Santa Monica Homelessness Rises as Car Campers Drive Increase

Santa Monica has bucked regional trends of declining homelessness, with the 2024 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Point-in-Time Count reporting a 5% increase in the city's homeless population, rising from 774 individuals in 2023 to 812 in 2024. A significant driver of this uptick is the growing number of car campers, with 84 people living in vehicles-cars, vans, and RVs-compared to 63 the previous year, marking a 33% increase. This surge contrasts with a broader 4% decline in homelessness across Los Angeles County, where the total dropped to 72,308, and a 3.4% decrease in the City of Los Angeles to 43,699.

The increase in Santa Monica's vehicle-dwelling population has fueled local concerns, with residents noting prolonged stays by car campers, such as one near Douglas Park who lived on residential streets for over six months.

Despite outreach efforts by the Santa Monica Police Department's Homeless Liaison Program and contracted service providers, enforcement is limited by legal constraints, including Fourth Amendment protections and California Vehicle Code requirements, which prevent towing inhabited vehicles unless they pose an immediate hazard. The city reported 202 people in shelters, up by 29 from 173 in 2023, reflecting progress in moving individuals indoors, while unsheltered individuals slightly decreased from 479 to 475, and tents and camps dropped by 10.

Despite the local rise, Santa Monica's Service Planning Area 5, which includes Westside communities like Venice and Malibu, saw a 21% drop in homelessness since 2023, with 5,265 individuals counted in 2025 compared to 6,669 two years prior.

The city is responding with initiatives like the Pathway Home program, adding 25 transitional shelter beds, and a forthcoming Homelessness Strategic Plan to be presented to the City Council in early 2025.