SR 04-12-2022 7B
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 12, 2022
Agenda Item: 7.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson Warren, City Clerk, Records and Election Services
Department
Subject: Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance amending Chapter 2.48 of the
SMMC consolidating the Commission on the Senior Community, Commission
on the Status of Women, and the Social Services Commissions into a newly
named Commission and repealing Chapters 2.56 and 2.60
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council introduce for first reading an Ordinance
amending Chapter 2.48 of the SMMC consolidating the Commission on the Senior
Community, Commission on the Status of Women, and the Social Services
Commissions into a newly named Commission, determined by Council, and repealing
Chapters 2.56 and 2.60.
Discussion
At the December 14, 2021 City Council meeting, the ad hoc committee for boards and
commissions reported to City Council its recommendation to consolidate the
Commission for the Senior Community, the Social Services Commission, the
Commission on the Status of Women, and the Disabilities Commission into one new
Commission. City Council approved the consolidation of the Commission for the Senior
Community, the Social Services Commission and Commission on the Status of Women
into one commission, but decided the Disabilities Commission should remain a stand-
alone commission due to the specific needs it fulfills for the community it serves. The
new commission is recommended to have a new name to distinguish it from the
previous commission. One Council Ad Hoc member recommended the “People
Commission.” Staff recommends the “Human Services Commission” to reflect the
City’s organizational structure and mission of the commission (i.e. the Housing and
7.B
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Human Services Division would then be responsible for staffing the Housing
Commission and the Human Services Commission).
Powers and Duties
The new Human Services Commission (HSC) would focus on all matters pertaining to
the social, economic, and wellness needs of vulnerable community members, including
marginalized populations, low-income households, older adults, women and girls
(including transgender women and girls), people of color, and people experiencing
homelessness. As the current commissions sunset, Sections 2.48 (Commission for the
Senior Community), 2.56 (Commission on the Status of Women), and 2.60 shall be
retired from the Municipal Code. The new ordinance provides an opportunity to update
pertinent activities of these three commissions (e.g., tracking regional, state, and
national legislation, inviting community and stakeholder input on social services,
providing input to City Council on budget items), and reimagining their purpose in a
more holistic manner. These specific duties can be found in the proposed draft
ordinance for the newly formed Human Services Commission (Attachment A).
The new commission will be tasked with soliciting community input regarding focused
areas and developing an overall work plan for the commission, making use of time-
limited ad hoc committees to address discrete work efforts and emerging community
needs.
Structure
The new commission shall consist of nine members, with priority being given to existing
members of the three commissions who wish to apply for the new commission. The
new commission shall be structured as a working commission, with commission
members expected to lead temporary ad hoc committees. Each ad hoc committee
would consist of one or two commissioners as well as non-commissioners with subject-
matter expertise, lived experience, or a strong interest in the ad hoc committee’s focus.
City Council liaisons and emeritus members could also assist with ad hoc committees.
Ad hoc committees will prepare recommendations for the commission’s consideration.
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Transitioning Provision
The proposed ordinance contains transition provisions to allow for staggered terms of
Commissioners following their initial appointment. The nine commissioners shall
classify themselves by lot, such that four shall serve terms expiring on the second
succeeding July 1st and shall serve terms expiring on the fourth succeeding July 1st. The
current bodies will cease to exist as separate bodies after June 30, 2022. The new
Human Services Commission would become effective on July 1, 2022.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of
adoption of the proposed ordinance.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Proposed Ordinance
B. Written Comments
7.B
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City Council Meeting: April 12, 2022 Santa Monica, California
ORDINANCE NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SANTA MONICA TO CREATE THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION; REPEAL
SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTERS 2.48, 2.56 AND 2.60, AND
SUNSETTING THE COMMISSION FOR THE SENIOR COMMUNITY, THE SOCIAL
SERVICES COMMISSION, AND THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
UPON EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, at the December 14, 2021 City Council meeting, the ad hoc committee
for boards and commissions reported to City Council its recommendation to consolidate
the Commission for the Senior Community, the Social Services Commission, the
Commission on the Status of Women, and the Disabilities Commission into one new
Commission; and
WHEREAS, City Council approved the consolidation of the Commission for the
Senior Community, the Social Services Commission and Commission on the Status of
Women into one commission, but decided the Disabilities Commission should remain a
stand-alone commission due to the specific needs it fulfills for the community it serves;
and
7.B.a
Packet Pg. 1206 Attachment: Proposed Ordinance [Revision 3] (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
WHEREAS, staff recommends naming the new commission the “Human Services
Commission” to reflect the City’s organizational structure as it relates to the mission of
the new commission; and
WHEREAS, the new commission will solicit community input regarding focus areas
and develop an overall work plan for the commission, and will make use of time-limited
ad hoc committees to address discrete work efforts and emerging community needs; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the City to give every resident of Santa Monica
equitable social and economic opportunities and to provide equitable services.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 2.62 of the Santa Monica Municipal Code is hereby added
as follows:
CHAPTER 2.62 HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
2.62.020 Creation of the Human Services Commission
(a) Pursuant to Section 1000 of the Santa Monica City Charter, a Commission on
Human Services is hereby established. The membership of said Commission shall
be appointed by the City Council and shall consist of nine members chosen from
the residents of the City. None of the members shall hold any paid office or
employment in City of Santa Monica government.
(b) The nine commissioners shall classify themselves by lot such that two shall
serve terms expiring on the next succeeding July 1st, two shall serve terms
7.B.a
Packet Pg. 1207 Attachment: Proposed Ordinance [Revision 3] (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
expiring on the second succeeding July 1st, two shall serve terms expiring on the
third succeeding July 1st, and one shall serve a term expiring on the fourth
succeeding July 1st.
(c) The Commission shall meet on a quarterly basis with the option to meet more
frequently, when necessary, via designation of a special meeting and in
accordance with the Brown Act. Further, the Commission may establish ad hoc or
standing committees that may meet more frequently than quarterly.
2.62.040 Powers and duties of the Commission
The Human Services Commission shall have the power and be required to:
(a) Act in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to the
social, economic, and wellness needs of vulnerable community members
including, but not limited to, marginalized populations, low-income
households, older adults, women and girls (including transgender women
and girls), people of color, and people experiencing homelessness,
specifically maintaining but not limiting its focus on the former Commission
for the Senior Community, the former Social Services Commission, and the
former Commission of the Status of Women, including the responsibility to:
1. Disseminate City-endorsed educational and informational material
regarding human service resources that may benefit the Santa
Monica community
7.B.a
Packet Pg. 1208 Attachment: Proposed Ordinance [Revision 3] (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
2. Review and recommend to the City Council national, state, and local
legislation which may have an impact on vulnerable communities in
Santa Monica
3. Consult and maintain contact with groups and individuals who are
concerned with the challenges and opportunities of vulnerable City
residents, and hold meetings as necessary to receive input from these
groups and individuals
4. Recommend to the City Council specific human service programs
necessary to serve the unmet needs of residents of the City, including
reviewing and making recommendations on the City’s Human
Services Grants Program
5. Review the City Manager’s proposed budget for human services and
make recommendations to the City Council; and
(b) support City efforts to advance social, economic, and racial equity.
2.62.070 Reports
The Human Services Commission shall render written reports on its activities to
the City Council on an annual basis.
SECTION 2. The Commission for the Senior Community, the Social Services
Commission, and the Commission on the Status of Women shall all sunset on June 30,
2022.
7.B.a
Packet Pg. 1209 Attachment: Proposed Ordinance [Revision 3] (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
SECTION 3. Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapters 2.48, 2.56 and 2.60 are
hereby repealed in their entirety.
SECTION 4. Any provision of the Santa Monica Municipal Code or appendices
thereto inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance, to the extent of such
inconsistencies and no further, is hereby repealed or modified to that extent necessary to
effect the provisions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 5. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this
Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any
court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining
portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed
this Ordinance and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not
declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance
would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 6. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall attest to the passage of
this Ordinance. The City Clerk shall cause the same to be published once in the official
newspaper within 15 days after its adoption. This Ordinance shall become effective July
1, 2022.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________
SUSAN COLA
Interim City Attorney
7.B.a
Packet Pg. 1210 Attachment: Proposed Ordinance [Revision 3] (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
7.B.a
Packet Pg. 1211 Attachment: Proposed Ordinance [Revision 3] (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:oz <zurawska@yahoo.com>
Sent:Tuesday, April 12, 2022 4:49 AM
To:councilmtgitems
Cc:Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Kristin McCowan; Gleam Davis; Sue
Himmelrich; David White
Subject:7-B: new commission must meet monthly, not quarterly
EXTERNAL
You are consolidating three city commissions into the Human Services Commission, which might not be a bad idea. But
now you also want for this new commission to only meet quarterly?…
Is this a joke?
This shows how much the Santa Monica Council cares about the vulnerable populations including the unhoused
community in the City: you want to further marginalize them. This proves again you have no interest in addressing
homelessness whatsoever.
Occasional Special meetings (which usually do not allow public input) and Ad Hoc meetings (which are rarely held
publicly) will not make up for much if the Commission must only meet quarterly. You might as well have dismantled
these three commissions altogether instead of consolidating them. Why pretend?…
This is the opposite of progressive.
#HostileCity
Shame on you, Santa Monica Council members!
At least it’s election year and we will remember this in November.
Regards,
Olga Zurawska
P.S.
You might as well change the name of the new commission to better reflect how the City treats vulnerable communities:
InHumane DisServices Commission.
Item 7.B 04/12/22
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Packet Pg. 1212 Attachment: Written Comments (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:emsmail135@gmail.com
Sent:Tuesday, April 12, 2022 4:53 AM
To:councilmtgitems
Subject:Public comment on 12 Apr 22 City Council meeting item 7B
EXTERNAL
Dear City Councilmembers,
I object to the newly consolidated Human Services Commission meeting on a quarterly basis with additional special
meetings when necessary. The consolidation of three important areas of concern into a single commission is already an
ambitious undertaking. Limiting that commission to only four regular meetings per year is a planned abdication of
commitment to those component groups before the commission even begins.
We're in the middle of a homelessness crisis, a pandemic, and a climate crisis, all of which disproportionately impact the
most marginalized individuals in society, whose welfare is squarely in the newly formed commission's jurisdiction. The
Human Services Commission has an enormous amount of work to do. And it requires public input regarding that work
every step of the way, not just four times a year. The option to omit general public comments from special meetings
makes reliance on such meetings for business exceeding quarterly meetings unacceptable.
Give the Human Services Commission a chance to succeed in meaningfully addressing the multiple and compounding
crises we face. Santa Monica demands the Human Services Commission's attention and action—its time—more than
ever.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. Please amend the proposed ordinance accordingly.
Sincerely,
Michelle Gray
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Packet Pg. 1213 Attachment: Written Comments (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:Ann Maggio <annmaggio@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, April 12, 2022 9:27 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox; David White
Subject:7-B: Oppose quarterly meetings for consolidated commissions
EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
This is absurd. Three commissions consolidated into one and now staff wants to cut the meetings so they only
meet four times a year?
We can assume now that the job of the Social Services Commission, which included annual reports on the
successes and failures of the grantees, will never happen. How wrong!
Keep the meetings and ensure they are properly staffed.
And form a transparency and accountability committee that supports the audit committee.
Sincerely,
Ann Maggio Thanawalla
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." ‐ Albert Einstein
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Packet Pg. 1214 Attachment: Written Comments (4890 : Ordinance Consolidating Certain Boards & Commissions)