ACTION Apartment Association

Newsom signs AB 1482, capping rent hikes

10/08/2019 5:02 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In a move aimed at stemming the tide of skyrocketing rents that have helped spur a statewide housing crisis, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a sweeping rent cap bill into law Tuesday.

Governor to sign AB 1482 today

10/08/2019 1:50 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that he will sign Assembly Bill 1482 this afternoon, enacting rent control in California in 2020.

California puts $15 billion schools bond on March ballot

10/08/2019 9:05 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Californians will vote next year whether the state should issue $15 billion in bonds for school construction and modernization projects.

SMPD Chief Cynthia Renaud's Quarterly Crime Update

10/08/2019 8:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In the last month, Santa Monica has experienced a handful of unique and high-profile incidents that attracted media coverage and news helicopters. I understand how that may cause some to feel unsafe. I want to reassure when crimes occur you have an extremely professional and highly trained police force working to keep you safe every day.

For the year to date, we are experiencing a 15 percent decrease in our Part 1 crimes. These crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and motor vehicle theft. We have not seen a decrease like this in a few years.

AND: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/October-2019/10_08_2019_Crime_Dropped_in_Santa_Monica_During_First_Nine_Months_of_Year.html

Downtown Santa Monica Among Nation's Most Expensive Zip Codes for Renters

10/08/2019 8:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Downtown Santa Monica ranked among the nation's 50 most expensive Zip codes to rent an apartment, but was topped by four other areas around Los Angeles, according to an annual ranking by an online rental website.

The list, released last week by RENTCafe, ranked 90401 as the 43rd most expensie Zip code for renters in 2019, with an average rent of $3,787.

Landlords say state rent caps may force them to raise rents more frequently

10/08/2019 7:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Prominent landlord attorney Dennis Block stood before a crowd of more than 200 at an apartment owners trade show in Pasadena and, to laughs, boasted of having evicted “more tenants than anybody else on the planet Earth.”

Block said he was proud to enforce what he said America was built on: property rights. He then talked about the “scourge of this new statewide rent control that is coming up” and offered some ways that landlords could evade rules that as of Jan. 1 would cap annual increases for tenants at 5% plus inflation and require “just cause” to evict.

Preserving Our Diversity (POD) - Applications

10/07/2019 8:26 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Program Status

The Preserving Our Diversity (POD) program provides financial assistance to extremely low-income, long-term Santa Monica residents, aged 65 and older, who live in rent-controlled apartments and whose inability to pay rent may result in displacement from Santa Monica.

Beginning Monday, November 4, 2019, 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time), register for an application for the POD program.

LA City Council member proposes housing homeless residents in existing units

10/07/2019 8:20 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Los Angeles City Council member representing Venice introduced legislation Wednesday to expand two programs that have quickly housed thousands of people experiencing homelessness.

Councilmember Mike Bonin wrote in the motion he introduced last week that local social service agencies operating with new funding and more outreach workers are still often unable to find housing for people who want it. Rather than waiting for the 10,000 homes promised under the $1.2 billion bond measure Proposition HHH to come online, Bonin urged the city and county to expand programs that use existing rental units to house people living on the streets.

Wellbeing Summit: Santa Monica’s vision

10/07/2019 8:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

On Saturday, November 16, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., we are convening the first annual Wellbeing Summit to build on the work that has been done to accomplish that promise. Our goal is to bring together 1000 community members from every corner of our community: residents, businesspeople, civic leaders and activists, health professionals, educators and City staff to explore how Wellbeing focuses our attention on what matters most.

Santa Monica Tops List of Westside Cities with Most Registered Sex Offenders

10/07/2019 8:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

When Guido Germano, a former medical director at Cedars Sinai, registers by court order as a sex offender, he will join 55 other Santa Monica residents on California's Megan's list.

The other offenders on the list compiled under the State's 1996 Megan's law makes Santa Monica the Westside community with the most registered sex offenders, according to an analysis by the Lookout.