The 62-stall recharging facility that would flank the alley near 14th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard had been put on hold before the Council took steps last Tuesday to exempt it from a moratorium on commercial development.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/April-2021/04_05_2021_Council_Paves_Way_for_Tesla_Supercharger_Station.html

Santa Monica must pass a housing element update that accounts for mandates to increase the city’s housing stock by about 9,000 units. The discussion last week centered on options for densifying existing neighborhoods as a way to acknowledge the impact past discriminatory practices have had on housing development.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/city-council-continues-housing-element-process/203532

There has been significant confusion and debate surrounding the financial performance of the many SMMUSD facilities projects.  The absence of clear and accessible financial performance reporting is the cause.  

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/04/time-for-the-school-district-to-adopt-20th-century-capital-project-financial-reporting/

As reported by UrbanizeLA, an apartment building at 1427 Lincoln Boulevard will now include a new property at 1431 Lincoln Boulevard. This makes the project five stories instead of four with thirty apartments instead of fifteen. The new plans will also feature an underground parking structure with enough room for thirty vehicles. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/04/plans-for-downtown-santa-monica-mixed-use-project-double-in-size/

Lawmakers recently revived legislation that would severely curtail when property owners can invoke the Ellis Act, which gives them a path to exit the rental market by evicting tenants if they plan to move themselves or family members in, sell the units or demolish the building. Tenant rights groups argue that the law has morphed into a tool for speculators to flip a dwindling supply of affordable rental housing in the state.

Read More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/new-bill-in-legislature-would-sharply-limit-ellis-act-evictions/ar-BB1faaA1

Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed legislation to extend the eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/04/02/news/california-eviction-moratorium-extended-to-june-3-2021/5497.html

Dressed up in the language of compassion and social justice, the City Council's vote on March 30 to accommodate 6,168 affordable housing units, 70% of whatever new housing is built, and then to disperse these affordable units throughout the city, including along Montana Avenue and Main Street, is in reality a despicable theft of the earnings of hardworking residents and will end up benefiting no one.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/04/02/opinion/time-to-move-out-santa-monica-is-coming-for-your-home-with-upzoning-plans-for-r-1-neighborhoods-and-putting-public-housing-in-your-backyard/5492.html

Two Santa Monica proposals to promote sustainable housing development will receive a slice of $4.8 million in State funding from The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the agency announced Thursday.

Santa Monica's proposals were among 26 projects to get the green light Thursday from SCAG’s Regional Council as part of its 2020/2021 Sustainable Communities Program (SCP).

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/April-2021/04_01_2021_Two_Santa_Monica_Sustainable_Housing_Proposals_to_Get_State_Funding.html

Last night, the Santa Monica City Council continued its planning process for the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update for 2021 – 2029 to address housing needs in compliance with State law. Council directed staff to focus planning efforts required by State law on prioritizing the production of affordable housing on City-owned land and seeking to distribute housing in new areas of the City to advance fair housing goals. 

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/03/31/city-council-continues-housing-element-process-by-directing-staff-to-support-affordable-housing-in-santa-monica-and-meaningfully-address-historic-exclusionary-zoning-practices

Education activists on Wednesday filed their intent with the Los Angeles County Registrar to circulate petitions to recall four local School Board members for alleged conflicts of interest.

The petition drive targets president Jon Kean, Vice President Laurie Lieberman and Board members Maria Leon-Vazquez and Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, all of them Santa Monica residents who have served more than four years on the seven-member board.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/March-2021/03_31_2021_Recall_Drive_Targets_Four_Santa_Monica_School_Board_Members.html

AND: https://www.smdp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SMMUSD-Recall-PRESS-RELEASE-3-31-2021_Redact.pdf