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# Edmund Edelman hired as one-year regional homeless czar for Santa Monica
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/123105-story-20051231/
- Published: 2005-12-31T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:28:05.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Downtown, #archive-import, Homeless

A NEW HOMELESS CZAR Edmund D. Edelman was officially hired in December to work on contract for a year to help bring cohesiveness to solving the regional homeless problem in Santa Monica. He will likely start in January, and will answer to Ewell. Edelman will earn $200,000 for his one-year appointment.

Edelman’s advocacy efforts are expected to center on the establishment of a mental health court, where by certain homeless individuals may be removed from the criminal justice system in exchange for their willingness to engage in treatment. He also will be charged with delivering more regional governance and high level leadership on the homeless issue, helping to take the burden off of Santa Monica in helping the down and out.

Edelman served as a Los Angeles county supervisor from 1974 to 1994, during which he was responsible for creating the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, charged with providing homeless services for the county.

Edelman is also known for establishing the Skid Row Mental Health Center in downtown LA and creating the Detox program at the Weingart Center and the first Drug Court in LA County.

He also has assisted U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Harry Pregerson in expanding services to homeless veterans at the West LA Veterans Administration facility.

In addition to his service as county supervisor, Edelman served on the LA City Council from 1965-74 and held many intergovernmental posts, including chairing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board in 1994 and the Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee, which he founded.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 31, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/123105.pdf?ref=smdp.com)