ACTION Apartment Association

Council to consider unprecedented Rent Control initiative to avoid catastrophe

07/24/2018 8:34 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

While most news stories lead with controversy, in order to avoid any confusion, let’s start with what city officials can actually agree on: the City Council debate tonight is not about Proposition 10, the controversial ballot measure that would undo a key rent control restriction in the State of California.

Rather, the debate is about how to stop a potential calamity here if it passes: 1978-level rent on new 2018 and 2019 leases. Officials worry the sudden collapse of Costa-Hawkins could be disastrous for rent-controlled landlords who rely on “vacancy decontrol,” the imperiled state policy that allows them to charge all new tenants market rate rent. Without the law, turnover could arguably plunge the rent on a unit to as low as $580 a month in some areas of the city.

Staff has drafted a local ballot measure that could set the base rent to 2018 levels in the event Prop 10 passes. Tonight the Council will consider whether to place it on the November ballot.

Melkonians to Run for Council Again, But Focus Shifts

07/24/2018 8:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 23, 2018 -- Armen Melkonians, a leader of the grassroots fight against development in Santa Monica, pulled papers to run for City Council last week -- but this time, his focus has changed.

Increasing crime, Melkonians says, is the key issue in the 2018 elections and the reason he decided to run two years after finishing fifth in the race for four council seats.

"Crime is the big issue," Melkonians told the Lookout. "It's rising. The City Council has forgotten safety is the number one issue."

Poll Gauges Santa Monica Voters' Take on Latino Candidates and District Elections

07/24/2018 8:15 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 23, 2018 -- How confident are Santa Monica voters that former Mayor Bobby Shriver is Latino? How about School Board member Oscar de la Torre? Or Councilmember Gleam Davis?

Four hundred registered voters were asked that question about 15 local public officials, former candidates and activists in a recent poll conducted for the plaintiffs in a Voting Rights lawsuit against the City.

The poll by Sextant Strategies & Research is an effort to establish if voters view Council member Gleam Davis as Latino, said the plaintiffs' attorney Kevin Shenkman.

Affordable housing: turning challenges into opportunities

07/23/2018 10:35 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Thus, Community Corp improves the neighborhoods where we operate. We preserve historically significant structures for the future and replace neglected properties with buildings at the forefront of architectural innovation. We create homes for working families who make a long-term investment in their neighborhood, bring students to Santa Monica schools, keeping them vibrant, and enable our community’s seniors to age in place.

Candidates pull papers for November election

07/23/2018 10:32 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Incumbent Pam O’Connor and Residocracy founder Armen Melkonians have both pulled papers to run for City Council, representing opposite ends of a spectrum that already includes a dozen candidates.

O’Connor had declined in the past few months to say whether she would run for reelection, raising the possibility of an open seat in play. With her decision to pull papers, all three incumbents will be asking for voters to send them to Council Chambers for four more years.

O’Connor, Melkonians and others now have until August 10 to gather at least 100 signatures in support of their candidacy. The potential candidate pool also includes Sue Himmelrich (incumbent), Kevin McKeown (incumbent), Mike Farid, Mary Marlow, Greg Morena, Linda Armstrong, Scott Bellomo, Mary Sampson, Ashley Powell and Whitney Scott Bain.

O'Connor to Seek Reelection to Santa Monica City Council

07/21/2018 8:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 20, 2018 -- Speculation that Pam O'Connor would not run for a record seventh term on the Santa Monica City Council was put to rest Thursday when she pulled nominating papers.

O'Connor -- a champion of public transit and development and a political lightening rod for the City's slow-growth movement -- pulled the nominating petitions, which must be signed by 100 registered Santa Monica voters, in the late afternoon.

CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER BALLOT MEASURE MODIFYING RENT CONTROL CHARTER IF COSTA-HAWKINS PASSES...

07/20/2018 12:41 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Attorney recommends that the City Council review and consider adopting the attached resolution (Attachment A) placing a measure on the November 6, 2018 ballot that would amend Section 1804 of the City Charter to: a) maintain base rent ceilings for existing residential tenancies; and b) establish base rent ceilings for new residential tenancies commencing on or after April 1, 2018, for purposes of calculating maximum allowable rents within the City. The measure would become effective only if the Affordable Housing Act, a statewide voter initiative that would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (“Costa-Hawkins Act”) is adopted at the Statewide General Election on November 6, 2018.

Highlights from the last six months and what lies ahead

07/20/2018 12:39 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Ted Winterer

As I head off for some fishing, camping, and hiking, I want to share my thoughts on the last six months of the 2017-18 fiscal year as well as what lies ahead.

Miramar Partners with Community Corp to Develop Affordable Housing Project

07/20/2018 12:28 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 20, 2018 -- The Miramar Hotel is partnering with Santa Monica's largest affordable housing provider to build a housing project as part of the redevelopment of the century old Downtown hotel, Miramar officials announced this week.

The building developed by the Miramar and Community Corporation of Santa Monica would be built across from the relocated hotel entrance on Second Street on a site currently used for hotel parking.

The number of units in the building, as well as their size and income mix, will be set during the City’s approval process, which is expected to take place next year, Miramar officials said.

County Supervisors Give Go-ahead for 'Safe Clean Water Program'

07/18/2018 11:37 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 18, 2018 -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors signed off Tuesday on a program that would boost the local water supply and improve water quality.

The "Safe Clean Water Program" -- which would be funded by a parcel tax on the November ballot -- includes projects and programs that "capture, clean, and conserve stormwater," Board officials said in a statement.