Under the ordinance, all Santa Monica single- and multi-family households and commercial customers are required to separate waste using a three-bin system: black for refuse, blue for non-organics recycling such as cardboards and bottles, and green for organics recycling beginning January 1, 2022.

Read More: https://santamonica.gov/press/2021/10/27/council-adopts-mandatory-recycling-ordinance-for-organics

In an upcoming Oct. 26 meeting, City Councilmembers will discuss the fiscal year 2020 to 2021 year-end budget report and what will be done with the unanticipated additional funds. Council will also introduce a mandate that would require all Santa Monica properties to recycle organic materials and will adopt historic property preservation agreements with six new properties.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/council-to-review-year-end-budget-and-introduce-mandatory-recycling-of-organic-waste/209766

This joint development could be achieved by building these affordable units on already owned parcels of land that Metro plans to develop while expanding the current Los Angeles transit system of Metro buses and trains according to Urbanize. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/10/metro-considering-joint-development-of-transit-land-to-build-affordable-housing/

But there’s another more common and efficient way the urban fabric renews itself and that is to take existing buildings and with minor modifications repurpose them to new uses (e.g. adaptive reuse) avoiding their outright demolition and preserving their presence in the community. This adaptive reuse provides benefits that are shared by residents and developers alike:

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/10/sma-r-t-column-the-magic-of-adaptive-reuse/

A judge has agreed to hear arguments between the City and Councilmember Oscar de la Torre over whether de la Torre has a common law conflict of interest with the City’s defense of the California Voting Rights Act lawsuit.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/councilmembers-conflict-of-interest-case-regarding-cvra-case-heading-to-court/209674

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.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/October-2021/10_20_2021_Santa_Monica_Prepares_to_Launch_Mandatory_Organics_Recycling.html

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. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/10/los-angeles-leads-the-nation-in-adaptive-reuse-for-2022/

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.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/October-2021/10_18_2021_Rift_Widens_on_Police_Reform_Commission.html

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. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/10/sma-r-t-column-when-water-runs-out/

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. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/10/santa-monicas-100-homes-initiative-moves-forward/