Santa Monica City Council will consider declaring a state of fiscal distress today as the city grapples with massive legal settlements and ongoing budget deficits while simultaneously advancing ambitious climate and demographic policy initiatives.

Read More: https://smdp.com/government-politics-2/santa-monica-to-face-reality-of-fiscal-crisis/

Check your wildfire hazard zone using state or local maps (like CalFire’s tool in California). Then walk your property...

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2025/09/how-a-plus-tree-helps-protect-your-home-from-wildfire/

In a special closed session, the Council will take up the lawsuit that claims the City attempted to remove "the majority of the members" from the Downtown Santa Monica Inc. (DTSM) Board without just cause.

"The City and the DTSM have been engaged in contract negotiations over the City's allocation of costs associated with Downtown Santa Monica," states the 10-page lawsuit filed by former Boardmembers Leonid Pustilnikov and Jon Farzam against the City, the Council and DTSM.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2025/September-2025/09_09_2025_Council_to_Take_Up_Suit_Filed_by_Ousted_Downtown_Boardmembers.html

While the proposed resolution does not "obligate the City to take any specific actions" or give the City Manager additional powers, it directs him "to take all necessary steps to address, alleviate, and mitigate this emergency."

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2025/September-2025/09_05_2025_Council_Poised_to_Proclaim_Fiscal_Emergency.html

The Council will choose from a field of 12 candidates, most of them with ties to City government, including a former mayor, Assemblymember and City Manager who were seated on a temporary basis, and the current head of the Chamber of Commerce.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2025/September-2025/09_05_2025_Council_to_Replace_Ousted_Downtown_Board_Members_Tuesday.html

In the complaint, the city alleges that landlord Lawrence Boydston intentionally discriminated against his tenants based on disability and source of income. The suit also alleges that he refused to accept a Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, or VASH, voucher that would help his two tenants, 77-and 80-year-old Army veteran brothers, afford their rent. He also refused their request for a reasonable modification to install a chair lift — to be paid for by the Office of Veterans Affairs — that would enable the disabled brothers to safely go up and down the stairs in their two-storied apartment.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2025/09/04/affordable-livable-secure-housing-for-all-city-files-housing-discrimination-lawsuit-on-behalf-of-disabled-veterans

Her resignation follows the exit of the city’s Police Chief, as well as earlier departures of the city attorney and the director of Housing and Human Services

Arminé Chaparyan, director of the Community Development Department for the City of Santa Monica, announced her resignation on August 27, after less than seven months in the role, marking the latest in a series of high-level departures from the city’s leadership, officials confirmed.

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2025/09/santa-monica-community-development-director-resigns-amid-leadership-turnover/

In the letter, Chi notes the City Charter gives the City Manager sole authority over "personnel related situations" and that he has the Council's backing to develop "new law enforcement programs."

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2025/September-2025/09_03_2025_City_Manager_Offers_Insight_into_Law_Enforcement_Decisions.html

In an unusual move, Santa Monica's most prominent slow-growth group on Tuesday joined an effort to retain Police Chief Ramon Batista after his surprise resignation last month.

The Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City, which for 20 years has kept its focus on development, joined five neighborhood groups that have asked the City Council and City Manager to reject the popular chief's resignation submitted on August 22.

Read More: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2025/September-2025/09_03_2025_Community_Groups_Call_for_Retaining_Police_Chief.html

The following letter was sent over the weekend to Northeast Neighbors Board Member Tricia Crane in response to a request by five Santa Monica neighborhood groups that the City Council and City Manager reject the resignation of Police Chief Ramon Batista.

Read his letter at: https://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2025/09_03_2025_Letter_From_City_Manager_to_Neighborhood_Groups.html