ACTION Apartment Association

Slow-Growth Group Launches Battle to Stop Project on Gelson's Site

04/08/2022 12:29 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A slow growth Santa Monica group with a hefty legal warchest is taking on the city's biggest housing development in more than half a century, despite warnings the project can't be stopped under State law.

The Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City (SMCLC) announced Thursday that it had "served objections to the completeness of the application" for the nearly 900,000-square-foot project at the Gelson's site at Lincoln and Ocean Park boulevards.

Mega-Buildings for Everyone Else but Me

04/07/2022 9:02 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Dear Editor,

Tax the rich! Yeah! But where will that ocean of money go? ("Mayor Launches Campaign to Hike 'Luxury' Real Estate Tax," March 31, 2022).

It will pay for huge numbers of giant buildings for non-residents -- many will be built on your street. But you won’t be allowed to live in them because you’re not homeless and you already have a rent controlled apartment.

https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2022/04_06_2022_LETTERS_Mega_Buildings_for_Everyone_Else_but_Me.html

County offers relief to landlords impacted by Covid-related nonpayment of rent

04/05/2022 10:46 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In particular, officials are seeking to support landlords who are unable to pay their property taxes or mortgage as a result of the County’s tenant protections during the pandemic.

As the April 11 delinquency date for property taxes approaches, the County has opened up an online portal for landlords to request a penalty cancellation.

Santa Monica landlords who are struggling with mortgage payments can seek relief through the Los Angeles County Mortgage Relief Program.

Five-Story Mixed-Use Development Seeks Approval in Downtown Santa Monica

04/04/2022 11:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

This new proposal would rise at the closed BancWest site on the corner of 4th and Colorado Avenue at 407 Colorado. It would be a 60 unit complex with roughly half being studio units and the other half being one bedroom units. Six of the one bedroom units would be deed restricted as affordable housing for very low income households. The proposal lists no planned parking structure.

New California law extends eviction ban for some renters

04/01/2022 12:43 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Lawmakers voted Thursday to ban evictions for anyone with a pending application until June 30.

Mayor Launches Campaign to Hike Luxury Real Estate Tax

04/01/2022 12:20 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Mayor Sue Himmelrich has launched a campaign for a ballot measure that would dramatically hike Santa Monica's transfer tax on "high end" real estate to help fund "homelessness prevention" and build affordable housing.

The proposed tax measure -- which also would help fund the local School District -- would charge a real estate transfer tax of $53 per $1,000 on properties valued at $8 million or more, primarily apartments and commercial properties.

California lawmakers extend eviction ban for some renters

03/31/2022 11:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Lawmakers voted Thursday to ban evictions for anyone with a pending application until June 30.

Why is it taking so long to get rent relief to tenants and landlords?

03/31/2022 10:32 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

BY THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD

Eviction protections are supposed to expire Friday, but hundreds of thousands of California households that have filed for rent relief have yet to have their applications approved or the money delivered. A little over a year after California began accepting applications, more than 275,000 requests for aid — 56% of those submitted — are still pending.

Santa Monica Rents Increase for First Time Since October

03/30/2022 9:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The 2.8 percent rise in March was higher than the 0.8 percent increase nationwide, according to the report.

Median rents in Santa Monica currently stand at $2,087 for a 1-bedroom apartment, up from $2,014 in February, and $2,625 for a two-bedroom, up from $2,533.

SMa.r.t. Column: The Value of Our Boulevards

03/29/2022 10:57 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Following is a composite of past articles dealing with the accelerated demise of our beachfront environment together with the increasing control of the development community over City Council and Planning staff, and the re-direction we can take to right the ship!