Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens

    851 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
    • Assisted Living

    Mother happy with caring staff

    I moved my mother here and she's happy, well cared for, and quickly made friends. The staff are genuinely caring and helpful, activities and social opportunities are plentiful, and meals are tasty with fresh salads and a restaurant-style breakfast. The building is clean, light, and well-maintained with a great near-beach location, helpful services (shuttle, housekeeping, salon), and attentive management - we're very pleased and grateful.

    Loved one of resident
    Aug 2026

    Pricing

    Prices shown are estimates and subject to change. Contact your senior living advisor for current pricing.

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Coordination with health care providers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Internet
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (medical)
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)
    • Transportation to doctors appointments

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Pet friendly
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    Reviews

    4.08·(71)

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.3
    • Staff

      4.3
    • Meals

      3.4
    • Amenities

      3.6
    • Value

      2.2

    Pros

    • friendly, caring staff
    • engaged and capable nursing aides
    • varied activity program and cultural events
    • restaurant-style dining with multiple daily options
    • fresh salad bar and seasonal fruit offerings
    • well-maintained grounds and garden courtyards
    • near-beach, walkable location
    • on-site transportation and shuttle services
    • amenities such as beauty salon, library, and computer room
    • light-filled rooms with good natural ventilation (when available)
    • continuum of care available on-site
    • clean dining and common areas
    • regular live music and performances
    • accessibility features in bathrooms (grab bars, safety rails)

    Cons

    • inconsistent housekeeping and linen-change practices
    • variable dining quality and meal-service consistency
    • elevator reliability and maintenance lapses
    • high cost and opaque fee/billing structure
    • limited availability of larger apartment units
    • staffing shortages and elevated turnover
    • management instability and inconsistent communication
    • parking constraints and tight garage access
    • medication-administration and billing-process inconsistencies
    • deferred interior maintenance and dated finishes
    • activity programming oriented to a more active population

    Summary of reviews

    Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens presents a mixed but distinct profile: it is well-located, amenity-rich, and staffed by personnel who are frequently described as warm, attentive, and engaged. Families and residents commonly praise the caregiving staff and dining-room teams; clinical aides and nursing assistants are often singled out for compassionate interactions. The property’s proximity to the beach, gardens and courtyard seating, plentiful natural light in many units, and on-site conveniences (salon, library, computer room, shuttle) contribute to a strong lifestyle offering for ambulatory and socially active seniors.

    Dining and activities are strengths for many residents. The community offers restaurant-style service, multiple meal choices including made-to-order options, fresh salads, and seasonal fruit selections; several comments highlight daily soups, omelets, and a varied menu. Activity programming is broad and culturally oriented — yoga, chair-based exercise, music and performance events, poetry, book clubs, day trips and outings are commonly available. These features support social engagement and recovery for residents who are active and mobile, although the programming leans toward participants who can engage frequently and independently.

    Operational patterns raise several consistent concerns to investigate during a tour. Housekeeping and linen-change practices are described as inconsistent, with some families indicating a need to actively follow up on cleaning schedules. Elevator reliability and maintenance have been noted as problematic at times, creating accessibility and safety worries for residents who rely on vertical circulation. Reviewers also describe deferred interior maintenance in certain areas (carpet, paint) alongside otherwise well-kept grounds, suggesting uneven facility upkeep.

    Clinical and administrative consistency is another area of mixed feedback. While direct-care staff receive many positive remarks, there are recurring comments about staffing shortages, elevated turnover, and management instability; families advise confirming current staffing levels and leadership continuity. A small number of accounts describe medication-administration and billing-process inconsistencies, and some families experienced disputes or lack of clarity around fees. Prospective residents should verify insurance acceptance, understand exactly what entrance or monthly fees cover, and review medication- and billing-protocols with clinical leadership.

    Unit size, cost, and accessibility are practical considerations. Many residents appreciate light-filled rooms and some larger one-bedroom units, but studio and smaller rooms are common and described as compact; larger units are limited and generally cost more. Parking is tight in the garage and may be an issue for families or residents who drive. Noise from nearby tourist areas is occasionally noted during daytime hours given the beach-adjacent location.

    Overall, Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens appears to offer a robust lifestyle and attentive direct-care staff in an attractive location, but with operational variability that warrants careful pre-admission review. Recommended steps for prospective residents and families include confirming unit availability and dimensions, requesting written housekeeping and linen schedules, asking about recent elevator maintenance and staffing ratios, clarifying fee structure and insurance policies, and discussing medication-administration safeguards and communication protocols with management.

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    Location

    Map showing location of Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens

    Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens is located at 851 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA, 90403.

    About Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens

    Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens stands as a senior living community right in Santa Monica, California, where folks can find different levels of care all on one campus, so if someone's looking for independent living, assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing, all those are available here in either private rooms, semi-private rooms, or studios, with options for suites that even have balconies and sometimes an ocean view, which is pretty nice when someone wants to sit out and watch the sun or feel some fresh air. The building's a mid-rise design with housing for adults 55 and over, and pets are allowed, so people can bring along their small companions, plus the community even has a house cat and a dog, with pet-friendly policies to help residents enjoy animal companionship. Staff members provide round-the-clock assistance with daily living needs like bathing, dressing, and medication management, and there are emergency alert systems and wellness services every hour of every day, so help's always close by if needed.

    Residents here can choose an independent living option with hassle-free services like housekeeping, laundry, meal prep, and yard care, or they can receive more hands-on support in assisted living or in a special memory care unit, where folks with Alzheimer's or dementia benefit from safe, secure environments and memory-focused activities that help reduce confusion and keep wandering at bay, including memory-stimulating displays, a tool table, and setups with baby items or wedding paraphernalia. Skilled nursing's available on site for people who need more advanced medical care, and there are in-home and concierge medical services, house calls, telephone doctor visits, primary care, medication therapy, and management for illnesses, injuries, allergic reactions, and pain-plus vision care, hospice, physical therapy, and more, all brought right to the resident's room. Support extends to non-medical needs too, with aides giving companionship or help for folks still living at home.

    Meals are served in a main dining room with nice table settings, and room service's also available, and residents pick from full-size kitchens, kitchenettes in their own rooms, or even a bistro where they can sit with friends, and menus accommodate special diets like low-fat, low-sodium, or other restrictions that doctors might order. The activity calendar is long and varied, offering tai chi, bingo, movies, book clubs, lectures, educational programs, musical events, birthday dinners, religious services, game nights, computer access, offsite outings, and group fitness with the B-Fit program promoting social exercise. People can find quiet time in a library, engage in arts and crafts, or relax in seating nooks and outdoor gardens, and many gathering places have WiFi and cable TV, with common rooms, patios, and secure outdoor walking areas for fresh air and sunlight.

    Amenities include a beauty and barber shop, a fitness center, a gym, and private cleaning services, and the grounds are secured for safety, welcoming to visitors, and filled with flowers in the hallways and a community garden where residents can relax or help tend the plants. Transportation gets folks to appointments or outings without hassle, and the community offers help with chores and daily tasks so everyone's as independent as possible while getting the right amount of support. Special programs focus on memory care, lifelong learning, group music, and supporting the independence and wellness of every person, whether someone's looking for a little extra help or staying active and social in retirement. Apartments range from small studios to one-bedroom, two-bathroom suites, ensuring there's a fit for many needs, and options are available for both solo living and shared rooms if preferred. Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens makes it possible for residents to age well, live well, and enjoy security, social life, and personalized care in one place.

    About Brookdale

    Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens is managed by Brookdale.

    Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD) is the largest senior living operator in the United States, managing over 640 communities with capacity for approximately 59,000 residents across 41 states and employing around 36,000 associates. Founded in 1978 and publicly traded since 2005, Brookdale solidified its market leadership through major acquisitions including American Retirement Corporation (2006) and Emeritus Senior Living (2014), making it the only national full-spectrum senior living company. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Brookdale has topped the American Seniors Housing Association's ASHA 50 list and Argentum's largest providers list for multiple consecutive years.

    The company's comprehensive care continuum includes independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). Brookdale's signature Clare Bridge program, developed over 30 years ago by dementia-care experts, provides specialized Alzheimer's and dementia care through two distinct levels: Clare Bridge communities for comprehensive memory support and the Clare Bridge Solace program for advanced-stage dementia residents. The program is recognized by the Alzheimer's Association® for incorporating evidence-based Dementia Care Practice Recommendations and features secure environments, enclosed courtyards, Daily Path programming with six structured activities daily, and the InTouch technology platform offering personalized brain-stimulating games and therapeutic content.

    Brookdale's holistic Optimum Life® wellness approach balances six dimensions—Purposeful, Physical, Emotional, Social, Spiritual, and Intellectual—implemented through signature programs including B-Fit (eight exercise class options), Brain Fit (mental fitness workouts), My Life Story (resident storytelling), EngagementPlus (interest-based connections), Growing Together (collaborative learning), and The Ageless Spirit (kindness and gratitude practices). The Embrace Family Partnership provides caregiver education and support for families of memory care residents.

    The company's Brookdale HealthPlus® care coordination model, winner of the 2024 Argentum Best of the Best Award placing it among the top 1% of operators, is a technology-enabled healthcare service featuring dedicated RN Care Managers who proactively manage residents' health, coordinate care transitions, and help prevent avoidable hospitalizations. Communities using HealthPlus report 78% fewer urgent care visits, 36% fewer hospitalizations, and 63% more completed annual wellness visits. The Personal Solutions program delivers hygiene products, medications, and daily necessities directly to residents' doors with discreet packaging and monthly billing convenience.

    Following a strategic divestiture of its home health and hospice operations to HCA Healthcare (completed December 2023), Brookdale now focuses exclusively on senior living operations while maintaining its position as the industry's largest operator, committed to its mission of enriching lives with compassion, respect, excellence, and integrity.

    People often ask...

    Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens offers competitive pricing, with rates starting at a cost of $4,995 per month.

    Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens offers assisted living.

    There are 19 photos of Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens on Mirador.

    The full address for this community is 851 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403.

    No, Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens does not offer respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

    Safety & Compliance

    In California, the Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division licenses residential care facilities for the elderly, conducting inspections and investigating complaints.

    License number197606682
    StatusLicensed
    Facility typeResidential Care Elderly
    Capacity128 residents
    LicenseeBLC GARDENS-SANTA MONICA LH LLC
    EffectiveJune 26th, 2006
    View the official license record

    Inspection Reports

    24

    Reports

    1

    Type A Citations

    7

    Type B Citations

    18

    Complaints

    7

    Years

    01 May 2025Inspection
    Found that three of six staff files did not have up-to-date first aid/CPR certifications; a technical advisory was issued for this issue.
    05 Mar 2025Complaint
    Found that staff generally responded to residents' calls within about 15 minutes, and that daily activities were offered with an activities calendar in use.
    11 Sept 2024Complaint
    Investigated complaints that residents experienced uncomfortable accommodations, concerns about food quality, and an incorrect refund amount.
    26 Jun 2024Inspection
    Observed a clean, well-maintained environment with proper safety and medication controls; no deficiencies were cited.
    06 Jun 2024Complaint
    Investigated allegations that staff did not maintain accurate records, did not monitor a resident's change in condition, left a resident in soiled diapers for extended periods, and did not allow the resident's responsible party to remove a resident. The investigation did not establish a preponderance of evidence for any of the alleged violations.
    16 May 2024Complaint
    Identified that the signal system did not produce an audible alert to summon staff, and a resident waited for assistance overnight due to inadequate supervision.
    • Type B87303(i)(1)
    • Type B1569.312(e)
    02 Feb 2024Complaint
    Investigated allegation that staff did not provide the resident's representative with an itemized statement of all separate charges. Found no evidence to prove the allegation.
    02 Feb 2024Complaint
    Investigated the allegation that staff did not issue a refund. Found that a refund was issued and there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove the allegation.
    25 Jan 2024Complaint
    Investigated allegations that staff did not provide adequate activities for residents and that residents were prevented from having visitors during reasonable hours.
    • Type B87219(a)
    24 Jan 2024Complaint
    Investigated two allegations: staff failed to safeguard residents' personal belongings and residents were being financially abused through overcharging. Interviews and document reviews were conducted.
    02 Aug 2023Complaint
    Investigated two complaints; found insufficient activity planning and no evidence that residents were prevented from having visitors.
    • Type B87219(a)
    25 Jul 2023Complaint
    Investigated allegations that staff were not sufficient to meet residents' needs and that staff did not communicate updates about care and services, including delays in responding to calls for assistance. The findings noted unstable leadership and ongoing staffing gaps contributing to these issues.
    • Type B87468.2(a)(4)
    • Type B87468.2(a)(7)
    19 Jun 2023Inspection
    Identified a deficiency due to missing documentation showing an administrator met certification requirements. Found no administrator available during the visit.
    • Type B87412(d)
    08 Jul 2022Inspection
    Observed infection control measures in place with staff wearing masks and PPE readily available; no deficiencies were cited.
    21 Mar 2022Complaint
    Investigated a claim that a resident isolated another and solicited funds; interviews and records showed no evidence of isolation or money requests.
    13 Oct 2021Complaint
    Investigated four specific allegations—charging residents for unneeded services, improper resident assessments, retaining residents with unstageable pressure injuries, and retaining residents who require a higher level of care.
    • Type A87615
    15 Jun 2021Inspection
    Observed infection control practices, screening protocols, and a 30-day PPE supply; no deficiencies were cited.
    22 Feb 2021Complaint
    Investigated allegations that a resident sustained fractures, pressure injuries, and multiple falls while in care. Records and interviews showed no evidence these events occurred during the stay.
    13 Aug 2020Complaint
    Found the allegation that staff do not have planned activities for residents while in care unsubstantiated, though residents reported activities were greatly reduced after COVID-19 and current health guidance limits group activities.
    12 Aug 2020Complaint
    Investigated the allegation telephonically due to COVID-19 precautions, interviewing 10 out of 69 residents, and conducted an exit interview with the administrator.
    11 Feb 2020Inspection
    Conducted a case management visit to review licensing procedures and regulations with the Health and Wellness Director.
    04 Feb 2020Complaint
    Investigated allegations of staff neglect, resident needs not being met, resident being left unattended, lack of clean environment, failure to provide proper notice of rent increase, overcharging for services, and failure to safeguard personal belongings at the facility.
    28 Jan 2020Complaint
    Reviewed an allegation that staff failed to provide residents with a description of additional costs related to a rent increase; found insufficient evidence to support the claim, with most residents acknowledging receipt of adequate information.
    26 Nov 2019Complaint
    Reviewed complaints about elevator disrepair and lack of transportation services for residents; found insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations.

    Disclaimer

    Mirador Living is not affiliated with the owner or operator(s) of Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens. The information above has not been verified or approved by the owner or operator. For exact information, please contact Brookdale Santa Monica Gardens directly. There is no cost for this service. We are compensated by the community you select.

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