Item 11B, added to the agenda Thursday, would send voters as many as three separate measures amending the city charter’s rent control and housing policy articles...

A second proposed measure would bar landlords from evicting tenants over unpaid rent below a yet-to-be-set threshold amount. A third would revise rules around evicting tenants for adding unauthorized occupants, extend eviction protections to people remaining in a unit after the original tenant leaves, add just cause protections to single-unit homes and condominiums, and change requirements for owner move-in evictions from units not subject to rent control. 

Read More: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/071326.pdf

he Third Street Promenade became successful because it felt different. It wasn’t Sunset Boulevard. It wasn’t Times Square. It was a place where people came to walk, eat dinner, watch street performers, and enjoy being outside without being overwhelmed by advertising. 

The City has now approved large digital displays along portions of the Promenade as part of its effort to revitalize downtown, and the first proposals — including one for a landmarked building — are arriving. The reasoning is understandable: vacancies remain a challenge, city finances are tight, and officials are looking for ways to generate revenue and draw visitors back downtown. Filling storefronts, shoring up the budget, and bringing people back are worthwhile goals. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/sm-a-r-t-column-the-promenade-wasnt-built-to-be-a-billboard/

Construction will start this month on an 82-unit senior housing project -- which includes supportive housing for homeless seniors -- at the site of a public parking lot near Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center.

Developed by Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (HCHC), the new affordable housing project on the surface lot at 1211-1217 14th Street will be accompanied by a 48-unit family apartment building, with at least half of the units two- and three-bedrooms.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/July-2025/07_13_2026_Construction_to_Start_on_Housing_for_Homeless_Seniors.html

The free community event will be held on Thursday, July 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. as "an open street celebration" that will take place on Main Street between Hollister Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/July-2025/07_13_2026_Residents_Invited_to_Upcoming_State_of_the_City.html

The City Council is expected to place a parcel tax measure on the November ballot to fund local schools after Santa Monica voters approved seven tax measures in the past two elections.

The measure -- which requires a two-thirds majority for approval --would establish an annual parcel tax of $495 per taxable parcel within the city, with the amount adjusted annually for inflation.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/July-2025/07_08_2026_Council_to_Consider_Parcel_Tax.html

The nomination period for Santa Monica’s November election opens Monday, July 13, with candidates able to file for three seats on the City Council, three seats on the Rent Control Board, four seats on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board and four seats on the Santa Monica College District Board.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/santa-monica-opens-nomination-period-for-city-council-rent-control-board-school-and-college-boards/

The race for three open City Council seats is kicking into high gear next week, as candidates begin circulating nominating petitions on Monday and a major political group picks its slate two days later.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/July-2025/07_07_2026_Council_Race_Kicks_Into_High_Gear.html

One candidate, for Rent Control Board, I highly recommend is HEATHER THOMASON. She has dug in the last two years to learn everything she can about how this city works, and why it works so badly. I hope she runs for City Council someday. She is exactly the kind of outraged, informed citizen activist we need to change things. She will be an excellent advocate for residents on the Rent Control Board. A candidate for that important position I highly do not recommend is former City Council member SUE HIMMELRICH. I will expand on these two, and others, in coming columns.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2026/07/curious-city-07-02-26-meet-the-candidates/

The relevant language appears in the 2025 Budget Act, Section 112, Item 3790-102-6093, as amended by AB 107 earlier this year. It appropriates funding through the California Department of Parks and Recreation to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC). Within that, appropriation appears a single sentence:

“$10,000,000 is available for the restoration, rehabilitation, protection, and capital improvement of former airport lands to create parks and open space.”

The statute does not identify Santa Monica as the recipient. It does not mention Santa Monica Airport, reference the Airport Conversion Project, or establish that the City has received a grant award.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2026/07/sm-a-r-t-column-the-10-million-question/

Santa Monica voters in November could be asked to increase the amount of rent a tenant must owe before being evicted for non-payment and allow them to move a family member into their units.

Those provisions are part of a slate of five pro-tenant ballot measures the Santa Monica Rent Control Board last Thursday recommended the City Council place on the November 3 ballot.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/June-2026/06_29_2026_Rent_Board_Recommends_Ballot_Measures.html