ACTION Apartment Association

LA rent control increases will climb to 4 percent in 2019

05/23/2019 9:24 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Angelenos living in rent-controlled apartments may see monthly rent payments climb slightly higher than expected in the coming months.

In the city of Los Angeles, price hikes for most apartments built before 1978 are regulated by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, and for the last decade have been capped at 3 percent annually. But in the 12-month period starting in July, landlords will be permitted to raise rents up to 4 percent.

Santa Monica Crime Continues Dropping

05/23/2019 8:54 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Serious crime in Santa Monica dropped by 3.2 percent during the first quarter of this year, and it has continued dropping in April and May, according to data provided by the Santa Monica Police Department.

The drop reflects an overall trend that saw crime in the neighboring City of Los Angeles drop by 8 percent during the first quarter of 2019, with eight of the ten Westside neighborhoods registering a decrease, according to an analysis of crime data by CrosstownLA..

Applications open for 31 Board/Commission seats

05/22/2019 8:09 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica has 31 openings on one of 14 boards and Commissions.

According to City Hall, there are annual appointments available for the Airport Commission (2), Architectural Review Board (1), Arts Commission (3), Audit Subcommittee (1), Commission for the Senior Community (2), Commission on the Status of Women (2), Disabilities Commission (2), Housing Commission (2), Personnel Board (1), Planning Commission (3), Recreation and Parks Commission (1), Santa Monica Library Board (1), Social Services Commission (3) and the Urban Forest Task Force (7).

Southern California lacks 759,000 affordable homes, report says

05/21/2019 3:36 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The report shows a shortfall of nearly 759,000 units affordable to low-income renters in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties as of 2017, according to the California Housing Partnership, a state-created nonprofit dedicated to promoting affordable housing.

California Creates Homelessness Task Force

05/21/2019 3:35 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gov. Gavin Newsom came to Oakland on Tuesday to announce the creation of a task force to help address California's homelessness crisis.

The Homeless and Supportive Housing Advisory Task Force, co-chaired by Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, will meet at various locations around the state to learn best practices and get input from local governments and

community members.

Pico housing project receives $8M in City funding

05/21/2019 9:23 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City of Santa Monica has approved $8.3 million in funding for a new affordable housing development at 14th and Michigan by developer EAH Housing.

Total costs for the project are estimated at $29.5 million and the money recently approved by City Hall is for land acquisition, closing and predevelopment costs. An additional round of city funding is expected once permits for the project are in process with a total projected contribution of about $14.8 million.

Red More: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-provides-gap-financing-through-the-housing-trust-fund/175660

Sycamore Tree Commandeers Council Meeting

05/21/2019 9:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Responding to the concerns of residents who worry that Santa Monica’s urban forest is declining, Council also passed a motion that directs City Staff to develop an ordinance that will protect trees on private property without having to assign them a landmark status.

Low-Income Housing Project Slated for Pico Neighborhood

05/21/2019 9:05 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A 55-unit low-income housing project in the Pico Neighborhood estimated to cost nearly $42 million -- or more than $750,000 per unit -- will be the subject of the first of two community meetings Tuesday.

The Design Input meeting for the proposed Community Corporation project at 1834, 1840, 1844, & 1848 14th Street takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Thelma Terry Building at Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Avenue.

Rezoning R1s

05/20/2019 8:57 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Letter to the Editor

So SB 50 may have stalled, but so what? Santa Monica’s single family neighborhoods have already effectively been rezoned as commercial/industrial.

I have friends who own a house on one of Sunset Parks best streets. You would think they could enjoy their hard-earned peace and quiet…

EXCEPT that the house across from them runs a (city permitted) Airbnb, where the owner lives in a separate ADU in the back of the house and rents out the front house as a short-term rental.

Senior housing heads to ARB for discussion

05/20/2019 8:38 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A development that will provide 56 affordable apartments for seniors downtown is moving forward Monday.

The Architectural Review Board will provide feedback on the design of a seven-story apartment building with ground-floor commercial space planned to rise on a vacant lot at 711 Colorado Ave. The project from WS Communities has been in the works for almost two years.