ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica hiring for new director to oversee homeless operations

08/11/2025 2:41 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The position, which offers an annual salary range of $209,592 to $258,756, represents a key role on the City Manager's Executive Team and comes with considerable political and departmental support to address urgent community needs.

New housing ordinance that could exponentially densify single lots

08/11/2025 2:38 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Council voted 5-2 at their last meeting to approve an emergency zoning ordinance that dramatically expands housing development possibilities in single-family neighborhoods, allowing up to 20 units on vacant residential lots and permitting three-story buildings in areas previously restricted to single-family homes.

Council Takes Up Emergency Ordinance to Kick-start Housing Construction

08/11/2025 1:40 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

On Tuesday, the Council will take up an emergency ordinance to counter a "dramatic slowdown in housing construction" that has seen few of the more than 3,400 market rate and 900 affordable units approved in the streamlined process issued building permits.

The proposed options include allowing market rate developers to meet their affordable housing quotas by "pooling" affordable units from multiple projects and building them at an off-site location not in the Pico Neighborhood, City staff wrote in a report to the Council.

City Poised to Pay Nearly $35 Million to Save 40-unit Building

08/06/2025 12:38 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The $19,616,330 loan from the City's Housing Trust Fund (HTF) to Community Corporation comes after the affordable housing provider received a $15,183,670 HTF loan in January 2000 to buy and prepare to rehab the building.

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete Slams City Council's "Dangerous" Move to Oust Downtown Santa Monica Board

08/04/2025 10:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The council's move, spearheaded by Councilmembers Barry Snell, Caroline Torosis, and Dan Hall, replaced the six DTSM board members-Luke M. Cain, Lucian Tudor, Leonid "Leo" Pustilnikov, Michelle Cardiel, Berta Negari, and Jon Farzam-with interim appointees, including former Santa Monica Mayors Gleam Davis and Richard Bloom, as well as Elaine Polachek, Hodge Patterson, Sean Besser, and Jonathan Gregory. Permanent replacements are slated to be finalized on September 9 after a public application process.

Santa Monica Rents Drop for Third Straight Month

08/04/2025 10:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica's -0.7 percent decline last month follows decreases of -0.7 and -0.9 percent in May and June, after a fast start this year attributed to the city's proximity to fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades.

The current median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica is $2,350 and $2,817 for a two-bedroom unit, based on local listings posted on the popular rental website.

LA’s Section 8 housing vouchers now won’t go as far as they used to

08/01/2025 4:46 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Starting Friday, the city of Los Angeles’ Housing Authority is cutting voucher payments by 10% for all new Section 8 leases

Downtown Activist Group Vows to 'Dismantle' DTSM

07/31/2025 11:49 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Santa Monica Coalition, an activist group of property owners, is drumming up support to dismantle Downtown Santa Monica Inc. by dissolving the area's Property-Based Assessment District (PBAD), according to the group's leader, John Alle.

Wildfire Price Gouging Protections Extended for Displaced Residents

07/30/2025 11:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to extend price gouging protections for residents displaced by the January wildfires, as housing instability persists months after the disaster.

The motion, introduced by Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger, extend protections through August 30.

Read Moer: https://smmirror.com/2025/07/wildfire-price-gouging-protections-extended-for-displaced-residents/

Council Purges 'Dysfunctional' Downtown Board

07/30/2025 11:19 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Citing "emergency circumstances," the City Council Tuesday night ousted six Downtown Santa Monica board members and replaced them with temporary members that include two former mayors and a former City Manager.

The unprecedented move was prompted by the "dysfunctionality" of a board that has been "completely skewed" toward property owners who are undermining efforts to revive the the city's central core, said Councilmember Barry Snell, who made the motion.