New Survey: Over 40 Percent of Santa Monicans Give City Council Failing Grade on Homelessness

Eyes on 11 has released a new survey on crime and safety in Santa Monica. You can see the full polling results here, and read about the key takeaways below.

The poll asked Santa Monica voters several questions about their perception of crime and safety in the city, and who they felt should be held the most accountable. Their responses didn’t paint a very positive picture.

When asked if they believed homelessness had gotten better or worse in Santa Monica in recent years, 26 percent of respondents said “worse.” In fact, over 35 percent said homelessness was more of a problem in Santa Monica than it is in surrounding beach cities. When asked if they felt more or less safe in the city now when compared to two years ago, almost half (49 percent) said “less safe.”

When it came to who should be held accountable for homelessness and safety, more than half of respondents (51 percent) said the City Council. Over 40 percent then went on to say they believed the city’s performance when it came to managing homelessness was “poor.” Overall, more than half (54 percent) said they did not believe the City Council had done a good job.

The survey results suggest dissatisfaction with the current status quo in Santa Monica. A lot can change in a month, but right now it looks like the current City Councilmembers’ tendency to put special interests — including Unite Here Local 11 — ahead of community concerns could finally catch up with them at the ballot box.