Mayor spotlights HOST crew for encampment cleanup work
Since launching permanent operations in May 2024, Santa Monica’s HOST team has removed 1,345.1 tons of debris from 11,000 locations citywide.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — mayor’s highlight recognizing public works host, consent agenda approval (with clarification on, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
The City framed the team’s job simply: restore public spaces while working alongside outreach and police staff, and treat unsheltered people with dignity, compassion, and respect.
The work happens in the city’s hardest public spaces. At Santa Monica City Council, Caroline Torosis used the Mayor’s Highlight to recognize the Public Works Department Downtown Maintenance Division Homeless Support Team, or HOST, for encampment response and cleanup work across Santa Monica. The City said the team’s mission is to keep public spaces clean while supporting the Santa Monica Place Department Homeless Liaison Program with encampment removals and restoration.
The timeline mattered here. The City said HOST began operating in late September 2023 with contracted staff, then recruited and onboarded a permanent team by May 2024. That permanent team officially started work in May 2024. Since then, the City reported, HOST has removed 1,345.1 tons of debris from 11,000 locations throughout the city.
Five employees were singled out for recognition. Rioberto “Rigo” Haro was cited for building operational data, coordinating field work, and strengthening the team’s connection with the Homeless Liaison Program. Anthony Rivera was recognized for following policies and procedures, Lazaro “Lala” Pina for helping realign operations to improve efficiency, and Jesus Farardo and Jaylen Gregory for professionalism and commitment. Certificates were presented, and city staff said the team’s daily work requires both practical cleanup and direct contact with unsheltered residents.
Consent agenda approval (with clarification on convocation/communications services contract)
The board approved the consent agenda, but not before clearing up one public claim. A board member said a comment describing one item as a “$40,000 DJ” charge for convocation was wrong and did not reflect the full contract.
Board members and staff described the item as an independent contractor agreement for broader host and communications services. They said the work covered multimedia content tied to project-based learning and restorative practices, districtwide professional development through the school year, and other communications efforts. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Stacy Williamson said the district has worked with the company for nine years and was folding several pieces of work into one contract instead of bringing multiple agreements to the board.
The discussion added a few specifics. Dr. Stacy Williamson said the contract included convocation support, career technical education highlights, and video production, including Malibu-specific work and a Santa Monica High School component. Another board member said the amount discussed was “32,000,” calling it an estimate or quote. Parker Kaplan abstained, and the remaining board members voted yes.
Public comment windows pass without speakers
Several meetings opened time for agenda items, non-agenda items, remaining items, and final general comment, and no one stepped forward in any of them. That left boards and commissions to move through business without public testimony on those items.
No public participation means decisions moved forward without residents raising concerns or adding testimony to the record.
Council members report travel and events
Council members shared updates on a young elected officials conference in Marine del Rey and an installation dinner tied to Cal Cities and LA County board leadership. One council member said the city paid for the conference trip, which focused on turning policy into results and learning from other jurisdictions.
Council members recapped attending conferences and dinners for inter-jurisdictional learning, with no resident-facing action.
Disabilities Commission rewrites bylaws, delays elections
The Disabilities Commission approved bylaw changes that cut membership from nine to seven, lowered quorum from five to four, and revised attendance rules. Commissioners then put off chair and vice chair elections until next month because city appointments may still change the makeup of the body.
These rules determine whether the commission can meet, vote, and represent disability issues while appointments remain pending.
Disability employment item ends without report
The meeting moved on without any recorded action or details under that item.
ceremonial/proclamation
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
SANTA MONICA had 1 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCESanta Monica Website Quality Assurance Review Ad Hoc Updates. The agenda included an update item for the Santa Monica website quality assurance review ad hoc. No update was provided.
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No resident comments recorded this week.