By Jorge Casuso

March 13, 2025 -- The City Council on Tuesday approved a new Renters’ Protection Program that will initially provide $8 million to expand legal counseling and help tenants at risk of eviction pay their rent.

The financial assistance ranges from a one-time payment of up to $5,000 per household to as much as $20,000 to those fighting eviction lawsuits with the City's help.

The program will be bankrolled in its first year with $7 million from Measure GS real estate transfer tax hikes and $1 million from a one-time grant from the State’s Prohousing Incentive Program.

The levels of funding from Measure GS -- approved by Santa Monica voters in 2022 to help fund schools, homelessness prevention and affordable housing -- "are not fixed and will vary on an annual basis due to external market factors," according to staff's report to the Council.

The program's scale will depend "on available resources and demand year-to-year, while ensuring the most vulnerable renters are prioritized," according to the report from the City's Housing and Human Services Department, which will oversee the program.

The program will be developed over five years to "enable staff to develop a greater understanding of ongoing funding needs and assess program performance."

Of the $8 million available in the first year, $2 million will be used to add five Right to Counsel (RTC) attorneys to the two currently under contract with Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA).

The program "offers participants access to either full scope legal representation in eviction cases or limited legal services, including legal advice or assistance with filing court documents or completing fee waivers," staff said.

The other $6 million will fund the "critical new" Flexible Financial Assistance Program (FFA) for Santa Monica renters "at risk of eviction due to legal issues and/or inability to pay rent."

The FAA program will provide three different forms of rental assistance:

• Immediate one-time assistance of up to $5,000 per year for households at risk of losing housing due to a financial emergency.
  
  
• Ongoing monthly assistance totaling up to $10,000 a year to help households maintain housing.
  
  
• Up to $20,000 in financial assistance for households in eviction lawsuits that receive legal services from the RTC program "to prevent eviction or, for those who lose their case, to support relocation expenses."

To qualify for both programs, a household must earn no more than 80 percent of the Area Median Income, with prioritization based on "vulnerability factors."

The City will select contractors to administer each of the programs, which are scheduled to be implemented in 12 to 18 months, according to staff.

Housing and Human Services staff will oversee the programs and work with the contracted agencies "to establish program parameters, set performance metrics, and perform quarterly program performance evaluations."

“Santa Monica has long been a leader in homelessness prevention, implementing proactive programs to keep people housed,” said Housing and Human Services Director Heather Averick.

“With Santa Monica’s challenging housing market and high number of renters, a robust Renters’ Protection Program is key to helping vulnerable residents remain in their homes.”