Residents Appalled as Los Angeles County Acquires Mental Hospital to House 47 at Georgina and Ocean Avenue

Outrage has erupted in one of Santa Monica's most exclusive enclaves as Los Angeles County moves forward with plans to convert a former senior living center at the corner of Georgina Avenue and Ocean Avenue into a 47-bed mental health facility for individuals with severe psychiatric conditions.

The project, funded through county grants under California's Proposition 1, aims to provide transitional housing and round-the-clock care amid a statewide push to address mental health crises and homelessness. However, local residents decry the placement in a neighborhood where median condo prices exceed $3 million, arguing it threatens their sense of security and property values.

The facility, operated by St. Joseph's Center, will house up to 47 patients described by county officials as having profound mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, many transitioning from jails, hospitals, or street encampments. Set to open later this month, the site features an open-door policy allowing residents to enter and exit freely, with on-site staffing for medication management, therapy sessions, and crisis intervention. This marks the latest in LA County's aggressive expansion of community-based behavioral health services, with $4.15 million allocated in grants earlier this year for similar initiatives across the region.

A Clash of Compassion and Coastal Privilege

The uproar began last week when construction crews arrived at the long-vacant building, prompting a hastily organized neighborhood meeting that drew over 200 attendees. Flyers circulated through upscale cul-de-sacs decried the development as a "stealth imposition" that bypasses local zoning and input. The area, just blocks from Montana Avenue's high-end boutiques and a short stroll to the Pacific Ocean, boasts multimillion-dollar Mediterranean-style condos and single-family homes, with recent sales topping $11 million for properties like the seven-bedroom estate at 1011 Georgina Avenue.

County documents outline the facility's design as a "state-of-the-art" response to the IMD exclusion – a federal Medicaid rule limiting funding for large psychiatric institutions – emphasizing smaller, integrated sites to foster recovery. Yet in this zip code 90402 enclave, where annual homeowners' association fees alone can rival average rents elsewhere in LA, the proposal has ignited fears of disrupted tranquility and potential safety risks. Past incidents at a nearby St. Joseph's-operated site near Santa Monica College, including reported disturbances and frequent 911 calls, have fueled speculation about similar outcomes here.

Mayor's Hands Tied by County and State Oversight

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, who learned of the full scope only two weeks ago, has positioned the city as a bystander in the process. In a statement released Tuesday, Negrete emphasized that the project falls under county and state jurisdiction, leaving municipal leaders without veto power or even advance notice for public hearings. "The city was not given any choice in this development," the statement reads, highlighting how Proposition 1's $6.38 billion bond measure streamlines approvals for behavioral health housing to expedite care for vulnerable populations.

Negrete, a small business owner elected to the City Council in 2022 and appointed mayor last December, has advocated for inclusive policies in her State of the City address earlier this year, stressing Santa Monica's role as a "city for everyone." Yet the facility's location has tested that ethos, with the mayor urging residents to direct concerns to Sacramento and county supervisors rather than city hall. No lawsuits have been filed as of Wednesday, but community organizers have vowed to explore legal avenues, citing violations of environmental impact reviews and community notification laws.

Broader Push Amid Federal Uncertainty

The Ocean Avenue site is one of several county-backed projects slated for 2025, including a 70-bed subacute care addition at the historic Metropolitan State Hospital campus in Norwalk and a children's psychiatric village in South LA. LA County's Department of Mental Health, the nation's largest, operates over 85 programs serving millions, with recent investments focusing on diversion from jails and supportive housing to combat the homelessness epidemic. Despite federal funding cuts to programs like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, county leaders have committed $45.6 billion in the 2024-25 budget to mental health, including interim beds and youth services.

Proponents argue such facilities are essential for "Care First, Jails Last" – the Board of Supervisors' vision to treat rather than incarcerate those with severe mental illness. Data from the county shows over 3,000 individuals with psychiatric needs cycling through emergency rooms annually, underscoring the urgency. But in Santa Monica's gilded canyons, where ocean views command seven-figure premiums, the human cost of progress feels perilously close to home.

As ribbon-cutting looms, Georgina Avenue's manicured lawns stand in stark contrast to the facility's impending arrival – a microcosm of California's broader tension between equity and exclusivity. For now, the neighborhood braces, caught between compassion's call and the guarded gates of privilege.