If you are wondering how your tax dollars are spent on addressing the homeless crisis in Santa Monica, do not ask the City as they would likely not be able to answer.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/02/23/opinion/is-it-time-for-a-taxpayer-lawsuit-regarding-homeless-services-in-santa-monica/5337.html

Prior relaunches of the Promenade (nee Santa Monica Mall) were easy compared to the challenge today, with novel open air formats from around the country as a guide, and little local competition.  Heavy residential patronage was a built-in business base as the heavily marketed tourist segment had not launched.  The retail business models were steady with ample growth opportunities.  Parking was ample, convenient and safe in a clean environment.  Today, we have critical sanitation and safety issues.  

What is clear is that any revitalization has to be as innovative as the challenge is unprecedented.    

Strategic Focus and Management Challenges

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/02/promenade-now-back-to-the-future/

Join us at the February 23 City Council meeting to hear a comprehensive update and be part of finding new solutions to address homelessness in our community to ensure safe and clean public spaces for all.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/comprehensive-update-on-addressing-homelessness-in-santa-monica-planned-for-february-23-city-council-meeting

AND: City Council readies for homelessness, affordable housing discussions - Santa Monica Daily Press (smdp.com)

City of Santa Monica launched the application period for a five-member advisory board focused on the We Are Santa Monica Fund, a donor advised fund (DAF) managed by California Community Foundation (CCF). 

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/02/19/city-of-santa-monica-seeking-applicants-for-new-we-are-santa-monica-advisory-board

It’s true those lawmakers still insist on pushing bills to make California cities of all sizes and shapes far denser than ever. But some at last appear willing to admit that things have changed in the last year.

No legislator will say a housing solution is at hand, but one new bill’s very presence in the Legislature shows an awareness that was missing last year.

That bill is for the moment called Senate Bill 6, part of a housing package introduced in the state Senate within moments of the current session’s opening. Specific terms of SB6 are not yet spelled out; the measure for the moment is basically a blank, but with a stated purpose.

That is to make it mandatory for cities and counties to allow rezoning when office buildings are converted to residential or mixed-use.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/02/housing-backers-start-facing-post-pandemic-reality/

The departure of Bloomingdales will expand the current 11% floorspace vacancy rate to over 30%. 

But this is a movie we have seen before. We are in the second decline cycle for The Promenade (originally known as the Santa Monica Mall). Primarily due to the City’s reactionary downtown business strategy, the business cycles of SM Place and The Promenade have been fortuitously counter-cyclical since 1965. Now, for the first time, downtown Santa Monica is experiencing simultaneous declines at both the Promenade and SM Place.  However, this problem creates new opportunities.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/02/sma-r-t-column-the-promenade-leaving-the-past-to-reimagine-its-future/

The City of Santa Monica will receive a total of nearly $9 million from the State to finance affordable housing projects, officials announced Friday.

The California Local Housing Trust Program (LHTF) -- which provides a State match to qualifying local housing trust funds -- awarded the City $5 million.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/February-2021/02_19_2021_Santa_Monica_Receives_Nearly_9_million_for_Affordable_Housing.html

Santa Monica’s first civilian police oversight body is now accepting applications from residents who feel they are qualified to promote the best practices in community-oriented policing.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/public-safety-reform-oversight-commission-begins-accepting-applications/202073

By Wes Wellman

 I see us heading into four concurrent eras.

Emergency Era

We are nearing the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 emergency declarations under which government at all levels assumed unfettered authoritarian control over virtually every aspects of our lives.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2021/02_18_2021_OPINION_A_Santa_Monica_Apartment_Owners_View_of_the_%20COVID_19_Fallout.html

An update provided Thursday by Code Enforcement Manager Sharon Guidry sheds lights on the efforts the City has rolled out to make sure residents, visitors, businesses and construction workers are complying with emergency orders.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/February-2021/02_18_2021_Santa_Monica_Boosts_Enforcement_of_COVID_19_Emergency_Orders.html