ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica Prepares to Launch Mandatory Organics Recycling

10/21/2021 8:41 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Under the proposed ordinance, all residents and businesses must maintain an additional green-colored container for organics recycling, staff said. The container lid must remain closed when not in use.

The organics must be separated from the contents that go into the black refuse container or blue container for non-organic recyclables.

Los Angeles Leads the Nation in Adaptive Reuse

10/19/2021 9:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The pandemic-induced remote work boom has led to many office buildings being left vacant, according to a study by Rent Cafe. Adaptive reuse is defined by Chesco Planning.org as “the process of repurposing buildings for viable new uses and modern functions, other than those originally intended to address present-day needs. Reuse allows for a building’s continued use and helps it remain a viable community asset.”. Rather than demolishing old buildings that potentially have historical value or spending twice the money and time destroying a building completely, merely to raise another in its place, adaptive reuse is like recycling.

Rift Widens on Police Reform Commission

10/19/2021 9:15 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A member of Santa Monica's Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission (PSROC) on Monday denounced Chair George Brown's decision to send a draft report to the City Council without the group's approval.

In a letter, Commissioner Joe Palazzolo said the Council should "disregard" the report Brown submitted Friday morning because it reflects his own point of view and failed to win majority approval.

SMa.r.t. Column: When Water Runs Out

10/18/2021 8:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

What happens when a City runs out of water? You have already heard of the torture endured by communities in the Central Valley that ran out of water, but we already have had a recent example of a nearby wealthy California coastal community that ran out of water. In 2014, under a punishing drought, the 14,000 residents of Montecito simply ran out of water. Their local wells and reservoirs were running dry and since they didn’t have access to the equally stressed California aqueduct system, they were facing catastrophc failure. They ordered water rationing, a draconian 30% cut in water use enforced by fines, stopped issuing building permits, and banned new pools and spas or refilling existing ones with City water. This is where the story gets instructive for Santa Monica.

Santa Monica’s 100 Homes Initiative Moves Forward

10/18/2021 8:20 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica is moving forward with a new program to place 100 people who are currently in temporary shelters into permanent housing thus freeing up 100 shelter beds for others who are in need of them. It is called the 100 Homes Initiative. This initiative will be funded by the disbursement of housing vouchers from HUD from the American Rescue Plan.

Police Reform Commission Fails to Approve Report

10/18/2021 8:10 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The draft report regarding the OIR Group's findings concerning the Police Department's response to the the May 31, 2020 protests, which included unchecked rioting and looting, was approved on a 5-4 vote, falling one vote short of the threshold needed.

Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission (PSROC) Chair George Brown on Friday morning informed the Council that the commission was "unable to meet its obligations."

Council Authorizes $700,000 Contract for Inspector General

10/18/2021 8:09 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday voted to authorize a five-year $700,000 contract with the OIR Group to serve as Inspector General for the newly formed police oversight commission.

The consulting firm -- which produced a report on the Police Department's response to the May 31, 2019 riots -- will provide the Commission with information needed to conduct investigations and develop recommendations, City staff said.

SM City Council Approves Revised 2021-29 Housing Element Update

10/15/2021 9:00 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The housing plan highlights include:

Amending the Zoning Ordinance to establish a 100% affordable housing overlay for moderate-income (up to 120% AMI) housing projects in the downtown area and Bergamot area and the immediate area around the 17th Street E-Line station;

Incentivizing affordable housing development on surface parking lots of residentially zoned sites adjacent to commercial-fronting boulevards and parking lots of community assembly uses, such as churches;

AND: https://santamonica.gov/press/2021/10/13/city-council-adopts-housing-element-update

City Hires Outside Counsel to Help Fight Councilmember's Case

10/15/2021 8:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Attorney has hired outside counsel to help fight a lawsuit filed by Councilmember Oscar de la Torre claiming he is being illegally excluded from deliberations on the voting rights lawsuit.

Ramon Batista Selected to Lead the Santa Monica Police Dept

10/14/2021 9:32 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City Manager David White announced the selection of Ramon Batista, Jr., a 35-year law enforcement leader to join the City of Santa Monica as chief of police. Chief Batista comes to Santa Monica from Mesa, Arizona’s third-largest city, where he served as police chief. Before that time, he spent 30 years rising through the ranks of the Tucson Police Department, including two years as assistant chief of police.