Citizens speak out on where to spend city money
By Daily Press staff
City officials now have a clearer picture of where they should spend money on social service programs this year.
More than 250 Santa Monica residents participated in the city-sponsored Community Voices Gathering — the culmination of a citywide planning effort that gauges citizen’s thoughts on where social service funds should be spent.
Participants heard a presentation from city staff summarizing newly released data from a RAND profile of the Santa Monica community, along with the results from surveys of more than 2,000 local residents. The presentation highlighted the project goals, current social service programs in operation citywide, the findings from the various surveys conducted, as well as the division’s plans to fund social service programs.
Community Voices survey data shows that the services most widely used by residents are: Transportation, health care, emergency food, shelter and clothing, affordable housing, drug and alcohol services, counseling and transitional housing and shelters. Priority community needs include affordable housing (42%), health care (22%), emergency food, clothing and shelter (19%), and employment services and job training (16%).
Residents identified the following funding priorities: Childcare services, services for seniors, teens, the disabled and homeless, affordable housing units, access to health care for children and families, and diversion programs for at-risk youth. Of the 377 youth and young adults surveyed, school and grades, as well as family and money emerge as major concerns. Youth also report that they need assistance with education and the transition to college, access to health services, planned social and recreational activities and a permanent youth center. Youth identified working with children and tutoring young people as opportunities for volunteerism.
The City of Santa Monica’s Human Services Division works in partnership with community members and organizations to improve the quality of life for all Santa Monica residents through the provision of services, including counseling, after-school programs, parent education, health services, emergency shelter, among other things.
In 1999-2000, the Human Services Division first engaged in Community Voices. Through Community Voices, the city developed a profile of the Santa Monica community; determined the range of human service needs; and, with the participation of residents, service providers and the business community, determined the priorities for a three-year cycle of grant funding. Today, with an economic decline and shrinking resources, determining the city’s funding priorities for the next three years will require thoughtful choices.
The goal of Community Voices 2002 is to update information and identify new human service needs and trends, especially the needs of young people. The project has conducted 40 different discussion groups and five public hearings between October and December 2002, and a complete client survey delivered to more than 50 local social service agencies. To date, more than 580 surveys have been completed and returned.
For more information on Community Voices, call Human Services Division at (310) 458-8701, or (310) 458-8696, or e-mail
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 22, 2003. Read the original PDF.