Urgent Housing

At Risk of Losing Housing

If you have lost your home in Santa Monica within the past 12 months (or will within the coming 12 months), you may be eligible for a priority on the City's waitlists.  

Who is eligible to apply for priority housing assistance?

If you make very low to moderate income and have been displaced from your home in Santa Monica for one of the following reasons in the last 12 months (or will be in the coming 12 months), you may receive priority on the waitlist for the Section 8 voucher program or the Below Market Housing program, depending on your income:

• A natural disaster has damaged the building you live in (e.g. flood, fire, storm, etc.)
• You have had to leave your home because of domestic violence against yourself or someone you live with (VAWA)
• Ellis Act: The property owner is seeking to remove your building from the rental market
• You were evicted of a rent-controlled unit so that the property owner or a relative could move into your unit (owner-occupancy)
• A government action related to code enforcement or public development forced you out of your home 
• The building you live in has been condemned
• You were evicted because of a mobile home closure

How to apply:

Email displaced@santamonica.gov with a brief description of your situation and attach supporting documentation. Please apply to the above-mentioned programs online, but you will also need to email the displaced email address to let the Housing Division know that you've been displaced and to receive priority on the waitlists.