ACTION Apartment Association

U.S. Small Business Admin. Announces Disaster Declaration For LA County

11/19/2018 8:41 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a disaster declaration for Los Angeles County that will make low-interest federal disaster loans available to businesses and residents impacted by the Woolsey Fire announced SBA Administrator Linda McMahon. This SBA disaster declaration covers Los Angeles, Butte and Ventura counties as a result of the wildfires that began in California this month.

NMS formally loses control of disputed properties

11/19/2018 8:34 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The much delayed and highly contentious sale of several Santa Monica apartment buildings continued recently with a judge officially handing control of the property to a new owner.

San Francisco based SPI Holdings is now in control of nine local properties that were once part of a joint venture between Neil Shekhter/NMS Capital Partners and a subsidiary hedge fund AEW. The dispute between Shekhter and AEW in the “Lincoln Studios” case had stalled the official transfer of ownership to SPI while the larger saga played out.

The properties involved in the litigation include the Lido at 1440 5th Street, Quonset at 829 Broadway, Lincoln Walk at 1447 Lincoln Blvd, San Marco at 1420 5th Street, Rapallo at 1430 5th Street, Luxe Broadway at 1502 Broadway and 1511 15th Street. One other property is in Los Angeles: 9901 Washington Blvd, and another is in West Hollywood: Luxe La Cienega at 375 N. La Cienega Boulevard.

Clean Power is Coming to Santa Monica

11/19/2018 8:26 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Starting in 2019, Santa Monica electricity customers will be served by a new entity called the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA). CPA will offer customers competitively priced electricity sourced from 100%, 50% or 36% renewable energy. Nothing else changes -- Southern California Edison (SCE) will continue to deliver power to customers, send the bills, and be responsible for resolving any electricity service issues.

Clean Power Alliance (CPA) will offer three-tier rate options:

100% renewable (7-9% cost premium compared to SCE)
50% renewable (0-1% discount compared to SCE)
36% renewable energy (1% discount compared to SCE)

City Says Hands Are Tied in Addressing Homelessness in Parks

11/19/2018 8:10 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

“Homelessness is not a crime,” says City Attorney.

Referring to a recent RPC survey, Smith said that 84 percent of participants “expressed concerns of homelessness in parks.” Smith went through some of the recent incidents that have come to light.

City Attorney Lane Dilg weighed in on the topic.

“There are some circumstances, including on the beach, where people would like to see enforcement in a different manner,” Dilg said. “We certainly cannot in any way target homeless people for enforcement, we have to apply laws equally […] Homelessness itself is not a crime.”

Dearth of relevant projects leave impact of Measure SM in question

11/16/2018 12:51 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Few, if any, projects are directly impacted by the passage of Measure SM this month but there’s consensus that the measure will give developers pause before submitting some projects.

Voters approved Measure SM on Nov. 6 with about 71 percent of the vote and it will be in effect for the next 10 years. The measure will require five out of seven City Council members to approve requests to amend the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) and Downtown Community Plan (DCP).

“Yes on SM means developers need not come to Santa Monica with plan-busting projects unless they’re confident the benefits are so spectacular that five, not just four, Councilmembers will agree.”

Apartments.com’s Santa Monica Store

11/16/2018 12:41 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Most online tech companies are doing away with normal brick and mortar establishments. However, Apartments.com just opened up a storefront in Santa Monica.

See video: https://smmirror.com/2018/11/edify-tv-apartments-coms-santa-monica-store/

Attorney in Voting Rights Case “99 Percent Certain” City Will Change to District Elections

11/16/2018 12:40 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos has ruled in favor of the Pico Neighborhood Association in a voting rights case against the City of Santa Monica, putting the future of at-large elections at stake in the City. The decision, which was handed down on November 5 and filed on November 8, was released to the public on November 13, says at-large elections in Santa Monica are in violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CRVA).

Both sides will appear in court December 7 for a post-trial hearing to decide the appropriate solution for violating the CVRA.

While the City said they plan on appealing the ruling, R. Rex Parris of Parris Law Firm, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told the Santa Monica Mirror that he is “99 percent certain” Santa Monica will change to district-based elections.

City Council Orders Study Session on Park Safety

11/16/2018 12:37 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday took steps to address resident fears that Santa Monica's Parks are increasingly being taken over by the homeless.

Careful to separate the issues of crime and homelessness, the Council voted to hold a study session on public satiety in the parks early next year.

Council hears resident pleas for safer parks

11/15/2018 8:36 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Hill and several other residents who spoke at the meeting called on the City to increase police presence in the city’s parks and deploy more maintenance workers to clean up needles and human waste.

County Votes To Cap Rent Increases

11/15/2018 8:31 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

LA County Supervisors voted in favor of an ordinance to temporarily limit rent increases to 3 percent in unincorporated areas of the county.