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Councilmembers introduce economic and community development plan

12/06/2019 8:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A new economic plan introduced by three Santa Monica City Council members calls for the city to build workforce housing, create a career development plan for youth and help local businesses succeed.

Councilmembers Greg Morena, Ana Jara and Terry O’Day aim to develop a comprehensive economic program to support small businesses and provide residents with job opportunities and training. The plan would also promote development that households making around the Los Angeles area median income of $73,000 can afford, commonly known as workforce housing.

Santa Monica Council Members Took 49 Trips in Past Two Years

12/03/2019 3:04 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

One of the perks of winning a non-paying City Council seat in Santa Monica is traveling at taxpayers' expense -- with Vancouver, Montreal and Bonn, Germany among the destinations.

Over the past two fiscal years, Council members took a total of 49 official trips, an average of about two per month, that cost nearly $60,000, according to travel expense records provided by the City.

Of the current Council members, Kevin McKeown was the most prolific traveler, taking nine trips totaling $13,613.76 in expenses over the past two fiscal years, the records show.

City report rejects calls for downzoning in Pico neighborhood

12/03/2019 8:34 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Preventing renters in Santa Monica’s most diverse neighborhood from being displaced will require stronger eviction protections and more affordable housing, according to a recent report.

A report the city of Santa Monica released last week on preventing gentrification in the Pico neighborhood recommends enhancing tenant protections and building more affordable housing rather than downzoning the neighborhood, as the Pico Neighborhood Association has called for. Pico, a historically Latino and working-class neighborhood, has gentrified in recent years and struggled to retain long-term residents as rents rise.

City Wins Injunction in Tenant Harassment Case

11/27/2019 4:52 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Two landlords accused of repeatedly parking in a tenant's space, tossing belongings from their storage space and filing a false eviction have agreed to a judgment and court injunction, the City Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.

The injunction comes after the City's Consumer Protection Division filed claims against Hsing-Ching Hsieh et al in state court under Santa Monica's Tenant Harassment Ordinance.

AND: https://www.smdp.com/landlords-fined-for-harassing-tenants/183425

City Can Do Little to Stem Gentrification of Pico Neighborhood

11/27/2019 7:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

There is little the City can do to preserve the Pico Neighborhood outside of enhancing tenant protections, according to a report released by the Santa Monica Planning Department Monday.

The report addresses residents' calls to use zoning measures to stem the flood of gentrification plaguing Santa Monica's poorest and most diverse neighborhood and build more affordable housing.

City Halts Landscape Crews' Move to Airport

11/27/2019 7:24 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City will halt work on an $800,000 project to relocate the parks maintenance crews to Santa Monica Airport after neighboring residents vocally opposed the move, the City Manager announced Monday.

In his weekly report to City Councilmembers and staff Monday, City Manager Rick Cole said the City would heed the Airport Commission's recommendation last week and undertake a public process at the start of next year.

Mix reviews for Wellbeing Summit

11/25/2019 7:27 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

About 900 people attended the city of Santa Monica’s inaugural Wellbeing Summit last Saturday, according to event organizers.

Waiting for the cap on rents, California cities push back

11/25/2019 7:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Starting in January, a new state law will prohibit millions of California tenants from facing double-digit rent increases and being evicted unless they violate their leases.

But it’s not January yet.

In the interim, tenants across the state have been complaining that landlords are hiking their rents and issuing no-fault evictions before the law takes effect. And, in response, cities and counties have been passing emergency moratoria to stop it.

In the past six weeks, about three dozen local governments have approved rules to prevent evictions.

Santa Monica Landlord and Tenant Forum is December 4

11/21/2019 8:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 9 a.m. to noon

WHERE: Thelma Terry Building at Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Avenue, Santa Monica

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – On Wednesday, December 4, Rent Control and the Consumer Protection Division of the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office will host the sixth annual Landlord/Tenant Forum.

Exactly Whose Well Being Did Santa Monica Summit, anyway?

11/21/2019 8:27 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City holds a one-day, $250,000 "Wellbeing Summit" to discuss how happy the city's residents are, which made many residents unhappy.