As usual, incumbents dominated the election: 64% of the offices were retained by incumbents. In other words, every incumbent that chose to run again was reelected. As you can also see, four of the municipal measures won by large margins, but the parcel tax, ES, lost narrowly. This is appropriate for a school system whose enrollment is falling in a City whose residents are really feeling the inflationary pressures that are facing residents everywhere.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2026-santa-monica-election-results-and-turnout-breakdown/

The Council on Tuesday will consider giving CCSM a $450,000 bridge loan to help pay contractors who worked on Berkeley Station, a 13-unit pre-fab apartment building at 1342 Berkeley Street funded by the City, according to a report to the Council from City staff.

City staff's recommendation to approve the loan comes after the Council has already approved Housing Trust Fund loans totaling $11.3 million, or some $870,000 per unit, to construct the building on City owned land. 

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/November-2026/11_13_2026_Community_Corp_Seeks_More_City_Money_to_Pay_Contractors.html

The Council on Tuesday is expected to green-light an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Cypress Equity Investments (CEI), which is offering to pay $30.25 million, and potentially as much as $35 million, for the 7 parcels on the 1600 block of 5th Street.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/November-2026/11_12_2026_Affordable_Housing_Storage_Facility_Proposed_Downtown.html

The decision halts a sprawling dispute that has wound through every tier of California’s judicial system since 2016 when the Pico Neighborhood Association and longtime resident Maria Loya first filed the case. The plaintiffs alleged that electing all seven City Council members on an at-large, citywide plurality basis unlawfully diluted the voting power of minority residents — specifically Latino voters, who make up about 14% of the city’s voting population and are geographically concentrated in the Pico neighborhood.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/judge-dismisses-landmark-voting-rights-lawsuit-against-santa-monica/

 I wanted to remind you that you have until November 30 to file an application for a Decline-in-Value Review (DIV) if you believe the market value of your property has fallen below the assessed value as of January 1, 2026. 

Read More on page 3: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/110626.pdf?ref=smdp.com

The lender on a defaulted loan tied to The Park Santa Monica, a 249-unit luxury apartment complex at 500 Broadway, has scheduled a foreclosure auction of the property for next month, claiming more than $513 million is now owed, according to a notice of trustee's sale posted on the front of the building. 

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/apartment-complex-with-its-own-trader-joes-goes-up-for-auction/

These initiatives include incorporating Measure GS funds into the Housing Trust Fund Guidelines, expanding the Preserving Our Diversity program, adding additional Human Services Grants Programfunding forfood assistance and childcare subsidies, and strengthening the city’s Tenant Harassment Ordinance to more explicitly protect tenant organizing.   

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2026/11/05/santa-monica-city-council-moves-affordability-agenda-forward

What is frequently overlooked in the discussions of state-mandated rampant development is the increased fire risk to our city. Earlier this year, a New York Times Magazine cover story by David Wallace-Wells was titled, “Which City Burns Next?” Not whether there will be another Palisades/Altadena-level catastrophe but where, and why it is likely to happen: California has not altered its planning and development based on lessons learned. In fact, it quotes a fire expert as saying that, with the development choices we have made, “California is built to burn.”

Read More: https://smmirror.com/santa-monica-housing-density-and-the-risk-of-an-urban-firestorm/

Councilmember Lana Negrete and Mayor Caroline Torosis will return to the City Council, where they will be joined by environmental activist Ashley Oelsen after the latest vote tallies showed they had built insurmountable leads in Tuesday's race for three City Council seats.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2026/November-2026/11_06_2026_Two_Incumbents_Challenger_Win_Council_Race.html

The tenant notice ordinance amends the city’s Tenant Protections During Construction chapter. Landlords of occupied residential buildings would have to give tenants a city form describing the scope of work, approximate dates and duration and likely impacts on water, electricity and other building systems. Proof of delivery would be required before a permit application could move forward.

Read More on page 1: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/110326.pdf?ref=smdp.com