A Community Response Unit could be a key tool in tackling homelessness Mar. 12, 2021 at 6:00 am As the rates of homelessness continue to swell in Santa Monica, City Council is reconsidering the Fire Department’s proposal to address this issue with a Community Response Unit. A Community Response Unit rethinks the way emergency services respond to homeless related incidents, by using 9-1-1 calls as an opportunity to connect unhoused individuals to solutions and resources. Currently around 20 percent of Santa Monica Fire Department’s calls involve homeless individuals, and often firefighters...