ACTION Apartment Association

Battle Lines Drawn Over State Housing Bill

03/30/2023 9:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Proponents of SB 423, authored by Senator Scott Wiener, say it will "turbocharge" residential development during a statewide housing crisis; opponents counter it "undermines local democracy."

The proposed bill would indefinitely extend the January 1, 2026 expiration of SB 35, a 2017 bill Wiener sponsored that allows developers to bypass local zoning laws if a City fails to meet its State housing plan requirements.

SMa.r.t. Column: I Told You So

03/29/2023 8:59 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

On January17, 2015 SMa.r.t. posted a prophetic article in the Daily Press written by Ron Goldman FAIA advocating maintaining a low rise (3-4 stories) development standard along the major boulevards. He also included a sketch showing the negative alternative of 6-7 story buildings. Naturally there was outrage and push back from the establishment. The mayor said “I saw it and was greatly dismayed by the hyperbolically inaccurate visual representation of what is possible under Santa Monica zoning. You and the other architects must know better than that, and I was disappointed you would sign your names to that piece. I can only hope that perhaps you didn’t see the accompanying images in advance.”

Flash forward 8 eight years and sure enough the major boulevards are now up zoned in our most recent Housing Element to the 60’ to 70’ (5-6 stories) range with, and when given density bonuses for affordable housing, can balloon up to 82’-103’ (7-9 stories).

Santa Monica Rents Rise

03/29/2023 8:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The median rent in Santa Monica rose 1 percent in March, compared to a 0.5 percent increase nationally, according to data compiled from listings on the popular rental website.

Council Takes Major Step to Meet State-Mandated Housing Quota

03/28/2023 9:01 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The amendments to the City’s land use plans and zoning ordinance focus on meeting the State's mandate to plan to add 8,895 new housing units
-- some 6,200 of them affordable -- over the next eight years.

The changes further encourage development in mixed-use and non-residential zones and require that 15 percent of units in market rate developments be provided as deed-restricted affordable units.

AND: https://smmirror.com/2023/03/city-council-approves-land-use-amendments-to-implement-housing-element/

High rises, massive development on its way

03/27/2023 10:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

16 large-scale projects proposed in Santa Monica will dwarf nearly every other development in the city. These projects violate every zoning code, height restriction, and neighborhood norm. There is no way to stop them. Despite having closed the loophole that allowed these massive developments, the City Council voted on Tuesday to risk reopening it despite staff warnings.

City Council Approves Land Use Amendments to Implement City’s State-Certified Housing Element

03/27/2023 10:21 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Council's action supports new housing development in the City’s mixed-use and non-residential zones, with substantial emphasis on affordable housing production through the requirement for 15% of units to be provided as deed-restricted affordable units. With the adoption of updates to the Zoning Ordinance, the Council also incorporated lot consolidation limits for housing projects on portions of Main Street, Pico Boulevard, Montana Avenue, and Ocean Park Boulevard in order to balance existing commercial activity while ensuring that housing opportunities are available in each of these commercial districts.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Rejects Extension of Tenant Protections

03/27/2023 10:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Hahn stated that extended protections for renters were fine a year ago, but with unemployment low and the COVID-19 pandemic abated, it was not the right time to impose more emergency regulations on the 88 cities in Los Angeles County nor place restrictions on landlords in unincorporated areas.

Community Corporation of Santa Monica Unveils New Affordable Housing Project

03/27/2023 9:59 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Brunson Terrace apartments, located at the former site of the Mount Hermon Baptist Church at 1819 Pico Boulevard, comprise a four-story building housing 48 apartments. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments are above 4,174 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, with basement parking for 49 vehicles.

City Council Approves Land Use Amendments

03/24/2023 2:29 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica City Council took action to implement the City’s certified 6th Cycle Housing Element. City Council adopted amendments to the City’s Land Use Documents (Land Use and Circulation Element [LUCE], Bergamot Area Plan [BAP], Downtown Community Plan [DCP], Zoning Ordinance, and General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Districting Map) to align with the Certified Housing Element and State-assigned housing allocation. Zoning code changes will go into effect 30 days after the second reading scheduled on April 11, 2023.

Little Progress Moving Needle Exchange Program Indoors

03/24/2023 9:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

More than six months after former Mayor Sue Himmelrich requested that the County move a program that hands out clean needles to drug users indoors, the effort has reached a standstill.

In the interim, residents are continuing to express frustration with the overdose prevention program; a letter posted on Action Network calling for its end was sent by more than 3,600 people as of Thursday.