By Lookout Staff
July 28, 2026 – A City-run diversion court that provides homeless individuals who commit misdemeanor crimes a path to treatment and housing has produced 29 graduates and dismissed 58 criminal cases in its first two years.
Run by the City Attorney's Office (COA), Santa Monica’s Shelter, Treatment, and Empowerment Program, known as STEP Court, operates every second Wednesday of the month and is overseen by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in a non-formal setting.
"Participants are matched with a case manager who assesses their individual needs, makes recommendations for the appropriate services based on those needs, and creates a 90-day care management plan," City officials said.
"Once a participant has completed all recommendations, including participating in treatment and, where appropriate, obtaining long-term permanent housing, their case(s) will be dismissed," officials said.
Funded by Federal and State sources, STEP Court "has steadily grown over the past two years, with increases in referrals aiming to streamline access to social services, address recidivism, and ultimately reduce homelessness," officials said.
Over the past six months, CAO has seen "an especially sharp increase in referrals" attributed to an increased focus on enforcement in the Realignment Plan the City adopted last, officials said.
In addition to STEP Court, the City's SaMo Bridge program offers services and temporary housing to those arrested for misdemeanor crimes in lieu of jail.
Launched in April 2025 and run from two trailers at the Civic Center parking lot, SaMo Bridge provides homeless individuals arrested for a minor offense the chance to begin a 90-day care coordination plan run by the non-profit Exodus Recovery.
In its first year, the program received 462 referrals from the Santa Monica Police Department, exceeding its original program design of 260 and started 363 individuals on 90-day care coordination plans, City officials said.
It also directly connected 233 participants to services, with 81 percent immediately placed into housing and treatment programs and produced 54 graduates who became eligible to have their citations dismissed.
SaMo Bridge is funded by a nearly $8 million grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections.
STEP Court is funded for its first three years with a grant from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, along with a grant from the State Bar of California and funding from the federal Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program.