In alignment with the city’s strategic priority of fostering Economic Growth & Cultural Vitality, the city of Santa Monica’s Building and Safety Division continues to update processes to allow businesses and residents to get projects permitted and built faster. 

The latest tools and resources available include: 

1. Express Permits

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/economic-growth-cultural-vitality-five-ways-santa-monica-is-streamlining-permitting-processes-for-businesses-and-residents

Despite being ruled unconstitutional by a Superior Court judge, Santa Monica can continue implementing a State law that allows multi-family buildings on single family lots, City Attorney Doug Sloan said Friday.

While the April 22 ruling by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin applies to charter cities like Santa Monica, it "is not binding on any other party except those involved in the litigation," Sloan wrote in an update on Senate Bill 9 (SB9)

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2024/May-2024/05_03_2024_Santa_Monica_Can_Implement_Housing_Law_Ruled_Unconstitutional.html

At the April 11 meeting of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, legislative advocate Brian Augusta presented key bills making their way through state government pertaining to rent control and tenant protection. 

Read More on page 1: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/050324.pdf

Meanwhile, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez has begun pushing for new safeguards to ensure that projects submitted under the ED1 program do not result in the rapid demolition of rent-stabilized apartments in her Eastside district.

Read More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/affordable-housing-at-the-expense-of-existing-tenants-l-a-council-seeks-new-protections/ar-AA1o3ky8?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=92b2fbe0a41e483fa8ec1e3c07f9decf&ei=22

A monthly poll of "civically engaged" Santa Monica residents found that more than 80 percent oppose the construction of a $1 million per unit apartment building for the homeless.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2024/April-2024/05_01_2024_Monthly_Poll_Shows_Overwhelming_Opposition_to_%20Homeless_Housing_Project.html

 THURSDAY | MAY 2

Designed for owners and managers, this seminar will cover basics of the rent control law and your rights and responsibilities, how to use the CIVICS portal for online filing of registration forms, petitions and exemption applications and demonstrate filing a tenancy registration form. Begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. To sign up, visit: https://forms.office.com/pages/ responsepage

If you took a true-life script across town to a Hollywood showrunner, about what goes on here, especially the politics, you’d have it thrown back in your lap with, give us something at least slightly believable.

Read More: https://smdp.com/2024/05/01/real-solutions-in-dc-or-vienna/

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Task Force on Homelessness, alongside USCM President Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve and Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock, is spearheading a bipartisan coalition of nearly 50 mayors from 18 states to address the nationwide homelessness crisis. The delegation is representing over 17 million people in Washington, D.C., to advocate for national solutions.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2024/04/mayor-karen-bass-and-mayor-phil-brock-converge-on-d-c-to-tackle-homelessness-crisis/

The City next month will take a major step in planning for the future of Santa Monica Airport amid lingering concerns that some of the land will be used for housing or that the airport will stay open.

Airport officials updated the City Council on Monday with an Information item outlining the steps necessary "to close the airport as of midnight on December 31, 2028."

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2024/April-2024/04_30_2024_Community_Process_to_Chart_Airports_Future_Kicks_Off.html

Responding to concerns about how some rent- controlled units could be lost as a result of streamlining initiatives for affordable housing, the Los Angeles City Council took steps Tuesday to impose temporary regulations until appropriate land use controls are made.

Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez's motion applies only to a particular area within her First District, and aims to establish a discretionary review process allowing the "demolition, building, use of land, grading and any other applicable permits" of properties containing five or more rent-controlled units or units that have been vacated as a result of the Ellis Act within five years.

Read More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/l-a-council-looking-to-secure-rent-controlled-units-via-interim-control-ordinance/ar-AA1nWUed?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=440251b9fc5e4d2182787f49613b3bb2&ei=34