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# Optimism abounds while city seeks czar
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/optimism-abounds-while-city-seeks-czar/
- Published: 2005-12-01T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:15:14.000Z
- Author: Ryan Hyatt
- Tags: Community, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness

*11 percent of nation’s homeless reside in LA*

CITYWIDE — Officials are hopeful that local and regional efforts to fight homelessness may soon become more cohesive through a series of upcoming advocacy measures.

According to officials, the city of Santa Monica is narrowing its search for a homeless czar — a temporary position responsible for helping to better coordinate local and regional homeless service efforts.

Judy Franz, City Hall spokeswoman, said a homeless czar may be appointed by the Dec. 13 City Council meeting.

Meanwhile, the Santa Monica City Council is set to discuss on Dec. 13 its annual homeless report, which details what has been done to get the down and out back on their feet, as well as what’s still needed to make servicing more effective, officials said.

Also of note, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority — a county government agency charged with helping the homeless in the metropolitan area — is expected to release demographic information taken one year ago. The demographic information is expected to be the first of its kind and may be helpful in coordinating homeless servicing efforts, including specific information relevant to Santa Monica, officials said.

On Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, Bring LA Home, a group consisting of several social service organizations, is expected to release a plan intended to help the metropolitan area fight homelessness.

Local officials said such developments leave them optimistic more is being done to address an issue that continues to devastate those living in Santa Monica and the surrounding metropolitan area.

“I think it’s apparent we’re reaching a critical mass of energy on the problem of homelessness in the Los Angeles region,” said Santa Monica City Councilman Richard Bloom, an advocate for the down and out. “I’m pleased it’s getting the attention it needs, but there’s more work ahead.”

Bloom said the hiring of the homeless czar could be an integral component to the developments.

“The czar is great because it will help provide the glue to keep the momentum going and bring people together,” Bloom said.

The regional homeless czar would be hired on a contractual basis, and the position’s effectiveness will be reviewed after a year, said City Councilman Bobby Shriver, who advocated the creation of the position. The person will likely be hired for one year, paid at least $200,000 and report his or her results directly to new City Manager Lamont Ewell.

The regional homeless czar would be responsible for advancing programs such as the sobering center, a mental health and drug court, year-round housing through the Veterans Administration, and chronic homeless outreach, to affect Santa Monica and neighboring communities, Shriver said.

According to Franz, the position was advertised in the L.A. Times, Sacramento Bee, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Los Angeles Business Journal, Nonprofit Directions (publication of the Center for Nonprofit Management), and an online position-posting service of the South California Grantmakers Association.

In addition, many individual contacts were made to invite possible candidates to apply for the position, Franz said. The suggestions came from current City Manager Susan McCarthy, councilmem-bers and outreach from directors of nonprofit groups.

McCarthy has been spearheading the effort, officials said. Franz said few applied for the position, but those who have, have been of a high quality.

LAHSA spokesman Scott Ito said his agency has been working with regional officials to schedule the release of its homeless demographic report, which is expected to be presented within the next few weeks.

However, there have been some preliminary statistics LAHSA representatives have presented at government meetings regarding the state of homelessness in Southern California, which have been staggering to some officials.

Bloom said homelessness is a bigger problem in the LA metropolitan area than any other region in the country.

LA has 11 percent of the nation’s homeless population, or an approximate 90,000 of the 800,000 homeless living in the entire U.S. California has 20 percent of the nation’s homeless population.

Bloom said Bring LA Home’s plan to address homelessness will prove to be helpful as long as steps are taken to ensure it’s action-oriented and a source of revenue is developed which will ensure its success.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 1, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/120105.pdf?ref=smdp.com)