Editor’s note: Primer is an ongoing series of stories providing readers with background on an institution, law, issue or trend that impacts Santa Monica. To suggest a topic, email editor@smdp.com.

The streets of Santa Monica are filled with homeless people in desperate need of housing and services, but only those with the most severe mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders can be forced into inpatient treatment.

The Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act, California’s guiding conservatorship law, allows an individual to be involuntarily confined and treated if they are a danger to themself, a danger to others or gravely disabled because of their mental illness. An individual is considered gravely disabled if they are unable to provide their own food, clothing or shelter, have no third party to help them meet those basic needs and are unwilling or unable to accept treatment.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/primer-conservatorship/185874

1547-7th Street was built 15 years ago, but NMS will tear it down anyway, to add 100 apt Units.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2020/02/08/news/nms-to-tear-down-new-four-story-building-at-1547-7th-street-and-build-8-stories/4422.html

~ The city’s well-being index for 2019 notes that only 20% of Santa Monica residents feel that they have any influence over city decisions. Think of this astounding statistic: 68% of our city’s residents have thought about moving out of Santa Monica in the past three years. Is there any wonder when residents face sky-high taxes? The astronomical sales tax, utility tax, and the doubling of water rates are among the burdens we face living in Santa Monica. Also, there is a helplessness residents feel when it takes months to get a simple permit through city hall or get transparency from our city administration about veiled, back-room decisions.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/02/survival-at-the-edge-of-the-sea/

Event free for Santa Monica residents for the first time ever 

For the first time ever, the Chamber of Commerce and City of Santa Monica’s State of the City will be free for Santa Monica residents. 

“Starting several years ago in discussions with City Managers, we wanted to make sure this event was inclusive and the information that was being provided by the City and the Chamber was available for everyone,” said Laurel Rosen, CEO of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. 

At the January 14 Santa Monica City Council meeting, Mayor Kevin McKeown and Councilmember Greg Morena initiated a request for funds to allow residents to attend State of the City at no cost. 

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/02/big-change-for-state-of-city/

A local affordable housing developer beat out several potential buyers to purchase an apartment building that went up for sale in a rapidly gentrifying Santa Monica neighborhood.

A 40-unit apartment building at 2033-2101 Virginia Ave. was sold last month to Community Corporation of Santa Monica for $13.7 million, real estate company CBRE announced Wednesday. The building stands in the heart of the Pico neighborhood, which has for half a century been home to a working-class Latino community that is now facing rising rents and evictions as the neighborhood gentrifies.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/affordable-housing-developer-buys-pico-apartment-building/185767

A Los Angeles plumbing business was convicted last month for collecting $92,000 from an 82-year old Santa Monica homeowner for what began as routine repair and installation work, City officials announced Wednesday.

Jet Speed Plumbing Inc., dba Ritz Plumbing, was sentenced by a Superior Court judge to three years probation and a disciplinary bond in the amount of $45,000 for illegally overcharging the senior, according to the City Attorneys Office.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/February-2020/02_05_2020_Plumbing_Contractor_Sentenced_for_Defrauding_Elderly_Santa_Monica_Homeowner.html

Santa Monica voters will have the opportunity to vote on local and state initiatives and the Los Angeles County District Attorney race on the same ballot as the March 3 presidential primary. The Santa Monica Daily Press has put together a guide of what you can expect to see on your ballot and how to cast your vote.

There are nine vote centers in Santa Monica and all are open Feb. 22 to March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/what-you-should-know-about-voting-in-santa-monica/185696

Los Angeles leaders have relied on different strategies for slowing the growth in housing prices — limits on rent hikes in older buildings, new restrictions on Airbnb and incentives for developers who build affordable housing.

Now, City Councilman Gil Cedillo has another idea for keeping rents low in his district: Force a landlord in Chinatown to sell its building to the city.

On Friday, Cedillo announced plans for having the Board of Public Works — the agency that oversees sidewalk repairs, street repaving and the construction of bridges — use its power of eminent domain to acquire a 124-unit apartment building from landlord Thomas Botz.

Read More: https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2020-02-03/la-me-eminent-doman-proposal-rent-hikes

For the past five weeks, individuals arrested in Santa Monica on nonviolent drug charges have had the option to enter substance abuse treatment before facing a judge.

The Joint Outreach and Linkage to Treatment, or JOLT program, allows individuals in Santa Monica Police Department custody to immediately start a month-long course of treatment at a local addiction center before appearing in court. The city of Santa Monica is funding the program in the hopes that meaningful treatment will divert low-level drug offenders away from the criminal justice system.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/drug-offenders-accept-substance-abuse-treatment-under-new-program/185623

It is a new year, and as most people have already made and broken their 2020 resolutions, more straight talk about Santa Monica is in order. Yes, our eyes are wide open about the city we love.

~ Our City Council has spent between $10 Million and $20 Million challenging a superior court ruling that district elections are necessary. A law firm sent many cities an identical letter a few years ago, alleging that our “at-large” election system violated the California Voting Rights Act.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2020/01/sma-r-t-column-i-can-see-clearly-now-20-20-vision/