ACTION Apartment Association

SMa.r.t. Column: Is Santa Monica’s Heart For Sale?

09/28/2019 2:51 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Following is the first of several articles previously written about a proposed hotel project in the center of our downtown. It appears this behemoth of a project on Arizona between 4th & 5th is rearing its ugly head again and we all need to become involved with our neighborhood councils as this single project is one more stake thru the heart of our beach town and will determine whether our downtown becomes just a reflection of Los Angeles or maintains its beachfront character.

The euphemistically named “Plaza at Santa Monica” poses a very simple question of our downtown: Is our downtown just a giant ATM for developers?

Council Expands City Attorney's Investigative Powers, Outlaws Lying

09/28/2019 2:41 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Santa Monica City Council this week expanded the City Attorney's investigative powers and expressly prohibited making false statements to the City.

The two separate actions stemmed from concerns that property owners may be lying to avoid complying with Santa Monica's strict housing laws.

AND: http://backissues.smdp.com/092719.pdf

Santa Monica Hikes Fines for Housing Violations

09/28/2019 2:27 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Property owners who violate Santa Monica's housing laws will face much stiffer fines under a fee schedule adopted by the City Council on Tuesday.

The fines -- which will typically rise from $75 to $1000 -- include those for violating the City's home sharing and vacation rental laws.

The Council also directed staff to explore if the new fines are high enough to deter property owners, who stand to make significant profits, from violating the housing laws.

ARB to discuss expanding staff authority

09/24/2019 1:01 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Architectural Review Board will hold a special meeting this week to potentially expand the ability of staff to approve some projects and in a separate discussion, consider design standards for the Third Street Promenade.

ARB staff have some authority to approve some projects that are then approved by Commissioners on the consent calendar. According to the staff report, expanding staff powers would streamline the process by allowing the Board to focus on larger projects, shorten review times for small projects and increase staff efficiency.

Fritto Misto will relocate due to new development at 6th & Colorado

09/24/2019 1:00 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Plans for an eight-story building at the corner of 6th Street and Colorado Avenue are moving forward.

Last week, the Planning Commission unanimously approved the project, which is located one block from the Downtown Santa Monica Expo Line station and will replace two low-rise buildings. The building at 601 Colorado Ave. will contain 140 market-rate apartments and developer WS Communities will satisfy the project’s affordable housing requirements by building 37 deed-restricted apartments in a six-story building at 1238 7th St.

The Planning Commission approved the project because it complies with the DCP, but commissioners said they were concerned that the apartments’ small kitchens and bedroom configurations would make them undesirable for families.

Rand said the project isn’t necessarily designed for families.

“The demand isn’t there for family units,” he said.

City Council may raise fines for vacation rentals and unlawful evictions

09/23/2019 9:07 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council is set to raise fines for unlawfully evicting rent-controlled tenants and operating vacation rentals.

The fine increases follow the council’s request last month to review fines for violations of laws designed to protect Santa Monica’s tenants and preserve affordable housing. Staff has recommended levying higher fines on people who take units off the housing market or convert rent-controlled units into market-rate units.

Short-term Rentals: A Tale of Two Cities

09/23/2019 9:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Robin Nydes

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. A true story in two acts.
Act One: Around 8 p.m. after a recent neighborhood meeting. An elderly woman (let’s call her Sarah) comes forward to share her story. She says she owns a three bedroom, ranch style house north of Wilshire:
“This city is killing me,” she says in strained tones. “I used to rent my house a few weeks a year to some nice families, then go and stay with my son in Sacramento. That would help me pay the bills as it’s so expensive to live here. Now, because I can’t set up to do “home sharing” where I would stay on a separate floor, I have to sell. How does that help solve the housing crisis?”
Act Two: Around 1 a.m on the eve of the September 10th meeting of the Santa Monica City Council. A woman (let’s call her Nancy) comes forward to protest a new stricter ordinance.
“I’m an AirBnb “Superhost” with over 600 five star reviews.” She explains. “I have 2 bedrooms that I host as a bed & breakfast… I rent those rooms out to different people. Your new rules will cut my income in half.”

SMa.r.t. Column: ENOUGH!

09/20/2019 8:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Residents are lamenting the turn our beach town has taken in the last few years, and sadly it is not for the better. Mom & Pop stores and services are closing. Crime is up significantly. Homelessness seems to have increased, and from reading the various comments made on the local Santa Monica Facebook pages, there are more violent right wing comments being made within the various local pages. As recent violent incidents have occurred there are even those few who have posted about wanting concealed carry permits. The wild west all over again. One wonders and speculates about the root causes of this decline in our quality of life.

New rent cap supplements local rent control rules

09/18/2019 7:58 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

State lawmakers passed a landmark measure last Wednesday that will limit annual rent increases to 5% plus inflation for buildings that are at least 15 years old and require landlords to provide a “just cause” for evicting tenants.

While Santa Monica already has a comprehensive rent control program and a “just cause” law of its own, Assembly Bill 1482 will impact some tenants in the city.

The legislation introduced by Assemblymember David Chiu of San Francisco will not supersede the city’s rent control regulations for buildings constructed before 1979, which typically restrict annual rent increases to less than 5%. However, it will cap increases for multi-family rental units built between 1979 and 2005.

Santa Monica Tops List of California Cities with Biggest Pensions

09/16/2019 8:57 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica this year will make separate payments to 28 retired employees whose pensions were so large they exceeded IRS limits, an analysis of pension data by The Lookout found.

In fact, Santa Monica had more retirees whose pensions exceeded the federal limit than any other city in the state, according to data obtained from the State pension fund under the Public Records Act.