ACTION Apartment Association

Brock's Transfer Tax Measure Could Test SMRR's Clout

07/11/2022 9:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

"They're putting on the squeeze," said Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, who said he met Sunday with Soloff, Mayor Himmelrich's husband. "They want us to reject Phil's measure and support Sue's.

"There's a full court press," said de la Torre, who ran on a Change slate with Brock in 2020. "This (tax measure) is not only to raise revenues, it's a political strategy."

Affordability Answer: A New Tax on Housing Speculators?

07/11/2022 9:43 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The problem, it appears, is less a lack of housing – especially while California’s population is relatively stable and not growing fast, if at all – than the fact that wages and home prices have gotten out of the usual synch, partly because of institutional investments.

This year, Democratic state assemblyman Chris Ward of San Diego, which recently “won” the ranking as America’s least affordable city, proposed a bill to tax the profits of house flipping, especially by corporations and pension funds. It died in committee, but deserves resurrection.

SMar.t. Column: Has the Promenade Turned a Corner?

07/11/2022 9:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

So SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow), who have never shied away from controversy and always invites a debate, will make a prediction: the recovery of our beleaguered Promenade began on June 28, 2022.

On that day, the City Council appointed three new board members to DTSM (Downtown Santa Monica), the nonprofit that manages our 3rd Street Promenade (also called the mall) and its environs. The new board members are Leonid Pustilnikov, Luke M. Cain, and Lucian Tudor. These new appointees have “skin in the game” as business owners and younger Promenade stakeholders. So their points of view, which will not necessarily always be in lockstep, will significantly impact the 12-member board that runs your Promenade.

Staff Recommends Placing Brock's Transfer Tax on Ballot, Warns of Shortcomings

07/08/2022 9:02 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City staff is recommending that Councilmember Phil Brock's proposed property transfer tax be placed on the November ballot but warned it could be a "very volatile" source of revenue.

If the Council accepts the recommendation at its meeting Tuesday, the measure on the November 8 ballot would charge an additional real estate transfer tax (RETT) of $15 per $1,000 for commercial properties that sell for more than $8 million.

Santa Monica’s election season is about to begin

07/07/2022 10:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Consumer protection attorney and member of the Rent Control Board Caroline Torosis tossed her hat in the ring on June 10 with an event at Himmerich’s house during which Himmelrich formally endorsed her campaign. Torosis currently works in the office of County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell as Senior Deputy for Economic and Workforce Development. She has a strong passion for protecting tenants and producing more affordable housing.

The results of the 2022 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count delayed

07/07/2022 9:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The results of the 2022 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count -- which is used by cities to gauge how widespread their homeless problem is -- will be released in early September after it has been fully evaluated, LAHSA officials said.

Nearly $18 Million in Government Funding Earmarked for Santa Monica

07/07/2022 9:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The State funding -- part of the $308 billion budget signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last week -- includes $10 to help modernize the City yards and $4.8 million to improve a stretch of Lincoln Boulevard.

Another $1.5 million is earmarked to help fund the Santa Monica Behavioral Health Center project that will initially focus on the homeless.

Election Season Begins in Less than Two Weeks

07/06/2022 1:14 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Nomination Period for three (3) seats on the City Council, three (3) seats on the Rent Control Board, four (4) seats on the Santa Monica-Malibu School District Board, and four (4) seats on the Santa Monica College District Board starts on Monday, July 18.

Most Oppose Rival Tax Measures, Poll Finds

07/05/2022 4:57 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Rival ballot measures that would hike the local transfer tax on high-end properties currently lack the support needed for voter approval, according to a local monthly poll of select residents.

The monthly push poll of nearly 200 "civically engaged" Santa Monica residents concerned with crime and safety issues also found little support for Downtown's safety ambassador program.

Revised budget offers more hope for restoration of City services

07/05/2022 12:37 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Tweaks to the City’s Fiscal Year 2022 to 2033 budget have leveraged one time funds and new revenue sources in an effort to restore sorely desired resident services such as after school care, sports field access and library services.