Santa Monica's mental health facility plan put on pause due to community pushback
Mental health facility plan put on pause
A proposal for mental health housing on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica has been paused due to community opposition.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - A controversial proposal to establish mental health housing on Ocean Avenue has been temporarily halted following significant community opposition. The plan, first reported by FOX 11 last week, would provide 49 beds for individuals with severe mental health issues in two facilities on the high-end street.
Residents packed a Santa Monica City Council meeting Tuesday, prepared to voice concerns over the project. However, just an hour before the meeting, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath announced the project’s pause in a press release, citing the need for "more robust community engagement."
"No one told the community. We asked if the residents were violent, and we got no answers," said Charlie Loventhal, who lives near the proposed site.
The facilities were set to open this month with 24/7 staffing and an open-door policy, allowing residents to come and go freely. The plan caught many, including Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, by surprise.
"When did I find out about it? Literally within a few hours, I posted about it right away," Negrete said to FOX 11 last week. She had posted a video to Instagram informing residents of the details.
Community opposition grew rapidly after FOX 11’s initial report. "It got big really fast. We ended up with 600 letters to the supervisor and city council, and they’re still coming in," said Greg Morena, another nearby resident.
Loventhal called the pause a sign of "hope," while Morena expressed gratitude but emphasized the need for continued organizing. "Some city staff and council members knew about this but didn’t share with us the way the mayor did," Morena added.
The pause raises questions about the project’s future, including its duration and whether it could still move forward.
"We’re incredibly grateful to have gotten to this point, but now we need to continue organizing," said Morena.