As Santa Monica's sparkling clean public spaces catch the eyes of residents, the hard work of the Homeless Support Team (HoST) cannot be overlooked. The team, dispatched every Tuesday and Thursday, is tasked with sanitizing the city, one quadrant at a time, in an initiative that sprawls and intersects issues far beyond waste clearance.
According to a report by the city of Santa Monica, the HoST, comprising a three-member crew and their formidable truck, have been quietly but effectively clearing areas that once housed encampments, removing heaps of debris that amassed with human lives left in the balance. In November, their vigilance led to the discarding of upwards of 30 tons of waste—an alarming scale of refuse entangled with the city's most vulnerable.
This surge in cleanup operations, which began in late September, was necessitated by the increasing volumes of waste associated with the city's encampments, as well as assisting police and fire departments with the clearance of such areas as directed by city authorities. Voter-approved Measure CS, raising the transient occupancy tax, is funding this considerable effort.
In detailing the operational tactics of HoST, the city's blog post reveals that hotspots are targeted through a melding of complaint data, collected via 311 calls and the on-the-ground knowledge of field staff. The team is also indispensable for the policing and firefighting units, providing cleaning reinforcements where debris impedes public safety as deemed by the authorities.
The homegrown initiative has its sights on expansion, as the city anticipates integrating HoST into its family of public services by spring 2024. Preparations are underway, including procuring vehicles hamstrung by supply chain shortages and hiring staff to fill the anticipated increased demand. The end goal is to have HoST make its rounds five days a week.
