Many in the Santa Monica community felt ambushed by the housing project plans on Ocean Avenue, resulting in great turmoil over the past two months. The drama continued over the Thanksgiving weekend when the property developer attempted to sneak in a sober living facility under the radar. I’ve rarely seen so many residents so agitated.
And that’s a good thing.
People who normally pay no attention to Santa Monica politics were suddenly seeking out local news stories. The silent majority started speaking up and speaking out. Some of what they had to say was anger- or fear- based, and it would be hard to ignore the NIMBY aspect of upscale residents protesting their inclusion in county-wide housing efforts.
However, there were ample reasons to protest an ill-considered project with a self-serving developer. The city is currently planning to relocate the Santa Monica Shelter (SAMOSHEL) to reduce the negative impact on tourism and local businesses downtown, so it would seem counter-productive to open a facility equidistant from those same businesses and across the street from the Palisades Park. Either the left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing or the left hand was downright antagonistic to the city’s “realignment.”
Residents across the city felt threatened by the proposed projects and the lack of transparency. Some of them joined the North of Montana Association (NOMA) meeting devoted to the topic last Thursday, and I’m happy to report there were no pitchforks present, literal or metaphoric.
To the credit of Dr. Matt Goldenberg, the vice chair of NOMA who moderated Thursday’s event, it was an even-tempered discussion, intended to enlighten rather than enrage. Multiple representatives from the city, county and state showed up to answer questions. I’d like to think that any neighborhood would have received the same response, though it’s certainly possible that the resources and Rolodexes of NOMA played a part. (I’m dating myself with the Rolodexes.).
Surprisingly, there was a minimum of government gobbledy-gook or evasiveness. Instead, officials shared details and objectives without sugarcoating the challenges. Amy Perkins, the senior housing and homelessness deputy for County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, fielded the majority of the queries and did so with unflappable candor. When asked why the homelessness team would continue to work with a developer who had broken city laws, Ms. Perkins acknowledged “We often take what we can get.”
She didn’t challenge the objections to placing behavioral health bridge housing (BHBH) in Santa Monica, but she pointed out that if homeless people with severe mental illness aren’t provided with housing, they will live on the streets, which is even more objectionable.
There are no easy solutions. Ms. Perkins provided assurances the county wouldn’t impose housing facilities on the city, but she also informed attendees that the county is anticipating an increase in the homeless population in 2026 due to a loss of social service funding. This issue wasn’t addressed by the moderator, and there wasn’t even a whisper about how NOMA or any other neighborhood will respond if the city proposes moving SAMOSHEL somewhere nearby.
But the good news is that people in the community were engaged. They didn’t all agree, and they didn’t all have virtuous motives. Some of the commentary over the past couple months was unproductive (especially an unsigned defamatory mailer about the incoming mayor), and not everyone is satisfied with the outcome. But this is what democracy looks like. These words are often used as a simplistic slogan at protests. The reality is far more messy, confounding and time consuming.
However, at a time when the cracks in the foundation of democracy are all too visible across the country, here in this sliver of a city of Santa Monica when people show up, they can be heard and make a difference. That’s the silver lining to the fear and frustration experienced. And that’s a win for everyone.
Devan Sipher can be reached at Unmuted.SMDP@gmail.com