Santa Monica, California, has often somewhat unfairly been deemed a 'homeless magnet'. Just as Santa Monica's beaches and climate attract tourists from around the world, so do they draw the homeless. In addition, several nearby police departments believe in the adage "Go west, young man, go west!" and give their unwanted a free bus ride to the far west— Santa Monica's Palisades Park!

In reality, the homeless population of Santa Monica hovers very near the national average—almost exactly 1.2% of the city's 85,686+ population: 1037, according to a 1999 physical census. Non-official figures indicate that number has increased by about the same percentage as in other cities (15—17%) due to the growth of homelessness nationally due to the slow economy of the past 3 years.

The recent passage of city ordinances restricting food and sleeping in the downtown area has caused no mass exodus from Santa Monica. Even though they criminalize two most basic human needs—food and sleep—they do nothing to deter the daily visitations of panhandlers and the constant use of benches by people with no other place to go! And things will soon become worse with the closure of the nearby Santa Monica Public Library for reconstruction—the homeless who have in the past enjoyed relaxing in the library during the day will now have to find a new place to spend their time.

Santa Monica's current homeless shelter system consists of 365 spaces, including 250 beds reserved for people exhibiting mental or psychological difficulties, family disorder, or enrolled in formal drug or alcohol treatment programs, leaving only 115 beds for all those who do not qualify as mentally disabled, battered, or addicted. [15 of these beds were added in just the past two years.] This leaves 672+ homeless men and women living and sleeping in Santa Monica's streets and alleys; many of whom have been part of the city's homeless community for years.

Most Santa Monica city funding for the homeless is divided between the Salvation Army, which operates SAMOSHEL, a 115 bunk 'transitional' shelter, and Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC) which acts as an intake agency to SAMOSHEL and operates several battered women's shelters (exact information not available lest abusive boyfriends and husbands use it to find their victims again.) St. Joseph's, in nearby Venice, also acts as an intake agency to SAMOSHEL. St. Joseph's operates no shelters of it own.

SAMOSHEL is Santa Monica's primary 'transitional' shelter, providing up to six months barracks-style sleeping facilities (approximately 70 male and 45 female cots and bunks) plus evening and morning meals of varying quality. Rules for participation are strict and require twice-weekly anti-addiction meetings even for those who neither drink nor take drugs, as well as participation in other social programs such as Money Management and Resume Writing. 60% of all income must be turned over to the shelter (returned upon the earner's departure). Those who do not have a steady income will be released back onto the streets after only three months or less. There is a waiting period of up to two months for a cot at this shelter.

'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 in the Santa Monica area where even the smallest one- room 'efficiency' apartments rent for about $800 or more (usually around $1200 per month!) plus last month and security 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 S.H.E.L.T.E.R. to provide alternative overnight refuge to Santa Monica's remaining 672 + homeless citizens who have fallen through the cracks in society's 'safety net'.

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