ACTION Apartment Association

City at Loggerheads with Meals Program at Reed Park

08/20/2019 4:24 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A showdown has been brewing between Santa Monica City officials and the organizer of a meals program that has been serving food to more than 100 homeless people every Sunday at Reed Park.

The group -- Family Food.US -- emerged after the Westside Vineyard Church last summer was pressured by neighboring residents to move its meals program indoors ("Westside Church to Stop Sunday Lunches for Homeless at Reed Park," May 2, 2018).

Promenade’s Experiment grows downtown

08/19/2019 4:59 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Experiment started last fall with some boldly painted Adirondack chairs and lawn games designed to invite shoppers to linger on the northernmost block of the Third Street Promenade.

Last week, The Experiment spread through the rest of the pedestrian-only shopping district, scattering colorful seating, play structures and art installations in front of stores and restaurants.

Council Directs Staff to Tighten Santa Monica's Reoccupancy Law

08/19/2019 4:22 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council directed staff on Tuesday to find ways to deter Santa Monica landlords from illegally renting rent control units that have been removed from the market.

The motion by Councilmember Kevin McKeown, which was approved unanimously without discussion, did not indicate if the practice is widespread.

"As a City of mostly renters, Santa Monicans are threatened by many things," McKeown said, noting that notable among them is the 1985 Ellis Act that allows California rent control landlords to get out of the rental business.

McMansion Double Talk

08/19/2019 4:20 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

by Robert Gomez

Editor:

The city of Santa Monica is currently looking at reducing build outs from 61% to 50% in R1 neighborhoods. They also are looking to alter parking standards to discourage “McMansionization.” They are proposing accessory units or ADU’s by allowing homeowners to build in their backyard and rent them out. I have major issues with these proposals: the rights of owners to build on their private property, zoning changes away from R1, and allowing massive developments with zoning variances in size and scope in other parts of the city to allow for some low income units.

Santa Monica Home-Sharing Law Stands

08/19/2019 4:15 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reaffirmed its rejection of Airbnb, Inc. and Homeaway.com’s challenge to the City of Santa Monica’s Home-Sharing Ordinance, which penalizes the online platforms for unlawfully booking short-term vacation rentals of unlicensed properties in Santa Monica.

Water costs divide City Council

08/15/2019 8:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council is split on how much to raise water rates over the next five years to fund projects that will wean Santa Monica off of imported water.

The council discussed Tuesday how much to charge residents and businesses for water as the city moves toward a goal of water self-sufficiency by 2023. The rate increases will finance almost $42 million in projects that will allow Santa Monica to stop importing water from the regional water utility, which local officials say will save ratepayers money in the long run.

Santa Monica Expands Senior Housing Subsidies

08/15/2019 8:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday voted to provide $2 million in housing subsidies to as many as 400 Santa Monica seniors struggling to make their rent control payments.

The vote greatly expands to between 250 and 400 households the two-year-old Preserving Our Diversity pilot program that served 22 seniors at a cost of $300,000 a year. Phase two of the program raises the eligible age from 62 to 65.

AND: https://www.smdp.com/program-expands-to-help-seniors-pay-rent/178577

Home Rented as Quasi Hostel Raises Concerns About Home-Sharing Law

08/15/2019 8:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A house rented on Airbnb as a quasi youth hostel has caused an uproar in the upscale North of Montana neighborhood and raised questions about Santa Monica's strict home sharing ordinance.

Code enforcers and Fire Department officials are investigating whether the operator of the single-family house at 710 Adelaide Place violated any laws or codes by renting the property to multiple guests.

The listing on Airbnb -- which advertises a bunk bed for $49 per night -- noted that a "maximum of 36 people in total can stay at the same time combining all rooms” in the four-bedroom, three-bath house with a converted garage.

Culver City Approves Cap On Rent Hikes

08/13/2019 1:10 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In a 4-1 margin, the Culver City Council voted Monday to approve an ordinance which sets an annual 3 percent cap on rent hikes for apartment complexes built before Feb. 1, 1995, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The ordinance also offers tenants in those buildings just-cause eviction protections, which means they can only be evicted for reasons such as not paying rent, causing significant damage to the apartment or building or engaging in criminal activity.

The ordinance will expire in one year, on Aug. 11, 2020. The ordinance does not apply to single-family homes, condos or townhomes.

6 Citizens, $4 Million in Budget Reductions

08/13/2019 7:56 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica, anticipating a budget shortfall, is looking for six members of the public to serve on a task force to make recommendations for at least $4 million in reductions between 2020 and 2023.

The 11-member Budget Task Force, comprised of six community members and five members from the city staff, will advise City Manager Rick Cole on options and priorities for addressing budget shortfalls over the coming six years.