Santa Monicans may not always see eye to eye with each other or City Hall, said Mayor Gleam Davis.

That doesn’t mean they can’t work together to solve Santa Monica’s problems, she said.

“It’s okay to complain. I know things are not perfect, but complaining only identifies the problem,” Davis said in her closing remarks at the State of the City Wednesday night. “Help us do the harder and more satisfying work of bringing real solutions to the more difficult problems that we all collectively face.”

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/communication-and-civility-seen-as-challenges-at-state-of-the-city/172685

by attorney Kevin Shenkman

Mr. Koury, in his most recent letter to the editor attempts to create an alternate reality by proclaiming what he calls “facts” (“Voting Rights Attorney Stands to Make Millions,” February 4, 2019).

Mr. Koury hopes that he can confuse the public into believing those alternative “facts.” That is truly dangerous, both in Santa Monica and our nation as a whole.

Had the Santa Monica City Council brought its elections into compliance with the law when we raised the issue in 2015, we would be paid $0.00 -- but they were too arrogant to believe that they, too, are required to comply with the California Voting Rights Act and the California Constitution.

Read More: http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2019/02_06_2019_LETTERS_Alternative_Facts_About_Voting_Rights_Case_Truly_%20Dangerous.html

City resolves 11 housing discrimination complaints in favor of Section 8 tenants

The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office (CAO) has just resolved its eleventh complaint of housing discrimination using a new city law that protects Section 8 housing voucher holders. In each of the eleven cases, local landlords had told an applicant or existing tenant that they would not accept Section 8 tenants or vouchers. After the CAO’s intervention, all eleven tenants now have affordable housing using the Section 8 program. Santa Monica City Council added “source of income” to the City’s list of tenant classes that are protected from discrimination. (Race, national origin, disability, family and other classes are already protected by state and federal fair housing laws.) This new law now prevents landlords from refusing to rent to a person based on government-sponsored assistance like Section 8. It does not require landlords to reduce rents.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/02/06/santa-monica-s-enforcement-of-section-8-housing-protection-law-off-to-a-successful-start

Recently, Community Corp opened The Arroyo on Lincoln Boulevard. The newly constructed, LEED Platinum-certified building provides 64 affordable homes in downtown Santa Monica.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/64-new-affordable-homes-open-at-arroyo

Tickets are still available for Santa Monica’s annual State of the City presentation on Wednesday afternoon at the SGI World Peace Auditorium.

The annual event is hosted by the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and features a panel of City officials and/or industry experts discussing some of the city’s most pressing issues.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/state-of-the-city-to-be-presented-wednesday-night/172559

Members of the public allege the Commission failed the community by ignoring reports of failures, neglect and abuse

At the Commission's 1/28/19 meeting multiple speakers expressed their frustration with the Commission's reluctance to act. Public comments by Olga Zurawska are below.

The Santa Monica Social Services Commission has been hearing about the failures of the City's homeless services provider, OPCC dba The People Concern, for about fourteen months now.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2019/02/04/news/call-for-citys-social-services-commission-to-resign-over-the-people-concern-scandal/3803.html

There's likely another concerning explanation behind Jara's seat on the Council: her established relationship with Unite Here Local 11.

Jara and Local 11 go way back. She volunteered on the campaign to pass the union-backed “living wage” ordinance in 2002. A couple years later in 2004, she earned the union’s endorsement for a position on the school board. It seems that more than a decade ago, the two established a quid pro quo.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2019/02_04_2019_OPINION_Is_Ana_Jara_Really_an_Independent_Voice_on_the_City_Council.html

In her testimony in the voting rights lawsuit against the City newly appointed Councilmember Ana Jara provided insight into her views and positions (Read Part I here).

This is the second and last installment of excerpts from her testimony on September 10, 2018. It includes the cross examination by plaintiffs' attorney Andrea L. Alarcon and the redirect by defendants' attorney Tiaunia N. Henry.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/February%202019/02_04_2019_PART_II_Councilmember_Jaras_Cross_Examination_in_Voting_Rights_Lawsuit.html

SMPD Chief Cynthia Renaud gives crime update.

Over the past month, Santa Monica has experienced a string of high-profile crimes. In just one week, an adult son stabbed and murdered his mother. Three juveniles crashed a stolen car and attempted to flee on the Expo Line. A man assaulted a teacher with a stick outside Santa Monica High School.

If these crimes are any indication, the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will have another busy year on their hands. On January 30, SMPD Chief Cynthia Renaud released a video updating the public on the crime statistics from 2018. Not only did SMPD officers respond to more calls from service in 2018 than in the previous year, but the city saw an increase in serious crimes.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2019/02/crime-update/

by attorney Kevin Shenkman

I am writing to respond to the ridiculous letter signed by Joel Koury, titled “Stop Suing Us” ("LETTERS -- Stop Suing Us," January 31, 2019).

Though that letter probably doesn’t warrant a response because it is so devoid of substance and full of paranoid ad hominem attacks, I feel compelled to respond to avoid any parents or residents being confused by Mr. Koury’s biased ignorance.

Mr. Koury takes issue with my law firm’s enforcement of the voting rights of minorities in Santa Monica.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2019/02_01_2019_LETTERS_Stop_Violating_the_Law_and_Ignoring_Residents.html