$345 Million Santa Monica College Bond Measure Placed on Ballot

07/07/2016 12:06 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 7, 2016 -- For the fourth time since 2002, residents will vote in November whether to support facilities improvements at Santa Monica College after the Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday to place a $345 million bond measure on the ballot.

This bond would be funded through a property tax costing $8.56 per month for the average Santa Monica homeowner and $1.59 per month for the average renter, SMC officials said.

Residents Oppose $345 Million SMC Bond Measure

Three Santa Monica Landlords Granted Permission to Move into Their Vacant Buildings

07/06/2016 1:27 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 6, 2016 -- One is a modest 1911 bungalow in Santa Monica’s Ocean Park with rental property in the back. Another is an Ocean Park home with a mother-in-law unit. And the third is a 1,418-square-foot multi-family residence on 17th Street.

On Friday, the trio will officially join the ranks of residences withdrawn from rent control under the state’s 1986 Ellis Act that allows landlords to go out of the rental business. In all three cases, the owner will occupy one of the units.

Amendments to Santa Monica’s Anti-Corruption Law Headed for Ballot

07/05/2016 8:09 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

July 5, 2016 -- After a discussion among officials and activists that only a lawyer could love, the City Council on Tuesday directed staff to craft a ballot measure to strengthen Santa Monica's anti-corruption law.

Santa Monica Council Rejects Rival Measure to Counter LUVE

06/30/2016 7:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 30, 2016 -- A last-ditch effort to put a City-backed measure on the November ballot to rival the slow-growth LUVE initiative died quickly after failing to garner a second vote at Tuesday's Santa Monica City Council meeting.

and at: http://smdp.com/alternative-to-luve-dismissed-by-city-council/156050

Santa Monica Ballot Will Include Two Sales Tax Measures

06/30/2016 7:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 30, 2016 -- Shoppers in Santa Monica could soon be paying more money in sales tax if two measures -- one local and another countywide -- are approved in the November election.

The Santa Monica City Council voted 5-0 (Kevin McKeown and Pam O’Connor were absent) on Tuesday to place a half-cent tax hike on the ballot.

Also, the council voted to include a non-binding companion measure recommending the tax money support the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and affordable housing programs.

Santa Monica Surveys Rent Control Tenants to Assess Needs

06/29/2016 7:49 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 29, 2016 -- A new City survey is trying to determine how many Santa Monica tenants can no longer afford even rent-controlled units and would qualify for a new, but little-known, pilot project that offers subsidies.

The surveys were mailed to tenants in Santa Monica's 27,542 rent-controlled apartments on Friday and posted at www.surveymonkey.com/r/renterneeds, City housing officials said. It can also be found at www.smgov.net under the title of 2016 Santa Monica Renter Needs Survey.

Auditors to Comb $90 Million in Santa Monica Tax Receipts

06/28/2016 7:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 28, 2016 -- The City of Santa Monica is expected Tuesday to hire outside auditors to comb through receipts for an estimated $90 million in taxes collected from hotels, businesses licenses and through public and private parking fees.

Santa Monica’s LUVE Initiative Not Unique Concept in California

06/27/2016 7:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

June 27, 2016 -- If voters approve Santa Monica’s LUVE initiative in November, it would radically change the local development process, but it would not be a unique moment in California history.

State budget provides development incentives

06/27/2016 7:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a new state budget that guarantees developers the ability to build housing projects if they meet preexisting zoning standards.

The budget contains a provision known as “by right” construction and is tied to new spending to incentive affordable housing. The new rules will allow developers to bypass discretionary approvals (like a public vote or a vote by the City Council) if a project meets conditions defined by a municipality’s Zoning Code.

Changes coming to Santa Monica’s ethics rules

06/23/2016 7:48 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City Hall is moving forward with a ballot measure to amend the city’s anti-corruption laws.