ACTION Apartment Association

The Mansionization of Santa Monica

12/23/2016 11:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

We continually hear from those who propose more and more development that it is all about a shortage of affordable housing. Close to 3,000 units approved and in the pipeline has not produced affordable housing. It’s a myth, a con. The new housing units will rent very high, whatever the market will bear, which in fact will have the opposite effect, of raising rent ceilings in the adjacent neighborhoods.

Tug-of-war continues over local apartments buildings [NMS]

12/22/2016 7:59 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Seven Santa Monica apartment buildings caught in the middle of a legal battle have been sold to a San Francisco real estate investment company. The sale involved a total of nine apartment complexes managed by Santa Monica’s largest apartment owner, NMS Properties.

Relaxed Law on 'Granny Flats' in Santa Monica Moves Closer to Approval

12/21/2016 7:53 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

December 21, 2016 -- Santa Monica is closer to easing rules for “granny flats,” or second smaller units that homeowners historically built on their property for housing family members but are now viewed as a way to address the affordable housing crunch.

Despite such concerns as the impact on parking, the City’s Planning Commission has tentatively supported modifying local zoning to match a new statewide law that relaxes restrictions on constructing an “accessory dwelling unit” (ADU) in the backyard or in garages on the property of Santa Monica’s single-family homes.

The final decision must still be made by the City Council.

LAPD Deputy Chief William Scott, 52, Appointed San Francisco Police Chief

12/21/2016 7:04 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

His $278,00 a year annual salary will be about half of what Santa Monica pays its police chief, Jacqueline Seabrooks. No, seriously--Santa Monica pays her $478,000 a year. That's over twice as much. The City of San Francisco is seven times larger as Santa Monica. Think about it.

Global Green Goes Dumpster Diving in Westside Alleys, Seeking to Improve Trash

12/20/2016 7:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Santa Monica Non-profit pays college grads to sift through trash for answers to the questions: What do LA County residents discard? Could it be composted, recycled or better disposed of? They are performing a statistical analysis.

"This is a pilot program, through which we are refining a model for multi-family food scrap collection programs. As a part of each pilot, we conduct a pre-pilot waste audit and a post-pilot waste audit," Gittlen wrote. She, Charlotte Will and Eleni Petrow were conducting research for http://www.Globalgreen.org Multi-Family Food Waste Organics Program.

Letter to the Editor: Salaries of the City

12/20/2016 7:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

I am astounded that our City pays a salary and benefits to a Police Chief equal to what this Country pays our President!

Big changes coming to Lincoln Boulevard

12/19/2016 7:53 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Hundreds of new apartment units are poised to appear along Lincoln Boulevard in the coming years, as the city green-lights developments near the new Expo Light Rail Station.

AND

http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2016/December-2016/12_19_2016_Commission_Grants_Further_Approvals_for_Lincoln_Mixed_Use_Development.html

OpEd: SM.a.r.t: Santa Monica’s Path to Net Zero

12/16/2016 12:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council recently voted to accelerate Santa Monica’s adoption of the State’s new “Net Zero Energy” policy (NZE.)

The path to get there, however, should not be focused on the residents that are already doing their part and do not have as large an impact due to their smaller energy “footprint”.

New mayor sees divided city

12/15/2016 10:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The housing issue directly plays into development challenges the city will face while finalizing the Downtown Community Plan, or DCP. Right now, strategic planners with the city are crunching the numbers, trying to figure out how high new apartment buildings need to go in order to reach goals for increasing the city’s housing stock. The Planning Commission is still divided over how to balance affordability and live-ability in the city, as residents complain traffic congestion is at an all-time high.

Downtown Community Plan approaches final stage

12/14/2016 10:17 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

City planners are hammering out the final draft of the Downtown Community Plan, or DCP: the comprehensive document that will guide development in downtown Santa Monica for the next 20 years.

While most new development in the district will stay relatively low, the Commission is still split on just how high to allow three major development projects: The Miramar Hotel, the Frank Gehry hotel at Ocean Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard and the city-owned development at 4th Street and Arizona.