By Seema Verma

Administrator, U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

If you have Medicare and want to be tested for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Trump Administration has good news.

Medicare covers tests with no out-of-pocket costs. You can get tested in your home, doctor’s office, a local pharmacy or hospital, a nursing home, or a drive-through site. Medicare does not require a doctor’s order for you to get tested.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/got-medicare-get-a-no-cost-test-for-covid-19/191606

Santa Monica City Council will vote Tuesday whether to allocate $6.4 million in funding to programs that would otherwise be on the chopping block as the city seeks to bridge a $224 million budget deficit.

The city would expand its Preserving Our Diversity (POD) rent subsidy program for low-income seniors to anywhere from 250 to 450 households. Two as-needed staff would support the program.

An additional 307 eligible households — not just elderly residents — would receive rental assistance for three months through a $1.6 million fund made available in the CARES Act and $250,000 in city funding.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/city-council-to-restore-funding-for-some-programs/191454

Two major afterschool programs will be up and running, park recreational facilities restored and vulnerable renters will be assured of staying in their homes under City programs the Council is expected to restore Tuesday.

The biggest portion of the funding would ensure that residents are fed and housed after the shutdown dealt an economic blow to already vulnerable tenants and the poor.

A total of $2 million in one-time funding from the Housing Trust Fund would help between 250 and 450 senior households struggling to pay their rent stay in their rent-controlled apartments.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/May-2020/05_22_2020_City_Releases_Plan_to_Restore_Programs_Services.html

As undoubtedly you’ve heard, the City of Santa Monica and therefore its residents have entered a disastrous multi-year dive because the coronavirus crushed our sales tax, parking income (including parking tickets), hotel tax, tourist income and dozens of other sources of City income. These multi million dollar downward trends had already started before the virus, but now they have accelerated to terminal velocity making a “soft landing” impossible. Naturally massive City staff layoffs are being considered, along with deferred capital improvements, and now the consolidation and or elimination of the 18 public City Boards, Commissions, Task Forces, and Committees is being considered.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/05/landmarks-commission-dead-or-alive/

Last month, with Santa Monica facing a devastating economic crisis, Lane Dilg — a Yale Law School graduate and the city’s previous City Attorney — was unanimously voted Interim City Manager by Santa Monica’s City Council, on the same day the council accepted the resignation of longtime City Manager Rick Cole. She is now tasked with navigating the city through perhaps the most challenging era in its history.

Her colleagues believe she is up to it.

“Santa Monica is fortunate indeed to have as Interim City Manager someone as qualified and prepared to lead as Lane Dilg,” said Santa Monica Mayor Kevin McKeown in a statement, adding that the job “might be impossible” for someone else.

Read More: https://argonautnews.com/tackling-tough-times/

Development agreements for housing projects in downtown Santa Monica could soon be a thing of the past.

The Planning Commission voted 5-2 Wednesday to recommend that City Council to eliminate development agreements for downtown housing projects larger than 90,000 square feet and process such projects through a simpler development review permit. 

Large housing projects would still go through public planning and design review hearings, Lambert added. Although the future of the Architectural Review Board is up in the air because of the city’s budget crisis, the Planning Commission will recommend that City Council maintain a public design review process for major projects. 

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/planning-commission-supports-eliminating-downtown-development-agreements/191357

Santa Monica’s largest affordable housing developer is planning to construct 48 apartments on Pico Boulevard across the street from Santa Monica College. 

Community Corporation of Santa Monica plans to demolish a church at 1819 Pico Blvd. to construct a four-story building for low-income renters. In addition to apartments, the 46-foot-tall building will house a food hall and community room on its ground floor, according to an Architectural Review Board report. Community Corp. plans to include 49 underground parking spaces and 109 bicycle stalls in the project.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/community-corp-to-build-48-affordable-apartments-on-pico-boulevard/191229

The City of Santa Monica, facing a $224 million budget deficit, continues to appeal a court ruling mandating district elections–spending by some estimates over $10 million– saying that there are no further legal costs, a claim a lawyer for the plaintiffs describes as “disingenuous”.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/05/santa-monica-continues-district-election-appeal-despite-budget-deficit/

Today, the City of Santa Monica launched a new Economic Recovery section on its website santamonica.gov featuring a community survey and “Santa Monica Cares” business toolkit to aid the community with restarting the economy after the devastating impacts of COVID-19.  The new web pages will serve as a hub for community and business-related information throughout the Santa Monica recovery effort.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/05/19/city-launches-new-section-of-santamonica-gov-focused-on-economic-recovery-and-community-resources

The Santa Monica Rent Control Board asked staff on Thursday to explore the possibility of a rent freeze before voting to allow landlords to increase rents by 1.4 percent next month.

The proposed increase -- which will likely be capped at $32 per month for rents of $2,250 and higher -- is based on a calculation called for in the rent control charter.

The Board is scheduled to finalize the rent adjustments at it June 11 meeting.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/May-2020/05_20_2020_Rent_Board_Sets_Rent_Adjustment.html