The goal of Supporting Homeless Existence Leading To Enabled Recovery (S.H.E.L.T.E.R.) is to provide 'ground up' alternatives to existing 'top down' shelter programs by providing secure, sanitary, weatherproof overnight refuge to every man and woman who needs and desires it.

S.H.E.L.T.E.R.'s goal is not to compete with existing homeless shelter programs but to complement them by 'padding the abyss' of homelessness, catching those who fall through the cracks in current social programs, providing immediate refuge to all who need it.

As people wait for weeks—even months—to enter 'transitional' shelter programs, we'll provide them safe overnight refuge in individual overnight sleeping compartments ('Sleep-Ins')--PROJECT NIGHT -- and eventually at a centrally-located drop-in center (PROJECT DAY.

'Housing first' programs such as those of L.A.'s 'Beyond Shelter' are impractical in Santa Monica. Unlike cities such as New York and Los Angeles, there are no abandoned or under-used large hotels available for conversion to SRO (Single Room Only) or other suitable shelter options for the homeless. Even the smallest one-room 'efficiency' apartments rent for about $850 or more (usually around $1250 per month!) plus deposits.*

Agencies such as HUD (Section 8) and Community Corporation have only recently started to accept applications from the homeless (Catch 22: "Bring us a letter of recommendation from your CURRENT landlord."); neither agency can provide affordable housing to more than a very few of Santa Monica's homeless citizens each year.

Therefore, we have formed Supporting Homeless Existence Leading To Enabled Recovery (S.H.E.L.T.E.R.) to provide alternative overnight refuge to Santa Monica's remaining 1600+ homeless citizens who have fallen through the cracks in society's 'safety net'.

S.H.E.L.T.E.R. will provide:

a. PROJECT NIGHT: In conjunction with city, county, state, and federal officials and organizations, as many inexpensive individual overnight sleeping compartments ('Sleep-Ins') as required to provide refuge to those living on the streets;

b. PROJECT DAY: Central daytime drop-in facilities with dormitory-style nighttime shelter for those who require it; and

c. Other forms of shelter as may present themselves.

S.H.E.L.T.E.R.'s PROJECT NIGHT Sleep-Ins are designed for single adults. Providing men and women with overnight refuge through PROJECT NIGHT releases space in other shelters better able to handle both the physical and psychological needs of families. Sleep-Ins are not for use by claustrophobics, the very obese, or the physically disabled. Men and women with these conditions will be given special consideration when applying for overight space at PROJECT DAY's drop-in center.

S.H.E.L.T.E.R. will gladly cooperate with all federal, state, county, and/or local governmental agencies and/or private organizations in their efforts to solve the national epidemic of homelessness now infecting our nation.

S.H.E.L.T.E.R.'s initial goal is to provide safe refuge to all those who desire and need it in the Santa Monica area. Future plans include replicating S.H.E.L.T.E.R.'s programs throughout Los Angeles County, Southern California, the entire State, the western U.S., the entire nation, and eventually to any place in the world where safe shelter is needed.

* Time Magazine reports that the only place under U.S. jurisdiction where a person working full time for 'minimum wage' can actually afford an apartment is in eastern Puerto Rico!

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