The following article is reprinted from the City Manager’s Newsletter.
SAMO BRIDGE PROGRAM APPROACHING THE ONE-YEAR MARK HAVING DELIVERED TERRIFIC RESULTS!
As we approach the one-year anniversary of SaMo Bridge – Santa Monica’s diversion program that opened its doors in spring 2025 – we wanted to take a moment to share an update on what this program has meant for our community and some of the lives it has touched.
SaMo Bridge is a collaboration between our City Attorney’s Office, SMPD, our Homelessness Intervention and Prevention Division, and run by our nonprofit partner Exodus Recovery.
The concept for the program is straightforward but powerful – for individuals experiencing homelessness who come into contact with law enforcement for low-level offenses, and who have an underlying mental health or substance use need, SaMo Bridge offers an alternative to the revolving door of arrest, citation, release, and re-arrest.
Through SaMo Bridge, SMPD officers can refer qualifying individuals to our 24/7 respite hub, where they can access a safe place to rest, a shower, clean clothing, and food for 24 to 72 hours.
With those essential needs met, participants then work with an Exodus community navigator to enroll directly into temporary housing and health services and begin a 90-day case management plan.
When a participant completes that plan, the misdemeanor charges are dismissed by the City Attorney’s Office, and no criminal case is filed.
The program is fully funded through a nearly $8 million grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections. The results delivered by the program through its first year of operation speak for themselves.
Since April 2025, SMPD has made 422 total referrals to SaMo Bridge, with 312 individuals transferred to existing services, and 51 participants currently engaged in active 90-day care plans.
Forty-eight individuals have fully graduated from the program, meaning they completed their care plans, had their charges dismissed, and are on a new path.
On the services side, SaMo Bridge has connected participants to a wide range of supports:
98 individuals have been placed into temporary housing
46 into substance use disorder treatment
15 have been reunified with family
19 have been connected to hospital care
10 to detox services
9 to mental health services
6 have been placed directly into permanent housing
These numbers represent real people whose lives have been materially changed because our teams chose to invest in connection over incarceration.
Our terrific City Attorney’s Office has been leading the development of the SaMo Bridge program, and as part of the one-year review of the program, the team highlighted three stories that bring the numbers to life.
Kevin came to SaMo Bridge while experiencing homelessness and accepted placement at Vermont House.
He maintained consistent communication with staff, actively pursued employment while attending outpatient services at Safe Landings, and ultimately secured a job, exited Vermont House, and transitioned into stable housing by renting a room with a friend.
Kevin came in without a home, and walked out with a job and a place to live.
Erik is a lifelong Santa Monica resident who became unhoused while caring for his disabled sister and his nephew.
Through coordinated efforts with HPI and the Salvation Army, SaMo Bridge helped Erik
reunify with his nephew, reestablish his legal and caregiving responsibilities, and secure temporary housing.
Today, Erik and his nephew are safely housed together in a one-bedroom apartment through Upward Bound House.
Dawn came to California in 2023 looking for work, new opportunities, and a fresh start.
Instead, she experienced homelessness and struggled to access the mental health and housing services she needed.
Through a partnership with Project Homecoming and the Salvation Army, SaMo Bridge helped reconnect Dawn with her family in Delaware, who welcomed her home and are supporting her in accessing the care and resources she needs.
These stories – and the 422 referrals behind them – represent exactly the kind of outcomes that the SaMo Bridge program was designed to achieve.
We are meeting people where they are at, addressing the root causes of their homelessness, and building pathways to stability and dignity.
Massive thanks to our City Attorney’s Office, SMPD, HPI, and the team at Exodus Recovery for the work they do every day to make this program a reality!
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