There are plenty of places to live, but only one Santa Monica, California, and this tech savvy beach-side town just landed a spot on Livability’s list of Top 100 Places to Live.

See video: https://smmirror.com/2018/02/westside-beat-santa-monica-lands-spot-livabilitiys-top-100-places-live-list/

February 2, 2018 -- Rents in Santa Monica stayed flat last month, following a year of increases which were “moderate” for the location, but still 84 percent higher than the national average, analysts said Thursday.

Year over year, the city’s rents rose 3.7 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to the report by Apartment List, which tracks rents nationwide.

The seaside city’s increase in rents actually lagged behind the statewide increase of 4.1 percent.

But Santa Monica’s rent total rent hikes last year put it in 39th on a list of 56 Southern California cities listed, far below other popular coastal communities like San Clemente (about 8.5 percent) and Long Beach and Newport Beach (each about seven percent).

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/February-2018/02_02_2018_National_Apratment_Survey_Finds_Santa_Monica_Rents_Increased_Moderately_in_2017.html

Public Notice Santa Monica Rent Control Board

At its regular meeting on January 25, 2018, the Santa Monica Rent Control Board adopted Regulation 3120 and made amendments to Regulations 3105, 3106, 3108 and 3109.

The new and amended regulations will phase out pass throughs of certain items that appear on owners’ property tax bills regarding voted indebtedness and direct assessments by eliminating surcharge pass throughs to tenants in the following instances:

1) The unit’s rent is established  for a new tenancy starting on or after March 1, 2018; or

2) The unit is in a building that is reassessed as the result of an ownership transfer on or after March 1, 2018; or

3) The unit is on a property that is reassessed on or after March 1, 2018 as the result of significant improvements.

Read the notice on page 11: http://backissues.smdp.com/020118.pdf

Read More: http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article197489354.html

New tenants moving into rent-controlled buildings in Santa Monica will not have to pay surcharges on past bond measures, after the Rent Control Board voted 5-0 to end pass-throughs on local voted indebtedness. The surcharges will also end for new property owners, meaning they can no longer pass massive tax increases down to tenants when buildings turn over.

The decision is not retroactive, meaning tenants who are currently paying surcharges will continue to do so unless their building is sold to a new owner. The new policy for land owners will go into effect for sales after March 1. Boardmembers hope the new policy will help solve an unintended consequence of Proposition 13: massive tax increases passed down to tenants when their expensive real estate switches hands.

Read More: http://smdp.com/rent-control-abolishes-surcharges-for-new-tenants/164173

The eventual drawbacks of rent restriction policies appear to outweigh the benefits to low-income individuals. So, is it time to reform them? Rent control. Advocates say it really helps low-income tenants keep their homes, especially in places where they’re likely to be priced out, helping maintain economic and cultural diversity. Critics say it’s, at best, a mere Band-Aid. So, which is it? 

A new working paper published in the National Bureau for Economic Research provides a complicated answer: While these policies are a boon to many low-income tenants who directly benefit, they worsen the affordability crisis in the long-term. “It’s somewhat of a transfer from future tenants to incumbent tenants,” said Rebecca Diamond, an assistant professor of economics at Stanford University, who authored the paper along with colleagues Timothy McQuade and Franklin Qian. 

Read More: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/01/rent-control-a-reckoning/551168/

Local community advocate Mary Marlow and Councilwoman Sue Himmelrich have filed a ballot initiative for the 2018 election that would limit councilmembers to three terms.

The measure would provide individuals with up to 12 years (three terms of four years each) over the course of their lifetime and only applies to Council as elections for school board and the SMC college board are governed by state law. It would start counting those years from the date of the election allowing anyone currently on the council to serve an additional 12 years from November.

Read More: http://smdp.com/ballot-measure-filed-to-establish-term-limits-for-city-council/164157

AND

https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/February-2018/02_01_2018_Proposed_Ballot_Measure_Calls_for_Term_Limits_for_Santa_Monica_Council_Members.html

Santa Monica saw a 12 percent increase in serious crime in 2017, with 5,076 “Part 1” incidents, which include murder, arson, burglary, assault and grand theft auto. The spike follows a 5.5 percent increase in the same crimes in 2016.

“We hope that it’s leveled out,” said Lt. Saul Rodriguez with the Santa Monica Police Department, who attributed the increase to legislative changes like Propositions 47 and 57, which reduced sentences for petty theft and drug offenses and allowed parole for nonviolent felons. “We know what our problems are and how to continue to tackle these problems, like property crime.”

The department averages about 330 calls for service every day, thirty percent of those are homeless-related...

Read More: http://smdp.com/santa-monica-sees-12-percent-spike-in-crime/164154

January 29, 2018 -- Total pension costs at Santa Monica City Hall will climb almost 75 percent by the 2024-2025 fiscal year, as the City continues to shoulder a huge unfunded liability -- or pension obligations it failed to fully fund -- and ongoing annual payments, according to a new analysis by a Sacramento-based think tank.

The report by the California Policy Center, based on data from the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS), forecasts total pensions payment from City coffers to CalPERS will reach about $94 million seven years from now, compared to the $54 million the City paid in the 2017-2018 year.

Read More:   https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/January-2018/01_29_2018_Pension_Costs_to_Climb_Almost_75_Percent_at_Santa_Monica_City_Hall_in_Coming_Years_Think_Tank_Estimates.html

Santa Monica continues to score well for its anti-smoking efforts according to the American Lung Association.

The ALA releases an annual report grading states, counties and individual cities. Santa Monica received an “A” for its Overall Tobacco Control. The overall grade is based on a points average across three categories. The City received an A for Smokefree Outdoor Air, a B for Smoke-free Housing, an A for Reducing Sales of Tobacco Products and bonus points for tackling second-hand smoke and licensing.

The outdoor category ranks the city based on the strength of its anti-smoking rules in seven outdoor areas and assigns points from 0-4. Santa Monica scored 19 out of a possible 28 points for dining areas (4), entryways (4), public events (2), recreation areas (4), service areas (4), sidewalks in commercial areas (1) and worksites (0).

The City earned eight points across three categories for Smoke-free Housing: Nonsmoking apartments (2), Nonsmoking Condominiums (2) and Nonsmoking Common Areas (4). In the single category for reducing sales, Santa Monica was awarded the full 4 points for licensing retailers.

Read More: http://smdp.com/santa-monica-earns-an-a-for-smoke-free-rules/164133