Denny Zane's Open Letter to Councilmember Lana Negrete

08/02/2022 10:05 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Our concern is, first, that you do not actually target the help to low income renters and, most importantly, you want middle income renters to pay for this by increasing their rents very unfairly.

Negrete Pulls Proposal to Address Rent Increases

08/02/2022 10:02 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Five days after igniting a firestorm with a last-minute proposal to address near record rent increases, Councilmember Lana Negrete has pulled her plan.

In an open latter Sunday night, Negrete said she would table her proposed Charter Amendment that would have based the annual adjustment on a rent control unit's Maximum Allowable Rent (MAR).

Correcting the narrative - Rent Control Ballot Measure - Lana Negrete

08/01/2022 10:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

For now, I am suggesting my proposal get tabled and I’m hopeful that Wednesday the council will put forward the path that gives all renters uniform relief and stability, such as the rent control board’s proposal. I am also hopeful that we can embrace new ideas and be open to dialogue so that we can best lead our city into the future. I look forward to post-election broader community dialogues to strengthen and assure the stability of rent control.

Fight Over Dueling Rent Increase Proposals Threatens to Split Santa Monicans for Renters Rights

08/01/2022 10:10 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Organization that runs Santa Monica for the last 43 years, now searches its soul for answers over equity and who should bear the cost of inflation.

City of Santa Monica Awards Awards $5M for 13-Unit Community Corp. Development

08/01/2022 9:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

342 Berkeley Street project will bring 13 affordable housing units to Santa Monica

As per the letter sent by the City of Santa Monica, the money will be a loan dependent on the “Borrower’s execution of final documents and is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this letter.” and the construction of 13 affordable housing units in a four-story building that the address.

SMa.r.t.: Fantasyland Is Not Limited to Theme Parks

08/01/2022 9:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Policy evaluation using the bumper car methodology

As with most top-down command economy approaches, the thorny problems created by objectives that are incompatible with fundamental economics are ignored until failure is either plainly evident or comprehensively created.

11-Unit Santa Monica Apartment Building Sells For $5.5M

08/01/2022 9:33 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica Real Estate Report

See More: https://smmirror.com/2022/07/11-unit-santa-monica-apartment-building-sells-for-5-5m-santa-monica-real-estate-report-july-31st-2022/

No elected incumbents to run for Rent Control Board

07/29/2022 5:26 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

With three seats up for election on Santa Monica’s Rent Control Board (RCB) this year, none will be contested by an elected incumbent.

The seats of Steve Duron, Naomi Sultan and Nicole Phillis are up this year but Duron cannot run again due to term limits and the other two have recently resigned due to the Commissioners moving out of town.

Phillis resigned last month and her seat has already been filled with an appointed successor despite her wish the seat remain vacant until the upcoming election.

Last Minute Rent Proposal Triggers Political Firestorm

07/29/2022 8:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A plan by Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMMR) to lower the annual rent increase at the ballot box was torpedoed at the final hour by Councilmember Lana Negrete early Wednesday morning.

With the Council poised to vote to place SMRR's proposal to decrease the annual rent adjustment from 6 to 3 percent on the November ballot, Negrete floated a radically different plan that had been leaked shortly before the meeting, causing consternation among tenant leaders.

Negrete's "Tenant Income Inequality Relief Plan" intends to spare lower income tenants a rent increase while imposing the Rent Board's mandated 6 percent hike for higher income tenants.

Local Measures Crowd November Ballot

07/28/2022 11:00 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica voters will face an alphabet soup of measures on the November ballot -- from rival transfer taxes to a cannabis tax and Charter Amendment to change qualifications to the Personnel Board.

Those four measures were placed by the City Council Tuesday night on a ballot that already includes a college bond measure and a hotel bed tax.

The Council is also scheduled to hold a special meeting August 5 to consider two additional ballot measures that failed to win majority support.