Santa Monica council directs staff to tighten registration, safety and transparency rules for sober‑living and recovery housing

Santa Monica — The City Council on Dec. 9 voted unanimously to direct the city manager to develop new local requirements aimed at improving accountability, safety and transparency for sober‑living and congregate recovery housing after staff identified an apparent unpermitted operation at 413 Ocean Avenue.

Mayor Lana Negrete introduced the directive, saying the measure would require "registration of group homes and sober living operations, mandating operator and ownership disclosure, imposing objective safety and occupancy standards" and would add "inspection access" and relocation planning so occupants are not left without support. Council members also asked staff to integrate the new requirements with the city's rental registry to avoid duplicative filings.

The move followed a city enforcement response the week before Thanksgiving. City staff reported they mobilized building and safety, code enforcement, fire department personnel and the city attorney’s office, issued a notice to vacate and administrative citations, and flagged habitability relocation benefits for people who had been moved into the property. "We worked through that Wednesday into the evening... eventually issued a notice to vacate," city staff said during the meeting.

Council Member Zernetzkaya and others pressed staff to review how state law governs licensed facilities and which aspects a city ordinance may regulate. The council added language to the motion directing the city to "include looking at how we could support state legislation" that would harmonize local tools with state rules. The council made the directive part of the consent process and passed the motion by voice vote; the mayor stated it passed unanimously.

Next steps: Staff will return with ordinance language and implementation details, including proposed registration forms, safety and spacing standards, inspection protocols, and any estimated fiscal impacts. The council asked staff to coordinate the draft with the city attorney and with regional partners as needed.

Why it matters: Council members said the rules are intended to create an early‑warning system so the city can identify operators, funding sources and occupancy levels before people are moved into buildings. Supporters argued the measures will protect residents’ safety and neighborhood stability; some speakers urged parallel state action to ensure consistent oversight.

The council also instructed staff to consider the proposal’s overlap with state law and to include suggested support for pending state legislation where the city can be helpful. The directive was recorded as item 16D on the meeting agenda and will return to council for formal adoption of any ordinance.