Below are some key budget provisions:

• Extension of the statewide eviction moratorium until September 30, 2021, and expansion of the program to provide up to 100% in assistance for rental and utility financial obligations, including arrearages and prospective payments.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/california-s-2021-state-budget-receives-approval

After weeks of debate, scores of meetings, and one press leak culminating in a selected candidate withdrawing his acceptance, council has secured a new City Manager and will be discussing his contract on July 27.

Other important items on the agenda include altering the City’s noise ordinance to protect residential neighborhoods from sustained noise during protests and the appointment of almost 50 individuals to various Boards and Commissions.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/council-to-discuss-city-manager-contract-noise-ordinance-and-commission-appointments/206966

In this dangerous ecological moment the State of California is mandating that our City permit the construction of 8895 unnecessary new units that will supposedly increase our population about 20% over the next eight years. Depending on how those nominal 18,000 people are housed and their demographics, we can expect the water consumption of our 91,000 person city to rise between 17 and 23% from 2019’s potable water demand of about 11,030-acre feet.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/07/sma-r-t-column-warning-water-wars-ahead/

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge issued a tentative ruling Friday that effectively bars Councilmember Oscar de la Torre from participating in Council deliberations on the voting rights lawsuit against the City.

If the ruling issued Friday morning by Judge Richard L. Fruin, Jr. is made final, it would likely puts an end to any potential settlement before the California Supreme Court decides the case, which was filed in 2016 by de la Torre's wife, Maria Loya, and the Pico Neighborhood Association he headed.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/July-2021/07_23_2021_De_la_Torre_Has_Conflict_in_Voting_Rights_Suit.html

That is why he, alongside California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, introduced the Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act.

This bill would authorize $1 billion in grants annually for five years for local governments to spend on supportive housing models with comprehensive services and intensive case management.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/rep-lieu-seeks-to-fight-homelessness-with-a-5-billion-federal-program/206916

After a brief closed door session, the City Council unanimously voted late Tuesday afternoon to hire Berkeley Deputy City Manager David White as Santa Monica's permanent City Manager.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/July-2021/07_22_2021_Council_Taps_Berkeley_Deputy_City_Manager_to_Run_Santa_Monica.html

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/07/22/city-council-selects-david-white-as-santa-monica-s-next-city-manager

First, regardless of anything else, and for simplicity sake, all Housing Providers must serve all tenants (regardless of whether they owe rent or not) Doc #2 from the Website.

This will protect you as a HP no matter what. Remember to serve this Doc #2 with the Proof of Service (Key Doc #4). You can mail this or post and mail on tenant’s door.

Second, if tenant owes HP any rent whatsoever from March 1, 2020 through July 31, 2021, then the HP must serve Docs

# 1, 2, 3, 4. These document can all be mailed in one envelope, or can be posted and mailed in one envelope. 

Third, each HP should log into the State’s website “www.Housingiskey.com” and make application for tenants' missed rent payments. The state has promised all HP that they will receive 100% of all rent due from March 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. You must do this because otherwise you will never see any back rent. 

Do this ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2020

Go To the Home Page: https://www.actiontakesaction.com/

The City Council on Thursday could take a significant step toward ending the voting rights lawsuit against the City by allowing Councilmember Oscar de la Torre to participate in determining its fate.

De la Torre, whose wife Maria Loya is the lead plaintiff, placed an item on the special meeting agenda that would reverse the Council's January decision disqualifying him from "participating in or attempting to influence, discussions or decisions relating to this litigation."

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/July-2021/07_21_2021_Council_on_Thursday_Could_Take_Step_Towards_Settling_Voting_Rights_Case.html

Four Santa Monica organizations that support the City's position in the voting rights case asked the California Supreme Court on Monday to strike a motion by the plaintiffs to toss their amicus brief.

The request calls the Latino plaintiffs' motion, filed on July 8 by their lead attorney, Kevin Shenkman, "frivolous" and "grounded on baseless speculation" about the groups and their counsel 

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/July-2021/07_20_2021_Groups_Supporting_City_Fight_Back_in_Voting_Rights_Case.html

Congressman Ted Lieu has announced that he successfully secured the inclusion of $2 million in funding in the 2022 House Appropriations Bill to support an affordable housing project on the current site of Parking Structure 3 in Downtown Santa Monica. 

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/07/19/rep-lieu-secures-2-million-for-affordable-housing-in-santa-monica-to-address-homelessness-in-appropriations-bill