SANTA MONICA—On May 27, the city of Santa Monica announced that Santa Monica renters will soon be able to apply for financial assistance as a result of the new Santa Monica Renter Aid program, funded by the Santa Monica City Council on May 26. The program is the first major funding allocation from Measure GS and will be a partnership with The People Concern.
Santa Monica Renter Aid is part of the city’s broader investment in homelessness prevention and renter protections, approved by the City Council in March 2025. The program will launch in summer 2026 and will provide targeted financial assistance and housing stabilization services to eligible renter households facing housing instability or at risk of homelessness. The program is aimed to assist approximately 150 vulnerable renter households each year.
“Santa Monica renters are the backbone of our community, and this program is about making sure they can stay here,” Mayor Caroline Torosis said. “Santa Monica Renter Aid puts Measure GS dollars to work exactly as voters intended, keeping working families housed before a crisis becomes a catastrophe. This is homelessness prevention that is a smart investment for our city.”
Santa Monica renter households earning at or below 120 percent of the area median income, or about $126,000 annually for a one-person household and $180,000 for a four-person household in Los Angeles County, will be eligible. Households experiencing significant housing instability or those at greatest risk of homelessness will be prioritized.
Santa Monica Renter Aid will feature multiple access points for residents, including:
-An online application through the city’s website
-Multilingual application materials and outreach
-Paper applications
-In-person office hours at Virginia Avenue Park and housing navigation support through community partners
Measure GS was approved by voters in November 2022, creating a dedicated funding source for homelessness prevention, affordable housing production and renter support programs. The city’s Resident Oversight Committee and SM City Council prioritized programs that provide direct assistance to renters and help preserve housing stability for vulnerable households.
The People Concern, a longstanding partner with the city in addressing homelessness, will regularly report outcomes to the city. Additional data points will include the program’s effectiveness in helping residents remain housed, successful linkages to other city programs such as the Right to Counsel program and feedback from participant surveys.
Additional details about program access, application instructions, outreach efforts and events will be announced before the program launch.
By Danny Jones