ACTION Apartment Association

City Hall wants greater presence in vacant buildings

11/16/2016 1:17 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A handful of vacant buildings with stalled construction projects will be subject to additional regulation following the Nov. 1 council meeting.

Council debated establishing a full-fledged vacant building registry that would have placed additional constraints on vacant buildings but ultimately chose a minor revision to code compliance rules with direction to revisit the issue down the road.

According to City Staff, about 29 properties were vacant at the time of their most recent inventory. Of those, only 10 were vacant without some kind of development project or Ellis Act process currently underway.

Santa Monica Municipal Budget Among Highest Per Capita in California

11/16/2016 1:13 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

November 15, 2016 -- The City of Santa Monica's $1.1 billion biennial budget was among the highest in the state and is driven by “unbelievably excessive employee compensation,” according to a new study by Transparent California, a statewide watchdog group.

Transparent California Outs Santa Monica City Hall's Lavish Salaries

11/16/2016 7:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

No City in the State of California pays employees as much as Santa Monica does.

A CBS 2 investigation called "Small City, Big Pay" says Santa Monica has some of the highest taxes in the State, and also the highest paid employees in the State. Could it be a coincidence?

Affordable Apartments Along Famed Santa Monica Boardwalk Bid Farewell

11/15/2016 1:46 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

November 15, 2016 -- After a final shuffle of paperwork, the City of Santa Monica is bidding farewell to two of the last affordable apartments along its storied boardwalk.

Late last month, the City approved an occupancy permit to the owner of 10 apartments at 1401 Palisades Beach Road, a move that clears the way for rents to be raised to market value, officials said.

Astonishing Pay of Santa Monica Bureaucrats Attracts Attention of CBS News

11/14/2016 7:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Exactly why do 105 Santa Monica City employees, make more than $300,000 a year?

Why do 105 Santa Monica City employees, make more than $300,000 a year? Tune in to the channel 2 News at 11 pm Monday, and find out. Good luck explaining that one, guys. "Small City, Big Pay."

See More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqBtMJA_yAY&feature=youtu.be&t=3s

Development Combatants in Santa Monica Consider Post-Election Compromise

11/14/2016 7:18 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

November 14, 2016 -- Santa Monica City Councilmember Kevin McKeown is drafting a compromise to allow public votes on proposed projects that exceed buildings limits, although the proposal's future is unclear in the bitter aftermath of the defeat of slow-growth Measure LV.

The olive branch from McKeown backers of the measure -- which would have required voter approval of most projects taller than 32 feet -- is expected to go to the council at its next meeting, on November 22, he said.

Seismic Retrofit Program - Technical Provisions

11/11/2016 9:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Information and Discussion of the Updates to Technical Standards of

the Seismic Retrofit Provisions of Article VIII of the Santa Monica

Municipal Code and Recommendations to City Council on the

Technical Standards

Santa Monica Hoping Election Cleared Way for Affordable Housing

11/10/2016 6:26 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

November 9, 2016 -- After failing to follow its own law for years, Santa Monica City officials are banking on a sales-tax infusion from two successful measures on the November 8 ballot meant to, in part, provide more affordable housing.

Santa Monica voters Tuesday approved a half-cent sales tax (bringing it to 10.5 percent) via Measure GSH, which breezed to victory with 63 percent of the “yes” vote.

Voters also passed Measure GS, which advises splitting the $16 million a year raised by GSH equally between local schools and affordable housing, although GS is non binding. It won 70 percent of the vote.

Clearing The Air In Santa Monica’s Apartments And Condos

11/09/2016 7:07 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica does have a no-smoking law for all multi-unit apartments and condos:

Santa Monica Council Incumbents Sweep, LV Loses Big

11/09/2016 7:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As is usually the case, the candidates backed by Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) were the winners in the Rent Control Board election.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2016/November-2016/11_09_2016_Santa_Monica_Council_Incumbents_Sweep_LV_Loses_Big.html

and

http://smdp.com/early-results-favor-council-incumbents/158612