MOTION-- In 2016, the City of Santa Monica established Homeless Multi-Disciplinary Street Teams
(HMST) to provide assistance to people experiencing homelessness through community
outreach. The HMST consists of specialists who outreach to and engage with the most-intensive
and frequent public service users among Santa Monica’s homeless population. The objective of
the outreach teams is to engage a set of individuals with the most challenging circumstances and
provide them customized services, including mental health services and housing.

According to a study conducted by the RAND Corporation, HMST programs can reduce
the burden on police, fire, and other municipal agencies that devote a disproportionate amount of
time and resources responding to calls involving homeless individuals.. The study showed that
the HMST had a positive effect on the clients they served and were perceived by the community
as a valuable resource.

The Santa Monica HMST model may provide another important tool to assist people
experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. A pilot HMST program in Council District 2 would
identify and engage 25 to 30 unhoused individuals and provide intensive assistance with housing
placements and other services. This pilot would collaborate with public and private agencies to
provide the range of services necessary to keep people in housing and address their needs in a
cost-effective way.

I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council instruct the City Administrative Officer and
Chief Legislative Analyst, with the assistance of any other relevant departments, to identify
funding in the amount of $450,000, including from the GCP Homeless Services line item in the
City’s Homeless Budget, to establish a Homeless Multidisciplinary Street Team in Council
District 2 to provide housing and other services to the most intensive public service users for a
year; and

I FURTHER MOVE that the City Council instruct the Housing and Community
Investment Department to issue a Request for Proposal to procure a service provider who is able
to provide this service in Council District 2.