ACTION Apartment Association

Council Should Study Why Housing Units Leave Santa Monica Rental Market, Staff Says

08/05/2016 11:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 5, 2016 -- With the number of housing units being removed from the rental market in Santa Monica via the Ellis Act on the rise, City staff says a study should be conducted on what factors are leading to this trend.

A recommendation will go to the City Council on Tuesday to authorize a study that could cost as much as $80,000.

The idea for the study came from Nicole Phillis, chair of the Rent Control Board.

New Study Ranks Santa Monica Among Least Affordable for First-Time Home Buyers

08/04/2016 1:25 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A new study ranks Santa Monica among the least affordable cities for first-time home buyers, ranking 296th of 300 cities analyzed by Wallet Hub, a personal-finance research site, for overall affordability for novices.

$135K Raised to Fight Santa Monica’s LUVE Initiative

08/03/2016 10:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 3, 2016 -- Two separate campaign committees raised a combined $135,000 in the effort to defeat the LUVE initiative, which seeks to curb development in Santa Monica by placing a significant number of projects and other planning decisions on the ballot.

SMRR tactics work — in a conventional manner

08/03/2016 7:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

WITH SMRR, WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

They weren’t born yesterday. Not hard to figure out what the board wants because the folks on the mic, co-chairs Patricia Hoffman and Denny Zane, made no bones about it. After touting their own credentials, more than once. Very strongly worded pronouncements were made about each vote coming up, often more than once, so the voting members had no doubt how they were expected to vote. Is the opposing side given that voice? No.

INSPIRED [LUVE] SPEECH BY ARMEN AT THE SMRR CONVENTION

08/03/2016 7:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Listen here: https://drive.google.com/a/elaine360.com/file/d/0B-SErDuRET45S2ZPd001eExDczI4UUJDbVlUbWlCVTNBeWtJ/view?pref=2&pli=1

Awesome map shows what Metro’s November ballot measure would bring

08/03/2016 7:07 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

On the ballot this November is a ballot measure from Metro that would raise more than $120 billion through sales taxes for Metro projects across the county. If approved, the measure would amount to a permanent half-cent sales tax increase to fund not just new rail lines but also upgrades to bus lines, roads, and highways. This new map from Steve Boland, a transportation planner who blogs at CalUrbanist, shows what rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) projects would be funded if voters pass that measure.

See Map: http://la.curbed.com/2016/8/2/12362694/map-metro-ballot-measure-projects

SMRR “Non-Support” on Slow-Growth Ballot Measure Prompts Anger Among Backers

08/02/2016 12:44 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 2, 2016 -- Denny Zane, who co-chairs Santa Monica's most politically influential organization, says the episode boiled down to an attempt at compromise over a fractious slow-growth measure on the November ballot.

But the grassroots slow-growth residents' group meant to be appeased is as angry as ever.

SMRR endorsements favor incumbents

08/02/2016 7:36 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

It was a good day for incumbents at the annual Santa Monicans For Renters’ Rights convention this weekend.

Santa Monica Council Incumbent Says He Deserves SMRR’s Support

08/02/2016 7:28 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

August 1, 2016 -- For the fourth consecutive year, the Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) convention that determines important endorsements concluded with a cliffhanger on the City Council race.

O’Day told The Lookout after the convention that he should get the nod.

No love for Residocracy affiliates at SMRR convention

08/01/2016 9:43 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

It was a good day for incumbents at the annual Santa Monicans For Renters’ Rights convention this weekend.

Three of the four possible endorsements for city council went to incumbents as did two of three for school board, three of three for the SMC board and one of two for Rent Control Board.