ACTION Apartment Association

Housing Backers Start Facing Post-Pandemic Reality

02/22/2021 9:58 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

It’s true those lawmakers still insist on pushing bills to make California cities of all sizes and shapes far denser than ever. But some at last appear willing to admit that things have changed in the last year.

No legislator will say a housing solution is at hand, but one new bill’s very presence in the Legislature shows an awareness that was missing last year.

That bill is for the moment called Senate Bill 6, part of a housing package introduced in the state Senate within moments of the current session’s opening. Specific terms of SB6 are not yet spelled out; the measure for the moment is basically a blank, but with a stated purpose.

That is to make it mandatory for cities and counties to allow rezoning when office buildings are converted to residential or mixed-use.

SMa.r.t. Column: The Promenade – Leaving the Past to Reimagine its Future

02/22/2021 9:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The departure of Bloomingdales will expand the current 11% floorspace vacancy rate to over 30%.

But this is a movie we have seen before. We are in the second decline cycle for The Promenade (originally known as the Santa Monica Mall). Primarily due to the City’s reactionary downtown business strategy, the business cycles of SM Place and The Promenade have been fortuitously counter-cyclical since 1965. Now, for the first time, downtown Santa Monica is experiencing simultaneous declines at both the Promenade and SM Place. However, this problem creates new opportunities.

Santa Monica Receives Nearly $9 million for Affordable Housing

02/22/2021 9:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica will receive a total of nearly $9 million from the State to finance affordable housing projects, officials announced Friday.

The California Local Housing Trust Program (LHTF) -- which provides a State match to qualifying local housing trust funds -- awarded the City $5 million.

Public Safety Reform & Oversight Commission begins accepting applications

02/19/2021 8:11 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica’s first civilian police oversight body is now accepting applications from residents who feel they are qualified to promote the best practices in community-oriented policing.

A Santa Monica Apartment Owners' View of the COVID-19 Fallout

02/19/2021 7:57 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Wes Wellman

I see us heading into four concurrent eras.

Emergency Era

We are nearing the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 emergency declarations under which government at all levels assumed unfettered authoritarian control over virtually every aspects of our lives.

Santa Monica Boosts Enforcement of COVID-19 Emergency Orders

02/19/2021 7:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

An update provided Thursday by Code Enforcement Manager Sharon Guidry sheds lights on the efforts the City has rolled out to make sure residents, visitors, businesses and construction workers are complying with emergency orders.

Councilmembers Float Ways to Build More Affordable Housing in Santa Monica

02/19/2021 7:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Three City Councilmembers are asking staff to explore ways to build more affordable housing in Santa Monica without relying mostly on market rate developers.

Mayor Sue Himmelrich and Councilmembers Kristin McCowan and Kevin McKeown have placed an item on Tuesday's agenda to explore building affordable housing on government and non-profit sites and to discourage commercial development sites where housing can be built.

Update on Addressing Homelessness

02/19/2021 7:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Join us at the February 23 City Council meeting to hear a comprehensive update and be part of finding new solutions to address homelessness in our community to ensure safe and clean public spaces for all.

Local leaders to discuss the road to recovery at 2021 ‘State of the City’ summit

02/18/2021 11:12 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

This year the annual event will air live on CityTV Channel 16 and be streamed on the City of Santa Monica’s YouTube channel on Feb. 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Registration is offered free to the community to encourage all residents to take part in the City’s economic recovery.

Poll Finds Residents Waiting for New Council to Act on Crime and Homelessness

02/18/2021 10:41 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A recent poll of Santa Monica residents concerned with homelessness and crime suggests the overwhelming majority is dissatisfied with the early actions taken by the new City Council.