ACTION Apartment Association

SMa.r.t. Column: Spend, Baby, Spend!

03/06/2020 11:54 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Surprise, Surprise! Santa Monica is out of money and about to run a deficit. Crime and homelessness have led to a decline in parking revenue and hotel stay taxes. Who could have seen that coming?

~ Instead of examining their recent spending sprees and learning a lesson from them, our city fathers want to pick our pockets yet again.

Consumers Should Beware of Price Gauging Under Coronavirus State of Emergency

03/06/2020 11:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As health-related supplies fly off store shelves amid growing fears of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Santa Monica City Attorney’s office is asking consumers to beware of illegal price gauging.

Price gouging, or raising the cost of certain goods or services more than 10 percent during a State of Emergency, is against the law, according to the Consumer Protection Division.

AND: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/03/06/santa-monica-city-attorney-warns-about-price-gouging-following-statewide-declaration-of-emergency-for-novel-coronavirus-cases

Council Could Immediately Streamline Permit Process to Spur Housing Development

03/06/2020 11:42 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council could vote Tuesday to eliminate hearings for many large housing projects in an effort to issue permits for some 1,100 units a year, up from 200.

WS Communities Secures $157 Million Loan for Market-Rate SRO Developments

03/05/2020 2:37 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica's largest residential developer has received a $157 million loan to build ten apartment buildings Downtown, according to a Los Angeles real estate site.

They include six market-rate single room occupancy (SRO) developments that triggered a legal battle with the City last year.

Disabled Tenant Sues Santa Monica Landlord For Refusing Housing Voucher

03/04/2020 9:28 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A disabled 72-year-old tenant sued her Santa Monica landlord Monday for refusing to accept a housing voucher needed to pay the rent-controlled apartment she has occupied for 38 years.

Coronavirus Information

03/04/2020 9:17 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica is working closely with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) to monitor the novel coronavirus. Novel coronavirus (2019 nCoV) is a new, viral disease that produces symptoms similar to the flu or pneumonia.

LA County Public Health Dept Declares A Local Emergency After Six Coronavirus Cases Found

03/04/2020 9:15 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The County of Los Angeles declared a public health emergency Wednesday morning, after the discovery of 6 coronavirus cases. All of the six new cases were linked to one known exposure, i.e. one man who travelled to China.

Death by 9000 Cuts - SM.a.r.t

02/28/2020 8:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As many of our readers know, our city is now under siege from the State of California which has arbitrarily decided that we need to build 8800 new housing units in the next 8 years (a 20% population increase). Furthermore, 2/3 of these mirage units need to be affordable units under pain of severe State funding withdrawal penalties if your city fails to make “good” progress toward this goal.

City Council Hikes Parking Fines, Contemplates Tax Measures

02/28/2020 8:22 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday voted to hike the cost of parking fines and consider new tax measures in an effort to close a $2 million budget shortfall that is expected to grow.

The shortfall is largely due to a projected $5.4 million decrease in hotel bed taxes, which could be further impacted by "recent travel restrictions due to the novel coronavirus epidemic," according to staff.

New legislation would slash impact fees

02/27/2020 4:42 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Housing remains one of lawmakers’ top priorities for a fourth straight year.

At least 200 bills touching on housing and homelessness already have been introduced this year, according to Housing California, an affordable housing advocacy group. More are expected before the March 18 deadline to amend existing placeholder legislation.