City Council is holding a special meeting Thursday to discuss a court ruling that found the City of Santa Monica’s election system discriminated against its Latino population.

Judge Yvette Palazuelos issued a final ruling in the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) case against the City Friday, ordering that future City Council elections will be determined by a seven-district map drawn by the plaintiffs in the case, Maria Loya and the Pico Neighborhood Association (PNA).

Palazuelos said the City must hold a special election to elect a new City Council on July 2 because the current Council won their seats in an illegal election system. Each of the seven districts will elect one councilmember.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/special-council-meeting-scheduled-to-plan-cvra-response/172933

On Friday Judge Yvette Palazuelos issued her final ruling in the district voting lawsuit the City lost. She ruled that Santa Monica must have a special City Council election, by districts rather than at large, on July 2. Which means that every current Council member will be out, deemed to have been seated by “unlawful elections,” and have to run in their own districts if they want back on the Council. All seven seats are now up for grabs.

This is quite an opportunity for change, but before you dance your jig of hallelujah, understand that the same ugly heads will be lurking in all seven districts, funding six-figure PACs to elect their favored folk who will do their bidding. Union 11 will organize to back and support, with phone calls, mailers and demonstrations, candidates who will give them as many union wage-paying hotels as possible, hotels everywhere, hotels to the sky.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/heres-our-chance/172931

David Van Court applied for a Section 8 voucher to stay in his home. Low-income tenants in the program pay 30 to 40 percent of their monthly income in rent and the Housing Authority pays the rest of the rent directly to the landlord.

Tenants in the program cannot rent apartments that are priced higher than the market rate, as determined by the Housing Authority. The Santa Monica Housing Authority caps payment at $1,512 for a studio, $1,930 for a one bedroom, $2,640 for a two bedroom and $3,366 for a three or four bedroom unit.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-celebrates-section-8-protections/172928

City Attorney Lane Dilg has selected Nicole Gougis as the new Chief of the Criminal Division beginning today, February 19. She comes to Santa Monica from the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office where she has been a prosecutor in the Metropolitan and Central Trials branches since 2007.

Read More: https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2019/02/19/nicole-gougis-selected-to-lead-criminal-division-of-the-santa-monica-city-attorney-s-office  

He will host what he described as a "candid conversation" with mayors of cities whose housing plans are out of compliance with state law. 

LONG BEACH, CA – Gov. Gavin Newsom will visit Long Beach City College Tuesday to highlight how the state government is partnering with cities and counties to address the housing cost crisis.

Newsom will host what he described in his State of the State address as "a candid conversation" at LBCC with mayors of cities whose housing plans are out of compliance with state law.

Read More: https://patch.com/california/santamonica/s/gmlrk/gov-newsom-comes-to-la-to-talk-affordable-housing?utm_term=article-slot-1&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

The City of Santa Monica likely faces an uphill battle if the Council votes on Thursday to appeal last week's Superior Court decision in the voting rights case filed by Latino plaintiffs, election experts told the Lookout.

In her final ruling last Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos ordered the City to hold a district-based election by July 2 for all seven council seats.

She also prohibited council members not elected under districts from serving after August 15 ("Judge Orders Special District Elections for Council in Final Ruling," February 15, 2019).

The experts interviewed by the Lookout, including one who provided information on background, agree that the City's odds of winning on appeal are not favorable.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/February%202019/02_19_2019_City_Faces_Uphill_Battle_in_Voting_Rights_Case.html

The City Council could decide at a special meeting on Thursday whether to appeal last week's Superior Court ruling in a voting rights case filed by Latino plaintiffs.

The Council will take public comment at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1685 Main Street, then meet in closed session for a conference with legal counsel.

The Council will then convene in public to report any decision that may have been taken.

The special meeting takes place one week after Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos issued a final ruling last Wednesday that found the City had violated the California Voting Rights Act ("Judge Orders Special District Elections for Council in Final Ruling," February 15, 2019).

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/February%202019/02_19_2019_Council_Could_Decide_Thursday_on_Appeal_in_Voting_Rights_Lawsuit.html

State Senator Julia Salazar introduced a bill that would cap annual rent increase by no more than 150% of the consumer price index.

Read More: https://therealnews.com/stories/first-step-in-new-york-state-towards-universal-rent-control

Two multistory buildings rising in downtown Santa Monica will replace low-rise buildings with commercial space and 80 apartments. A 40-unit building at 601 Wilshire Blvd. will replace a FedEx and a defunct ticket services center and another 40-unit building at 525 Colorado Ave. will replace a one-story building and parking lot occupied by software company Carbon Five.

Read More: http://backissues.smdp.com/021619.pdf

In her final ruling, the judge in the voting rights lawsuit against the City has ordered a special district-based election on July 2 for all seven council seats.

Candidates not elected through district-based elections "are prohibited from serving" after August 15, according to the ruling issued Wednesday and received by both parties on Friday.

"The current members of the Santa Monica City Council were elected through unlawful elections," Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos wrote.

Read More: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/February%202019/02_16_2019_Judge_Orders_Special_District_Elections_for_Council.html

AND: https://smmirror.com/2019/02/judges-final-ruling-crva/