today's agenda, July 28.

Before this item is approved, I am asking the Council to:
- Commit, in writing, that no future site identified through the RFEI process will be placed in a residential neighborhood.
- Require competitive bidding rather than exceptions, given the scale of the funds involved. - Provide a real, enforceable removal and eviction process for violent or disruptive tenants, with a defined timeline. - Reorder housing placement priorities to put families, children, and youth aging out of foster care first. - Publish resident-impact data, police calls, school safety, neighborhood quality of life, alongside the homelessoutcome data the City already tracks.

Respectfully,
Elizabeth Joensen
Ashland Ave/ Sunset Park
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Nikki Kolhoff <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 12:01 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Natalya Zernitskaya; Barry Snell; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin
Subject: City Council 7/28/26 Agenda Item 11-B and 16F - OPPOSE

Before the City Council invests in more housing and services, it must answer the question I have been asking for months. Where is the data showing the number of beds and types of services provided in every city in LA County (and the state) to see how we compare? The presentations from staff about the Housing First (now Housing Focused) plan contains almost no facility numbers, no costs, and no maps. There is no master plan. We cannot possibly approve a new program and facility without knowing exactly how it fits in the plan, what the other pieces of the plan are, how much it costs, what the funding sources would be, what the impacts are to the residents, what mitigation measures are needed, and how much those measures cost. We also need to know how many people will move through this new system and whether it will have any measurable impact on the thousands of people who enter this city each year but are not from here.

We keeping hearing that we must "do something" and that we can't "just say no". But our elected officials and government have a responsibility to spend limited public funds, be they county or city funds, effectively for the greater good. Spending $85k per bed is a very large sum, especially if in the aggregate it doesn't make a meaningful impact.

We need to question a system that makes it more profitable to rent beds than run a motel.

Item 16F is a last-minute add by Mayor Torosis that conflicts with 11-B on an agenda she created.

She appears to have lost her way as she is attempting to appease her different donor bases for the election. Samoshel does need to close as it is a failed model. It should not be kept open to enable dispersing services throughout our residential neighborhoods.

We need to pause. The city needs to engage with residents instead of hatching more plans in closed session. We don't need RFEIs when we don't have a plan.

Regards,
Nikki Kolhoff
Santa Monica Resident
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 4:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan.Hall. @santamonica.gov; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Heather Averick Subject: My family's home since 1983 - Items 11b and 11c - Changing the district of Pico Neighborhood

EXTERNAL
I have lived in Santa Monica since 1980, in the Pico Neighborhood since 1983.

My daughter grew up here and attended Santa Monica schools.

My grandson was born and raised here and graduated from SANMOH. His first child is due August 28, 2026. We will be four generations raised in Santa Monica. We live within 2 blocks of each other and we've been long time devoted residents. I love and know my neighbors many of whom lived here long before my family. One neighbor's family has been my gardeners for 30 years. We are a close knit community with deep roots.

I would like to keep my neighborhood the wonderful place to grow up we have known. Therefore, I object to the council making changes to the zoning and building ordinances.

The price of real estate in Santa Monica has gone through the roof and rents have followed accordingly. I am heartbroken for homeless people and those who cannot afford the high rents. We cannot cure the national-wide problem of greed and speculation and I decry these practices.

However, I am concerned about too many developers allowed to build in Santa Monica. Many of them are Private Equity firms, Real Estate Investment Trusts and Hedge Fund Managers. These entities charge exorbitant fees to their investors, getting rich from our beautiful city and making housing in our country a major issue. Soon they will own our city if they don't already do so. FIGHT BACK! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP SANTA MONICA FOR THE PEOPLE NOT THE DEVELOPERS.

I am pleading with each of you to vote NO on:

Item 11B-Closure of SaMoShel and moving homeless services to the Palms Motel AND NO ON
Item 11-C: Upzoning of R1 Neighborhoods in the Pico District I Thank you for your service and you kind attention to my email.

Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 Sincerely - Janet Krelle, 1807 19th Street, Apt. A, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (
Contact info: email [email protected]; telephone (310) 266-1261 Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Clerk Mailbox
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:05 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: FW: Item 11-B
Mitchell Kois
Staff Assistant III | City Clerk’s Office
(310) 458-8211 x5518
From: Sturlik <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:03 PM
To: Clerk Mailbox <[email protected]>
Subject: Item 11-B

EXTERNAL
Please do not add anymore low income housing in the Pico area.

We already have lots of low income housing in this area.

You should spread low income housing to around the North of Wishire and Montana area.

It is not right how you always add low income housing to the same area, it is making it unsafe for families to live here.

Thank you,
Kathy
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: Daphne Dennis <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 2:12 PM
To: councilmtgitems; [email protected]
Subject: Re: Items #11B/#16F (07/28/2026)

EXTERNAL
Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and Staff,
I support Council item 16F, provided Samoshel and the Access Center remain funded and open as the City pursues a thorough public process about the community impact of the closure of these two programs.

I say the above as a retired Social Services Manager for the City of West Hollywood and concerned 50-year City resident.

Thank you for your leadership on this extremely challenging issue and may our City continue to support all members of our community, with services provided within our City borders.

Sincerely, Daphne Dennis
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
1 David Yakobson
From: kristie johnson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 1:35 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Appalled that this is even a consideration!

EXTERNAL
To those who actually care and want to listen in protest to the relocation of homeless services and housing to the Sunset Park neighborhood.

My husband and I have lived in SM almost 30 years, and have teenagers now….and I can honestly say we’ve never felt so unhappy and unsafe as we do today! I used to walk my babies all around SM, Venice, on the strand, at the Promenade…today, we do non of that! We go to Manhattan Beach to shop and my kids go to Century City with friends to avoid the hassles and craziness of homeless people, along with the disgusting streets, stepping over every excrement that comes out of a human being! They both completed 8 years of Junior Lifeguard, learning to be good and helpful citizens only to be moved off SM beach onto North Venice beach - why?! Because they were occupying too much beach space in SM? More BS from this city! My kids “lived” downtown SM for a little over a year, due to the fires. Pali High relocated to the Sears Bldg and everyday was a new adventure of being “greeted” in the mornings by some drugged up homeless person yelling at them that they, as Pali kids, did not belong in SM!
We live not far from SMC, and we’ve had multiple occasions calling the police to have people removed from our rear driveway in the alley! Having cameras placed, now we get to see bicycles being stripped of serial numbers, people doing drugs and hiding drugs in the bushes! Not to mention we’ve had our wheels stolen off our car right in front of our house! And had an attempted GTA of our other car! You really think all of this is going to improve?! Are the police going to come to every home that calls every minute of the day/night to assist with criminal activity, bad behavior and safety issues?! Then, not only will the beautiful and pristine campus of SMC lose its reputation, safety is already becoming a bigger issue..how many murders and violent actions have recently occurred just across the street on pico/19th around an already low income housing?!!! But you plan to surround other schools with homeless activity - a junior High, elementary schools and a preschool all within blocks of your careless and thoughtless plan! Do any of you think about the ramifications of your actions? Any of them? This city has an issue!! Honestly, it’s all of you, but instead of dealing with the problems you’ve created, all of you just move the problems around to create more problems! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU! If SM wants to continue to be a “welcome mat” to all the homeless and criminals, then keep everything downtown…you have the food bank there already, that train conveniently brings them all in, and you have the police dept right there…there’s not only the empty Sears bldg, but the property on main and pico as well…or are both those properties too visible for the city?!! And what would tourists think?! It is unbelievable that this city would put its residents in harms way, the elderly, the kids, the ones paying the high taxes, buying expensive property and ultimately paying the salaries of you, the SM government!!! All to make SM appear beautiful for tourists who are VISITING the downtown area! Shame on you!!!! You provide for the criminals, druggies and homeless and spend money on frivolous BS that helps no one - except for the city officials, the developers who don’t care about the city they don’t live in, and the NGOs…commonality - all of you only care about the money that goes into your pocket!
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
2 Santa Monica was once a beautiful city I loved and was grateful for, now I can’t wait to leave it - it’s not beautiful anymore, its ugly, it’s become like so much of what the rest of LA already is …fake and run by people who don’t care about the businesses, the residents, the future!
Good luck SM! If this demented plan is approved, be prepared! What is ugly and bad downtown, will not be fixed, it will only spread across this part of SM. Businesses are already gone or leaving from downtown SM only to be replaced by “low income” housing, another joke! A lot of housing, a lot more cars using single narrow roads like your other disaster (Broadway and other streets narrowed for all those hundreds of bikes that use bike lanes!), no businesses to shop at, homeless person at every corner, smelling piss in the alleys and dodging crap on the sidewalks, all while trying to keep our families safe from the mentally deranged individuals SM wants to house next door to all of us…sounds absolutely like a dream! Like the ones you wake up from in a deep sweat and say “thank God that was only a nightmare!”
As elected officials, it is your DUTY to keep the residents of SM safe. This insane plan is in direct violation of that! -Kristie Johnson
Sent from my iPhone
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026
Item 11-B
July 28, 2026

Santa Monica City CouncilJuly 28, 2026

Santa Monica City Council
July 28, 2026