ACTION Apartment Association

City to gather demographic data on boards and commissions

01/31/2022 11:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

De la Torre suggested the City Clerk gather the demographic profile of each board and commission, including categories such as race, ethnicity, gender, age and sexual orientation — “whatever categories the Council believes is necessary for us to get a good picture of where we have deficiencies, in terms of our appointments.”

Will Developers or Residents Rule? – Part 4 Our Residential Neighborhoods

01/31/2022 10:39 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

SMa.r.t.

This is the 4th of a 5 part article outlining serious issues Santa Monica residents and the City Council are facing.

And Santa Monica’s response has been a rapid transition from a history of courtyard housing to beach barracks stacked in blockhouses! And this stain on Santa Monica has spread to market rate housing as well as affordable. The photos accurately express the broken, faceless, and fractured direction of our residential housing – whether fronting on streets or alleys – totally lacking the greenery of a frontyard setback, courtyard, or terrace! This can’t be what $3,500-5,500 per month buys one! And sadly, these developers are hiring Santa Monica attorneys and architects to do their bidding in implementing this disaster.

Will State Regulators Kill Rooftop Solar?

01/31/2022 10:37 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

If California’s often misguided utility regulators wanted to prove they are determined to favor privately owned electric companies over almost any other interest, they could not do better than with new rules they now propose to inflict on people with rooftop solar panels.

To understand this ongoing dispute, take a look at how utilities like Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric profit most from solar.

SMC Exploring Building Housing for Poor and Homeless Students

01/31/2022 10:33 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica College (SMC) is exploring building housing for homeless and low-income students at the edge of its Bundy campus across the LA border, College officials confirmed Friday.

A feasibility study is underway to build a 275-bed student housing facility on a surface parking lot that would "ideally (be) fully furnished with all utilities included," College officials said.

Santa Monica hires new Fire Chief

01/28/2022 11:01 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Danny Alvarez has been chosen to lead the Santa Monica Fire Department.

Alvarez was born in Santa Monica and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He has spent over 24 years with the Burbank Fire Department rising from firefighter to Deputy Fire Chief.

Santa Monica Rents Continue Dropping

01/28/2022 10:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica rents dipped in January, marking the third straight monthly decrease after ten months of growth, according to Apartment List's monthly report released Thursday.

The 0.5 percent dip came after rents dropped 2.8 percent in December and 1.8 percent in November, based on listings posted on the popular rental site.

LA County Extends Eviction Protections

01/26/2022 12:03 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to extend countywide eviction protections through the end of this year. The board also continued a freeze on rent hikes for many tenants in unincorporated parts of the county.

Massive redevelopment of Providence Saint John’s

01/26/2022 9:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The long-planned Phase Two redevelopment of Providence Saint John’s Health Center is heading to Planning Commission with Providence Health Systems seeking approval for an overhaul of its South Campus facilities and sign-off on an updated community benefits agreement.

Gaming the System

01/26/2022 9:07 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The State’s housing legislation is inherently unconstitutional. It offers little or no opportunity for community input and allows business interests to prevail over the needs and desires of residents.

As it stands, Santa Monica's proposed “Lincoln Center” project on the current Gelson’s site at Ocean Park and Lincoln Boulevards gives the developer’s interests precedence over any neighborhood concerns.

Police reform commissioners concerned over roadblocks

01/25/2022 9:41 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Members of the Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission (PSROC) called a special meeting to discuss what several members feel are barriers to the commission’s ability to carry out its responsibilities.

While commissioners held differing viewpoints on how well the City has supported its mission, it is the view of Chair George Brown and several other commissioners that a lack of resources and slow action from the City is holding back the commission’s work.