Connect With Homelessness Services
Connect to Services
The City of Santa Monica has many resources available for individuals experiencing homelessness. Below is an overview of some of the most helpful support available. You may also contact us at https://santamonica.gov/contact.
Community support services:
Medical emergencies & immediate threats
9-1-1
Request homeless outreach assistance using the LA Homeless Outreach Portal
2-1-1
or LA-HOP.org
Department of Mental Health
(800) 854-7771
Non-emergency police and fire response
(310) 458-8491
Santa Monica-specific requests like trash pickup
3-1-1 or 311@santamonica.gov
If you need to access City or County social services:
Homeless Liaison Program (HLP Team)
The HLP Team consists of (1) Sergeant and (6) Officers, who work collaboratively with the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office, the Santa Monica Fire Department, the City's Human Services Division (HSD) and the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (DMH) to refer and connect individuals experiencing homelessness, substance abuse and mental health crisis with appropriate city or county social services.
If you need to connect locally to the police department for community-related issues:
Neighborhood Resource Officers
Each neighborhood has a dedicated person connected to the Police Department. The Neighborhood Resource Officer program exemplifies community-oriented policing in its truest form. The goal of the NRO program is to quickly identify community issues, concerns, and problems.
City Programs:
Alternatives to Incarceration Pre-Filing Diversion Program
https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/09/30/city-of-santa-monica-joins-los-angeles-county-alternatives-to-incarceration-initiative
This program immediately connects those arrested who self-report experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health issues to an onsite service provider: Exodus. Connecting them with Exodus provides an alternative to a criminal filing and incarceration. See more information on Exodus under Additional Services.
Below Market Housing
The City of Santa Monica’s Below Market Housing (BMH) program offers apartments to residents at a rent that is lower than the market rate. There is currently a waitlist for this program. For more information about requirements and how to apply to the waitlist, click the link above.
Emergency Housing Vouchers
Emergency housing vouchers are available for those who are at risk of losing housing or have lost their home in the last 12 months. Qualified individuals may receive priority on the waitlist for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as Section 8 or the Below Market Housing program, depending on their income. For more information on how to qualify for the waitlist, please click the link above.
Homeless Community Court
Santa Monica’s Homeless Community Court is a problem-solving court program that addresses the legal issues of homeless individuals with the purpose of connecting them to services and permanent housing. By addressing root problems that lead to criminal behavior, participants are less likely to repeat offenses.
Multi-Disciplinary Street Team and C3 Outreach Teams
The C3 Team was launched to provide support workers for people who were part of the highly vulnerable street homeless population. They’ve also helped connect people to hygiene supplies, meals, additional services and support, including shelter, housing, and psychiatric medication.
The Multi-Disciplinary Street Team consists of three outreach teams to serve people experiencing homelessness. These teams consist of licensed mental health professionals, housing case managers, substance use specialists, licensed medical providers, and peers. The teams are out on Santa Monica streets seven days a week meeting with people experiencing homelessness and providing information about local services.
Project Homecoming
Project Homecoming reunites homeless individuals with family and friends who are willing and able to offer permanent housing and ongoing support. For the newly homeless who are new to the area and struggling to acclimate, the City offers transportation assistance back to their community of origin, where friends and family agree to house and support their returning loved one. To get in touch, call SMPD's HLP Team at (310)458-8953 or visit the link above for more information.
We Are Santa Monica Fund
The We Are Santa Monica Fund provides a critical and timely vehicle for neighbor-to-neighbor support and also responds to longstanding racial equity concerns that we must take action to address. It is a partnership between donors, the Advisory Board, the California Community Foundation (CCF), and the City of Santa Monica. Donations by contributors may be designated to support one of the specified support areas: Vibrant Local Economy, Santa Monica for All, Healthy Neighborhoods, and Lending a Hand.
City-Funded Programs (External Non-Profits):
Downtown Santa Monica Ambassadors
Downtown Santa Monica Ambassadors work seven days a week to make sure that Downtown Santa Monica is a safe, clean, and inviting place for Santa Monica residents and visitors by providing hospitality and maintenance services, de-escalating incidents, and engaging with people experiencing homelessness to offer referral information to local service agencies.
Meals on Wheels West
Meals on Wheels West provides community-based services that nourish and enrich the lives of our homebound neighbors of all ages by providing nutritious meals, an emergency preparedness program, and referrals to other services that promote independent living and wellbeing.
The People Concern’s Access Center/SAMOSHEL
SAMOSHEL provides interim housing for people transitioning out of homelessness, and helps them to obtain jobs and permanent housing. The program also provides meals, mail service, storage for personal belongings, and personal hygiene items. Call (310)450-4050 for more information.
State of CA Covid-19 Rental Assistance Fund
The CA Covid-19 Rental Assistance Fund provided over $38M to over 2,300 households in Santa Monica to help with past-due rent and/or utility bills. The program is not currently accepting applications.
Additional services:
Chrysalis
Chrysalis offers employment preparation classes and services designed to improve your job search skills, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, and employability.
Clare | Matrix
CLARE Foundation is a trusted community resource nonprofit organization providing effective and affordable alcoholism, substance abuse, and behavioral health treatment and prevention services for nearly 50 years.
Common Ground at Venice Family Clinic
https://venicefamilyclinic.org/programs-and-services/community-wellness/common-ground/
The Common Ground program at Venice Family Clinic is committed to helping everyone know their HIV status and ensuring that people living with the virus find — and stay connected to — medical care.
Community Assistance Parking Program (Los Angeles)
https://ladotparking.org/operations-support/capp-info/
In the City of Los Angeles, the Community Assistance Parking Program (CAPP) is an approved pilot program that allows homeless individuals the option to perform community or support services instead of paying for a parking citation.
Department of Mental Health
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) — the largest county mental health department in the country — directly operates more than 80 programs and contracts with more than 700 providers, including non-governmental agencies and individual practitioners who provide a spectrum of mental health services to people of all ages to support hope, wellness and recovery.
Department of Public Social Services
The County's Department of Public Social Services manages programs including CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Relief, Medi-Cal, and GROW.
Exodus Recovery
Since 1989, Exodus Recovery, Inc. (Exodus) has provided quality psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment services to Southern California communities.
Jewish Free Loan Association
The Jewish Free Loan Association is a nonprofit agency offering assistance to people of all faiths facing financial challenges.
L.A. County Homeless Outreach Portal
LA-HOP is designed to assist people experiencing homelessness in LA County with outreach services.
Legal Aid Foundation – Domestic Violence Clinics
Family Law attorneys can provide immediate legal assistance to low-income persons concerning child abduction, child custody and visitation, child support, divorce, and domestic violence.
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
LAFLA operates four walk-in clinics that offer individuals who are representing themselves legal information, assistance in preparing legal forms, and guidance on a variety of civil matters, including evictions, divorces, paternity actions, and civil harassment. Santa Monica low-income renters can receive legal representation and support services to prevent evictions.
New Directions for Veterans
New Directions for Veterans (NDVets) is a licensed, long-term, drug and alcohol treatment program founded by formerly homeless veterans, and has provided clients food, shelter, support, and rehabilitation since 1992.
PATH
Across the state, PATH helps people find permanent housing and provides case management, medical and mental healthcare, benefits advocacy, employment training, and other services to help them maintain their homes.
The People Concern
The People Concern provides a fully integrated system of care — including outreach, interim housing, mental and medical health care, substance abuse services, domestic violence services, life skills & wellness programs, and permanent supportive housing — tailored to the unique needs of homeless individuals, survivors of domestic violence, challenged youth, and others who have nowhere else to turn.
The People Concern - Sojourn
Sojourn, a program of The People Concern, provides domestic violence services, including crisis intervention, peer counseling, advocacy, referrals, and assistance to shelter.
Safe Place for Youth
SPY works with youth ages 12-25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, offering over a dozen different services, allowing them the flexibility to choose what they need.
Step Up
Step Up delivers compassionate support to people experiencing severe mental health issues and persons who are experiencing chronic homelessness to help them recover, stabilize, and integrate into the community.
St. Joseph Center
St. Joseph Center’s mission is to provide low-income working families, as well as homeless men, women, and children of all ages, with the inner resources and tools to become productive, stable, and self-supporting community members.
VA Greater LA Healthcare System
The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System helps veterans access services and permanent housing.
Venice Family Clinic
Venice Family Clinic provides more than 114,633 primary care, specialty care, mental health, dental, and health education visits annually. Particular emphasis is placed on the needs of women, children, the homeless, and those with chronic diseases.
West Coast Care
West Coast Care's top priority is reunifying homeless individuals with their families and close friends — rebuilding these essential support systems and equipping people for the journey back home.