In two blog posts on the City's website this month, Santa Monica's top housing official, Heather Averick, noted that an individual must meet at least one of four criteria to qualify.

They must have lost their housing in Santa Monica, worked in the city when they lost housing, been homeless in the city for at least five years or are a "high utilizer of City services."

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2024/August-2024/08_21_2024_Who_Qualifies_for_New_Supportive_Housing_Projects.html

by  Houman Hemmati MD PhD, Santa Monica

But if you’re tired of seeing our beloved city deteriorate and want a change—if you want safer parks, fewer crimes, more businesses, and common-sense governance— then your choice is clear. Vote for Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, Dr. Vivian Roknian, and John Putnam. They are the candidates who will restore safety, dignity, and opportunity to our vibrant, diverse community.

Read More on page 3: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/082024.pdf

by Cal Matters

In November, California voters will decide the fate of Proposition 5, which would make it easier for local governments to borrow money for housing and various public infrastructure projects. Below, a taxpayer watchdog says Prop. 5 will essentially let governments increase property taxes whenever they want. 

Read More: https://smdp.com/2024/08/19/want-property-taxes-to-go-up-why-california-should-reject-ballot-measure-easing-bond-votes/

There is one statewide proposition on the California November 2024 ballot that I am very concerned about. It is Proposition 33, which enables extremely restrictive rent controls on a state-wide basis. These Proposition 33 proposed rent controls, including homes, condominiums, as well as multifamily complexes, could turn California into a nightmare scenario like NYC after WWII or Santa Monica or West Hollywood for the period of 1978-1995. Proposition 33 would restrict your right to rent your home or condominium, as well as freeze the rents on apartments to the prior level when they vacate.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/19/opinion/heres-why-to-vote-no-on-proposition-33/8413.html

Every once in a while, a topic arises that we had previously written about but doesn’t seem to go away. The Miramar condo/hotel project is such an example. With recent coastal commission approvals and no push back from the City in terms of reduction in scale, etc., and the project looming on the horizon, we thought our readers might want to re-visit our opinion column from 27 April 2018, more than six years ago, and we find, with the information at hand, our opinion and observations have remained the same.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2024/08/sm-a-r-t-column-they-want-to-build-a-wall/

The two candidates for Rent Board -- incumbent Kay Ambriz, who was appointed to the Board in June, and Phillis Dudick -- will assume seats on the five-member board after the number of candidates submitting nominating petitions equaled the number of open seats.

Mayor Phil Brock and Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, who are members of the Council's 4 to 3 Change majority, will be joined by newcomers Dr. Vivian A. Roknian and John Putnam, who are backed by Santa Monicans United (SMU), a newly formed group focused on public safety.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2024/August-2024/08_16_2024_Ballot_Shrinks_as_10_Qualify_for_Council.html

At the end of the board’s August 8 meeting, the board unanimously revised regulations to align with a new state law, prohibiting landlords from collecting a security deposit “in an amount of excess of a month’s rent.” The California legislature recently revised the state’s civil code on deposits, with AB 12 taking effect on July 1 that limits the amount that a landlord can collect for a deposit to one month’s rent, regardless of if a unit is furnished or not.

Read More: https://smdp.com/2024/08/16/rent-control-board-amends-regulation-on-security-deposits-aligning-with-state-lawmakers/

I live on 9th street, a block from three boulevards-Wilshire, Santa Monica, and Lincoln. This means I'm literally surrounded by 8-story "stack and packs," while being told the fiction that this grotesque sop to developers "won't affect the neighborhoods of Santa Monica" and will help "solve homelessness." Ha!

Read More and Sign the Petition: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2024/08/12/opinion/the-lie-of-boulevard-only-development/8420.html

Ottinger Architects is spearheading a new project at 1437 6th Street that aims to provide 172 residential units in Santa Monica’s downtown area. The development, which includes an 18-story multifamily building, will feature 26 deed-restricted affordable units and seeks to blend modern living with community-focused spaces that foster connection and culture.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2024/08/18-story-tower-planned-for-santa-monicas-sixth-street/

That leaves four staunch pro-law enforcement candidates -- including Mayor Phil Brock and Councilmember Oscar de la Torre -- to face off against the four pro-justice reform candidates backed by Santa Monica's political establishment.

The other two law-and-order candidates, Dr. Vivian A. Roknian and John Putnam, who qualified for the ballot on Monday, are backed by Santa Monicans United (SMU), a newly formed group focused on public safety.

In the race for two open Rent Control Board seats, only two candidates, Kay Ambriz, who was appointed to the Board in June, and Phillis Dudick have pulled papers. Ambriz has qualified, while Dudick submitted her petitions Tuesday.

If both qualify, the election will be canceled and the two candidates will assume the open seats. If Dudick fails to qualify, the Rent Board will make an appointment to fill the open seat.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2024/August-2024/08_14_2024_Council_Ballot_Shortened.html