ACTION Apartment Association

Council to Redo Vote for Top Posts

01/07/2021 9:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday will redo its selection of a Mayor and Mayor pro tem after concerns were raised that the initial vote on December 8 may have violated the State's open meetings act.

Tuesday's vote, however, will not likely alter the outcome -- Sue Himmelrich was elected mayor and Kristin McCowan mayor pro tem -- since the City Attorney has advised that all seven Councilmembers can participate.

Renter protections strengthened and extended

01/06/2021 10:02 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In an effort to assist local families who find themselves unable to pay rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors extended the county’s eviction moratorium and strengthened other renter protections in a pair of motions passed Tuesday.

Bloom to run for County Supervisor

01/06/2021 9:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

State legislator Richard Bloom announced today he will run to succeed Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl who has decided she will not seek a third term. Bloom is a former Santa Monica Mayor and longtime resident of the Third Supervisorial District.

The Downsides of Upzoning

01/05/2021 9:10 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Letter to the Editor

Upzoning our R1/Single Family residential neighborhoods to include market-rate/multifamily development would maximize the number of residences per parcel. Supporters say it will help in our state’s “housing crisis,” diversify the City, and expand housing opportunities for minorities and low-income households.

Council to discuss forming Public Safety Reform

01/05/2021 9:08 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Four months after residents presented a number of reforms related to policing in Santa Monica, City Council is set to discuss the prospective formation of a Public Safety Reform and Oversight Commission.

SMa.r.t. Column: Planning Is a Vital Need

01/05/2021 9:00 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

[We wrote this article 6.5 years ago. Today, the issues it raises continue to bedevil the city, and with more impact than ever. The results of the pandemic and the State-imposed requirement to provide building permits for nearly 9,000 apartments and dwellings within the next eight years call for swift and thorough action, by our city government and residents, to help solve the challenges outlined below. The article has been edited for length and added recent data.]

Now What? by Wes Wellman

01/04/2021 9:39 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The 2020 election represented a generational turn from the ideals of the Baby Boomers to those of the Millennials. A Reason-Rupe survey found that 53 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds view socialism favorably, compared to only a quarter of Americans over 55.

Prop. 19: State offers guidance on new property tax transfer law

01/04/2021 9:35 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

There are two primary provisions of Prop. 19. One allows for the transfer of property tax base year values from one California residence to another for certain homeowners, effective April 1, 2021. The other severely curtails the property tax reassessment exclusion for transfers of property between parents and children (and grandparents and grandchildren in very narrow circumstances), is effective Feb. 16, 2021, and will be discussed in the next column. A final column will discuss planning options.

Housing and Land Value in Santa Monica

01/04/2021 9:24 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In much of California, one of the biggest barriers to needed housing production is the high cost of land. Part of the price of land comes from speculation about its future value. Part of this incentive to speculate – which drives prices up – is the ability by property owners to privatize the publicly created value of land.

Housing Element discussions continue

01/04/2021 9:20 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Some Santa Monica residents and city leaders feel the Southern California Association of Governments is asking the impossible by mandating the city to build 9,000 new units between 2021 and 2029, but City Council and local stakeholders gathered online recently to discuss the mandate as well as the City’s sixth Housing Element.