One local senior citizen who likened his fight for housing to a “death sentence” has been given a reprieve in his situation, finding at least a small bit of comfort in his new abode.
This week, Santa Monica resident Scott Brutzman was able to move into a one-bedroom apartment at the Christian Towers senior living facility at 1233 6th St, something he says “beats living on the curb” after he was left homeless from the fallout of a January eviction hearing.
“[It’s been a] slow process, [but it’s a] nice clean apartment, it’s small, but I can live in a small apartment as long as I have a bathroom and my bedroom,” Brutzman said.
In a ruling in the Santa Monica Courthouse by Judge Lawrence Cho, plaintiff OPB Buildings was awarded possession of Brutzman’s suite at 3301 Ocean Park Boulevard. The case over the commercial property was initially filed on September 26, 2023, with legal counsel representing OPB Buildings arguing that a 30-day notice to quit at the commercial property was all the property owner needed to provide as a commercial operator.
Brutzman initially agreed to a month-to-month lease in his unit to run his insurance business, but after the business withered partially due to his health condition, he remained at the property to use as a living space.
After remaining at the property as long as he could before being evicted, Brutzman was stuck in a perilous situation, being without housing while fighting his consistent health challenges. He previously faced two bouts with cancer (prostate and Leukemia), and is dealing with the contraction of Graft vs Host Disease (GvHD) as a result of bone marrow donations needed to suppress his last bout with cancer. The condition ravaged Brutzman’s body, leaving him with significantly reduced vision and severely compromised mobility.
With a myriad of issues, Brutzman felt hopeless after being taken out of a place he had some small form of comfort in.
“This didn’t develop overnight, [this] developed over 14 years of being sick, [but] I adapted and my environment adapted to suit me, now they [stripped] that all away from me, I got to start all over,” he added.
After leaving the Ocean Park neighborhood, weeks of Brutzman’s time was spent either on the curb with his belongings, or living in the truck of his caregiver. Spending his days simply attempting to survive in unfamiliar environments further hampered his ability to receive treatments to his legs and other appointments.
“Health is good when you’re able to get consistency in your treatments, and mine got interrupted, tragically,” Brutzman said.
During this time on the streets, the Santa Monica Housing Authority continued to work to achieve housing for Brutzman. The organization had previously set up a meeting between Brutzman and Christian Towers, but the housing was declined due to a smaller studio apartment space not meeting health concerns.
“They were concerned [that] they couldn’t find me a place … [but they said] let’s see if we can find a place for you here,” he added, with the Housing Authority helping to set up the one-bedroom space alongside The People Concern, which posted a security deposit for Brutzman that he did not have which “paved the way” for his new home.
While not a perfect setup for what he desires, Brutzman has been accommodated by Christian Towers by allowing him to bring in a separate refrigerator in order to properly store his eye-related medication. Now equipped with a space, he will be able to get back on a regular treatment schedule.
“Physically, I’m okay,” he said. “I’m not getting any worse.”