If Costa-Hawkins is repealed, cities and counties will have the authority to implement rent control

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2018/09/04/news/rent-control-with-teeth-prop-10-means-the-end-of-costa-hawkins-in-california/3628.html

With O’Day on the stand, plaintiffs Maria Loya and her husband, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School Board member Oscar de la Torre, sat in the audience. Loya sued the city in 2015 using the California Voting Rights Act, a state law that makes it easier for minorities to overhaul local election systems if they can show minorities vote differently than their white neighbors. Dozens of cities have drawn voting districts rather than go to trial after receiving lawsuit threats brought by the same team of attorneys.

The judge will determine whether the city’s at-large election system discriminates against minority voters but it is not clear how her ruling will impact the upcoming election in November.

The plaintiffs paint O’Day and de la Torre as political rivals living in the same neighborhood. Experts for Loya said majority-Latino precincts voted for de la Torre for City Council in 2016 rather than O’Day, who won the seat with support from wealthy, white voters from other neighborhoods.

Read More: http://www.smdp.com/councilmember-terry-oday-takes-the-stand-in-controversial-voting-rights-lawsuit/169096

On August 30, the California State Assembly passed AB 2797, providing a much needed clarification to the application of State Density Bonus Law and the Mello Act in the Coastal Zone. The measure, introduced by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) clarifies that a project cannot be found inconsistent with the Coastal Act merely because it receives a density increase under state law. This long-held interpretation of Density Bonus Law had recently come under question and been litigated in Kalnel Gardens, LLC v. City of Los Angeles.

“Density bonuses play a critical role in encouraging developers to build affordable housing,” said Assemblymember Bloom.

Read More: http://www.smdp.com/legislature-approves-measure-to-clarify-density-bonus-law-in-coastal-zone/169094

California voters this fall will decide on Proposition 10, a statewide ballot initiative that would allow cities and counties to greatly expand rent control.

Supporters argue the measure is needed to slow the state’s ever-increasing rents. But there’s strong debate about whether Prop. 10 is the right answer to the state’s affordable-housing crisis.

The measure would repeal the state’s Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prevents cities from putting a cap on rents for apartments built since the law went into effect in 1995. And it exempts condos and single-family homes from any rent control.

Read More: http://www.capradio.org/articles/2018/09/04/rent-control-could-change-dramatically-as-millions-of-dollars-pour-into-proposition-10-debate/

Prop 10 has too many flaws and will make the housing crisis worse.

Read More: https://prop10flaws.com/p 10 has too many flaws and will make the housing crisis worse.

On Wednesday, August 29, the California State Senate approved Assemblymember Richard Bloom’s (D-Santa Monica) measure to reform the process for determining and apportioning regional housing needs. AB 1771 makes several changes to the Regional Housing Needs Allocation process, including requiring the regional distribution to be more data-driven and equitable.

Read More on pg. 8: http://backissues.smdp.com/090418.pdf

City Council has denied a pair of appeals that would have prevented the construction of new cell antennas in residential neighborhoods.

Residents objected to the installation of the new technology on the 900 block of 18th street and the 2200 block of 23rd street but Council said appeals were either overruled by federal mandates or lacked a basis in current municipal code.

The appeals cited health concerns related to function of the towers, aesthetic problems, concerns over depressed real estate values, alleged problems with the permitting process and questions of the future maintenance of the antennas.

Read More: http://www.smdp.com/council-approves-cell-phone-antennas-on-residential-streets/169040

August 31, 2018 -- The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District got a boost from the nation's top credit agencies as it prepares to place a record $680 million in bonds on the November ballot, District officials announced Friday.

S & P Global upgraded the district's rating to ‘AA+’ on existing general obligation bonds, while Moody’s Investors Service affirmed it highest rating -- ‘Aaa’ -- for the second year in a row.

The new ratings are expected to save taxpayers nearly $10 million over the life of the bonds by lowering borrowing costs, District officials said.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/August-2018/08_31_2018_Updated_Santa_Monica_Malibu_School_District_Credit_Ratings_to_%20Save_Taxpayers_10_Million.html

For months, the city of Sacramento has been in the throes of a heated debate over the city’s affordable housing problem, its root cause and potential solutions – highlighted by two workshops arranged by the mayor.

At an initial session held Aug. 14, there was general agreement that the root cause is a lack of supply. There also was consensus about the remedy: Build more units, and faster,through new funding sources and incentives to attract private-sector investment.

What went glaringly unsaid is that the surest way to kill new investment in affordable housing is to impose an artificial rent cap on the market, even a temporary one.

Read More: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article217648110.html