ACTION Apartment Association

New bill in Legislature would sharply limit Ellis Act evictions

04/02/2021 10:09 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Lawmakers recently revived legislation that would severely curtail when property owners can invoke the Ellis Act, which gives them a path to exit the rental market by evicting tenants if they plan to move themselves or family members in, sell the units or demolish the building. Tenant rights groups argue that the law has morphed into a tool for speculators to flip a dwindling supply of affordable rental housing in the state.

California Eviction Moratorium Extended to June 3, 2021

04/02/2021 9:53 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed legislation to extend the eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021.

Time to Move Out: Santa Monica is Coming For Your Home

04/02/2021 9:51 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Dressed up in the language of compassion and social justice, the City Council's vote on March 30 to accommodate 6,168 affordable housing units, 70% of whatever new housing is built, and then to disperse these affordable units throughout the city, including along Montana Avenue and Main Street, is in reality a despicable theft of the earnings of hardworking residents and will end up benefiting no one.

Two Santa Monica Sustainable Housing Proposals to Get State Funding

04/02/2021 9:43 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Two Santa Monica proposals to promote sustainable housing development will receive a slice of $4.8 million in State funding from The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the agency announced Thursday.

Santa Monica's proposals were among 26 projects to get the green light Thursday from SCAG’s Regional Council as part of its 2020/2021 Sustainable Communities Program (SCP).

City Council Continues Housing Element Process

04/01/2021 8:39 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Last night, the Santa Monica City Council continued its planning process for the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update for 2021 – 2029 to address housing needs in compliance with State law. Council directed staff to focus planning efforts required by State law on prioritizing the production of affordable housing on City-owned land and seeking to distribute housing in new areas of the City to advance fair housing goals.

Recall Drive Targets Four Santa Monica School Board Members

04/01/2021 8:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Education activists on Wednesday filed their intent with the Los Angeles County Registrar to circulate petitions to recall four local School Board members for alleged conflicts of interest.

The petition drive targets president Jon Kean, Vice President Laurie Lieberman and Board members Maria Leon-Vazquez and Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, all of them Santa Monica residents who have served more than four years on the seven-member board.

AND: https://www.smdp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SMMUSD-Recall-PRESS-RELEASE-3-31-2021_Redact.pdf

Santa Monica 311

03/31/2021 9:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica’s 311 program provides easy access to all non-emergency City services and information. Users can submit a request, ask a question, provide feedback, or report something using one of our four convenient methods outlined below.

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2021/03/31/city-of-santa-monica-launches-311-program-to-improve-customer-service

Santa Monica Rent Control Building Sells for More Than $32 Million

03/31/2021 9:37 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A 28-unit Santa Monica rent control building -- where some rents exceed $12,000 a month -- sold last month for $32.6 million, according to County records.

The rents, however, are far below those at Champagne Towers, another rent control building down the street.

As Budget Season Starts, Fitch, Moody's and S+P Affirm AAA Credit Rating

03/30/2021 9:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The rating confirmation comes as the City prepares its biennial budget for FY 2021 – 2023.

SMa.r.t. Column: The City of Santa Monica – “Progressive” in 1989, “Chaotic” in 2021

03/30/2021 9:14 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Our City Council is flying blind – everything is piecemeal, jumping from one event to another, one crisis to another – an extremely frenetic and costly way to run a city. Whatever the problem du jour – homeless, affordable housing, crime, public restrooms, regulating robots, etc., our underlying mantra has been economic gain at the expense of residents and our environment.