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# Homeless liaison tapped by City Hall
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/homeless-liaison-tapped-by-city-hall/
- Published: 2005-12-07T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:16:18.000Z
- Author: Ryan Hyatt
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness

*One-year contract for homeless czar pays $200K*

CITY HALL — A Los Angeles politician known for his commitment to human causes will likely be appointed as Santa Monica’s first homeless czar next week.

Representatives from City Hall announced on Tuesday that Edmund D. Edelman has been selected to work on contract for a year to help bring regional cohesiveness to addressing the growing homeless population.

Edelman’s appointment is expected to become official at the Dec. 13 Santa Monica City Council meeting, and he will likely start work after the holidays.

Edelman will answer to Lamont Ewell, the new city manager. He will earn $200,000 for his one-year appointment, according to Judy Franz, City Hall’s spokeswoman.

City Manager Susan McCarthy, whose last day is scheduled for Thursday, was heavily involved in the selection process and strongly recommended Edelman’s appointment.

“The key things Mr. Edelman will bring to this engagement are credibility and contacts in the mental health field, with the county sheriff, with elected and appointed officials region-wide and with members of the judiciary,” McCarthy said.

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 undergo treatment. He also will be charged with delivering more regional governance and high level leadership on the homeless issue, McCarthy said.

Edelman said he is encouraged by recent developments in the fight against homelessness and believes the position may prove fruitful in helping solve the problem.

“I look forward to building a coalition of elected officials, community and business leaders, faith-based representatives, and nonprofit providers,” Edelman said in a press release. “We have a unique opportunity at this time to make a real impact on the problems of the homeless in Santa Monica and countywide.”

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. That agency, charged with providing homeless services for the county, is expected to release the most up-to-date demographic information on the down and out within coming weeks.

That demographic information is expected to be used to better address homelessness in the region, officials said.

Edelman also is known for establishing the Skid Row Mental Health Center in downtown Los Angeles, as well as creating the detox program at the Weingart Center and the first drug court in LA County.

He has also 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 to 1974 and held many intergovernmental posts, including chairing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board in 1994 and the Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Committee, which he founded.

Edelman has a political science degree from UCLA and is a graduate of UCLA Law School. He resides in LA.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/120705-01_01.jpg)

Erin Grayson, a four-year tenant of Lincoln Place, was evicted Tuesday, along with dozens of neighbors. (Photo: Fabian Lewkowicz/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 7, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/120705.pdf?ref=smdp.com)