Interest in large properties with five-bedrooms or more helped drive-up single-family home sales in Santa Monica and the surrounding area amid the pandemic. So who is buying these properties?

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/02/large-properties-drive-up-santa-monica-home-sales-amid-pandemic/

On February 9, R.D. Olson Construction announced it had broke ground on a 73-unit, 94,000-square-foot, affordable housing community at 1834 14th Street in Santa Monica, across from Woodlawn Cemetery. The project, called Las Flores Santa Monica is expected to be complete in fall of 2022 with a mix of 35 one-, 19 two- and 19 three-bedroom units.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/02/pico-neighborhood-affordable-housing-project-breaks-ground/

Mayor Eric Garcetti Wednesday urged property owners to sign up for the city’s Lease-Up program, which matches landlords with tenants who need a home, with rent guaranteed by the government.

Read More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mayor-eric-garcetti-urges-property-owners-to-sign-up-for-city-s-new-program/ar-BB1dZKne?ocid=msedgdhp

The biggest restraint in creating a sustainable and resilient City is that it costs slightly more to prepare for climate change, than to keep doing the same thing that got us into the climate change problem to begin with. Probably our biggest public offender is the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District because they are over funded in their capital budget which they squander on unnecessary overpriced projects, tolerate cost overruns, and neglect maintenance while they consistently refuse to take the necessary steps to build the really needed school district of the future. In other words SMMUSD has the funds but doesn’t have the vision of what’s really needed. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/02/sma-r-t-column-texas-comes-to-smmusd/

The City must stop focusing on the process and focus on quantifiable objectives, and the measurable milestones required to achieve them.    

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/02/25/opinion/whats-missing-from-city-of-santa-monicas-report-on-addressing-homelessness/5351.html

The City Council on Tuesday directed staff to explore creating "non-congregate" shelters in City properties such as parking structures to make it easier to enforce "quality of life" laws.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/February-2021/02_24_2021_Santa_Monica_to_Explore_New_Ways_to_Tackle_Homelessness.html

AND: https://www.smdp.com/council-joins-community-for-study-session-homelessness/202289

It should be good news for the nearly 45 percent of residents who have said homelessness should be the city’s top priority. But those expecting sweeping action will be sorely disappointed.

Instead of offering a new way forward, the staff report recommends doubling down on the city’s current homelessness prevention plan -- the plan responsible, in part, for the terrible status quo.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2021/02_22_2021_OPINION_Meet_the_New_Boss.html

At its annual study session on homelessness last night, the Santa Monica City Council provided input and prioritized strategies to build on Santa Monica’s four pillars to address homelessness with the goal to ensure public spaces are safe, clean, and healthy for all in the community to enjoy by delivering impactful services to people in need. Council continued the work of Santa Monica’s multi-disciplinary street outreach teams and Reed Park Ambassadors, and prioritized the expansion of rental assistance to prevent Santa Monicans from becoming homeless.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/02/24/city-council-prioritizes-strategies-to-address-homelessness

Will Santa Monica Cave to Big-Bucks Developer with a Massive and Wacky Building Design Seeking to Replace the Crime Vons on Lincoln?

Only 30 percent of the residential units will be affordable when Santa Monica is required to provide 69 percent

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/02/24/news/will-santa-monica-cave-to-big-bucks-developer-with-a-massive-and-wacky-building-design-seeking-to-replace-the-crime-vons-on-lincoln/5339.html

A pending staff presentation to the Santa Monica Architectural Review Board offers a first look at plans to redevelop a Vons supermarket at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Broadway with housing and retail.

Read More: https://urbanize.city/la/post/first-look-296-apartments-slated-replace-downtown-santa-monica-vons?utm_source=Urbanize%2BNewsletter&utm_campaign=c1802a78a1-URBANIZE_WEEKLY_2018_04_16_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f2c8779a36-c1802a78a1-199428569