While the City of Santa Monica heads into the third week of defending its election system against a lawsuit alleging it is illegal under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), a separate case is challenging the constitutionality of the law itself. The former mayor of Poway brought the case after his city settled and formed districts rather than face litigation from the same group of attorneys suing Santa Monica.

The lawsuit filed in federal court argues the CVRA violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution because it makes race the deciding factor when drawing electoral districts. The case was brought by the Project on Fair Representation, the same conservative legal defense fund that brought affirmative action in college admissions before the Supreme Court in Abigail Fisher v. University of Texas.

Read More: http://www.smdp.com/voting-rights-trial-heads-into-third-week/168478

Presumably, if the study supported the City's defense of the Voting Rights case, it would have been revealed. Could it be that the study was damaging to the City's defense case? If so, has the City been spending millions on a high priced legal team from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, knowing that their defense of the case is doomed to fail?

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2018/08/13/politics/city-of-santa-monica-paid-for-study-damaging-to-citys-voting-rights-act-position/3584.html

You wouldn't know Santa Monica was embroiled in a development war from the reaction to a ballot initiative that addresses the height of new buildings.

The measure -- which would require a super-majority vote of the City Council to make changes to the City's zoning standards -- will appear on the ballot with no opposing argument.

The development initiative isn't the only measure on the November ballot that failed to draw an argument from opponents.

A measure that would amend the City Charter to allow non-citizens to sit on three City boards and commissions also will appear only with the argument from supporters.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/August-2018/08_10_2018_Two_Santa_Monica_Ballot_Initiatives_Draw_No_Opposing_%20Arguments.html

The agenda for the August 14, Santa Monica City Council meeting has been posted and among topics up for consideration is rent control, water and the future fast food restaurants on the third street promenade. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.

During the regular Santa Monica City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 26, Councilmember Kevin McKeown requested City Staff to prepare for a possible repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Act, the 1995 California law that limits cities’ ability to impose rent control. A statewide initiative on the 2018 ballot, however, seeks to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Act and if voters approve this repeal, rents in Santa Monica will be rolled back to 1978 rates. The staff report on measures the City can take in the event of a repeal occurs is not yet available but City Council is slated to continue the discussion about this item on Tuesday evening.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2018/08/rent-control-fast-food-water-to-go-before-city-council/

August 9, 2018 -- Worried that long-time rent control tenants will be increasingly displaced in Santa Monica's heated real estate market, two Councilmembers are recommending that staff revisit local renter protections.

The item placed on Tuesday's agenda by Councilmembers Sue Himmelrich and Kevin McKeown asks staff to look for "outdated definitions and compensations, in light of rapidly intensifying market pressures on local rents."

If directed by Council, staff would explore a range of issues, including compensation for tenants evicted "through no fault of their own" and the use of rent-controlled units as corporate rentals.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/August-2018/08_09_2018_Councilmembers_Seek_Changes_to_Strengthen_Tenant_Protections.html

August 9, 2018 -- Councilmember Pam O'Connor submitted her nominating petitions Thursday afternoon, becoming the final incumbent to do so in the race for three open seats.

O'Connor said she submitted "a bit over 150" signatures to the City Clerk late Thursday afternoon.

Incumbents Kevin McKeown and Sue Himmelrich have already qualified for the ballot, having gathered the necessary 100 signatures from registered Santa Monica voters.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2018/August-2018/08_09_2018_OConnor_Submits_Nominating_Papers_for_Santa_Monica_Council.html

Supporters of a state ballot initiative to expand rent control options for cities across California announced Monday they had gathered enough signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2018 ballot.

If passed, the measure would repeal the 1995 Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which sets limits on the kind of rent control policies cities are able to impose. Right now, 15 California cities have rent control policies. In the LA area, that includes the cities of Los Angeles, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica.

Costa Hawkins is a state law that sets some requirements for the 15 cities in California with rent control—Los Angeles included.

There are three main provisions:

• It protects a landlord’s right to raise the rent to market rate on a unit once a tenant moves out.
• It prevents cities from establishing rent control—or capping rent—on units constructed after February 1995.
• It exempts single-family homes and condos from rent control restrictions.

Read More: https://la.curbed.com/2018/1/12/16883276/rent-control-california-costa-hawkins-explained

A coalition of voting rights advocates have taken the City of Santa Monica to court, claiming the City’s at-large election system dilutes the Latino vote in City Council elections and is in violation of the California Voting Rights Act.

The outcome of this ongoing voting rights lawsuit,” Pico Neighborhood Association et al. v. City of Santa Monica,” not only will have a lasting impact on the future of elections in the City but has already laid its mark on the upcoming 2018 elections by causing two City Council two candidates to end their bid for office.

Kate Bransfield and Armen Melkonians, co-founders of the Facebook page “Residocracy,” announced last weekend that they were dropping out of the race for City Council.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2018/08/voting-rights-suit-vs-city/

“We regret having to take this action, but the tenant in this unit failed to pay rent for seven months”

A family of five participating in the Burlington Unidos rent strike in Westlake was evicted Wednesday after a jury ruled they violated their lease by refusing to pay rent.

Landlord Donald Crasnick and building owner Lisa Ehrlich filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court in March asking for an order to remove the tenants after they refused to pay rent increases. The family stopped paying rent, because they say they were living in substandard conditions.

Read More:  https://la.curbed.com/2018/8/9/17671478/rent-strike-westlake-eviction

Proposed rule would define rent control tenants as “human beings” to oust corporations

Any landlord leasing a rent-controlled apartment to a corporation without first getting a removal permit from the Rent Control Board is running afoul of the law, according to the Board’s top lawyer, J. Stephen Lewis. The assertion comes as the Board attempts to clarify its own rules in order to deter the practice in Santa Monica.

The issue came to light in June after a rent-controlled building at 1238 and 1242 Tenth Street began advertising apartments on corporate rental websites. A leasing agreement obtained by the Daily Press included a “corporate application for rental form” and an addendum to rent “by the suite.” At the time, the Board’s Executive Director said the addendum sounded problematic but there was nothing illegal about leasing a rent-controlled apartment to a corporation.

On Wednesday, Lewis sought to clarify rules for all landlords who may have corporate tenants.

Read More: http://www.smdp.com/proposed-rule-would-define-rent-control-tenants-as-human-beings-to-oust-corporations/168393