Rents in Santa Monica dropped by nearly 13 percent over the past year, as the coronavirus shutdown hit high-priced cities with high-tech work forces the hardest, according to a report by Apartment List.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_03_2020_Santa_Monica_Rents_See_Yearly_Drop_of_Nearly_13_Percent.html

The City Council on Tuesday will accept the official results for the November 3 election before three new Council members and two incumbents are sworn in.

The newly seated Council is then expected to elect Sue Himmelrich, a slow-growth advocate who was first elected in 2014, as Santa Monica's new mayor.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_03_2020_New_Council_to_Be_Seated_Mayor_Picked_Tuesday.html

The Malibu City Council adopted Ordinance No. 472 commonly referred to as the “Hosted ShortTerm Rental Ordinance” during the City Council meeting of November 23, 2020. The Hosted ShortTerm Rental Ordinance is intended to regulate the short-term rental of residential property citywide.

Read More on page 4: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/120320.pdf

The City of Santa Monica’s latest emergency supplement extends the City’s eviction moratoriums to January 31, 2021. The twenty-ninth supplement comes as additional restrictions are implemented in response to the rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise across Los Angeles County.

Read More on page 3: https://s3.amazonaws.com/smdp_backissues/120320.pdf

AND: Santa Monica Extends Residential and Commercial Eviction Moratoriums to January 31, 2021 - santamonica.gov - City of Santa Monica

The sponsor of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) urged Santa Monica's newly elected City Council on Tuesday to end the lawsuit filed by Latino activists and "put itself back on the right side of history."

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_02_2020_Stop_Fighting_Lawsuit.html

Letter to the editor

City of Santa Monica has paid millions of dollars to a Republican law firm to attack the CVRA and the voting rights of minorities in California.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/letters/Letters-2020/12_02_2020_OPINION_City_Council_Should_Put_Itself_Back_on_the_Right_Side_of%20History.html

by Charles Andrews

Next Tuesday’s Council meeting marks the dawn of a new era — or the same ol’ same ol’. That depends on the incumbents. They still have the 4-3 majority. But we cannot afford — economically, environmentally, morally — business as usual.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/new-sheriffs-in-town/199464

Nearly half of Santa Monica voters chose "someone new" in last month's City Council race and think reducing homelessness should be the Council's top priority, according a to poll released Tuesday.

Read More: https://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2020/December-2020/12_01_2020_Residents_Feel_More_Empowered_After_Council_Election.html

The event will be held online on Wednesday, December 2nd from 4:00 to 6:00pm. You must complete a simple registration form to access the event. 

Read More: https://www.smgov.net/rentcontrol/

 28th supplement to Santa Monica’s local emergency was approved

• Clarifies that landlords’ service of required Notices of Terminations of Tenancy in accordance with instructions from the Rent Control Board upon its acceptance of a notice of intent to Ellis a building will not violate the eviction moratorium, while specifying that no unlawful detainer action based on removal of a unit from the rental market pursuant to the Ellis Act may be filed until sixty days after the expiration of this Order.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/11/24/expanded-curbside-pickup-zones-and-other-business-recovery-measures-approved

AND on page 36, Section F: https://www.santamonica.gov/Media/Default/COVID-19/28-_Supplement_28_-_Local_Emergency_-_COVID.pdf