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New Coalition Endorses Council Slate

08/30/2024 8:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monicans United (SMU), Hospitality Santa Monica and local small business owners will provide significant funding to boost the slate composed of two incumbents and two business owners in the race for four open seats.

Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, Dr. Vivian Roknian and John Putnam will attempt to fend off a rival slate backed by Santa Monica's political establishment that is trying to regain control of the Council.

See Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjv8fnCrnTc

Democrats for a Safer Santa Monica Announces a City Council Slate

08/30/2024 8:41 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The four candidates are: 1) Dr. Vivian Roknian, a long-time resident, oral surgeon, small business owner, and parent; 2) John Putnam, a 30-year resident, a small business owner and parent; 3) Incumbent Mayor Phil Brock and 4) Incumbent Councilmember Oscar de la Torre.

SANTA MONICA, CA – In a powerful demonstration of unity and determination, the residents, business owners, and the hospitality community of Santa Monica have come together to address the city's most pressing challenges. Two key groups, Santa Monicans United and Hospitality Santa Monica, have embarked on a mission to bring about significant change to Santa Monica by identifying and supporting four candidates for the Santa Monica City Council who are committed to turning the city around.

Battle lines drawn for City Council race

08/29/2024 10:35 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Incumbents Phil Brock and Oscar de la Torre are running alongside newcomers Dr. Vivian Roknian and John Putnam under the Safer Santa Monica name. The group is a new iteration of the Change Slate that took three seats in 2020. The original group included Councilwoman Christine Parra but she chose not to run this year, setting the stage for a new alliance. The group will face off against Dan Hall, Natalya Zernitskaya, Ellis Raskin and Barry Snell for the four seats up for election this year.

Report sees city as ‘growth point’ for future construction

08/28/2024 12:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The outlook for 2024-2028 brings Santa Monica into the equation in a big way. Though Long Beach has the most units planned for that stretch of time (3,476), Santa Monica showed a 17.7% increase from its 2019-2023 unit construction (1,126) to its projected 2024-2028 number (1,325). Woodland Hills was seen as another growth point, while LA-area cities like Pasadena, Inglewood and Canoga Park were noted as significant downtowns in the outlook.

Public Safety Unions Deal Blow to Establishment Slate

08/28/2024 11:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Santa Monica Police Officers Association and Santa Monica Firefighters Local 1109 announced Wednesday morning that they will support Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre and candidates Ericka Lesley and Vivian Roknian in the November 5 race for four open Council seats.

November Ballot Order Set

08/27/2024 9:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Rent Board Chair Erika Lesley, who entered the race after failing to win the backing of Santa Monica's political establishment, will top the ballot, followed by incumbent Oscar de la Torre, a member of the Change faction's slim Council majority.

On this year's ballot, Mayor Phil Brock, Vivian Roknian and John Putnam, two small business owners backed by Santa Monicans United (SMU) commend the middle of the ballot.

SM.a.r.t Column: Part 1: The Affordability Crisis: Unmasking California’s RHNA Process and Its Role in Gentrification

08/26/2024 9:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In the world of economic policy, good intentions often pave the way to unintended consequences. Nowhere is this more evident than in California’s approach to its housing crisis through the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process. What began as a well-meaning attempt to address affordability has morphed into a textbook example of misguided intervention, with potentially dire consequences for the very people it aims to help.

Homeless Housing, Needle Distribution on Council Agenda

08/26/2024 9:07 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Members of City Council's Change faction, which is trying to hang on to a slim majority in November's general election, have placed three items on Tuesday's agenda that address the hot-button homeless issue.

Two of the items are efforts to eliminate the County's needle exchange program in City parks, while a third seeks to replace a supportive housing project for the homeless with a senior building.

Construction in the city continues unabated as 1650 Lincoln slowly rises

08/22/2024 9:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The largest and most significant of which is undoubtedly 710 Broadway, the former site of the Vons supermarket. But rapidly catching up is 1430 Lincoln Blvd, 1527 Lincoln Blvd and 711 Colorado Ave.

Proposed New Ordinance Will Ban Distribution of All Drug Paraphernalia from Santa Monica's Public Spaces

08/22/2024 9:21 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica City Councilmember Oscar de la Torre intends to sponsor legislation that will close a loophole in a May ordinance that defunded third-party contractors like the Venice Family Clinic if they distributed needles and drug paraphernalia in the city's public parks. The original language of the ordinance that was passed 6-1 was changed to include only needle distribution and removed reference to "other drug paraphernalia." Accordingly, VFC began distributing glass pipes instead of needles.