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# Mayor Bloom: Santa Monica's approach to ending homelessness
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/101204-story-20041012-9/
- Published: 2004-10-12T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:17:06.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness

*By MAYOR RICHARD BLOOM*

Homelessness is a “national disgrace,” according to Phillip Mangano, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. I agree. That is why I enthusiastically joined Sheriff Lee Baca and other dignitaries as a Blue Ribbon Panel Member of Bring LA Home — the Partnership to End Homelessness.

There are about 84,000 homeless persons in Los Angeles County: More than 1,000 are in Santa Monica, 85 percent are people of color, 50 percent of the 1,500 foster youth emancipated each year become homeless, 17 percent report active military service, 80 percent earn less than $5,000 per year. Many are mentally ill, substance abusers or both.

Santa Monicans confront this alarming reality every day. Our community has responded with programs designed to get homeless persons off the street and into productive lives. We continue to try innovative approaches. This year, our staff is engaged in an effort to reach chronically homeless persons.

We do not support anti-social behavior and have legislated against it. We do not support outdoor feeding programs and have worked to restrict them.

We should not, as one incumbent candidate has suggested, allow a homeless “tent city” next to the Santa Monica Pier.

Where needed, Santa Monica needs to continue to enact laws that assist us in achieving acceptable behavior. I sponsored two such laws last year.

Homelessness will end only if all communities follow Santa Monica’s lead.

That is why Bring LA Home is so important. It is the first regional effort to fund housing and other needs for the homeless. The goal is to end homelessness in 10 years. We can succeed only if all communities are required to participate and if the state and federal governments provide sufficient funding.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 12, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101204.pdf?ref=smdp.com)