Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas spoke Tuesday about the need for federal aid and a “Right to Housing” ahead of the City Council’s approval of a resolution to support any legislation that increases rental assistance resources, including housing vouchers, to help the region address its homelessness crisis.

Read More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/councilman-mark-ridley-thomas-calls-for-right-to-housing-in-la/ar-AAKQiUC?ocid=hplocalnews

One proposal is the creation of a program that would allow up to 3 units to be constructed in R1-zoned parcels in the areas of 7th and 14th Streets between Montana Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard and 26th Street between Wilshire and San Vicente Boulevard.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/commissioners-discuss-densifying-r1-neighborhoods/205635

In a break with jurisdictional tradition, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced his intention to clear the Venice Boardwalk of its unhoused population by July 4.

In the coming days the Sheriff Department’s Homeless Outreach Service Team will be speaking with all individuals experiencing homelessness on the Boardwalk to determine what resources they need to find shelter elsewhere.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/sheriff-villanueva-announces-plan-to-clear-boardwalk-encampments-by-july-4/205637

As the state prepares to reopen next week, that moratorium — imposed by the California Public Utilities Commission — will expire July 1. The order kept the lights on for residents throughout some of the toughest moments of the pandemic, but Californians have collectively racked up millions of dollars in unpaid bills.

Read More: https://patch.com/california/santamonica/s/hm3m3/ca-utility-protections-end-july-readers-weigh

The City Council has two weeks to hire a permanent or interim City Manager or the decision could be taken out of its hands, The Lookout has learned.

The Council will try once again to fill the post on Tuesday evening after failing to make a decision at its fifth special closed-door meeting Saturday morning.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/June-2021/06_07_2021_Council_to_Try_6th_Time_to_Pick_City_Manager.html

Affordability is the housing issue in Santa Monica (SM). Densification of the City is the primary objective of the draft 2021 – 2029 Housing Element, ostensibly to address an 8,895 RHNA unit target that is entirely unrelated to Santa Monica’s needs. 

The Housing Element contains an assumption of, but no supporting data or demonstrated link between affordability and densification. That’s because such links don’t exist.  

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/06/when-reality-meets-the-housing-element/

At the request of Councilmember Gleam Davis, Council will discuss possibly directing staff to return with proposed amendments that would allow the home-sharing of detached accessory buildings as long as they are located more than six feet from the main building that’s occupied by the host who wishes to home-share the accessory building.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/council-readies-to-talk-home-sharing-hate-letter-and-more/205583

Work has now progressed past street level for the Pacific Landing development at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Pacific Street in Santa Monica. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/06/santa-monica-affordable-housing-development-takes-shape/

While droughts are common in California, this year’s is much hotter and drier than others, evaporating water more quickly from the reservoirs and the sparse Sierra Nevada snowpack that feeds them. The state’s more than 1,500 reservoirs are 50% lower than they should be this time of year, according to Jay Lund, co-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California-Davis.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/drought-ravages-californias-reservoirs-ahead-of-hot-summer/205556

At the June 2 meeting, Council voted unanimously to open an application process that will run from June 3 to noon June 22. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/06/applications-open-to-fill-vacant-santa-monica-city-council-seat/