Santa Monica to Vote on Re-Ratifying Homeless Emergency Declaration – Santa Monica News, Events & Local Politics
The emergency declaration permits Santa Monica to speed up packages and providers geared toward addressing homelessness and stopping residents from turning into unhoused.
The Santa Monica City Council is scheduled to think about re-ratifying the town’s native emergency declaration on homelessness throughout its common assembly Tuesday evening, persevering with a coverage metropolis officers say it’s crucial to increase providers and safe outdoors funding amid an ongoing regional homelessness disaster.
The council assembly is about for five:30 pm Tuesday at City Hall Council Chambers, 1685 Main St.
According to a employees report ready by City Attorney Heidi Von Tongeln, the proposed decision would renew the town’s 2025 proclamation declaring an area emergency on homelessness, first adopted in March 2025.
California Government Code requires native governments to renew emergency declarations each 60 days till they’re terminated.
City officers mentioned the emergency declaration permits Santa Monica to speed up packages and providers geared toward addressing homelessness and stopping residents from turning into unhoused. The declaration additionally allows the town to pursue extra county, state and federal funding, streamline sure municipal processes, forestall rental value gouging and authorize emergency actions by the town supervisor.
The metropolis first declared an area emergency on homelessness in February 2023, citing worsening circumstances for unhoused residents, together with sickness and deaths amongst unsheltered folks within the area. A subsequent proclamation adopted in May 2024 was used to advance homelessness-associated initiatives, in accordance to the report.
Officials mentioned circumstances that prompted the sooner declarations nonetheless persist, main the council to prolong the emergency by way of Dec. 31.
The council has permitted a number of renewals over the previous yr, together with votes in April, June, July, September, October and December 2025, in addition to February and March 2026.