Despite a stiff lobbying effort by powerful opponents, the City Council on Tuesday voted to amend a property transfer tax proposed by Councilmember Phil Brock and vote on it in two weeks.

The move incensed Mayor Sue Himmelrich, who had just seen the Council vote to place her own transfer tax measure on high-end properties on the November ballot during the Council's first packed meeting in more than two years.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2022/July-2022/07_14_2022_Council_Amends_Brocks_Rival_Transfer_Tax_Measure.html

by Peter Borresen

It is perverse that the Mayor’s measure will deny our democratically elected Councilmembers, and hence the voters, from managing the transfer tax revenue, instead a hand-picked board of 11 cronies will give out monies to whomever they find suitable. It is a most blatant example of taxation without representation, and an invitation to political abuse. The council is absolutely right to be opposed to this loss of control over a huge amount of city tax money.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2022/07_14_2022_LETTERS_How_Is_Mayors_Tax_Measure_Perverse.html

Last night, the Santa Monica City Council approved the Development Agreement for a mixed-use, LEED Platinum certified project at the northeast corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. The project is designed by world-renowned architect and Santa Monica resident Frank Gehry. 

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2022/07/15/ocean-avenue-project-designed-by-architect-frank-gehry-moves-forward-as-council-approves-development-agreement

As Reported by Wes Wellman

A. The City Council voted to place on the ballot for the November 8, 2022, general election amendments to the City Charter, as follows:

1. For an owner occupancy eviction, require that an owner make a declaration of intent to occupy the unit for at least two consecutive years unless there are extenuating circumstances and require the owner to occupy the unit within 60 days of the tenant moving pursuant to the eviction.
2. Provide that an election need not be held if the number of qualified candidates does not exceed the number of open Rent Control Board positions.
3. Give the City Council authority to suspend rent increases in an emergency subject to possible criteria for what constitutes an emergency and with some possible limitations to be further discussed.

B. Other Council Action/Inaction

1. Rejected a request by the Rent Control Board to allow Rent Control Board Commissioners to be elected to a maximum of three full terms.
2. Did not act on a request by the Rent Control Board to establish a rent registry on non-rent-controlled units. (This is likely to reappear in the near future as a Council ordinance)
3. Directed the City Attorney to return 7/26 with the draft of an amendment to be placed on the November ballot limiting annual rent increases to no more than 3%.
4. There was no discussion, and no action was taken (yet?), regarding limiting the 6% increase, subject to the $140 cap, approved by the Board effective 9/1/2022.
5. Directed the City Attorney to return 7/26 with the Draft of a Transfer Tax Measure of $20 per thousand dollars of consideration or value transferred in excess of $8 million subject to certain exemptions and be collected in addition to existing transfer tax rates that apply to the entire transfer amount. This (AKA the “Brock” Measure) would have a 10-year sunset clause. If approved at the 7/26 meeting this would be a competing initiative to the “Mayor’s” transfer tax measure for which 10,000 signatures were recently submitted to the City Clerk. If both measures are put on the ballot, the one which receives the most qualifying votes will become law.

Read at: https://files.constantcontact.com/588963b0501/339163c9-dfaf-469b-b931-87e1f7a239e3.pdf

Charles Andrews

THE BUCK STOPS AT CITY COUNCIL

And there has been some real progress on our plethora of issues since The Slate pulled off the miracle election last time. (I will be happy to report on efforts by long-serving Gleam Davis and Sue Himmelrich to do meaningful work for residents, but I haven’t observed it.) The Slate is still in the minority but new appointee Lana Negrete has been voting with them frequently. We do still need to elect at least one more residents-first candidate to City Council this fall to make that solid. Be careful who you vote for, do your research. Someone may have good-looking credentials but if they are beholden to any group, they may not put residents first.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/looking-better-keep-pushing/219442

Just 48 hours after convening on Tuesday, Council will meet again on Thursday night for a special meeting to discuss a mixed-use development designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. During this meeting Council will also make its annual Board and Commission appointments. 

The Frank Gehry development—known as the Ocean Avenue Project—is a two acre hotel, apartment, retail and public space project located on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/council-to-hold-special-meeting-for-frank-gehry-project/219444

On Saturday, Maxable, a team of ADU experts, are opening up guest units in Los Angeles for a self-guided tour, complete with the homeowners who are benefitting from the extra income, the contractors who built the ADU and lenders who helped financed the construction. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2022/07/maxable-to-host-first-citywide-tour-of-new-accessory-dwelling-units-on-saturday/

Tonight - Tuesday, July 12, 2022

These measures are a Rent Control Board charter amendment and a revenue raising property transfer tax measure authored by Councilmember Phil Brock.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/ballot-measures-head-to-council/219347

Watch Live at 5:30: http://youtube.com/user/Citytv16santamonica

A new law passed by the City and County of San Francisco requires property owners to provide certain information to the Rent Board about their residential properties.

Read More: https://files.constantcontact.com/588963b0501/afb86171-5d2c-410e-87c1-1c9585e8fb28.pdf

Following the departure of 25 year Executive Director & CEO Kathleen Rawson, a job offer has been given to a new CEO whose name will be announced in the coming weeks. Change is also underway within the DTSM Board as during a June 28 meeting City Council appointed three new Board members, who are all Downtown business owners and have fresh ideas for the organization. 

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/big-leadership-changes-underway-at-downtown-santa-monica-inc/219348