ACTION Apartment Association

Santa Monica’s Enforcement of Section 8 Housing Protection Law Off to a Successful Start

02/06/2019 10:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

64 New Affordable Homes Open at Arroyo

02/06/2019 10:12 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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

State of the City to be presented Wednesday night

02/05/2019 9:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

Call for City's Social Services Commission to Resign over The People Concern scandal

02/05/2019 8:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

OPINION -- Is Ana Jara Really an Independent Voice on the City Council?

02/05/2019 8:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

PART II: Councilmember Jara's Cross Examination in Voting Rights Lawsuit

02/05/2019 8:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

Santa Monica Sees Nearly 9 Percent Spike in Part 1 Crimes

02/04/2019 8:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

Stop Violating the Law and Ignoring Residents

02/02/2019 2:07 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

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.

Councilmember Jara's Testimony in Voting Rights Lawsuit Provides Insight Into Her Views

02/02/2019 2:05 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Last week, Ana M. Jara became the first Hispanic from Pico Neighborhood, which is home to the city's largest Latino and black communities, to serve on the City Council ("Council Appoints Latina Resident from Pico Neighborhood to Fill Vacant Seat," January 22, 2019).

Jara was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Tony Vazquez, the only other Latino to have served. Vazquez, who was elected to the Council three times, lives in the predominantly white Sunset Park neighborhood.

Jara, who shared her views in her application for Vazquez's seat, provided further insight into her positions as a witness for the City in the Voting Rights lawsuit filed by Latino activists last year.

Community Corp of Santa Monica Wins $1 Million Innovation Grant

02/02/2019 2:03 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica's biggest affordable housing provider has received a $1 million innovation grant for a "design toolkit" that allows pre-fab housing to be built easily on any lot.

Community Corporation of Santa Monica (Community Corp) was one five winners of Los Angeles County's Housing Innovation Challenge, LA County officials announced Friday.

The awards fund "new and scalable housing solutions for those experiencing homelessness," said officials of Community Corp, which has created more than 1,700 affordable housing units in the city.