Christopher Felts welcomed a few visitors at his door this past week, celebrating the longtime Santa Monica resident’s transition into permanent supportive housing.
Felts, who has been fighting homelessness in the city for over a decade, was recently welcomed into The Laurel at 1413 Michigan Ave., a permanent supportive housing (PSH) development that hosts 57 tenants in the PSH program. The new Laurel resident gained his keys as part of the Los Angeles County Pathway Home initiative, a collaboration between the City of Santa Monica, the LA County Homeless Initiative and the Office of County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath.
Horvath was one of the guests at Felts’ new abode at The Laurel, a one-bedroom apartment on the building’s fourth floor.
Horvath was joined by representatives from her office, Laurel developer EAH Housing and Santa Monica Director of Housing and Human Services Heather Averick.
"I couldn’t be happier to have you as a resident in my district," Horvath told Felts in a sit-down chat on his new furniture. "Your perseverance, your willingness to connect and still trust after such hardship, and now you’re home. I’m just so thrilled."
Felts said he had "been hoping for a program like this for a while," and said he cherishes both the privacy and having moderate temperatures by the beach.
"It feels great, and that’s the reason I want to be able to share my story, to give more encouragement to people and hope that maybe more resources can be pointed in this direction," Felts said. "To me, it’s very important, (you) can’t just cast people aside."
The city’s PSH program is working toward that housing inclusivity, with The Laurel representing 57 of the city’s 181 units. Averick stated that unit occupancy is around 90-95% at the moment, with The Laurel completely full, and an estimated 98 units are in the development pipeline. She added that for individuals formerly homeless or at-risk of becoming, PSH has become a "critical component and program" for the city.
"It’s truly a huge benefit … (for) entrepreneurs, artists, filmmakers in our city, even adjunct college professors, who due to just one life change (like) the COVID pandemic, the writers’ strike, an apartment fire, would have otherwise not been able to find housing where they already lived," Averick said. "The Laurel offered them an opportunity, and similarly, some of our faces in the community that are very familiar to all of us that live here, who’ve been unhoused in our community for 10-plus years, this is an opportunity for them to also get the housing stability they need."
PSH apartments are offered to those who qualify as "Santa Monica Priority Population," which includes those who: Lost housing in Santa Monica, was working at Santa Monica at the time they became homeless and/or currently works in the city, has been experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica for at least five years, and/or is a high utilizer of city services. Those ineligible include those who have moved to Santa Monica from a different city or state, as well as individuals who require a "higher level of care" such as a mental health stabilization bed. The Santa Monica Housing Authority conducts background checks for all applicants.
The Housing Authority issues project-based vouchers for renters as part of PSH, as well as "wraparound" services helmed by case management, often with a licensed clinical social worker. Services include life skills classes, budgeting classes and community-building social activities; and are used as a springboard not just for survival, but for a flourishing life ahead.
"I think of it as a life coach, which we could all benefit from sometimes in our life, and so that’s what helps give this stability and helps them come up with plans," Averick added. "And via those plans, they could choose and elect to remain here, but sometimes, some individuals (feel) good and they’re ready to move into (general affordable housing) … or sometimes they just move out into renter units like the rest of us."
With The Laurel having a grand opening ceremony in the coming weeks, EAH is proud of its development, stating the company has a "really great working relationship" with the city. Echoing comments of Horvath and Averick, EAH VP of Real Estate Development Denice Wint stated that meeting with PSH recipients is "why we do this work."
"It’s my favorite part, because we go through a lot to try to get to this point … (we do this for) love, being able to house people, where people feel like they’re given a second chance, or they’re able to fulfill their hopes and dreams," Wint said.
