Santa Monica Extends Homelessness Emergency

The Santa Monica City Council has voted to extend its Local Emergency on Homelessness, marking the fourth year under the emergency declaration.

The move allows the City to continue fast-tracking funding, services, enforcement tools, and housing initiatives — decisions that directly affect how commercial properties operate.

What You Need to Know

Emergency Status Continues: The Local Emergency on Homelessness, first declared in February 2023, remains in effect. The Council must review it every 60 days and can stop it earlier if conditions change.

Expanded Outreach and Services: The City has scaled up multidisciplinary outreach teams that include mental health professionals, medical providers, housing case managers, and substance use specialists.

Streamlined Housing Development: Under the emergency declaration, the City can accelerate processes tied to affordable housing development and related infrastructure.

Data Questions Remain: While some recent homeless counts have shown modest decreases, outside analysis — including a RAND study — has raised concerns about potential undercounts. Countywide, more than 72,000 individuals remain unhoused.

How It Impacts You

For property managers, the continuation of the emergency means operating in a regulatory environment that prioritizes rapid response, service coordination, and housing development.

You may see evolving enforcement practices related to encampments, trespassing, public safety calls, and coordination between police and outreach teams.

For building owners and asset managers, streamlined processes may accelerate nearby housing developments that change neighborhood dynamics, foot traffic patterns, and tenant demand.

For service providers, expanded outreach teams and diversion programs create new touchpoints with properties experiencing recurring service calls or quality-of-life concerns.

Security service providers, janitorial teams, and property operations staff may need updated response protocols aligned with City practices.

As policy tools evolve, commercial real estate professionals should remain engaged in local discussions to ensure operational realities are considered.

Stay Connected

Homelessness continues to be one of the most visible and complex issues affecting commercial corridors.

The extension of the emergency declaration confirms that Santa Monica intends to maintain an aggressive, flexible approach — and that commercial real estate will remain part of the broader policy conversation.

Follow BOMA on the Frontline for more news impacting members.