By Jorge Casuso
September 1, 2026 -- A new City rental aid program that provides one-time payments to vulnerable households received 876 applications by the August 20 deadline, with more than half already behind on their rent, City officials said.
The Santa Monica Renter Aid (SMRA) program, which helps vulnerable renters "experiencing a temporary housing crisis," drew applicants from each of Santa Monica's five zip codes during its first round, City Manager Oliver Chi wrote in an update to the City Council.
The highest volume came from the 90404 zip code, which includes much of the Pico Neighborhood, the area with the most diverse and lowest income population in the city.
The SMRA program -- administered by our Housing & Human Services Department – was developed "to prevent displacement and possible homelessness," Chi said. "This initial application round really serves to highlight that we have families in Santa Monica who are looking for support in an effort to stay housed.
"The research has shown that it is far better -- and more cost effective -- to help families and individuals remain housed, rather than work to recover after housing is lost," Chi wrote. "(T)he first-round application data demonstrates the significant need for renter assistance and housing stability resources in the Santa Monica community."
The applicant pool included older adults, households with disabilities, families with children, and Spanish-speaking households, Councilmember Lana Negrete wrote in her newsletter Monday.
"I am a renter in this city myself, and I can tell you that behind every one of those applications is a kitchen-table conversation nobody wants to have," Negrete wrote.
The program is prioritizing at-risk households and connecting them to additional prevention resources through The People Concern, which is administering the program.
The City will open additional windows to apply for the program, which has $6 million allocated for its first year, officials said.
Under the program, residents at risk of "losing housing due to a financial emergency" can receive one-time payments of up to $5,000, and up to $10,000 per household to "support continued housing stability."
To qualify for aid, renters must live in Santa Monica and earn below 80 percent of Area Median Income, which is $67,200 of the $84,800 median income for a one-person household and $96,960 of the $121,200 income for a four-person household.
The program will be primarily funded through Measure GS, a property transfer tax hike approved by Santa Monica voters in November 2022 that funds the City's homelessness prevention efforts.
For more information about the program or application process, click HERE