Federal money will pay off up to 80% of unpaid rent, according to governor, legislators. The plan has to be approved by Legislature.

Read More: https://www.ocregister.com/2021/01/25/california-proposal-would-extend-eviction-rule-through-june/

The City Attorney and Councilmember Oscar de la Torre are at loggerheads over whether the newly elected Councilmember can participate in closed session items involving the voting rights lawsuit against the City.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/January-2021/01_25_2021_Fight_Brewing_Over_de_la_Torres_Participation.html

AND: https://smmirror.com/2021/01/city-council-to-decide-whether-member-can-participate-in-voting-rights-case-against-santa-monica/

The block apartment building under construction was to include about 200 units of ultra expensive housing in an urban part of Santa Monica. The lot is 38,000 square feet, nearly nine tenths of an acre, and last sold for $11,250,000 in 2013.

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/01/25/news/construction-ceases-at-apartments-on-the-corner-of-lincoln-and-colorado/5243.html

Santa Monica Extends its Eviction Moratoriums for Residential and Commercial Tenants and Emergency Orders to March 31, 2021

Read More: https://www.smobserved.com/story/2021/01/25/news/why-pay-rent-federal-state-and-local-moratoriums-protect-tenants-from-eviction-for-non-payment-of-rent/5245.html

A four-story senior affordable housing project is rising in a Westside neighborhood.

See Video: https://smmirror.com/2021/01/edify-tv-affordable-senior-housing-rises-in-westside-neighborhood/

The City of Santa Monica’s thirty-second emergency supplement signed yesterday extends the timeline for eviction protections for residential tenants and commercial tenant 1s unable to pay rent due to financial impacts of COVID-19 to March 31, 2021, aligning with the extension of the moratorium on evictions of residential tenants for reasons other than nonpayment of rent adopted in the thirty-first supplement in December.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-extends-eviction-moratoriums-for-residential-and-commercial-tenants-and-emergency-orders-to-march-31/201234

City leaders are calling on the community to give their input about the possibility of adding a new “Right to Return” criteria to the city’s Below Market Housing program, which is a local initiative that provides Santa Monica residents and workers with apartments in the private sector at a rent that is lower than market rate.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/cities-considers-right-to-return-for-historically-displaced-residents/201204

Every 8 years, the state requires cities to update their planning code’s “housing element” to reflect the number of dwelling units that SCAG (Southern California Association of Governments) determines each city within their countywide jurisdiction is required to provide under threat of financial penalty.  Without explanation, this number increased from 1,600 units in the current cycle (2014 – 2021) to 8,900 in the next cycle (2022 – 2029), with 6,000 of these units to meet “affordable” standards.

Last week’s Part 1 article focused on what I’m calling a failed marriage between recent city councils and the development community in providing only 6 – 8% of “inclusionary housing” instead of a goal of 30% while managing to increase market rents on the remaining units including workforce housing and contributing to homelessness!

Read More: https://smmirror.com/2021/01/sma-r-t-column-saving-a-failed-marriage-part-2/

Despite deep cuts, Santa Monica's crippled economy has pushed the City's current budget into the red, and it's not expected to fully recover for at least another four years, City officials said.

After using $117 million in one-time funds to balance an already pared-down budget last June, the City will have to use $14.6 million of the $20 million it had squirreled away for a winter COVID-19 surge.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2021/January-2021/01_21_2021_City_to_Dip_Into_Emergency_Reserves.html

AND: https://www.smdp.com/city-projects-economic-woes-to-last-several-years/201160

Local residents will see their tax bills go down after Santa Monica College (SMC) refinanced a portion of its general obligation bonds last month, school officials said Thursday.

The new rates will save $26.8 million in interest costs that will be passed on to property owners in Santa Monica and Malibu through lower tax bills.