My apartment door won’t close and lock. This leaves me concerned for my safety and the security of my belongings.

I have made many attempts to have my landlord fix this issue. No luck. Perplexing, as a landlord, isn’t there some responsibility to resolve this issue in some timely fashion? I was sure he would be concerned about my safety and security.

A month later, I am losing my faith in his commitment to my safety.

Read More: https://www.actiontakesaction.com/admin/website/system-pages/?pageId=1837908

On February 5, 2008, the voters of Santa Monica and Malibu approved by 73.03% the Measure R parcel tax, which combines and replaces the previous Measures Y and S parcel taxes, contains a CPI-U adjustment, and allows those senior citizens who meet the following criteria to be exempted from the tax:

• Senior property owner must be at least 65 years of age by June 30th for the year the exemption application is submitted
• Senior must own and be residing in their property as their primary residence

Read More: http://www.smmusd.org/fiscal/senior_exempt.html

By Kip Dellinger

The Lookout’s article "Santa Monica’s Newer Renters Pay More than Double What Long-Time Tenants Pay" (April 1, 2019 ) based on the Rent Control Board’s annual report is interesting and informative.

However, the agency's report reads like an apologia for the use of government power to achieve the theft of what amounts to $4 billion a year in property value.

Of course, it is couched in language that implies that post-Costa Hawkins tenants are somehow victims of increased rents they willingly contracted to pay and which are, in fact, ‘controlled’ from that point on.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2019/04_08_2019_OPINION_Rents_in_Santa_Monica.html

by SM.a.r.t.

Six new apartment projects, all with 100 percent micro units, have been proposed for Santa Monica’s downtown. The developer is claiming that a normal mix of unit types is “financially unsustainable” without his proposed higher unit count. The Council’s reaction to these projects is a temporary ban on single units less than 375 square feet. Unfortunately, this response is symptomatic of the city’s overall approach – one of piecemeal planning at every level, from the study of SRO’s (single resident occupancies) to separate plans for our downtown, Bergamot, SM airport, the Civic Center, 4th & Arizona, the Promenade, etc, etc. “Knee-jerk” planning decisions are taken instead of an overall approach, a master plan that takes into account a diverse urban lifestyle. It is unconscionable that our city has never undertaken such a fundamental task in its 134-year history.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2019/04/micro-thinking-without-master-planning/

City looking to streamline outreach services.

At their regular meeting Tuesday, March 26 Santa Monica City Council voted to award $2,610,000 on communications and outreach services to third-party vendors.

Agenda item 3.D, which passed by a 5-1 vote, awarded contracts to 15 companies to provide all City of Santa Monica Departments as-needed communications and outreach services.

Councilmember Sue Himmelrich was the only Councilmember to vote against the proposal.

According to city staff, each two-year contract will not exceed $174,000 per company, meaning the City could spend up to $2,610,000 over the next two years.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2019/04/pr-firm-santa-monica/

The Silicon Beach economy is maturing and evolving according to global law firm Goodwin who have recently announced plans to set up a new practice in Santa Monica dedicated to private equity and technology.

The new office will be located at 520 Broadway in Santa Monica. It will initially take up more than 20,000 square feet over the building’s entire fifth floor. A.J. Weidhaas, Co-Chair of the firm’s Private Equity practice, will serve as the Santa Monica Office Chair. The office will be home to approximately 20 technology and private equity lawyers, including current Goodwin lawyers who will relocate and lateral talent.

Weidhaas said opening an office in Santa Monica is necessary due to the logistical and cultural constraints of Silicon Beach.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/continued-evolution-of-silicon-beach-economy-brings-new-companies-into-and-out-of-town/174053

The City owns 1318 4th St., which is currently home to Parking Structure No. 3. The structure is heavily used but has long been slated for demolition, and the City designed Parking Structure No. 6 to replace the parking capacity that would be lost. Fewer drivers are using the downtown public parking structures, City staff said.

The City worked with two companies for more than a decade to replace the structure with a movie theater, but both companies have withdrawn from negotiations. On Tuesday, City Council could approve a plan to solicit proposals to build 100 to 150 affordable apartments on the site.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/downtown-parking-structure-could-become-new-housing/174050

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this week affirmed the City of Santa Monica’s Home-Sharing Ordinance in the face of a challenge brought by Airbnb and Homeaway.com. This ruling confirms the City’s right to regulate home sharing in order to protect its limited housing stock for residents.

The district court and now a unanimous panel of three Ninth Circuit judges have agreed that the City’s Home-Sharing Ordinance is a lawful housing and rental regulation with the “central and significant goal” of preserving the City’s “housing stock and preserving the quality and nature of residential neighborhoods.”

Read More: https://smmirror.com/federal-court-uphold-citys-homeshare-ban/

Starting next month, Santa Monica businesses will begin receiving 100 percent green power through the city's new default energy provider, City officials said Thursday.

The businesses -- which account for 75 percent of Santa Monica's electricity demand -- will follow the lead of residents, who began using the Clean Power Alliance (CPA) as their energy provider in February.

City officials said the transition to the government-run power agency "will have a huge impact on reducing Santa Monica’s greenhouse gas emissions."

Customers can choose between three tiers -- 100 percent, 50 percent and 36 percent -- offered by the CPA, which requires its member cities to select a default rate option.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/April-2019/04_04_2019_Santa_Monica_Businesses_to_Begin_Receiving_100_Percent_Green_Energy.html

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/04/04/santa-monica-businesses-transition-to-green-power-starting-in-may

In early April, Santa Monica will launch the Citywide Dashboard, which is designed to provide transparency in the City’s efforts to use data to drive decisions to achieve community outcomes.

Starting in 2017, the City began organizing work efforts around outcomes in the strategic vision for our City called our “Framework for a Sustainable City of Wellbeing.” The Framework outcomes are: Connected and Engaged Community (Community); Inclusive, Affordable and Diverse Local Economy (Economic Opportunity); Reliable, Effective and Efficient Government (Governance); Physical, Mental and Environmental Health (Health); Lifelong Opportunities for Personal Growth (Learning); Resilient Built and Natural Environment (Place and Planet); A Safe Place for All (Safety). Each of these seven outcomes includes outcome metrics, all backed by current and relevant data, to help us understand whether we are on track to achieve these outcomes.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/a-clearer-picture-with-the-citywide-dashboard

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/04/09/new-performance-dashboard-shares-progress-on-community-outcomes-with-the-public