ACTION Apartment Association

City Still Considering Appeal in Voting Rights Case

12/21/2018 8:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica says they are “pleased” with a judge’s recent tentative decision in the voting rights against the city but are still considering an appealing after a final ruling has been issued. An attorney representing the plaintiffs, however, says that an appeal may not be granted while claiming that the current City Council is sitting illegally.

Last week, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos issued a tentative decision in the voting rights case against the City of Santa Monica ordering the future elections in the City be district-based.

“We are pleased that the court appears to have affirmed that any district-based system imposed in Santa Monica will be drawn with a Pico Neighborhood district as set forth by the court but with public hearings and a full opportunity for community input with respect to other districts,” Dilg said.

Motion passes that would extend price gouging protections for Woolsey impacted

12/20/2018 8:18 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Today the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion authored by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl that extends price gouging protections for those impacted by the Woolsey Fire. The protection will continue for as long as the Board of Supervisors’ disaster declaration remains in effect.

The Board’s action today means that L.A. County businesses cannot increase the price of vital and necessary goods and services (like food, lodging, and gasoline), more than 10 percent within 30 days of a declared emergency, including hotels and rental units, and within 180 days for any contractor-related services, such as repair and reconstruction services.

New mayor seeks to inform residents and encourage civility

12/20/2018 8:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica’s new mayor wants to encourage civility and keep residents informed of what City Hall is doing in a political climate she said is often marked by tribalism and misinformation.

City Council selected Mayor Gleam Davis to serve for one year in a 4-3 vote. (Terry O’Day will serve as Mayor Pro Tempore.) Davis said she aims to continue the work Council has done to address issues like homelessness, crime, housing and transportation, although she warned that a looming recession could change Council’s priorities.

Council Takes Steps to Curb 'Medium-Term Rentals'

12/19/2018 9:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council Tuesday night took initial steps to curb "short-term rentals," formerly known as corporate rentals, which City officials say are eroding Santa Monica's rent-controlled housing.

The Council unanimously directed staff to draft an ordinance that could, among other things, restrict lessees to individuals and not corporations and require leases to be a minimum of 12 months.

The proposed law -- which would only apply to units in residential zones -- also could raise the fines and penalties for violators, impose a tax on units that are vacant and bar advertising of the units.

2018 Could Change the Course of Santa Monica Politics

12/19/2018 9:02 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica politics may never be the same after 2018. A voting rights lawsuit could pave the way for City Council Districts and a voter-approved initiative will restrict council members to three terms.

For only the third time in a quarter century, a Council member lost a bid for re-election, and for what is likely the first time, another Council member will step down after being elected to a statewide seat.

Here are the Lookout's top political stories of 2018.

Real Estate Agent Who Violated Santa Monica Homeshare Law Gets Increased Sentence

12/19/2018 9:01 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A local real estate agent who violated his diversion terms after being convicted of running an illegal vacation rental business in Santa Monica received an increased sentence last week, the City Attorney's office said Tuesday.

Shabi Jafri -- who unlawfully removed nine units from the city's rental housing market -- continued to engage in unlawful activities shortly after being sentenced in June to perform 140 hours of community service and pay the City $3,600.25 in investigation costs.

AND

https://smmirror.com/2018/12/convicted-illegal-vacation-rental-business-operator/

Allen bill tries to streamline affordable housing construction

12/17/2018 10:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The California state senator representing Santa Monica is looking to put a referendum on the ballot in 2020 that will make it easier for cities to build affordable housing.

Sen. Ben Allen is proposing repealing an amendment to the California state constitution voters approved in 1950 that requires cities to hold a citywide vote before funding any affordable housing project. Many cities work around Article 34 by asking residents to approve certain numbers of affordable units, creating a pool of approved units developers can then pull from to build new projects.

Venice Shelter Brings 150+ Beds to Westside

12/17/2018 10:43 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

On Tuesday, December 11, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a plan to build a bridge housing shelter at the old Metro Transit Authority (MTA) lot on Main Street in Venice, less than 2,000 feet from Santa Monica, a proposal that has been a topic of heated debate among many local residents.

Venice has the highest concentration of homeless individuals on the Westside, with nearly 1,000 people experiencing homelessness and according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and 85 percent of these people are unsheltered.

“If we keep saying no to housing and to shelter, we allow the status quo to continue,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents Venice.

AND: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2018/12/15/news/venice-homeless-shelter-approved-154-beds-for-temp-shelter/3761.html

Council to debate options for evicting corporate housing from the city

12/15/2018 3:58 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City Council will embark on a wide-ranging discussion of corporate housing in Santa Monica at their Tuesday meeting to eventually craft more specific rules that will prevent permanent housing from being used for temporary residences.

According to City Staff, the corporate housing problem is still small compared to the broader housing market but there are signs developers and landlords are looking to explore the corporate housing market. Staff said existing rules do not adequately cover the kinds of housing options available and direction is needed from Council to guide new policies.

12 Story Building Proposed for 4th Street and Arizona Goes to Planning Commission

12/15/2018 3:48 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A draft environmental impact report has been released for a controversial mixed-use project proposed for the corner of 4th Street and Arizona Avenue in downtown Santa Monica. The project is somewhat scaled back from its original conception where it would have risen to 148 feet in height. This version reaches 129 feet (12 stories) at its highest, which would be along a new east-west alley in the middle of the block.